An Israeli entrepreneur, Moshe Gold, has come up with a really unique way to tour the city of Jerusalem - via bicycle. The name of tour group is: Jerusalem Midnight Biking. The tour guides small groups of people, about eight at a time, on a quiet ride through Jerusalem. They say that cycling through the city's streets and alleys, allows tourists to see both old and new Jerusalem in a magical manner. The three hour tour begins at 9:30 pm and goes until 1:00 am. All in all, the tour covers 14 kilometers (approximately 8 miles).
The tour guides are both skilled cyclists and knowledgeable tour guides, who make it a point to educate the riders on the history of all the sites they pass. While riders do have to have some prior cycling experience, the bike ride is intended to be a scenic tour, not a race.
The tour guides say that a tour like this would be simply impossible during the day. After all, with a population of approximately 800,000 people, Jerusalem is a busy and bustling city. So, only the wee small hours of the night could afford such a quiet and peaceful bike ride.
The tour begins at the Armon HaNatziv promenade, which overlooks most of Jerusalem and offers stunning views of the city. The route continues through the Jewish and Arab neighborhoods of Abu-Tor and Yemin Moshe. Next, riders pass through the Jaffa Gate, one of Jerusalem's eight gates in Jerusalem's Old City walls, and continues the Christian and Jewish Quarters of the Old City. Finally, the tour concludes on Mount Zion, which is just south of the Old City. Mount Zion includes many important sites: King David's Tomb; Hagia Maria Sion Abbey; Room of the Last Supper; and the Chamber of the Holocaust (an early Holocaust museum).
There is also a Catholic cemetery on Mount Zion, where Oskar Schindler (of the film "Schindler's List") was buried. Schindler is considered a "Righteous Gentile", because of his brave efforts to save 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. It was Schindler's last wish to be buried in Jerusalem. Since he died penniless in Germany, the Jews who Schindler saved took it upon themselves to have him buried at Mount Zion. His grave is one of the most visited in all of Jerusalem.
I think that Midnight Biking in Jerusalem sounds awesome. Since I am a night owl, a tour like this would be right up my alley. I think that touring the city at night would provide such a different perspective than during the day. Most of all, I think that seeing the lights of Jerusalem sparkle at night must be quite magical.
