Ashdod

Ashdod is a city in Israel, located in the south of the country, on the Mediterranean coast.

Most docking at Ashdod head to Jerusalem and visit the Old walled City, home to ancient holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

Across from and above the Old City, the Mount of Olives is also a religiously important site and currently home to several churches.

Yad Vashem is Jerusalem's Holocaust memorial and museum. It includes a history museum, art museum as well as memorial and commemorative sites.

Further afield is Bethlehem and Tel Aviv.

Head downtown to the Ben Yehuda Pedestrian Mall for shopping and cafe culture or for a true taste of Israel, the Mahane Yehuda Marketplace, known as "the Shuk," one of the largest and busiest open-air markets in Israel.

Israeli cuisine is a mix of many cultures including Arab, Eastern European, North African and Balkan dishes. Local favourites are falafel (chickpea fritters), hummus (chickpea paste) or shwarma (shaved-meat sandwiches).

Cruise ships dock at the Ashdod Port, most visiting cruise ships dock in the middle of the industrial port, far from anything so most lines will run shuttles to the main port gate.

The main terminal has a cafe, currency exchange counter and two duty-free shops, but depending on where your ship docks, it might be difficult to get to the terminal building. The port is also far from the city of Ashdod so passengers usually take the shuttle to the main gate and a taxi to Ashdod, which has a nice marina and waterfront promenade.