Page 19 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter 2022-2023

biblical sites, immerse in the beauty of the millennia-old honey- coloured stone walls, and explore newly excavated tunnels that peel away layers of history. But Jerusalem also has a contemporary side. Downtown is the heart of the modern metropolis, and the backdrop to numerous festivals and museums, including the Israel Festival, and the world-renowned Israel Museum. From history to art and culture, Jerusalem is more than meets the eye.
...AND TWO LANDSCAPES
The Galilee in Israel’s lush green north is home to the famous Sea of Galilee and Jordan River. The region is also full of pine and cypress forests and olive groves, pearl white cliffs and ancient sea caves. Spend an afternoon wine tasting in Rosh Pina, one of the charming historic hillside villages where quaint stone houses and small art gal- leries can arguably resemble Provence. Stay at a luxury boutique hotel on an organic farm, which might win the shortest farm-to-table sprint for food and beverages. In the morning, hike the hills and valleys to original sites of historical battles and biblical events.
The southern part of Israel is only a short drive from the top of the country, but it feels like another world. Instead of lush landscapes, there’s the heat-scorched flora of the Negev desert. This extraordinary region is where some of the earliest civilizations began.
Today, the Negev desert is becoming Israel’s ultimate luxury playground. Hike the “Martian Landscape” of the Ramon Crater— the world’s largest erosion crater—or go for the outdoor adventure at Timna Park where purple, black, red and gold sand drifts through otherworldly prehistoric rock formations. During the day try camel rides, yoga retreats, or goat milk ice cream sundaes. At night enjoy
Two new extraordinary hotels have opened: Six Senses Shaharut in the Negev and The Pereh hotel in the Golan Heights. These archi- tecturally stunning properties are both environmentally sensitive and are fine examples of responsible tourism. They’re located in regions that have often seen economic challenges. Their presence is part of an increasingly dynamic tourism-led economic engine. • sixsenses.com/en/resorts/shaharut; • https://pereh.co.il/en/
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