Things to Do in the Judean Hills -
Wine, Forests, Scenery, and Adrenaline

Over the last two decades, the Judean Hills have become one of Israel's more interesting wine regions: elevation, cool nights, and rocky soil produce small boutique wineries scattered among the moshavim and villages. At many of them you can arrange a visit and a tasting, meeting the winemaker in person among the barrels - a completely different experience from a wine shop.

Alongside the wineries, a rustic food scene has grown up too: chef restaurants in stone courtyards, cafés with views over the wadis, local cheeses, and stone-oven bread. The combination of a good meal and terraced views is the heart of the mountain experience - and an important tip for anyone continuing from here to a driving experience: save the winery tastings for whoever isn't driving, or for the end of the day.

The hills are full of green spots every Jerusalemite knows: pine forests with shaded picnic corners, small springs tucked into the wadis, and walking and biking trails for every level, from a short stroller-friendly walk to full-day routes. The Sataf area, with its restored agricultural terraces and springs, is one of the mountain's most beautiful lookout points; the spring valley at the foot of the hills draws families every weekend.

A tip for families: most forest parking areas are set up with tables and barbecue spots, and many of the shorter trails work with strollers too. Anyone after real quiet should pick a weekday morning - on Saturdays the mountain fills up, and rightly so. Either way: bring water, a hat, and shoes you don't mind getting dirty - the hill's trails are rocky ground, not sidewalks.

And among the forests - Ein Kerem: the village-like neighborhood on Jerusalem's edge, with stone alleyways, ancient churches, galleries, and cafés. An hour or two of wandering there makes a perfect opening to a day on the mountain, especially in the morning before the area fills up.

And now for the part the winding road was invented for. The roads of the Nes Harim area - continuous curves, climbs and descents, scenery that opens up again after every turn - are every driving enthusiast's dream. EXR Racing turned that dream into an organized experience: you're behind the wheel of a real sports car, a certified instructor beside you, and the road does the rest.

The fleet includes four characters: the Chevrolet Corvette C6 with a 450-hp V8 for anyone who wants drama and sound, the Nissan 370Z, a rear-wheel-drive Japanese coupe with a 350-hp V6, the Mitsubishi EVO X, a turbo 4x4 with a manual gearbox for anyone who wants to work for it, and the balanced BMW M240 for anyone after precision. Every experience includes a briefing, and video and photo coverage - and it's about 30 minutes from Jerusalem. The full guide: the Nes Harim driving experience.

The one rule, and it's not up for debate: drive before wine, never the other way around. The driving experience itself gets arranged in advance over WhatsApp - it's the anchor the rest of the day gets built around.

There's no bad season in the Judean Hills, just four different moods: in spring the mountain bursts into bloom and the trails are at their peak; in summer the forests give shade and the evenings stay cooler than the lowlands; in autumn the grape harvest colors the vineyards; and in winter, low clouds hang over the wadis and the wet roads call for precise, unhurried driving - the instructor beside you adjusts the pace to the conditions.

EXR's driving experiences in Nes Harim run year-round by advance arrangement, so the only real decision is which car, and which season, you feel like remembering.

The Judean Hills are the rare place where a single day can hold a quiet morning in the forest, an afternoon of wine and scenery, and a late afternoon of 300 horsepower on a winding road. Close to Jerusalem, close to the center - and far enough from routine. No flight needed and no vacation days off work: just a free morning, comfortable shoes, and one quick arrangement over WhatsApp for the fast part of the day.

And what makes the mountain experience different from every other driving experience: it doesn't happen on a closed circuit but on a real road, one you'll drive again later in the family car and smile - because you already know exactly how that corner feels with 300 horsepower and an instructor saying "nice, now give it gas."

Want to turn this into a gift? A flexible driving experience voucher lets the recipient choose their own day. Traveling south too? Our companion guide to attractions in and around Arad puts together a parallel day around the Arad race track. And if you just want to drive, our experiences page and our WhatsApp are open.