ISRAEL

More than just a powder-keg or a promised land, Israel is unforgettable.

Everyone has their own perception of what Israel is 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. And while it is all of these things, it's much more besides. So be sure to look beyond the larger-than-life figures of the past.

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 this fascinating place has to offer.