Israel

Israel compresses thousands of years of architecture, culture and landscape into a remarkably small territory. Jerusalem layers ancient stone, sacred sites and Ottoman-era neighbourhoods with contemporary architecture, while Tel Aviv offers the striking contrast of its White City, where thousands of International Style and Bauhaus-influenced buildings helped create one of the world’s great concentrations of Modernist architecture. Beyond the cities, the landscape shifts quickly from Mediterranean coastline and fertile hills to the Negev Desert and the Dead Sea. Kibbutz architecture, desert Modernism and an increasingly confident generation of contemporary architects add further layers to a country where old and new are rarely far apart.

Food is equally diverse, shaped by Jewish communities from across the world alongside Palestinian, Arab and wider Middle Eastern culinary traditions. Hummus, tahini, falafel, grilled meats, fresh vegetables, breads and abundant breakfasts are only the beginning. Tel Aviv has developed a particularly dynamic restaurant, café and bar culture, while markets such as Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda reveal the extraordinary mixture of ingredients and influences behind the country’s cooking. Mediterranean produce, local wineries and a growing natural-wine scene add to a food culture that is informal, social and often best experienced through a table filled with far too many plates.

Israel’s most interesting hotels are similarly varied: restored historic buildings, Bauhaus addresses, intimate urban hotels, desert retreats and contemporary properties designed around landscape and climate. At DNA Hotels, we curate places where architecture, food, culture and a genuine sense of place come together—hotels that offer a distinctive perspective on a complex country with an unusually rich architectural and cultural heritage.