Getting to Know

There's a Ministry of Tourism information desk (tel. 03/971-1145) in the arrivals hall of Ben-Gurion International Airport. The staff will provide city maps and brochures (which you must buy), and answer your questions. A hotel reservations desk nearby can also help you find a room for the night before leaving Ben-Gurion for Jerusalem.

In the Old City, there's a Tourist Information Office just inside Jaffa Gate, a few steps down on the left (tel. 02/627-1422). At press time, the hours were Sunday to Thursday from 8am to 5pm and Friday from 8am to 1pm; in summer, there may be Saturday hours. This office sells maps and booklets, but there is a shelf with free maps and tourist brochures as well. Look for the Jerusalem Menus booklets, with discount coupons for many of the restaurants recommended by this book. The office also rents a recorded walking tour of the Old City for NIS 50 ($13/£6.25) per day plus a security deposit.

The Christian Information Centre (tel. 02/627-2692; http://198.62.75.1/www1/ofm/cic/CICmainin.htm) at the far end of the square inside Jaffa Gate offers all kinds of useful information about tours, Christian hospices, group tours to Bethlehem, and religious services. It's open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30am to 4pm; and Saturday 8:30am to noon.

If you're surfing the Web, the Ministry of Tourism is at www.goisrael.com, and the Municipality of Jerusalem site is www.Jerusalem.muni.il.

Maps & Publications -- Maps of Jerusalem are available at the Tourist Information Office inside the Jaffa Gate and cost NIS 5 to NIS 20 ($1.25-$5/60p-£2.50), depending on the type you choose. It also sells books on travel in Israel, but check your planned purchases carefully -- I bought a book of Israeli road maps only to find that it was totally out-of-date (the office was kind enough to give me a refund). The office also offers a shelf of free pamphlets and information, including the always-useful Jerusalem Menus publications, with their restaurant discount coupons. Most major hotels have a counter with a selection of these free flyers and pamphlets, and good free maps that are sufficient for the requirements of most tourists. The Tourist Information Office may also have the booklet schedule for the Cinémathèque, and for art, cultural, and performance events throughout the city. If your hotel doesn't have a good selection, check out the lobbies of other major hotels. Car-rental agencies have general maps of Israel, and can often provide more detailed maps of cities. Steimatzsky's Bookstore at Jaffa Road next to Zion Square (and other local bookstores) will have many current road maps.

Note: Many current maps printed in Israel no longer show the demarcation line between the West Bank and the pre-1967 Israeli border. Without a map showing this demarcation line, it is a bit easier to possibly stray into the West Bank, which at press time was under State Department/Foreign Office Travel advisories, and where most rental cars are not insured. Be careful and always get clear directions before setting out anywhere near that zone.

The International Herald Tribune contains the entire daily English-language edition of Ha'aretz, Israel's most respected newspaper -- almost the entire newspaper is translated on the spot each day into English. The Friday Ha'aretz contains a detailed section on events in Jerusalem and throughout the country. The Jerusalem Post has a daily listing of city events, but the Friday (weekend) edition is your best bet. Like Ha'aretz, it contains an exhaustive list of the week's activities throughout Israel. Another source of information is the free monthly Events in the Jerusalem Region, prepared by the Tourist Information Office and available at various tourist office locations and in many hotel lobbies.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.