Best things to do in Jerusalem, including free and rainy-day options

If you have one day, spend it inside the Old City walls on foot. Start at Jaffa Gate, walk the four quarters, reach the Western Wall, then the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and finish on the Mount of Olives for the view over the Dome of the Rock. That is the single highest-value day in Jerusalem and it costs nothing but your time.

With two or three days, add the Israel Museum and Yad Vashem on one day (both need a bus or taxi), and the City of David or the Mount of Olives churches on another. Keep one indoor option in reserve for rain, which is common from December to February.

Prices are 2026 estimates in Israeli shekels (ILS) for one adult. Times are typical, not guaranteed; religious sites change access without notice, so confirm on the day.

Old City. The walled city is small, roughly one square kilometre, and everything inside is walkable. The Via Dolorosa runs from the Muslim Quarter to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter. The Western Wall is open to all visitors around the clock; men and women have separate sections, and modest dress is expected. The Temple Mount has short visiting windows for non-Muslims, usually in the morning, and is closed to them on Fridays and Saturdays; check the same day before you go.

Mount of Olives. The classic view is from the promenade near the Seven Arches Hotel or from the church terraces. Walk down through the Jewish cemetery to Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, then back up by taxi or bus if the climb is too much. Sunset here is the best free thing in the city.

Israel Museum. The Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book and the model of Herodian Jerusalem are the two things most visitors come for. Allow two to three hours. It is west of the centre, reachable by bus or a short taxi ride.

Yad Vashem. The Holocaust history museum is free and takes two to three hours. It is on the western edge of the city, on the same hill as Mount Herzl; combine the two if you have the time. Closed Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

City of David. South of the Old City, this is the archaeological core of ancient Jerusalem. The wet route through Hezekiah's Tunnel needs shoes you do not mind soaking and sometimes a torch; the dry route is easier. Book ahead in high season.

Mahane Yehuda. The market along Jaffa Street is a food market by day and a bar strip by night. Friday before Shabbat is the busiest and best time to see it. Bring cash for small stalls.

East Jerusalem and beyond. The Mount of Olives churches, the Garden Tomb, and the neighbourhoods east of the walls are worth a half-day. For a change of scene, the village of Abu Ghosh west of the city is a common lunch stop on the way to Tel Aviv.

Jerusalem can be done cheaply. The Old City, Western Wall, Mount of Olives, City of David lookout, Mahane Yehuda browsing and most churches are free. Paid sites are the Israel Museum, the City of David tunnel routes, the Tower of David museum and some Mount of Olives church interiors.

A light rail or bus single ride is a few shekels; a day pass is worth it if you are moving between the Old City and the western museums. Taxis and ride-hailing cost more and are best for late nights or Shabbat, when public transport stops.

Food: a falafel or hummus lunch at a market or Old City stall is the cheapest full meal. Sit-down dinners in the centre cost several times more. Budget travellers can eat well for well under 50 ILS per meal (2026 estimate).

Dress modestly for religious sites: shoulders and knees covered, and a scarf for women at the Western Wall and some churches. Some sites lend wraps.

Go early. The Old City is calm before 9am and crowded from mid-morning. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is quietest at opening.

Friday afternoon to Saturday evening is Shabbat. Jewish sites, many shops and most buses close. The Muslim and Christian quarters, East Jerusalem and Arab neighbourhoods stay open, and taxis still run.

Carry your passport. Security checks are common at the Old City gates and around the Western Wall.

Wear shoes with grip. The Old City's stone streets are polished and slippery when wet.

If you are here in winter, plan one indoor day: Israel Museum, Yad Vashem, Rockefeller Museum and the covered market all work in rain.