Old City of Jerusalem food tour: Hidden gems with a local guide

The tour runs through neighborhoods the guidebook doesn't list.

A four-hour food tour of Old City Jerusalem led by a resident guide in English, Arabic or Hebrew, walking through hidden factories, artisan workshops and winding alleyways to eat at local restaurants and markets. All food, drinks, snacks, sweets and hookah are included. The guide's friendships with shop owners mean you pay local prices instead of tourist markups.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Old City food and culture

• Enter Old City as foodie tourist
• Stroll through streets and alleys
• Eat at hidden local gems
• Take hookah and coffee break
• Pick up snacks and drinks
• Feel like a local

The experience

The Old City of Jerusalem opens differently when you walk it with someone who lives there. Instead of moving stop to stop like a standard tour, you take turns through arched alleyways, duck into buildings with vast underground tunnel systems, and eat at places that don't advertise to tourists. The guide stops at hidden gems (hole-in-the-wall restaurants, artisan workshops, market stalls selling snacks and sweets), and because many shop owners are friends, they charge local pricing rather than the inflated rates other guides negotiate.

Four hours means you move at a pace that lets you actually taste what you're eating and talk to the people making it. You'll take a coffee and hookah break in the middle of the market, pick up drinks and snacks along the way, and by the end you'll have eaten enough to understand how the Old City feeds itself. Every bite and sip is covered (food, drinks, sweets, hookah), so there's no hidden bill at the end.

The walk requires a moderate level of fitness. The alleys are uneven and there's no flat route through the Old City. Infants and small children can come in a stroller, though narrow passages mean you'll be carrying it at points. Public transportation stops are nearby if you need to reach the starting point.

What’s included

• All food, drinks, snacks and sweets eaten during the tour.
• hookah and coffee break in the market.
• entry to artisan workshops and hidden restaurants.
• a resident guide in English, Arabic or Hebrew.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDepartures at 08:00, 13:00 and 15:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (15 to 65 years) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish, Arabic and Hebrew

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Emmy

Is this one for you?The tour starts in the Old City itself, so you'll need to get there on your own using public transportation or on foot: ideal if you're staying nearby or comfortable navigating to the Old City without a private pickup. The four-hour walk through narrow alleyways and underground passages suits travelers with moderate fitness who want to eat like a local rather than follow a scripted itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Arabic and Hebrew.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I eat on this Old City Jerusalem food tour?

The tour stops at hidden restaurants, market stalls and artisan workshops throughout the Old City, eating at places locals go rather than tourist-facing venues. The exact stops change based on what's fresh and what the guide's connections make available that day, but you'll eat multiple meals' worth of food across the four hours: snacks, full dishes, sweets, coffee and hookah all included.

Do I need to arrange my own way to the Old City, or does the tour pick me up?

The tour does not include private transportation. You'll make your own way to the Old City. Public transportation options are available nearby, and if you're staying in central Jerusalem, the walk to the starting point is short enough to do on foot.

Are the alleyways and underground tunnels difficult to navigate?

The Old City's streets are narrow, uneven and involve climbing and descending. The tour includes walking through buildings with underground tunnel systems. You'll need at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The route is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Why do I pay less at the shops on this tour than I would on my own?

The guide has friendships with many of the shop owners in the Old City. Because the guide doesn't take a percentage of sales like other tour guides do, the owners are willing to give you local pricing instead of the higher rates they charge visitors they don't know.