Southern Israel
Regions & Cities
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Ashdod
Ashdod’s long Mediterranean shoreline and busy port sit beside sandy beaches and archaeological remains.
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Beersheba
Beersheba sits in the Negev as a university city with Ottoman souks, Abraham’s Well and a British-era railway station.
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Ashkelon
Ashkelon’s sandy Mediterranean beaches meet a park of ancient ruins - Canaanite walls, Roman mosaics and Crusader stones.
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Mitzpe Ramon
Perched on the rim of Makhtesh Ramon, Mitzpe Ramon sells silence and scale: crater viewpoints, stargazing and jeep trails.
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Ein Bokek
A strip of Dead Sea hotels and public beaches, Ein Bokek caters to bathers chasing buoyancy and mineral mud.
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Arad
On the northern edge of the Negev, Arad sits near Tel Arad’s archaeological park and desert trails.
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Masada
Masada sits atop a rocky plateau above the Dead Sea with Herodian ruins and Roman siegeworks.
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Ein Gedi
Ein Gedi is an oasis and nature reserve on the Dead Sea’s western shore with spring-fed waterfalls and cliffside trails; visitors hike to cool pools and often spot ibex and rock hyrax along the paths.
Southern Israel at a Glance
Local Time
2:09 AM
GMT+2
Population
1,272,100
Best Things to Do in Southern Israel
Archaeological Site
Masada
Ancient fortress atop desert plateau, historic siege site
National Park
Ein Gedi
Desert oasis and nature reserve near the Dead Sea
Trail
Israel National Trail
Museum
Museum of Philistine Culture
Small Israeli museum interpreting Philistine archaeology and culture
Nature Reserve
Timna Valley
Ancient copper mining site with striking sandstone formations
Archaeological Site
Avdat
Ancient Nabatean city ruins in the Negev Desert
Archaeological Site
Gath
Ancient Philistine city and archaeological site in Israel
Archaeological Site
Tel Lachish
Ancient fortified Canaanite and Israelite archaeological mound
Ruins
Shivta
Ruined Byzantine-Nabataean desert city, UNESCO World Heritage
National Park
Tel Be'er Sheva
Archaeological tel with biblical and Ottoman layers
National Park
Mampsis
Nabatean caravan city ruins on Negev trade routes
Archaeological Site
Maresha
Ancient archaeological site in Israel with Hellenistic ruins