The country spans dramatic contrasts: the white Bauhaus buildings of Tel Aviv's boulevards give way to the ancient limestone walls of Jerusalem, while the Negev desert stretches south toward the Red Sea at Eilat. Tel Aviv's hotel scene clusters along the Mediterranean waterfront and in the restored lanes of Jaffa, where Ottoman-era buildings now house contemporary design properties. Jerusalem offers another register entirely—stone-clad hotels overlooking the Old City walls, many within walking distance of the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The dining culture reflects successive waves of immigration, from the Yemeni spice traditions of the south to the Eastern European influences still visible in Jerusalem's markets. Tel Aviv's restaurant scene has earned international attention for its vegetable-forward cooking, drawing on the abundant produce of the coastal plain. Much like Japan, Israel has developed a distinctive culinary identity that rewards extended exploration—each city reveals different traditions, from the hummus parlors of Akko to the wine estates of the Galilee hills.