Jerusalem Sightseeing Guide
Travel advisory: conditions in Israel and the West Bank can change quickly, and governments describe the situation differently. Check your own government’s current advisory, such as the US State Department or UK FCDO , before booking, and note advice differs for the West Bank and areas near Gaza.
Jerusalem’s sightseeing is dominated by a handful of sites that each ask something specific of you - modest dress, a booked slot, a narrow access window - so knowing the rules matters as much as knowing the names.
The Old City
Western Wall (Kotel), the retaining wall of the Second Temple compound, is open 24/7 with no admission fee. It’s strictly gender-segregated - a men’s section on the left, women’s on the right - and photography, electronics and writing are prohibited from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Paper kippot and shawls are available at the entrance for anyone who needs them.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Christian Quarter, is free and open roughly 05:00-20:45 in summer, shared under an 1852 status-quo arrangement by six denominations including Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic. Arrive before 08:00 or after 17:00 to avoid the 1.5-2 hour midday line for the Aedicule.
Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, the third-holiest site in Islam and the holiest in Judaism, is free for non-Muslim visitors but only via the Mughrabi Bridge and only Sunday through Thursday, in two short windows (roughly 07:30-11:00 and 13:30-14:30 in summer, shorter in winter). Non-Muslims cannot enter the Dome of the Rock or Al-Aqsa Mosque interiors, and audible prayer, religious books and visible religious symbols are all prohibited on the esplanade. Queues at the bridge form before 07:00.
Via Dolorosa, the 14-station route through the Muslim and Christian Quarters, is a free public walk from Lions’ Gate to the Holy Sepulchre; Franciscan friars lead a public procession Fridays at 15:00 (16:00 during daylight saving time).
Beyond the walls
Mount Zion holds King David’s Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper, both free. Tower of David Museum, reopened after a full renewal, traces 3,000 years of the city’s history and includes a 360-degree lookout from the Phasael Tower; museum entry is 55 ILS for an adult, the Night Experience 69 ILS, or 108 ILS combined - check current terms at tod.org.il since pricing has shifted more than once this year.
The Israel Museum, in Givat Ram, holds the Dead Sea Scrolls inside the Shrine of the Book and a 1:50 scale model of Second Temple-era Jerusalem, for 54 ILS adult admission. Photography is prohibited inside the Shrine of the Book itself.
To book a guided walk through the Old City rather than navigating it solo, search Jerusalem tours on GetYourGuide or compare options on Viator .
Tips for the day
Dress modestly everywhere in the Old City - shoulders and knees covered - regardless of which site you’re visiting; several will turn you away without it. Wear shoes you can walk on cobblestones in, since the alleys are uneven and stepped with no wheelchair or stroller access. Check opening times before a Saturday visit specifically, since the Light Rail and Egged buses stop running for Shabbat and most museums close for the day.
For a route that strings several of these together on foot, see the walking tours guide .