Dublin to Israel Flights

stiofandebrun

Hi there,

Just wondering if anybody can give me any pointers in cheap flights to Israel from Dublin? I'd like ideally to fly into Jerusalem but Tel Aviv would be okay if Jerusalem not available.

Does anybody have any experience. Direct flights if possible

Will be booking about 6 months in advance of trip.

Thanks

mikedragon32

Take a look at Skyscanner.net. No sign of any direct flights (no surprise), but you can go via pretty much any European hub to get to Tel Aviv.

Siuin

Hi, I'm living in Israel at the moment and have flown with KLM (stop over in Amsterdam) and Air France (stop over in Paris) from Dublin - they were both the cheapest ways of getting from Dublin to Tel Aviv at the time, but personally I'd highly recommend KLM. I've never gotten a direct flight because they're outrageous.

There isn't any airport in Jerusalem. Your best option (which 99.9%) of people do) is to fly into Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv. It's only one hour's bus journey from Jerusalem. Take a bus and not a train- weirdly enough, it's faster, since Jerusalem is a mountainous region and the train has to take a detour.

Don't forget to leave 3 hours before your flight for security checks when you're leaving Israel! They're very thorough and I ended up having all my bags opened, everything removed, searched, and thrown in again... but it's for your safety!

If you need any tips re Israel, I'd be more than happy to help

stiofandebrun

Thanks loads for the replies guys.

I see on the internet there is a Malev flight through Budapest but the layover each way is roughly 10 hours. The price is sub 300 euro on the good side.

@Siuin - I just wanted to do a quick trip, mainly see sights in the West Bank/Jerusalem. Any recommendations that come to mind?

Tour or solo travel?

Thanks again guys.

Siuin

stiofandebrun wrote: »

Thanks loads for the replies guys.

I see on the internet there is a Malev flight through Budapest but the layover each way is roughly 10 hours. The price is sub 300 euro on the good side.

@Siuin - I just wanted to do a quick trip, mainly see sights in the West Bank/Jerusalem. Any recommendations that come to mind?

Tour or solo travel?

Thanks again guys.

Yeah, unfortunately the cheapest flights are the ones with the really long layovers. Sometimes it goes to the other extreme, though- I only had 45 minutes to change flights in Paris and is was an absolute nightmare.

Indeed, I travelled a lot in the West Bank- I'd recommend Nablus in particular. It has one of the best shuks, some really tasty sweets (you have to try the kanafeh- it's amazing!), super cheap food (I got a falafal for the equivalent of just over 50c), interesting history (it is known as the 'center of resistance') and there are spectacular sights as you go up the mountainous area to the Samaritan village nearby. Really don't miss out on the Samaritans- they were so fascinating and really lovely people. I really knew nothing about them before, but it was the highlight of my trip to Nablus. I went with a Palestinian guide, and really, you wouldn't want to do it any other way- just to be on the safe side (it's one of the more 'troublesome' regions). I did a day tour with Green Olive Tours, and while it is technically a political tour, I didn't find them overbearing at all- the group sizes are small (only 3 people on ours) and you get a very personal experience - it's about 70 euros for a full day trip, everything included.

I also went to Hebron, but I did it from the settler viewpoint (using Hebron Tours). I wouldn't recommend the tour tbh, and wish I had done the Green Olive Tours version. The settler was a nutter, and kept spewing biblical stuff and generally making up 'facts' as he went along. At one point he said the the air in Hebron was cleaner on the Jewish side because of the lack of mosques and churches which pollute the air. It was probably the most disturbing area I went to. The settlement was literally one big military base, with loads children running around, which depressed me. However, don't let the settlers ruin your view of Israelis- I can't stress enough how they have a completely different mindset. My boyfriend is Israeli, and a soldier, and I can assure you that the vast majority of the population just want to get on with their lives in peace- both sides.

Ramallah is great for a day trip- just to look around and people watch. The shops aren't up to much, and seeing Arafat's tomb is literally a walk in, walk out job. However, I went to a brilliant Hamam in nearby El Bireh which was heaven (and incredibly cheap- something like 35 euros for the works, which lasted 3 hours). They have a separate area for men, so I can't vouch for that experience, but what I got was great- they REALLY scrub you, and are super friendly. There's also one in Nablus which is particularly old, but if you want to fill up your time around Ramallah, that's the place to go.

I went to Bethlehem last year, and it's probably the 'safest' place to travel. The only places I'd highly recommend going to with a guide are Hebron and Nablus. However, unless you're very much into Christianity, Bethlehem is only alright. The Church of the Nativity is an obvious one to visit, but be sure to wander around the local shops in the Nativity Square, which have some pretty cool pottery. I met a young boy who could speak some Irish, which was bizarre but cool.

I haven't gone to Jericho, but from what I've heard, it's much like Ramallah and the cable car in the mountains is a must-do.

As for Jerusalem... I could write forever! I go there at least twice a month- the Old City is fascinating, and the Arab shuk is really cool (wouldn't buy my food anywhere else! It's delicious!) The Christian quarter is much the same as the Muslim one, only much less busy and quite a bit cleaner. The Jewish quarter is very 'new' having been rebuilt fairly recently compared to the other areas, and is worth walking through (although it is pretty expensive). Go to all the sites in Jerusalem- no matter what religion it is. Just be careful on holy days for various religions, as the closing times get a bit strange. Also, pants below the knee for most sites, and a hat of sorts for the Wailing Wall. I'd highly recommend the tour of the nearby City of David and walk through the water-filled Hezekiah's Tunnels- I did it last week and it was so much fun, and really refreshing for the feet on a hot day! Don't neglect West Jerusalem- I highly recommend going to Yad Vashem- it's the best museum I've ever been to, hands down, and really emotional. There's also an Irish Pub... have yet to try it out, but the reviews I've gotten back are good :P

If you have time, really try not to neglect the rest of Israel- the Dead Sea is one of my favourite places to visit, it's so relaxing and great for your skin and general health. There are some great packages where you can get massages and mud-masks which are so much fun. I'm heading there with my boyfriend at the end of the month and stocking up on Dead Sea items for my mom! Also, Tel Aviv is a *must* - beautiful beaches, some of the best cafes I've been in ... ever! Especially on Rothschild Boulevard- there's a chocolate place (can't remember the name) which I am obsessed with, and Moses which is famous for its burgers. Don't neglect this place- even if it's just for a day to go to the beach, check out the Carmel Market and have some lunch. I was just at the beach today and it was really beautiful there.

Overall, I'd say that for somewhere like Israel, it's really, really important to just go with an open mind. I know a lot of people travel to Israel with sympathies for one side or the other, and I must say, it took me a year of living here before I was truly able to grasp the fact that there is suffering and blame on both sides. If anything, I'd say to keep your distance (as much as is possible...!) from TOO much politics or religion- it would spoil your holiday and people are very passionate about both here, so it can be dodgy. Also, it's nice to know the basics of both Arabic and Hebrew (just 'hello' 'thank you' and 'please' would suffice - both usually speak very good English).

Enjoy and feel free to ask any questions or if you want email addresses or websites for any of the tours/ activities mentioned

doopa

Any updates on this - looking to head over in the New Year and was wondering if any of the options have improved?

Zebra3

Not really, in fact Malev have gone bust so that option is gone.

If you are heading over, have a look a trips into the West Bank. I done one over there and it was fantastic with this company. http://www.atg.ps/