3 Best Sights in Arad, Around Jerusalem and the Dead Sea

A handful of artist studios and other venues, including a brewery and a winery, fill what was once an industrial area on the outskirts of Arad. Explore glass-making at Heli Studio and soap-making at Yonat Midbar. Stop at Studio Coffee, on the ground floor of Zvi's Gallery, for a cup of coffee roasted on-site, a fresh smoothie, and a variety of creative sandwiches. Casa Paniz offers homemade Middle Eastern food inside a woodworking studio. In addition, the Midbar winery offers tours and tastings, while the Sheeta Brewery serves homemade beer and bar food. This area is more lively on the weekends, as many of the businesses are closed or have limited hours during the week. It is best to call ahead.

The 250-acre site of the biblical city of Arad (to the northwest of the modern city) contains the remains of a major metropolis from the Bronze Age and the Israelite period. The lower city, with its meticulously planned streets and plazas, was inhabited in the Early Bronze Age (3150–2200 BC), when it was one of the largest cities in this region. Here you can walk around a walled urban community and enter the carefully reconstructed dwellings, whose style became known as the "Arad house."

After the Early Bronze Age, Arad was abandoned. The book of Numbers (21:1–3) relates that the Canaanite king of Arad battled the Israelites during the exodus from Egypt but that his cities were "utterly destroyed." The upper city was first settled in the Israelite period (1200 BC). It's worth the trek up the somewhat steep path to see the Israelite temple, a miniature version of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

At the entrance, pick up a free pamphlet explaining the ongoing excavations and purchase a map of the Canaanite city of Arad, with its recommended walking route and diagrams of a typical Arad house. Tel Arad is 8 km (5 miles) west of Arad. At the Tel Arad Junction on Route 31, turn north on Route 80 for 3 km (2 miles).

Near ancient Tel Arad, this boutique vineyard, now a subsidiary of Carmel Wines, was established in 2000. Yatir Forest (a Cabernet Sauvignon blend) is the premier label. The adjacent woodland, after which the winery is named, is the largest planted forest in Israel. A visitor center offers views of the nearby desert vineyards and a larger area for tastings. Call ahead and speak to Smadar to arrange an appointment for a visit and tasting.