Jerusalem is a hilltop city of about 1 million people in the Judean Mountains, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Its walled Old City holds the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) with the Dome of the Rock, while West Jerusalem offers the Mahane Yehuda market, Israel Museum and Yad Vashem, and East Jerusalem has Palestinian-run neighbourhoods, markets and the Mount of Olives.
Jerusalem has a high security profile. Ordinary street crime is low, but the security situation can change quickly. Missile and rocket alerts, stabbing and vehicle attacks, and unrest around the Old City and East Jerusalem have occurred, and regional tensions can close airspace and cancel flights. As of this check, the US State Department rated Israel Level 3 (Reconsider Travel), and the UK FCDO advised against all travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories as of its 28 February 2026 update. Travelers should read the current official advisories before booking, register with their embassy, install the Home Front Command alert app and follow instructions from police and soldiers.
Current safety advisory
Elevated
Official advice is strict and changes without notice. Check travel.state.gov, gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel, travel.gc.ca and smartraveller.gov.au within 72 hours of departure and again on arrival.
Last updated: 2026-10-22
Official advisories
Guidance from national travel-advisory services.
Level 3: Reconsider Travel (Israel); Level 4 near the Gaza border and the Egypt border; Level 4 for Gaza
Advise against all travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories, as of the 28 February 2026 update
Check the live page for the current level
Check the live page for the current level
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Install the Home Front Command (Pikud HaOref) app, available for iOS and Android in English, and enable location alerts. It gives missile, rocket and drone warnings with the time left to reach shelter (in Jerusalem usually about 90 seconds)
When a siren sounds, go to the nearest protected space (mamad or miklat) or an enclosed stairwell and stay for 10 minutes after the last boom. If caught outdoors with no shelter, lie flat and cover the head. Hotels and apartment buildings list the shelter location at the front desk or on the stairwell door
Public shelters in Jerusalem are marked with a blue and white 'Miklat' sign. In the Old City, ask staff at the nearest hotel, hostel or shop; the Jerusalem municipality hotline 106 and the municipal website jerusalem.muni.il list public shelters by neighborhood
Expect security checks and bag searches at the Jaffa Gate area, the Western Wall entrance, malls, the Central Bus Station and Light Rail stops. Carry a passport or a photo of it and be ready to open bags. Never leave luggage unattended
Do not go to the West Bank or Gaza border areas without checking the advisories. Many insurers exclude them and the US Embassy restricts staff travel there. Bethlehem can be reached on bus 231 from Damascus Gate through Checkpoint 300; hand in a passport copy where asked and carry the original
Avoid demonstrations, funerals and clashes, especially around Damascus Gate, Salah ad-Din Street and Sheikh Jarrah, and during Friday prayer times and Ramadan
Wear modest clothing (shoulders and knees covered) for religious sites. The Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) has limited visiting hours for non-Muslims and strict rules; check the Western Wall Heritage Foundation website
Shabbat runs from Friday sunset to Saturday after dark. Do not drive or use phones in front of religious areas such as Mea Shearim, and do not photograph people there
Keep water and sun protection handy, especially from June to September, when daytime highs reach 31-33 C (88-91 F)
Before you go, buy travel insurance that covers Israel and the current advisory level, and check whether it excludes conflict-related events
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Taxi overcharging and refusing the meter
Drivers outside the airport, the Jaffa Gate and the Central Bus Station quote high flat fares or claim the meter is broken
How to avoid: Insist on the meter (moneh). Book with the Gett app (gett.com) or use the official taxi queue. A ride from Ben Gurion to central Jerusalem has a fixed rate of about NIS 250-300 (approx USD 82-98); verify before entering
Old City touts and unofficial guides
Men near Jaffa Gate and Damascus Gate offer 'free' tours, then demand NIS 100-200 (approx USD 33-66) at the end
How to avoid: Decline unsolicited offers. Book licensed guides through the Israel Ministry of Tourism guide list (tourism.gov.il) or the official tourist information office at the Jaffa Gate
Souvenir and Jerusalem syndrome-style scams
Vendors sell 'holy' items at high prices or press palm crosses and blessed items onto visitors for a donation
How to avoid: Agree prices first and decline items you did not ask for. Bargain at 50-60 percent of the first quote
Currency exchange and card tampering
Street changers and some shops offer poor rates; dynamic currency conversion on card terminals adds a markup
How to avoid: Use bank ATMs and licensed exchange offices. Always choose to pay in NIS, not your home currency
Pickpocketing in markets
Crowded Mahane Yehuda Market, the Old City souks and the Western Wall plaza on busy days
How to avoid: Wear bags across the body, keep phones in front pockets, and watch your belongings at ATMs
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- Routine vaccines should be up to date; hepatitis A and typhoid are often advised. Check the CDC or NHS Fit for Travel pages for current recommendations.
- Water
- Tap water in Jerusalem is safe to drink. Carry water, since summer heat is dry and intense.
- Food
- Street food and market stalls are generally safe. Choose busy stalls with fast turnover.
- Facilities
- Hospitals include Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaare Zedek. Magen David Adom (101) is the national ambulance service. Pharmacies (Super-Pharm) are widespread and open late; a pharmacy on duty during Shabbat is listed at the Magen David Adom website (mdais.org). Travelers should buy health insurance with emergency evacuation coverage before arriving.
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Solo travellers
Solo travelers visit Jerusalem regularly. Violent crime against tourists is rare, but security incidents can occur. Share your itinerary with someone at home, keep the embassy number saved, use licensed taxis, and stay out of the Old City alleys late at night. Hostels such as Abraham Hostel (67 HaNevi'im Street, tel +972 2 650 2200) run group tours and are a good base for meeting others.
Female travellers
Women travelers generally report feeling safe in Jerusalem during the day. Dress modestly in the Old City and in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods (shoulders and knees covered); a scarf is handy for mosques and churches. Expect catcalls in some Old City lanes; ignore them and move on. At night, use taxis or the Gett app rather than walking alone through the Old City or east Jerusalem. The 1202 line (Israel's sexual assault crisis line, run by Association of Rape Crisis Centers) offers help in several languages.
Families
Families visit Jerusalem year-round, and children are welcome everywhere. Practice the nearest-shelter drill with children on arrival, carry ID cards, and keep a charged phone with the Home Front Command app. Stroller access is poor in the Old City, which has steps and cobbles.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Israel is legally one of the more tolerant countries in the region, and Tel Aviv has a large LGBTQ scene, but Jerusalem is conservative. Public displays of affection by same-sex couples can attract hostility in the Old City, East Jerusalem and ultra-Orthodox areas. Several bars and cafes in downtown Jerusalem near Jaffa Road are welcoming, and The Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance (jopenhouse.org.il, 4 Shlomtzion HaMalka Street... check website) runs community events. Jerusalem Pride is held in early June with heavy police presence. Same-sex marriage is not performed in Israel, but marriages performed abroad are recognized.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 100 (Israel Police)
- Medical
- 101 (Magen David Adom ambulance)
- Fire
- 102 (Fire and Rescue)
- Coast Guard
- Jerusalem is landlocked; for the Dead Sea call 100 (police) or 101 (ambulance)
- General Emergency
- 112 (works from any mobile phone); Home Front Command info line 104
- Main Hospital
- Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Kiryat Hadassah, Jerusalem (tel +972 2 677 7111); Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 12 Shmuel Bayit Street, Jerusalem (tel +972 2 655 5111)
- Embassy Us
- US Embassy Jerusalem, 14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem; tel +972 2 630 4000
- Embassy Uk
- British Embassy Tel Aviv, 1 Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv; tel +972 3 725 1222
- Embassy Canada
- Embassy of Canada, 3-5 Nirim Street, Tel Aviv; tel +972 3 636 3300
- Embassy Australia
- Australian Embassy, 28 Hamered Street, Tel Aviv; tel +972 3 693 5000 (consular emergency +61 2 6261 3305 from abroad)