Book excerpt: For a limited time, receive a free Fodor's Guide to Safe and Healthy Travel e-book with the purchase of this guidebook! Go to fodors.com for details.Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering trusted advice for all tastes and budgets for more than 80 years. Israel packs in riches from cherished religious sites to stunning archaeological treasures to spectacular natural wonders. Holy land to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, this is where biblical places like Jerusalem and Galilee come alive. Colorful features in Fodor's Essential Israel help travelers experience all of this and more: awe-inspiring ancient cities, delicious food and wine, and a vibrant contemporary culture. This travel guide includes: · Dozens of full-color maps · Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks · Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what’s off the beaten path · Coverage of Jerusalem, Jaffa, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Eilat, the Negev, Haifa, Nazareth, Tiberias, the Sea of Galillee, the Golan Heights, Beersheva, and Petra in Jordan