6 Days of Jerusalem Day Trips: Do It Right
Six days from Jerusalem covers the full gateway lineup, Dead Sea/Masada, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv, and a Jericho-or-rest Day 5, then adds a dedicated Shabbat day rather than pretending it isn’t happening. This extends the 5 day plan ; the 7 day version tacks on one more flexible day.
Book these before you go:
- Masada sunrise, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea tour
- Bethlehem half-day tour from Jerusalem
- Jerusalem hotel rates on Booking.com
| Day trip | Travel time from Jerusalem | Covered here? |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Sea + Masada | ~90 min | Yes, Day 2 |
| Bethlehem | ~30 min | Yes, Day 3 |
| Tel Aviv | ~30 min (train) | Yes, Day 4 |
| Jericho (or a rest day) | ~45 min (tour) | Yes, Day 5, optional |
| Shabbat day | n/a, stay put | Yes, Day 6 |
Day 1: Land, settle in, taste the Old City
Land at Ben Gurion, train or metered taxi/Gett into Jerusalem, hotel near Jaffa Gate or the German Colony. Afternoon at the free, 24 hour Western Wall plaza and the Old City’s alleys toward the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the full Jerusalem guide goes deeper if you extend a future trip. Dinner at Mahane Yehuda Market.
Day 2: The Dead Sea and Masada, all day
A combined tour covers Masada (cable car or the pre-dawn Snake Path for sunrise), Ein Gedi, and a Dead Sea float, typically 07:00-17:00 door to door. Full pricing is on the Dead Sea and Masada place page . Water shoes save your feet on the sharp, salt-crusted shoreline.
Day 3: Bethlehem, then back to Jerusalem
Bus 231 from Damascus Gate or a permitted taxi through Checkpoint 300, about 30 minutes into the West Bank; passport and ETA-IL record for re-entry. The Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, and the Milk Grotto fill the half-day.
Day 4: Tel Aviv, the beach-city contrast
Direct train, Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon to Tel Aviv HaHagana, about 30 minutes, roughly hourly; check Israel Railways for current times. Not a Saturday, since the train stops for Shabbat. Beach, Jaffa, Bauhaus downtown.
Day 5: Jericho, or a Jerusalem breather
Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites on earth but thin on tourist infrastructure, a niche pick best done on an organized tour if ancient archaeology genuinely interests you. Otherwise, use the day for the Israel Museum, Yad Vashem, or a slower Old City pass, whatever Day 1 didn’t cover.
Day 6: Shabbat day, on foot in the Old City
Whichever day of your trip lands on Friday-Saturday, put it here. From late Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, the light rail and intercity buses stop citywide, and most West Jerusalem shops and restaurants close. The Old City itself keeps going: Friday evening at the Western Wall has an atmosphere unlike any other time of the week, and the Christian and Muslim Quarters’ restaurants generally stay open Saturday as a reliable fallback. Treat it as a walking day, not a transit day, and it works in your favor rather than against it.
What do you actually do in Jerusalem on Shabbat?
Walk. The Old City is compact enough to cover entirely on foot, and Friday evening at the Western Wall plaza is worth experiencing specifically because of the Shabbat crowd, not despite it. Save anything that needs the light rail, a bus, or a day-trip vehicle for a weekday instead.
Does Shabbat ruin a longer Jerusalem itinerary?
No, if you plan for it rather than around it. Every Jerusalem trip of six days or more will hit at least one Friday-Saturday, so building a walking-only day into the itinerary on purpose beats discovering the transit shutdown by accident on what was supposed to be a Tel Aviv day.
Check the calendar before you lock hotel dates: aligning Day 6 with the actual Friday-Saturday of your trip is what makes this itinerary work, not just the day count.