Also known as the Judean Hills, Judean Mountains, or Hills of Judea, the area stretches from the Judean Foothills (in Hebrew, HaShfela) to parts of the Jordan Valley Rift (Bik'at HaYarden) and encompasses well-known cities such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Ramallah. Most strikingly, the rocky Judean Hill mountains, reaching up to 1000 meters (3500 ft.), are landmarked contrastingly for both lush vegetation and dry, desert terrain.
Judean Hills History
A lot happened in the Judean Hills. First and foremost, the famous skirmish between David and Goliath occurred in the Judean Hills' Ella Valley. Any Israeli tour guide can take you to the traditional spot where David hurled the rock from his sling, slamming it into Goliath's head about 3000 years ago. Don't expect a big attraction here – it's a small spot amidst the Judean Hills' greener areas - one place among many on any Judean Hills tour.
About a thousand years after King David, Bar Kochba led the Jewish revolt against the Romans, partly in the Judean Hills. You can tour the Beit Guvrin caves where Bar Kochba's comrades hid during the revolt and participate in the area's archeological digs.
What to Do in the Judean Hills
The Judean Hills are lovely for touring outside Jerusalem. You have your choice of national parks, hikes, a stalactite cave, cave excursions, archeological digs, and Mini Israel, to name a few.
Getting Around
The Judean Hills spread west, north, and south of Jerusalem. From Jerusalem, Highway 1 and Route 443 run through the Judean Hills, heading northwest toward Tel Aviv, and Route 60 runs north/south. Most tours will use these main roads, exiting off towards various Judean Hill destinations.
Top Attractions
Below, we highlight top attractions in the Judean Hills.
Kiftzuba
Photo: Kiftzuba
Experience the largest amusement park in the area, located in Kibbutz Ttzuba! Kibtzuba offers attractions and activities for the whole family, especially children, at the heart of the Jerusalem Hills, amid Jerusalem's most spectacular nature. The park offers plenty of fun rides: a mini roller coaster for the whole family, a pirate carousel, a classic merry-go-round, an indoor play area with video games and multimedia stations, bumper cars, a rock climbing wall, rides for toddlers, and more! You will also find a picnic area and a kosher restaurant if you get hungry.
Address: Tzuba Kibbutz, Judean Mountains
Beit Guvrin-Maresha
An interactive way to learn about the area's history is to participate in an archeological dig down in the area's caves with Archaeological Seminars' "Dig for a Day" at Beit Guvrin (archesem.com/). You can also arrange for your tours of the series of cave mazes (sans archeological dig), at the Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park.
Mini Israel
See Israel in miniature. Major Israel attractions and sites are reconstructed at Mini Israel for all to gaze in awe. Not only that, there are many activities and spaces for young children and toddlers to have a thrilling time.
Stalactite Caves
For a different angle from the usual historical-religious focus of Israel tours, relish in these geologically unique stalactite caves, just near Beit Shemesh.
National Parks
There are a few welcoming national parks in the southwestern areas of the Judean Hills, good for picnics and short hikes and easily accessible by car.
Rabin Park (Eshtaol Forest)
Near Beit Shemesh, overlooking Shaar HaGai, this park is excellent for a hike (tops: four hours) and picnics. Accessible by public bus.
Park Canada (Ayalon Park)
Also excellent for hikes and picnics, this park contains archeological sites and aqueducts. It is home to the Christian site Emmaus (in Hebrew, Hammat), one of the stations, where, according to Luke, Jesus was seen revived after his crucifixion .
Israel Wine Tours
An enticing, boutique way to see the Judean Hills is via an Israeli wine tour - the central and southern Judean Hill areas have prized terrain for wine cultivation. In fact, since the 1980s, Israel has risen exponentially in wine production, winning international awards regularly. And with around 40 wineries, the Judean Hills are home to more Israeli wineries per capita than any other region.
Latrun Trappist Monastery/Winery
On Highway 1, across from Emmaus, take advantage of the serene setting where monks live under a vow of silence and tend to their wine orchard and olive oil production. (Don't worry – those selling wine and oil to visitors do speak.)
Judean Hills Accommodation
Given the countryside feel, it's no surprise that there are many choices for resort accommodation – all perfect for an Israeli getaway vacation for individuals, couples, and families.
Judean Hills hotels are easily accessible by car, and many even by bus.
Top resort areas include Shoresh Green Hills, just 10 minutes outside Jerusalem, and Yearim Hotel, just a 15-minute drive from Jerusalem in Maale Hahamisha. Be sure to book in advance before the holiday season.
A Resort Area Day Trip
If you don't need to seek lodging, you can purchase restaurant meals, pool entry, and spa treatments separately – a good idea for a getaway day trip.
Specialty Restaurants in the Judean Hills
While you can make a day trip to a resort and order meals on the premises, when you're looking for something more unusual, there are plenty of eateries in the Judean Hills. Here are three highlights.
French Chateau
For a winery, an olive press, and a restaurant (non-kosher), check out the Kela David off of Route 38.
Hummus
Get the "best hummus in the world" in Abu Ghosh while visiting this Christian Arab town with long-lasting good relations with the neighboring Jewish Israelis. It's just near Maale Hahamisha.
Goat Cheese Farm
Israel is full of surprises, including the burgeoning number of dairy farms, including the Judean Hills' Har HaRuach Goat Farm. Its name means "spirit (or wind's) mountain," and the farm produces divine organic cheeses of various types. While not a restaurant per se, it's located in quaint Nataf, and you can purchase a picnic lunch.
In Summary
A surefire way to enjoy a day trip outside of Jerusalem is in the Judean Hills. And no matter what, the nice thing is that when you leave Jerusalem for Ben Gurion airport (or anytime you head toward Tel Aviv), you can take in the Judean Hills from your window.