Masada National Park

The magnificent antiquities of the lofty desert fortress of Massada, overlooking the Dead Sea, symbolize human endurance. In 68 CE, Jewish rebels fighting against Rome took Massada, but when the Romans finally captured the fortress, the historian Josephus relates, the Jews chose death over captivity. Climb the snake path or ascend by cable-car to tour the beautifully restored remains of this UNESCO World Heritage Site first built by King Herod, complemented by the dramatic display at the Massada Museum.

Image credit: Haim Castelnuovo