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

The name Latrun is thought to derive from "La Toron de Chevaliers" (The Tower of the Knights), the French name of the Crusader castle that occupied the crest of the hill in the 12th century. Eight centuries later, in 1940, the British erected the concrete fortress that, in the 1948 War of Independence, Israeli forces attempted five times to capture from Jordanian soldiers. Today, the structure houses a museum, called Yad Lashiryon in Hebrew, that honors Israeli armored corps soldiers who have died in battle from 1948 until the present. Items on display include a collection of more than 160 tanks, and children can explore sturdy vehicles outfitted with steps for them to climb. 

This 13-acre theme park contains nearly 400 models of the most important historical, national, religious, and natural sites in the country, all scaled down to 1:25. Although some visitors have complained that the models are showing signs of wear, the site is worth at least an hour's visit, especially if you're traveling with children.

The name means "Oases of Antiquity," and, at Israel's only biblical landscape reserve, you can follow paved paths that wind around ancient olive terraces, bushes of sage and hyssop, and millennia-old winepresses. Show yourself around with the help of a map that's available in English. Guided tours (available only to groups of 20 or more) offer insight on the threshing floors, the Dale of the Song of Songs, and the Valley of Milk and Honey and focus on Jewish, Christian, or interfaith themes. Ask about Biblical meals as well. Allow two hours minimum for the visit.