Everyone has their own perception of what Israel and the Palestinian Territories (or just 'Israel' for brevity) are about: it’s a travel agency package of beaches and sun; it’s the Promised Land of the Jews; it’s a ticking time bomb; it’s the birthplace of Christ. And while it is all of these things, it's much more besides.

Israel is a bustling, noisy, modern country. It’s best not to arrive with preconceptions of spiritual epiphany. If you do, you'll almost certainly have them confirmed, but in doing so you run the risk of missing the best that this fascinating country has to offer.

If you want to understand Israel, take time to visit the new, cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv, dive the Red Sea at Eilat, explore some of the country's thriving national parks and float for hours in the salty stillness of the Dead Sea. Look beyond the larger-than-life figures of the past and have a chat to your bus driver or hostel owner.