From Wikitravel

Be'er Sheva (also spelled Beersheba, Hebrew באר שבע) is a desert city of approximately 200,000 inhabitants in southern Israel. It is the sixth largest city in the country and is very much the gateway to the Negev region of Israel. The city is spread out, as there is no shortage of land in the desert and there isn't much of a downtown, except for a few streets in the old Turkish quarter. While Beer Sheva is mostly middle class, it does have three wealthy satellite suburbs with manicured landscapes, private villas and a Palm Springs feel to them: Omer, Metar and Lehavim. A few Bedouin villages surround the city as well. These were built when the government forced these nomadic Arabic tribes into permanent housing and modern lifestyles. Some feature tribal attractions which are worth a visit include Rahat, Tel Sheva, Hura and Laqiya. In Beer Sheva itself, some modern/experimental architecture was been explored in the 1960s. Today, this is found mostly in government and public buildings, including the Ben Gurion University and Soroka Hospital buildings.

[edit] Understand

Beer Sheva is at first sight highly disappointing for any visitor. As one enters the city, the oversized avenues and partially run down residential building blocks from the fifties and sixties make for an unwelcoming first impression. However, Beer Sheva can be of interest for any traveller who wishes to experience Israel off-the-beaten-track and there might be no better place to do this, since not even most Israelis are aware that Beer Sheva can be much more than only a stopover on the way to Eilat. The old Turkish town, as run down as it might be, has a very distinct feel and a is hugely underrated: it is the only planned Ottoman city in the entire region, erected in 1900 for strategic reasons in order to secure the Negev region and to control the revolting Beduin population. Today, the architectural and historical jewels, culinary highlights, highly welcoming people and the provincial atmosphere of Beer Sheva allow for the visitor to explore the "normal" and "unpretentious" Israel beyond Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. In addition to that, Beer Sheva offers the most vibrant student community in Israel - based around the University - which has developed a great nightlife one would never expect at first sight.

Beer Sheva's importance is its function as a central place for the entire Negev. Historically it developed because of the many wells, the most famous of it being "Abraham's Well". Biblically, the site of Beersheba is mentioned in two of the three Genesis stories of a wife confused for a sister as a location where an oath of non-aggression was made between the Philistines, represented by a king named Abimelech, and the Israelites. The bible describes the oath being made on two separate occasions by the Israelites, once represented by Abraham, and once by Isaac. Beersheba is also mentioned in Joshua 19:2. Beersheba was the southernmost city of Israel in Biblical times - hence the expression "from Dan to Beersheba" was sometimes used to describe the whole kingdom.

Between the two Abimelech stories, there are several different etymologies given for the origin of Beersheba's name:

• -in memory of the oath of Abraham and Abimelech (well of the oath)
• -in memory of seven wells dug by Isaac (seven wells), though only three or four are identified
• -in memory of the oath of Isaac and Abimelech (well of the oath)
• -in memory of the seven ewes which stood witness to Abraham and Abimelech's oath (well of the seven).

[edit] Get in

[edit] by train

A very comfortable train ride links the city to Tel Aviv with hourly departures. now going through TLV Ben Gurion International airport.

[edit] by road

[edit] by air

[edit] by bus

• From Tel Aviv: Take line 380 from Arlozorov Terminal, or line 370 from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. The trip costs only 13 NIS. Both take about 1.5 hours.
• From Jerusalem: From central bus station - line 470, 32 NIS, one and a half hours; line 446, 32 NIS, 1 hour and 50 minutes.

[edit] Get around

Beersheva is served by buses. Most of these depart from behind the central bus station (on your right when getting off from an inter-city bus). If coming in by train - these will be on your left when coming out of the train station.

[edit][add listing] See

• Abraham's Well. Located at the edge of the Old Town and on the Wadi Beer Sheva, this small site contains the well where according to tradition Abraham made the oath with Abimeleh.  edit

• Israel Air Force Museum, ☎ +972-7-906428 (fax: +972-7-906314). Open every day except Saturday, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm (Fridays until 1.00 pm). Located next to Kibbutz Hatserim 5 km to the West of Beer Sheva. The museum displays historical airplanes of the Israeli Air Force. edit

• Negev Brigade Memorial. Located on a hill to the west of the city, this large monument made out of concrete, commemorates symbolically the different aspects of the Negev Brigade which conquered the Negev region in Israel's War of Independance. There is a superb view on the city and its surroundings from this site. edit

• Negev Museum. Located in the residence of the Turkish governor in the Old Town, this small museum contains an art collection and has changing exhibits. edit

• Municipal Zoological Garden. Located at the North-Western entrance to the city, this Zoo displays many indigenous animals. edit

• Old Turkish Town (Old City). The Old Town was planned by Turkish and German engineers at the end of the 19th century. Its streets form a grid (very uncommon in the region). Many building date from Turkish times and have secret gardens behing high walls. Rehabilitated Smilansky Street has the best preserved buildings. Additionally there is a wide array of cheap stores and excellent ethnic restaurants and bars. edit

• British WWI Military Cemetery. Located just next the the Old Town, this cemetery is the resting place of British, Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) soldiers which have fought against the Turks in the First World War. edit

• Beduin Market. Located just outside of the city on the Road to Eilat, this market takes place every Thursday morning. Beduin merchandize can be found next to a wide array of other products. edit

• Municipal Market. Located between the Old Town and the central bus station is a vibrant market for any kind of merchandize. edit

• [[Tel Beer Sheva Archeological Park]] (UNESCO). Located outside the city to its East (next to Omer), this archeological park is one of the top sites to explore how people have lived in Biblical times. edit

• Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Located in the northern part of town on the road to Tel Aviv, this renowned university has a vibrant campus with many buildings designed by famous architects. There are two art galleries located in the Senate Building and in the Library, a small museum of medical history in the building of the Medical Faculty and many small exhibits in the buildings of the different faculties. edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• A few miles south is a modern desert spa facility, an oasis with natural hot mineral water springs "Neve Midbar". Hanging water pipes dump hot spring water on your back with such intensity, its like a Shiatsu without the massuese! Opens till late. 45 Shekels entrance ($10).
• Go clubbing at the Forum Club, Baraka Club or the גרDraft Dance Bar.
• Play Billiard at Interpol or Bowling next door to it
• Go into the student pubs around the university during the semester in order to sense the country-wide famous student life of the city. The pubs around the university are: Publo, Manga, Munchilla, Coca, Gatro, Black & White, Gauss and Shrafraf.
• irish pub Belfast'.

[edit] Learn

The Ginsburg-Ingerman Overseas Student Program at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev offers a wide array of short and long-term Hebrew language and academic studies. For German speaking students the German Language Summer University is organized yearly.

[edit][add listing] Eat

24 hour dining at Nafis located at the BIG mega shopping compound. There are also Chinese, Italian, French, Ethiopian, Argentinean, Brazilian, Indian, Bulgarian, Moroccan, Yemenite, Russian, Japanese, Spanish and many Middle Eastern restaurants in town which are moderately pricy. Beer Sheva's culinary offer is spectacular and reflects the cultural backgrounds of the inhabitants of this multi-ethnic city. Locations do change frequently and the restaurants are sometimes located in residential neighborhoods, so advice from locals (and especially students) can be essential.

The major concentrations of restaurants are:

• - in the Old Town either on the pedestrianized Keren-Kayemet Street (Bulgarian Restaurant) or Smilansky Street (Shabazi, Ahuzat Halperin, Bilbao, Beit haFul, Arabica, Mate Midbar)
• - in the Civic Center (new city centre) close to the central train and bus stations (Arigato, Kapulski, Mor Noodle Bar, Saba Jebetto)
• - at the BIG shopping compound (Nafis, Spagettim, Rigoletto, Shipudei haAvaz, and the highly recommended Pitput)
• - around the main campus of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (mainly Dalet neighborhood) (Gatro, Small India, Mona, Hummus Hamsa, and the highly recommended SUSHI Ishimoto at mesada street )

Israeli fast food (falafel, shawarma, humus) is readily available almost everywhere across town. Some places have gained fame for their quality (Hummus Hamsa, Universitat haShawarma, Falafel haKerem, Beit haFul).

[edit][add listing] Drink

lots of water

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Hotel Golden Tulip, 4 Hennrieta Szold St
• Hotel Arava, 37 Histadrut st
• Hotel Neot Midbar, 247 Toviyahu Blvd
• Hotel Eshel, 56 Histadrut st
• Hotel Hanegev, 26 Independence st
• Beit Yatsiv Youth Hostel

[edit] Get out

Beer Sheva is a convenient departure point for excursions to Arad and elsewhere in the Negev. Two good rental car agencies across from the train station (daily rate for automatic 200 Shekels - $45 on a walk in basis), but be careful' police inspectors are on the lookout for traffic and parking violations

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!