Old City Ramparts Tour

One of the best things to do in Jerusalem is the Old City Ramparts walk – it is also a great children’s (of almost all ages) activity.

The Ramparts Walk is considered one of the hidden gems in the city — from locals and tourists alike. It’s not because it is usually ignored in favor of the more popular tourist attractions, but because it is actually hard to find. However, it will reward you with its rich history, beauty and a greater idea of the Old City as a whole. The good news is, it is a reasonably-priced tour. You can easily combine the Ramparts Walk to your Jerusalem itinerary.

It has the all amazing views, exciting ramparts, the unusual and off-beat – did you know that there is a police stable (as in real horses!) inside the Old City? The walk can be tough in the hottest part of the day and is not advised (or basically impassable) for the infirm or for push chairs as it does require navigating some steep steps and walking on ancient walls.

The Ramparts Walk consists of two separate walks: the north side walk and the south side walk. Both are included in the entrance fee price and both have different characteristics. The north side walk is much longer of the two and covers a larger area. The south side walk, on the other hand is shorter and a lot more convenient place to walk. It starts at the Tower of David (the western portion of the Old City, just beside Jaffa Gate) and ends at the Western Wall (Kotel).

You start at Jaffa Gate and there are two routes – the northern route that finishes at Lion’s Gate (1.5 hours with 2 other exits) and the southern route to the Jewish Quarter and then you can get to the Dung Gate using a combination of the roads and the ramparts (about an hour – or a bit less to Zion Gate). 

It can be combined with the adjacent Tower of David Museum – but beware there is so much to do – that you might have problems managing it all in one day.

See also Nature Reserves