Tel Aviv

The Old City's four quarters, the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Mahane Yehuda market — a world away, under an hour by direct train from HaHagana station.

Herod the Great's Roman port city, with an amphitheatre still hosting concerts, hippodrome ruins, and aqueduct arches running straight down a swimmable beach.

Haifa's terraced Bahá'í Gardens cascade down Mount Carmel, and 20 minutes on is Akko's UNESCO-listed Crusader halls, sea walls, and famous hummus joints.

Hummus

Warm, silky chickpea-tahini bowls finished with whole chickpeas, ful, or masabacha — eaten as a meal, wiped clean with pita.

Try it at: Abu Hassan, Jaffa

Shakshuka

Eggs poached in a spiced tomato-pepper stew, served bubbling in the pan with bread — North African in origin, Israeli by adoption.

Try it at: Dr Shakshuka, Jaffa

Sabich

An Iraqi-Jewish pita stuffed with fried eggplant, egg, tahini, amba mango pickle, and salad — Tel Aviv's great street-food sandwich.

Try it at: Sabich Frishman, corner of Frishman and Dizengoff

Whole roasted cauliflower

Eyal Shani's now-world-famous dish: a whole cauliflower baked until caramelised, eaten with the hands.

Try it at: Miznon or North Abraxas