It’s easy to bleed money when we’re traveling. It’s also easy to bleed money living in a city like Jerusalem. Lucky us, there are lots of free things to do in Jerusalem with kids.
Explore the Old City
The Old City in Jerusalem is beautiful and full of history. Whether you’re exploring the Church of the Holy Supulcre, walking the Via Delorosa, or visiting the Western Wall (aka the Kotel), there are a wealth of free things to see. Throngs of tourists explore the Old City every day, and kids are welcome! Here are the don’t miss things to see for free:
The Souk: Enter through Jaffa Gate and head straight ahead! You’ll quickly find yourself in a maze of shops selling tourist items, jewelry, religious curios, and delicious fresh juice. Store owners are friendly to small children, but they also won’t hesitate to take advantage of your kids’ delight in new! shiny! toys! to make a sale. Go early in the morning if your children are small, that way you avoid the midday crowds.
Via Dolorosa: The path that Christ took through the Holy City on the way to his crucifixion. The trail has religious significance for Christians, but also lots of great hummus joints (check out Lina’s hummus near station #5). The route begins in the Muslim Quarter near Lion’s Gate. The first stop is in front of school, where the caretakers are happy to let you in when school’s not in session. There are beautiful views of the Dome of the Rock from the second floor. Here’s an excellent guide with pictures.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher: At the end of the Via Dolorosa is this site where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, buried, then risen on the third day is home to several Christian denominations. Wear conservative clothing and be prepared for crowds if you go any later then mid-morning.
Western Wall: The Western Wall is an enormous wall that borders Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and is the holiest site in Judaism. It has been a site for pilgrimage and prayer for centuries. The wall itself consists of several layers, some of which are almost 2,000 years old.
Haram al-Sharif: Visitors can visit the Haram al-Sharif grounds, but non-Muslims cannot enter the Dome of the Rock itself. Dress modestly!
Visit First Station
First Station is an old train station that’s been renovated into an outdoor cultural area and mall. It’s one of the few cultural centers in Jerusalem that’s open on Friday nights and Saturdays, although there are plenty of kosher restaurants there that remain closed. In addition to the great food, the people watching is fantastic. My kids always make new friends and find other children to play with when we go.
Wander through the Shuk
The Machane Yehuda market (aka “the shuk”) is Jerusalem’s central outdoor market. It’s full of vegetable vendors, butchers, bakeries, fantastic restaurants, and as with most of central Jerusalem, great people watching. While there are throngs of tourists on food tours and birthright trips, locals also fill the market to buy their groceries, particularly on Friday mornings before Shabbat.
Run through the Fountains at Teddy Park
During the summer, Teddy Park is full of children from all over Jerusalem, from conservative Muslims in hijab to Haredi in their black coats, to the many secular families in Jerusalem. When it’s warm, the city turns on fountains that kids can run through.
Look at the Art at Ticho House
Ticho House is not only home to a fantastic restaurant (Anna’s), but also an art museum. Ticho himself was a doctor dedicated to serving the poor of all stripes in Jerusalem around the turn of the 20th century. His daughter gave the house to the City of Jerusalem, and the bottom floor is now an art museum featuring contemporary Israeli artists.
Walk the Haas Promenade
The Haas Promenade is a very short portion of a beautiful walking trail and park that runs from Jaber Muqubela in East Jerusalem behind the residential part of Talpiot, and continues to Yes! Planet, near First Station. The views of the Old City directly to the North are spectacular, particularly at sunrise and sunset.
I would add that the city is fantastic for kid’s playgrounds! Almost every neighbourhood has one, other than in EJ.
Some of our favourites: HaMifletzet (the Monster Slide), Liberty Bell Park (across from First Station, and even has bathrooms!), the big one near Tzomet Pat. There’s another one down by the zoo but we didn’t make it there.
The Ammunition Hill museum has free admission, and kids love running around the grounds. Nice views for adults too.
What an amazing guide! Thanks so much! :)
But would you say that it is quiet safe in there? Did you feel at any time in “danger”?
Fascinating! This would be a lifetime adventure for anyone. We love traveling with the kids and showing them our passions and the world – raising global citizens. I write about making the adventure educational so they can be prepared and interested in what they will see. It also has the benefits of having them really remember what they experience and see on vacations!
I’ve actually been considering going to Jerusalem because of a blogger’s conference that will take place there next year. Thank you for sharing these tips, as I’d be traveling on a budget and looking for non expensive things to do :) not traveling with kids, though. Lovely photos, by the way :)
I love your photo of Via Dolorosa and how it’s so dark with a bit of light from the street lamp. It captures what happened there years ago so well. It would be so special to walk down that path. The shuk looks awesome too. I love visiting markets when I travel, and this one sounds like it would be particularly colorful and special. I really hope to visit Jerusalem one day.
Walking the streets of Old Jerusalem sounds so cool. Its a great learning experience for anyone, especially kids. Love the idea of running through the fountains of Teddy Park. It get so hot. This sounds like a fun way to cool down.
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I have not been to Israel but imagine it would be a powerful experience for children.
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Exploring historic Jerusalem would be absolutely fascinating and such a great learning experience – for adults and kids! The market looks like a foodie paradise too – all those spices and snacks!
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Looks like a great city to explore small lanes colourful food and sights. The religious history of a place so steeped in the Christian doctrine would be amazing to see whether you are religious like some or not religious like me. Church of the Holy Sepulcher was be a highlight.
Wow, Jerusalem, quite amazing place especially reading your experience and taking a look your pictures! Did you safe there?! Religion, history, culture, tradition… In Jerusalem is possible to find everything about it, helpful information!! thanks for sharing, anyway, why did you put a picture of Machu Pichu above the post?! :-p
We’ll be in Jerusalem late next year. Though we don’t have any kids, we will be sure to check out some of your suggestions. They look fun for big kids like us too.
Some of the best times when travelling are free, we love to just walk around new places and explore every last part! Jerusalem sounds like a great place to visit and it’s great to hear there’s plenty of free things to do, especially for us budget travellers!
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Thanks for this post! I would love to get to Jerusalem, and it seems like it would be a great destination to explore with kids. The culture and the history is on another level to almost any other place on earth, so I can see how it would be a great way to inspire children! Something totally different to what they’re likely to have experienced on previous trips :)
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I really like this post! I especially love the picture of your girl silhouetted against the light. What a great moment :)
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I can’t wait to visit Israel. Thanks for all the tips here, lots of great things for adults to see free too! Just seeing and absorbing all the history will be fabulous. Thanks for sharing, very helpful!
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Some great suggestions – and I especially like your food shots!
This is a great list! I love trying to create itineraries of primarily free activities when visiting a new city. It seriously helps to keep those costs down. Pinning this post for later :)
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What a great list! I’ve never been but it would be a dream to visit Jerusalem and explore the city. This gives me some places to start – thanks for sharing!
These are all great things to do in Jerusalem… even if you don’t have kids! Which I don’t :) Thanks for sharing and happy travels :)
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Currently in Jerusalem and Souk is my favourite place next to the Old City!
Thanks for the guide. The last bit is my favorite. It would be my absolute travel accomplishment to visit Jerusalem. But I’d like to time my trip when there are figs and dates. :D
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What a great list of so many things to do. Not sure I could make shopping a ‘free’ thing though. I would no doubt leave with a little something lol