Weather

The summer is about 9 months long, while the winter only lasts about 3 - 4 months, from November to February. The hottest month of the year is August, with an average temperature of 42.6 ° C, while the coldest is January with an average temperature of 12.9 ° C.

However, even in the dead of winter or the summer peak, the Red sea water temperature stays solid between 20°-26°c throughout the year, an ideal temperature for swimming, surfing and diving.

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Eilat, the southernmost and sunniest city in Israel, enjoys idealn weather almost all year round.

The Israeli Meteorological Service: www.ims.gov.il

What to Pack

Apparel

The Israelis are very straightfoward and informal people. The vast majority of entertainment venues don't even have a dress code. Leave your suits and night gowns at home. Pack casual and comfortable clothes.

In case of need, there are quite a lot of malls and shopping centers in every city, which contain many international fashion brands, such as H&M, Gap, American Apparel, Zara and more. The local brands, such as Castro and Fox, are very popular among the locals, as they combine a high standard with affordable prices.

The only exceptions regarding the dress code are the holy sites. In order to blend in and respect the local costumes, dress modestly. The dress code at the holy sites include long sleeved shirts, hats and long trousers for men, head scarves and long skirts for women.

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Summertime

The Israeli summer begins at June and ends in September. During summertime, the favorite pastime is to hang out by the beach. Make sure to pack the following items:

• Sunglasses and sunscreen

• Bathing suit

• Sandals or flip flops

• Hat

In case you ran out of sunscreen, don't worry. Almost every kiosk and grocery store holds a variety of sunscreens. In addition, bathing suits in Israel are cheap, compared to their prices around the world. Israeli bathing suits could be perfect and chic gifts for your family and friends back home.

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Wintertime

As the Israeli winter is mostly cold and wet, south Israel (From the Dead Sea to Eilat) enjoys a lot of sunny days. Make sure to bring a few Tee shirts and tank tops.

Paying For Purchases

Although some of the businesses will gladly take US Dollars, it is best advised to convert your cash to Israeli Shekels at the airport. In addition, there are a lot of currency conversion shops in every city, often called “Change”. However, while in the city, it is best advised to covert money at the post offices and banks.

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Prescription Drugs and Special Health Needs

Israel has a very good health system. In case you need prescription drugs, every city in Israel has its own pharmacy on duty which is open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, there are many emergency clinics and excellent hospitals.

In case you're taking prescription drugs, it is best advised to bring them with you.

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Laptops, iPods and Gadgets

Compared to other countries around the world, the internet in Israel has a very high speed, and WiFi is found almost everywhere: at hotels, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, public transportation and even out in the streets. However, make sure you bring your own chargers and cables.

Groceries

In addition to big supermarkets, there are a lot of kiosks, small grocery and convenience stores everywhere. Most of them are open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Aside from food products, many of them sell other goods, such as cigarettes and tobacco products, international and local cosmetics, over-the-counter medications, cellular products and more. All the products in Israel have English translations on their labels.

Although there is no last call for alcohol in Israel and most of the bars are open till sunrise, selling alcohol in grocery stores between 23:00-06:00 is forbidden.

Israeli Currency

Israel’s currency is the New Israel Shekel (NIS) or shekel for short (pluralized as shkalim in Hebrew or shekels in English). There are 100 agorot (agora in singular) in each shekel. Bank notes are in values of 20, 50, 100, and 200 NIS; coins are in values of 10, 5, 2 & 1 NIS and you have 50 and 10 agorot.

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Exchange Services

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Unlimited sums of local and foreign money may be brought into Israel as cash, credit cards or State of Israel bonds. Foreign currency of all kinds may be exchanged at the airport, banks, post offices, most hotels or licensed exchange agencies in large cities. A passport is required when exchanging currencies. The rates vary from place to place, and banks charge a commission. More Information is available here.

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Cash Withdrawals

Holders of international credit cards can withdraw local or foreign currency at banks which accept their credit cards. There are ATM Machines outside most banks.

Value-added tax refunds

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Eilat is a VAT-free zone, but if you visit other places in Israel, foreign tourists may request VAT refunds on purchases made during their visits. Be sure to keep your receipts.