2 days in Jerusalem

Day by day

1. Day 1: Western Wall and Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif and the Dome of the Rock

   Western Wall, Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif and the Dome of the Rock, Western Wall Tunnels and Old City walls and Ramparts Walk, then Mahane Yehuda Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Western Wall

      The open plaza in front is divided into men's and women's prayer sections, and visitors of all faiths may approach the wall; many leave written prayers in the cracks between the stones. It is free and reached through a security check.

   2. Late morning

      Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif and the Dome of the Rock

      Non-Muslim visitors may walk the esplanade during limited visiting hours, entering by the wooden bridge beside the Western Wall plaza; the interiors of the mosques are open to Muslims only.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hummus

      Counters in the Muslim and Christian quarters around Al-Wad Street, and near Mahane Yehuda.

   4. Afternoon

      Western Wall Tunnels

      It explains how the Temple Mount platform was built.

   5. Late afternoon

      Old City walls and Ramparts Walk

      The Ramparts Walk lets you follow two sections along the top of the walls, looking down into courtyards and across to the Mount of Olives.

   6. Evening

      Mahane Yehuda Market

      Visit twice: on Friday morning for the pre-Shabbat rush, and on a weekday evening for the bars.

2. Day 2: Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Via Dolorosa

   Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Via Dolorosa, Israel Museum and Tower of David Museum, then Mahane Yehuda in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Church of the Holy Sepulchre

      Inside are the Stone of Anointing, the chapel at Calvary up a steep stair and the Aedicule over the tomb, restored in 2016–2017. Entry is free.

   2. Late morning

      Via Dolorosa

      Along the way are the Church of the Flagellation, the Ecce Homo arch and the Austrian Hospice.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jerusalem mixed grill

      Grills along Agrippas Street beside Mahane Yehuda market.

   4. Afternoon

      Israel Museum

      The white-domed Shrine of the Book displays Dead Sea Scrolls, and outdoors a large scale model shows Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period.

   5. Late afternoon

      Tower of David Museum

      Its towers give one of the best views over the Old City rooftops, and an evening sound-and-light show is projected onto the walls of the courtyard.

   6. Evening

      Mahane Yehuda

      Market stalls turn into bars and small restaurants after dark, with music in the lanes on Thursday nights.

Before you go

• Western Wall Tunnels: Entry is by guided tour only and slots fill days ahead; reserve through the official Western Wall Heritage Foundation site.
• Tower of David Museum: Book the evening night show ahead in summer and holiday periods.

If it rains

• Swap in Yad Vashem (Mount Herzl): Allow at least three hours and plan something quiet afterwards; the light rail stops at Mount Herzl, a short walk away.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.1 hours in December to 14.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Inside the walls everything is on foot, over steps and polished limestone; from Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall takes about 10 minutes.

More or fewer days

• One day in Jerusalem
• 3 days in Jerusalem
• 5 days in Jerusalem

Questions travellers ask