Even in the midst of winter, there’s one place in Israel you can be pretty sure you’ll get some sun – Eilat.

Israel’s southernmost city on the tip of the Red Sea sees an average of 360 sunny days a year. In summer, temperatures often exceed 40 degrees centigrade. In winter, it’s normally a pleasant 21 degrees centigrade, though it can be chilly at night.

The city, which relies entirely on desalinated water, is home to nearly 50,000 people, and the main business is undoubtedly tourism. Why wouldn’t it be – there are beaches, snorkelling and diving on the coral reef, desert landscapes, a growing range of good restaurants and entertainments like an ice skating rink and an IMAX theater, and of course a busy nightlife.

For many though, it’s the beaches that hold the key. What can be better than laying in the shade of a parasol, looking out at the blue sea and sky, framed on both sides by steep red mountains.
If you’ve got a photograph you’d like to feature on ISRAEL21c please send it in high resolution to info@israel21c.org. Every week we will choose the best one to feature on our pages.