Israeli tourists return to Jericho
Israeli tourists increasingly see affordable Jericho as desirable vacation option.
Winter finally arrived in Israel last week, sending vacationers to warmer destinations. A new one is drawing the attention of Israeli tourists over Eilat in the south and the popular Dead Sea resorts: the West Bank town of Jericho.
Jericho's weather is pleasant, even in winter, and it is close to religious and other tourist attractions, including the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and the baptismal sites along the Jordan River. The tourism website Tripadvisor offers a selection of visit-worthy sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews, not to mention archeological attractions, fine dining and places to unwind. It would be a real tourism gem were it not for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
One of the sites is Hisham’s Palace, an archeological compound dating back to the Muslim Ummayad dynasty. It includes a magnificent mosaic floor uncovered just five years ago and renovated at a cost of $12 million, donated by the Japanese government.
According to Christian tradition, the hill rising above the city is the Mount of Temptation, where Satan tried to tempt Jesus for 40 days. The Monastery of the Temptation was first built in the fourth century AD by a monk named Haritun. It is accessible by the Palestinian Authority's only cable car — which is also the longest such ride below sea level in the world. Outside the city is an ancient synagogue, dating to the seventh century AD.
