Ashkelon (Israel) is one of the oldest cities on the planet, because it is already more than 5,000 years old. Long ago, Ramses II and Alexander the Great walked this land, King Herod was born, and the brave Samson fell in love with the Philistine Delilah and was betrayed by her.
Modern Ashkelon dates back to 1951. The city is located in the southwestern part of Israel, 56 km from Tel Aviv and 70 km from Jerusalem. The area of Ashkelon is 48 km2, it includes several independent districts, and the tourist zone stretches for 12 km along the Mediterranean coast. Ashkelon is inhabited by almost 138,000 people, a third of whom are natives of the Soviet Union.
This is interesting! Of all the works of Harry Garrison, the largest total circulation was a short story called “On the Streets of Ashkelon”.
Attractions waiting for tourists in Ashkelon
The land of the city of Ashkelon in Israel is literally saturated with ancient history, it is full of attractions of a very different nature.
Interesting! The largest dog cemetery in the ancient world has been preserved near Ashkelon.
City Harbor
The yacht harbor in Ashkhelon was opened in 1995. One of the largest and most beautiful in Israel, it has the status of an international tourist port. There are 600 berths for sea vessels of various sizes in the harbor, and a children’s sailing school is open. Every year, international yacht regattas are held here with the participation of representatives from 46 countries of the world.
The harbor is one of the main attractions of Ashkelon, which is full of tourist life. On the embankment there is a beautiful walking area, there are good playgrounds, numerous restaurants are located near the water. Concerts, exhibitions and other entertainment events are regularly held here.
Ashkelon National Park
The city has a lot of green spaces, but the main attraction of this kind is recognized as a National Park on the Mediterranean coast. It serves as a great recreation area for residents and visitors of Ashkelon, as well as a natural and historical reserve of Israel.
The national Park is located on the place where once there was an ancient city. In the 12th century, it was surrounded by a wall in the form of a semicircle of impressive dimensions: 2,200 m long, 40 m wide at the base and 15 m high. Only some fragments of the former majestic structure have been preserved, which are located in the eastern and southern parts of the park. Now the south-eastern part of the wall is used as an amphitheater for various cultural events (with a capacity of 10,000 people).
There are other interesting archaeological finds in the park (by the way, they can often be seen in advertising photos of the city of Ashkelon in Israel):
- The city gate, built in 1850 BC from clay bricks and local sandstone (kurkar). The gate looks like a huge corridor: 15 m long, 4 m high and more than 2 m wide.
- Ruins of the basilica with marble columns and floors, as well as statues of the II-III centuries AD. This basilica was the center of the social life of the ancient city.
- Wells – there are 67 of them in total, and 5 of them are colonies with the Antelope associated with Jerusalem springs. In Israel, a legend is told: during ablution, a priest in the temple of Jerusalem dropped the cup, and after a while the water brought it through underground caves to one of the local wells.
Interesting fact! Scientists are conducting an interesting experiment on the territory of the National Park. In specially designated areas, they sow shallot seeds, then collect new seeds from mature plants and sow them again – this should continue for 10 years. No one takes care of onion plantings, only the strongest plants that have adapted to the conditions of this area survive. Scientists believe that this way it will be possible to restore the famous Ashkelon onion variety, which was once grown here by the Romans.
Many visitors come to the National Park, and residents of the city like to celebrate various holidays here. There are very comfortable, specially equipped areas for recreation and picnics. There is a lot of greenery on the territory, the air is filled with wonderful aromas of flowering plants, and on the southern side there are sand dunes. All the beauty of this place is clearly visible in the photos of Ashkelon posted on the site.
On the territory of the park, on a cliff with a beautiful view of the sea, there is a camping site – you can put up your tents there. It offers toilets and showers, tables, places for a fire and barbecue, basic lighting. At night, from 22:00 to 08:00, the campsite is guarded. The camp is open from April to September on weekends and public holidays in Israel.
Entrance to the National Park is subject to a fee: about 7 € for adults, 6 € for students and 4 € for children. But this is if you enter through the central gate, and from the opposite side of the park you can go on foot completely free of charge.
Ashkelon Park is open to the public from 08:00 to 20:00 in summer and from 08:00 to 16:00 in winter. On Saturdays, like everything else in Israel, the park closes much earlier.
City beaches
The coastline of Ashkelon is 12 km long. All this territory is occupied by well-maintained beaches, which have everything you need for a pleasant stay: sun beds, umbrellas, toilets and changing rooms, playgrounds for children, cafes and bars, booths with lifeguards.
Central Beach-Delilah
It occupies a huge territory-almost the entire central coast of the city of Ashkelon – and is adjacent to the National Park. This beach is very popular among vacationers and is always recommended for visiting by many tour operators in Israel.
The main surface is pure sand, but the water has large stones, which are also very convenient to sunbathe on. The entrance to the water is smooth.
Free private parking is an added bonus.
Within walking distance is a water park with two pools, water slides and other attractions for children and adults.
Barnea
On the north side of the central beach is located Barnea, which is particularly loved by urban residents. There are very few noisy companies here – it is almost always quiet and peaceful, which attracts fans of sea fishing.
Bar-Kokhba
South of the central beach is located Bar-Kokhba. It is considered one of the best in Israel and was even awarded the “Blue Flag”.
Along the beach area there is a beautiful embankment. If you want to get beautiful photos against the background of Ashkelon in Israel, then there is no better landscape than the local golden sands, rapid breakwaters and picturesque lagoons.
There are especially many playgrounds in this area, so couples usually have no problems with entertaining children. At the very end of the beach, on its southern side, there is a yacht club, many cafes and bars.
Waves are rare in this part of the sea, and this is another reason why families with children choose this beach for recreation.
A large parking lot is located near the entrance.
Samson
This beach is even further south. There are no breakwaters, and waves are a frequent occurrence, so the beach is usually chosen for recreation by surfers.
How much does a holiday in Ashkelon cost?
Knowing where the city of Ashkelon is located, you can not count on the fact that the rest will turn out to be quite cheap, because Israel is an expensive country. However, prices at this resort are lower than in most resorts in Israel.
Housing prices
Ashkelon has quite a large number of hotels, holiday homes and apartments.
Some examples of 3* hotels with prices for double rooms in high season:
- Harlington-located on the seafront, there is a wellness area with a hot tub, sauna and gym. Standard room per night will cost from 189 €, superior-from 209 €.
- Sea4U Resort is a complex of apartments with a shared outdoor pool, each room has a kitchenette. Room rates start from 111 €.
- Pninat Hayam – All rooms have a fully equipped kitchen. Price – 122 €.
Food prices
In the tourist area of the city of Ashkelon, there are many cafes and restaurants with reasonable prices, where you can eat well. If we talk about budget food, then there are many fast food kiosks on the streets, where visitors are offered delicious falafels and shawarma.
Estimated prices in euros:
- food in a cheap restaurant – 13;
- 3-course lunch for 2 people in a medium-priced restaurant – 49;
- McMeal at McDonalds or an equivalent dish at a fast food chain – 11;
- espresso coffee – 2.1;
- cappuccino – 2.9.
Weather conditions in Ashkelon: when is the best time to come on vacation
Ashkelon is located in an area where a comfortable Mediterranean climate prevails.
In the period from May to October, the air temperature rises to + 25…+30 °C, and the water in the sea warms up to +28 °C. The summer heat here is not felt much and is easily tolerated, without much discomfort. This is explained both by refreshing breezes coming from the nearby sea, and by low-humidity winds blowing from the desert (stone plateau). The Negev.
In winter, the air temperature drops to +18 °C. Rain is rare here, mainly from November to March (about 420 mm of precipitation per year).
Given the described weather conditions, we can conclude that the ideal time to relax on the sea beaches will be the period from May to October, and for exploring the city and its attractions, a pleasant winter coolness is more suitable.
Useful to know! Ashkelon is located on a sandy plateau at an altitude of 30 m. There is a large amount of underground water, which in the middle of the twentieth century lay at a depth of 5 m – this made it possible to grow gardens and not engage in watering them. Due to excessive water use, the water level has significantly decreased, but the city still remains one of the most green areas in Israel.
How to get to Ashkelon
Ashkelon is 65 km from Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The most affordable way to get to the resort from the airport is by train. But the bus option is also worth considering, since buses go to the very center of Ashkelon, and the railway station is located on its outskirts (by the way, bus number 18 runs from the railway station to hotels in the harbor).
From the Airport / Terminal 1 stop, located next to the airport, bus number 485 runs – it takes 30 minutes and 1-2 euros to reach the Hemed Interchange stop. At the same stop, you need to change to the bus number 437 – it takes only an hour to reach the central bus station in Ashkelon. The ticket price is 9 €.
The railway station at Ben Gurion Airport is located on the lower floor (S) of Terminal 3. You need to take train number 50 and get to Tel Aviv Haganah station (the first in Tel Aviv). In terms of time, the trip takes 12 minutes, and the fare is 2-4 €. At the same station, you need to change to train number 41 and go all the way to Ashkeron. The journey takes 52 minutes, and the ticket costs 5-7 €.
If you are traveling from Tel Aviv, you first need to get to the Haganah railway station – from there there is train No. 41, the features of the trip on which are described above. Not far from Haganah Train Station is Tel Aviv’s central bus station, which offers direct flights to Ashkelon (Israel).
