Outdoor activities are varied and plentiful in Jerusalem where the weather is pleasant at least 9 months out of the year. Some of the most famous historic and sites are outdoors, of course, and those make it on to our list--the Western Wall and the City of David in the Old City are the main attractions. After you've stood in front of the ancient Wall itself, and maybe inserted a note into a crack between the massive stones, walk to the back of the Plaza and find a seat. It's a great place for some reflection and contemplation, and the people-watching is second to none.
You'll need to expend more energy at the City of David, where visitors can walk through the extensive archaeological excavations that have revealed layers of Jerusalem stretching back to Biblical times.
Our number one pick for outdoor activities in Jerusalem, however, is the Ramparts Walk. If you have no physical limitations, this is the place to get a bird's eye view of the Old City that will reveal many layers that are impossible to see from within the city itself. Choose one of the two directions from the entry at Jaffa Gate--either south toward Mt Zion, Zion Gate and Dung Gate, or north past New Gate and on down to Damascus Gate and Herod's Gate. Each one takes about 90 minutes to complete if you stop for breathers and to take in the scenery along the way.
Next on the list of best outdoor activities is the delightful neighborhood of Ein Kerem on the far western side of Jerusalem. Just past Yad Vashem and the Herzl Memorial, the village of Ein Kerem is the perfect spot for a stroll in the outdoors. Be sure to time your visit to gain entry to the tranquil grounds of the Notre Dames de Sion Convent.
Our other top picks for outdoor activities in Jerusalem include the Tisch Biblical Zoo and the Garden of Gethsemane. And don't forget a nighttime visit to the outdoor Night Spectacular, an educational and entertaining 50-minute spectacle about the history of Jerusalem projected on the walls of the Tower of David.
Entrances by Jaffa Gate and Damascus Gate
Walk on top of the Old City walls...
Rehov Ein Karem
Village within Jerusalem. Churches and alleys...
Derekh Agudat Sport HaPoel
Past the Jerusalem Technological Park
The Biblical Zoo...
Mount of Olives Road
(a short passageway near the Tomb of Mary)
Franciscan shrine...
Sderot Hanasi Ben Zvi
Lawns next to the Knesset...
Yehuda Burla
Hebrew University ,Givat Ram Campus
Heaven on Earth!...
Yishuv Alon
In the heart of the Judean desert, experience life in Biblical Times...
Shiloach village
Site of King David's city--learn about the origins of Jerusalem...
Western Wall Plaza
Remnant of the retaining wall of the Second Temple. Holiest place in the world for Jews...