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 Mediterranean-highland climate: hot dry summers, cool wet winters and short mild springs and autumns. At about 750 m above sea level, evenings are cooler than Tel Aviv. Winter rain falls from November to March and snow falls in some years.
Best time to visit
Best: March-May and September-November
Peak Season: Passover and Easter, Sukkot, Christmas
Avoid: Mid-July to August for heat; Yom Kippur for shutdowns
Notes: Holiday dates follow the Hebrew calendar; check each year.
Summary: Spring and autumn deliver mild days for walking the Old City.
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
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February
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March
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April
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May
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June
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July
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August
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September
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October
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November
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December
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The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
March-May: 16-26C (61-79F), wildflowers, best for walking.
Summer
June-August: 29-31C (84-88F), dry and sunny, cool evenings.
Autumn
September-November: 19-29C (66-84F), warm and clear, with the Jewish holidays in September-October.
Winter
December-February: 12-14C (54-57F), rain and occasional snow.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- Peak
- Easter, Passover, Sukkot, Christmas
- Shoulder
- March-May and October-November
- Low
- January-February and August
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.