Bus 99, Jerusalem 's London-style double-decker tour bus, is the best way to get “the big picture” of the capital.
From the northern viewpoint of Mount Scopus you'll see the Old City and the Temple Mount , and from the south side of town – the panorama of Bethlehem , the Judean Desert and the New City . You'll cross the Kidron Valley , pass the Lion's Gate and the Jewish Cemetery on the Mount of Olives , the Dung Gate leading to the Western Wall, Mount Zion, the Jaffa Gate and David's Citadel . As you ride, you'll be regaled with historical and cultural highlights through your personal earphone. You'll pass interesting contemporary scenes and sites, too, among them Mahaneh Yehuda Market, King David Street, the Knesset , the Israel Museum , the Bible Lands Museum and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial .
From your double-decker perch you'll also take in Jerusalem 's fascinating human landscape in all its variety of Christians, Jews and Muslims, many in their distinctive dress.
Pickups are in convenient locations – at the Central Bus Station, hotel districts, and at the sites themselves. You can take the full two-hour tour or, schedule in hand, hop on and off, perfect for visiting museums, the Biblical Zoo or the Old City or Mahaneh Yehuda markets, for example.
The explanations, interspersed with songs about Jerusalem , are available at the flick of a switch in English, Hebrew, Spanish, Russian, French, Italian, German and Arabic, while the bus' Global Positioning System ensures that the right narrative kicks in at the right spot. The explanations are concise enough to give you a chance to exchange impressions with your companions and fellow Jerusalem-loving travelers from around the world.
www.city-tour.co.il
www.egged.co.il