Jerusalem Israel Tours
from $57
Top rated
Jerusalem: Guided Walking Tour of the Old City
Four hours on foot from Jaffa Gate: the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with a live guide.
Check AvailabilityJerusalem Tours: the 12 Worth Booking
Jerusalem Israel Tours is an independent guide to Jerusalem, built around the Jerusalem tours you can actually book there. We compare the operators, prices and routes so you can pick the right one in minutes.
Quick answer Start here: which tour and how many days
Book the Old City guided walking tour first. It is from $57, runs 4 hours from Jaffa Gate, and covers the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Holy Sepulchre. Two full days is the comfortable minimum. From Friday sunset to Saturday night public transport stops and most shops close, so plan indoor or self-guided days around Shabbat.
Key takeaways
- Guided Walking Tour of the Old City, from $57, our first pick for a first visit
- Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Jerusalem, from $111, the best day out of the city
- Where to stay in Jerusalem, base yourself near the Old City
- The itinerary for one, two, three and four day plans
The 12 Jerusalem tours worth booking
We read the Jerusalem listings on GetYourGuide and Viator and kept twelve with strong ratings, solid review counts and clear routes. Each one covers a different need: an Old City walk, a full-day coach tour, a private guide, a dig site, a memorial, a market, a neighbourhood or a day trip. Choose by what you want to see and how much time you have, then compare price and meeting point.
from $57
Top rated
from $58
Same route on Viator
Old City of Jerusalem Guided Walking Tour
The Holy Sepulchre, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the souk in four hours from Jaffa Gate.
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from $75
Pickup included
Jerusalem: Full-Day City Tour
Gethsemane, Mount Zion, the Old City, the Western Wall and the Holy Sepulchre in one day, with hotel pickup.
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from $500
Private, per group
Jerusalem Old City Four Quarters tour
A private guide for five hours through all four quarters, the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall and the Upper Room.
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from $89
Underground
City of David and Underground Jerusalem Day Tour
The City of David excavations, the Pilgrimage Road, the Jewish Quarter and the Cardo, from your hotel.
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from $12
Run by Yad Vashem
Jerusalem Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum Tour
A two-hour guided walk through the Holocaust History Museum with a Yad Vashem guide and headsets.
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from $53
Insider guide
Jerusalem: Meet Orthodox Jews on a Tour by a Former Member
Two and a half hours in a traditional ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood with a guide who grew up in the community.
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from $111
Cable car included
Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Jerusalem
Up Masada by cable car for Herod's palace, then 90 minutes floating at the Dead Sea, with pickup.
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from $75
Top rated
Travel to Bethlehem Half Day Guided Tour from Jerusalem
The Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field with a licensed Bethlehem guide, back by early afternoon.
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from $150
Two in one day
From Jerusalem: Bethlehem Old City & Dead Sea Day Tour
The Church of the Nativity, the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field, then the drive down to float in the Dead Sea.
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from $180
Top rated
Jerusalem Boutique Tour from Tel Aviv
A small-group day in Jerusalem from Tel Aviv: Gethsemane, all four quarters, the Western Wall and the Holy Sepulchre.
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from $121
Most reviewed
From Tel Aviv: Jerusalem and Bethlehem Guided Day Trip
The Old City, the Western Wall and the Holy Sepulchre, then Bethlehem with a local guide, from Tel Aviv hotels.
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Which Jerusalem tour fits you
Match your need to a tour and you are done. Every row links to a tour card on this site.
| If you want | Book | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| First look at the Old City | Guided Walking Tour of the Old City | from $57 | 4 hours |
| A small-group Old City walk with the souk | Old City of Jerusalem Guided Walking Tour | from $58 | 4 hours |
| A private guide for your own group | Jerusalem Old City Four Quarters tour | from $500 per group | 5 hours |
| One day covering the whole city with hotel pickup | Jerusalem: Full-Day City Tour | from $75 | 10 hours |
| The underground City of David excavations | City of David and Underground Jerusalem Day Tour | from $89 | 8 hours |
| The cheapest worthwhile guided visit | Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum Tour | from $12 | 2 hours |
| Meeting an ultra-Orthodox community properly | Meet Orthodox Jews on a Tour by a Former Member | from $53 | 2.5 hours |
| Jerusalem plus Bethlehem in one go | From Tel Aviv: Jerusalem and Bethlehem Guided Day Trip | from $121 | 10 hours |
| A small-group day from Tel Aviv | Jerusalem Boutique Tour from Tel Aviv | from $180 | 9 hours |
| Masada and a Dead Sea float from Jerusalem | Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Jerusalem | from $111 | 9 hours |
Figures current in Q4 2026.
Jerusalem in six decisions
Every Jerusalem trip comes down to six choices. Here is the short answer to each, with the page that settles it.
What to see
The Old City holds the Western Wall, the Holy Sepulchre and the Via Dolorosa inside less than one square kilometre. Outside the walls, the Mount of Olives and Yad Vashem fill a second day.
Inside the walls: about 0.9 sq kmWhich tour
Start with a guided Old City walk, then add day trips by interest. Our comparison above covers all twelve picks.
Walks meet at Jaffa GateDay trips
Masada and the Dead Sea is the classic day out, Bethlehem is 10 km south, Petra and the Galilee are longer hauls.
Dead Sea: about 1 hour 20 minutes by carFood and markets
Mahane Yehuda is the city's market, with more than 250 vendors and a street-food scene that turns into nightlife. A guided tasting is the easiest way in.
One stop on light rail line L1Where to stay
Stay near the Old City or along the light rail line in West Jerusalem. The base matters more than the hotel star rating.
Old City to market: a few stopsGetting around and Shabbat
The light rail and the Tel Aviv train carry you most places, but both stop from Friday sunset to Saturday night. Plan Saturday on foot.
Tel Aviv train: about 35-45 minutesWhere in Jerusalem you actually go
Six areas cover nearly every tour on this site. Each card says what is there, the fact that decides the visit, and where it fits in a trip.
The Old City
Four quarters inside the Ottoman walls, no cars, stone lanes and steps. Most walking tours start at Jaffa Gate and cover the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in about four hours.
- The four-hour Old City walk meets at Jaffa Gate
- Shoulders and knees covered for the holy sites
Western Wall and the City of David
The plaza in front of the Western Wall is free and open at all hours. Just south, outside Dung Gate, the City of David park runs down the ridge to the Siloam water tunnel.
- City of David self-guided entry $5.18 (16 NIS)
- Water tunnel: water shoes and a change of clothes
Mount of Olives and Gethsemane
The ridge east of the Old City, with the classic view at the top and the churches of the Christian story on the way down to Gethsemane. Walk it downhill, early, before the heat.
- Church of All Nations 07:30-18:00 in summer
- The Mount of Olives guided tour includes the ride up
City centre and Mahane Yehuda
West Jerusalem is the modern centre: Jaffa Road, the light rail and the covered market of Mahane Yehuda, which closes for Shabbat. Mea Shearim, the ultra-Orthodox quarter, is a short walk north.
- Mahane Yehuda market closes Friday afternoon
- Mea Shearim is best with a guide
Yad Vashem
The Holocaust memorial on the Mount of Remembrance, at the west end of light rail line L1. Entry is free but every visit needs an advance booking, and the museum takes children from age 10.
- Closed Saturday and Jewish holidays
- The Yad Vashem guided tour runs about two hours
Bethlehem and the Dead Sea
The two classic days out. Bethlehem is about 10 km south and needs a passport. Masada and the Dead Sea sit in the desert below sea level, and the shore runs 6-8°C hotter than Jerusalem.
- The Bethlehem half-day tour is back by early afternoon
- Masada and the Dead Sea is a full day with pickup
The Old City and beyond, in walking order
Seven places cover most of a first visit to Jerusalem, and four of them sit inside the walled Old City, which covers under one square kilometre. Here they are in the order you would naturally meet them, starting at the main gate.
Jaffa Gate and the Tower of David
Jaffa Gate is the natural entrance to the Old City for most visitors, and the medieval Tower of David stands beside it. The citadel reopened as the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, and after dark its walls host the Night Spectacular sound-and-light show, 40 minutes long, with adult tickets at $22.32 (69 NIS) and child tickets at $19.09 (59 NIS). The show's start time follows sunset, so arrive 15 minutes early.
Our full guide to the gate, the museum and the walls around them is on the Jerusalem Old City page. If you want a guide from the very first step, the Old City walking tour meets at Jaffa Gate and covers the main sights in four hours.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Christians hold this fourth-century church in the Christian Quarter to be the site of the crucifixion at Golgotha and of the empty tomb. It has drawn pilgrims since the fourth century and it houses three patriarchates under one roof. Entry is free, and hours run 05:00 to 20:45 in summer and 04:00 to 19:00 in winter, with a daily Franciscan procession.
It gets busy from mid-morning, so come early or late. Several tours fold it into a longer Old City loop, including the full-day city tour with hotel pickup and entry fees included. Hours, the Good Friday exceptions and the lay of the land are on our Church of the Holy Sepulchre page.
Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa is the route through the Muslim Quarter that tradition marks as the path Jesus carried the cross, with fourteen Stations of the Cross along it. The street itself is free to walk at any hour, and the Friday Franciscan Way of the Cross procession starts at the Omariyya School at 16:00 in summer and 15:00 in winter. Two paid stops nearby are the Austrian Hospice rooftop terrace at $1.62 (5 NIS) and the Basilica of Saint Anne with the Pools of Bethesda at $3.88 (12 NIS).
Our Via Dolorosa page walks the route station by station, and the In the Footsteps of Jesus tour pairs it with the Mount of Olives in a nine-hour day.
Western Wall
The Western Wall, also called the Kotel or Wailing Wall, is a 488-metre retaining wall on the western side of the Temple Mount, and its prayer section is the holiest site in Judaism where Jews can pray. The plaza is open to all, with modest dress required. The Western Wall Tunnels run below street level along the wall's full length, and they can only be visited on a guided tour booked through the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
Both Old City walking tours stop here, including the Old City walking tour from Jaffa Gate. Our Western Wall page covers the prayer plaza, the tunnels and the Temple Mount plateau next door, where non-Muslim visitors enter by the Mughrabi Gate on limited hours Sunday to Thursday and it is closed Friday and Saturday.
City of David
South of Dung Gate, the City of David is the archaeological site most scholars see as the original settlement core of ancient Jerusalem. Self-guided entry starts at $5.18 (16 NIS) for about an hour and a half. The famous wet route through Hezekiah's tunnel needs water shoes and a change of clothes, with water up to 70 cm deep, and a dry route through the Canaanite channel is the alternative.
A guided three-hour Biblical City of David tour starts at $14.56 (45 NIS) with admission and the tunnel by flashlight included. If you would rather not plan it yourself, the City of David and Underground Jerusalem day tour adds hotel pickup, with entrance fees of about $10 paid on top. Details are on our City of David page.
Mount of Olives
East of the Old City, the Mount of Olives gives the best viewpoints over the Temple Mount, and its slope carries the Garden of Gethsemane with the Church of All Nations, the Dominus Flevit church and an old Jewish cemetery. Church hours cluster around 07:30 to 17:00 or 18:00 depending on the season, and Pater Noster charges $3.88 (12 NIS) with the Chapel of the Ascension at $1.62 (5 NIS). A guided option is the Mount of Olives guided tour, 3.5 hours from Jaffa Gate, with church fees of about 22 NIS paid on the day.
Our Mount of Olives page sorts out the churches, the paths down and the viewpoints.
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem on the Mount of Remembrance is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Entry to the Holocaust History Museum is free, but advance registration is required for every visit, and the museum admits visitors from age 10. Hours run Sunday to Friday mornings with a midweek close on Tuesday at 14:00, and it is closed Saturday.
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours, as the memorial itself advises. To go deeper, the Yad Vashem guided museum tour buys two hours with a Yad Vashem guide and headsets for $12, since the museum itself is free. Registration steps, hours and the light rail from Mount Herzl are on our Yad Vashem page.
How many days Jerusalem needs
Jerusalem rewards slow travel, but most people are working with a fixed number of days. Here is what each budget of time realistically fits, and the tour to book for it.
| Days | What fits | Tour to book |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Old City on foot: the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Holy Sepulchre, plus a viewpoint over the Temple Mount | Guided Walking Tour of the Old City, from $57 |
| 2 | Day one in the Old City, day two for the City of David and the Mount of Olives or Yad Vashem | City of David and Underground Jerusalem Day Tour, from $89 |
| 3 | Add the Mahane Yehuda market, Mea Shearim and a first day trip out of the city | Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Jerusalem, from $111 |
| 4+ | Add Bethlehem, the Tower of David museum and time to wander, or push on to Petra | Travel to Bethlehem Half Day Guided Tour from Jerusalem, from $75 |
Three things that change a Jerusalem tour
Jerusalem rewards a little planning, and most first-time mistakes come from the same three sources. Get these right and the rest of the trip falls into place.
Shabbat and the Friday cut-off
Shabbat runs from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall, and it reshapes the city. The light rail ends before sunset on Friday and does not run on Saturday, and trains to Tel Aviv run hourly on Friday until early afternoon, then not again until after dark on Saturday. Mahane Yehuda market closes for Shabbat, as does Yad Vashem on Saturday.
Churches in the Old City stay open, and tours do run. The Temple Mount plateau closes to non-Muslim visitors on Friday and Saturday, so walking tours such as the Old City walking tour stop at a viewpoint instead. Work out which days you want which sights, then book around it.
Our getting around page has the full Shabbat picture.
Dress for the holy sites
Modest dress is required at most holy sites in Jerusalem, and it is enforced. At the Western Wall and at the Temple Mount plateau, cover shoulders and knees. In ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods the expectation is stricter, and on the Meet Orthodox Jews tour women need a scarf or shawl and nobody wears shorts or bare shoulders.
A light layer you can carry in a day bag solves most of it. The same rule applies inside churches in the Old City and on the Mount of Olives. Conditions change, so for any current advice check your own government's travel guidance before you go.
Our Jerusalem Old City page lists dress notes site by site.
Bethlehem, passports and the checkpoint
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the West Bank, about 10 km south of Jerusalem, and a visit needs your passport. On the Bethlehem half day tour a licensed Bethlehem guide meets you and the vehicle may change at the checkpoint, with routine security checks possible in both directions. Travelling independently, buses 231 and 234 leave from Sultan Suleiman Street near Damascus Gate, and bus 234 stops on the Jerusalem side of Checkpoint 300.
You walk through, then it is about 2 km to Manger Square or a short local taxi ride. Israeli taxis and cars rented in Israel cannot cross, and Israeli passport holders cannot join the tours. Logistics and options are on our Bethlehem page.
Jerusalem month by month
Average afternoon high in Jerusalem each month, in Celsius with Fahrenheit underneath, from the Israel Meteorological Service normals for 1991-2020. Almost all rain falls between November and March. The full planner is on the [best time to visit Jerusalem](/best-time-to-visit/) page.
Mild highs of 17-26°C, the easiest months for long Old City walks
Highs of 29-30°C, start walking tours early
Rain season, cool highs of 13-15°C
The Dead Sea shore, about 1,200 m lower, runs 6-8°C hotter all year, which matters for the Masada day trip.
Pick a base before a hotel
Jerusalem is a city of neighbourhoods, and where you sleep shapes every day. Three bases cover most travellers.
Near the Old City
The best base for a short stay, and our pick for first visits. You walk to Jaffa Gate for the Old City walking tours in minutes, and the light rail on Jaffa Road takes you to the market and Yad Vashem. Compare options in where to stay in Jerusalem.
West Jerusalem and the city centre
The triangle around Jaffa Road, City Hall and Mahane Yehuda puts you one light rail stop from Damascus Gate and steps from restaurants and bars. It suits travellers who want food and nightlife more than dawn access to the holy sites. Hotel picks are in the where-to-stay guide.
If most of your days are day trips
Coaches on the full-day and Dead Sea tours pick up from central Jerusalem hotels, and the Bethlehem tours meet at the David Citadel Hotel by the Old City. Any base in the centre keeps pickup simple. Our where to stay page lists the areas tours actually collect from.
Questions that have their own page
What is the best month to visit Jerusalem?
Spring and autumn bring the mildest temperatures, with average afternoon highs of 22°C in April and 26°C in October. Summer reaches 30°C and almost all rain falls from November to March. Best time to visit Jerusalem
What are the top things to do in Jerusalem?
The Old City sites come first, then the City of David, the Mount of Olives, Yad Vashem and Mahane Yehuda market. Our hub page ranks them by how much time each deserves. things to do in Jerusalem
How do I get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem?
The train reaches Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon station in about 35 to 45 minutes, every 30 minutes from Sunday to Thursday. Guided day trips from Tel Aviv hotels run from $95. Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
Where should I base myself for a day trip to Masada and the Dead Sea?
Anywhere in central Jerusalem works, because the tour picks you up at your hotel and the drive takes about an hour and a half. See the full day trip comparison on its page. Masada and Dead Sea tour from Jerusalem
Is a private guide worth it in Jerusalem?
A private guide lets you set the route and the pace, which suits families and second visits. Prices start at $191 per group for an Old City tour with hotel pickup. Jerusalem private tour
Is a day trip to Bethlehem worth it from Jerusalem?
Yes, for the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square, about 10 km south of the Old City. Bring a passport and note that Israeli passport holders cannot join the tours. Bethlehem tour from Jerusalem
Jerusalem tours: questions before you book
What is the best Jerusalem tour to book first?
Book the Old City guided walking tour. It costs from $57 per person, runs four hours from Jaffa Gate, and holds a 4.8 rating across 423 reviews. It covers the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with a live guide, which is the core of any first visit. Once you have walked the Old City, add a full-day tour or a day trip to Masada and the Dead Sea.
How do I choose between the Jerusalem tours?
Start with what you want to see, then filter by length and meeting point. Old City walks run about four hours and meet at Jaffa Gate. Full-day coach tours cost from $75 and include hotel pickup. Day trips to Bethlehem or the Dead Sea run seven to ten hours. Our comparison table above matches each need to one tour, and things to do in Jerusalem covers the sites behind them.
Do Jerusalem tours include hotel pickup?
Some do and some do not. The full-day coach tours, the City of David day tour and the Masada and Dead Sea trip pick up at central Jerusalem hotels. The Old City walking tours have fixed meeting points, usually Jaffa Gate or just outside it. The Bethlehem tours meet in front of the David Citadel Hotel on King David St 7. Check the card before you book and plan your base accordingly.
Should I take a private tour or a group tour in Jerusalem?
Group tours are the better value for a first visit, with Old City walks from $57 and full days from $75. A private guide makes sense for families, tight schedules or a second visit, because you set the route and the pace. Expect to pay per group rather than per person, from $191 for a private Old City tour with hotel pickup up to $500 for five hours across all four quarters.
What do Jerusalem tours include in the price?
It varies by listing, so read the included line on every card. The full-day coach tours include entry fees and pickup. The Old City walks charge no entry fees because the route itself is free. The City of David tour adds about $10 in entrance fees on top of the $89 ticket. The Yad Vashem guided tour buys the guide and headsets, since museum entry is free. The Masada trip includes entry, cable car and the beach.
Where should I stay in Jerusalem?
Stay near the Old City for a short first visit, or in West Jerusalem around Jaffa Road and Mahane Yehuda for food and easier evenings. Both bases keep you on the light rail line and within pickup range of the coach tours. Our where to stay in Jerusalem page compares the areas hotel by hotel and lists which tour pickup points each one serves.
What happens to Jerusalem tours on Shabbat?
Tours run on Saturday, but the city changes. The Temple Mount plateau closes to visitors on Fridays and Saturdays, so the Old City walks stop at a viewpoint instead. The light rail and trains to Tel Aviv stop from Friday afternoon until Saturday night. Yad Vashem and Mahane Yehuda close for Shabbat, while Old City churches stay open. Book walking tours for Saturday and coach tours with private pickup for any day.
Official Visitor Information for Jerusalem
- iTravelJerusalem, the city's official travel website
- www.itraveljerusalem.com/
- Time zone
- Israel Standard Time (UTC+2, UTC+3 in summer)
- Currency
- Israeli new shekel (NIS)
These are not our contact details. The website above is iTravelJerusalem, Jerusalem's official travel website. Jerusalem Israel Tours is an independent site: to reach us, use our contact page.