This morning, beat the heat (especially in summer!) with an early-morning climb to Massada via the Snake Path. Drive northeast to the Dead Sea, to explore Massada, scene of the epic stand by Jewish rebels at the end of the great revolt against Rome nearly 2,000 years ago. The new museum at the visitor’s center reveals the secrets of the daily life of the rebels, the story of the excavations, and how the site became one of Israel’s most important symbols.
From Massada it is a 1.5-hour drive to Jerusalem and a 2.5-hour drive to Tel Aviv.