Masada

Masada (pronounced Metzada) is an ancient fortification overlooking the Dead Sea on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert. You many have heard of this fortress as the location of an alleged mass suicide by Sicarii rebels, who preferred death to surrender, but you may not have known about its illustrious beginnings or its beautiful location in Israel's South District.

Herod the Great erected the first buildings there as a potential fall-back for himself and his family in case of a revolt. He designed elaborate buildings to store large amounts of supplies and water management systems that rendered a siege virtually ineffective. Among what remains today are signs of an ancient palace as well as bathhouses with raised floors that resemble modern-day saunas.

While the monuments stand as a testament to ancient ingenuity, now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, your journey to this mountaintop will leave you with an indelible imprint of the beauty found in a Judean desert. There are several options to reach the summit, but the best way by far is a short hike. About a mile long, the path winds along the edifice proving an ever more breathtaking view of the landscape unfolding aroun