The legend of Masada - the mass suicide of several thousand members of the Jewish revolt in 73 AD who chose death over slavery when the fortress was about to be sacked by the Roman forces - holds a surpassing symbolic value of Jewish pride and resolve. That, coupled with the fact that Masada is a large and varied archaeological site, puts Masada on the itinerary of every possible tour of Israel. It is the second most-popular destination in Israel after Jerusalem. I visited in November of 2019. Whereas on the same day I had the biblical tel of Be'er Sheva and the Incense Route town of Mamshit practically to myself, at Masada I was but one of several thousand visitors.

For me, the impressiveness of Masada is first and foremost manifested in the breathtaking views towards the Dead Sea and its basin. The most interesting archaeological remains all belong to the last third of the 1st century BC when King Herod the Great transformed a small fortification on an isolated rock plateau into a pleasure retreat and a possible sanctuary in case of a revolt (which, one could say, predicted its fate).

The site at the top of the plateau is pretty extensive, although its southern part is primarily empty spaces with partially surviving structures here or there. They range from ritual baths to columbariums to smaller palaces to regular dwellings. In a few instances, the interior parts of the buildings survive in some shape, and the most eye-catching decorations are found in the form of floor mosaics. In the northern complex, there are even fragments of wall decorations that survive until present times.

The northern part of the site is most densely packed with partial walls and buildings. The structures in this area were auxiliary to the Northern Palace, the principal creation of King Herod, a three-level incredible achievement of design and architecture built into the side of the cliff, whose lower terrace was still over 250 meters above the valley floor. General outlines, a few columns, and some decorative elements are all that remains of that beauty today.

Masada is the costliest of all national parks in Israel to visit by far, but if you have an “orange card” Israel Pass – which allows one entry to almost every national park over the course of two weeks – Masada is included on that (and will instantly justify half the cost of the entire pass). From the visitor center at the foot of the mountain, you can either walk to the top at no extra charge or take a cable car for an additional fee that itself is higher than most other national park entry tickets. Walking to the top along the winding mountain-side path is not something that an average visitor would attempt – and even if you do, you should avoid doing that at midday. Majority of people – including every single group tour – opt for the cable car, which at peak times can lead to 25-30-minute waits to board it (additionally, to get to the cable car on the way up, you have to go through a video presentation, consisting of a barely coherent “Cliff’s Notes” version of an otherwise good movie which is freely accessible on YouTube).

You need about three hours to see the site in depth (not counting the time for ascent/descent), although I can see how the highlights may be covered in half that time. The brochure seems detailed enough for an unaccompanied visit, although in a site such as this having a professional guide alongside might lead to a more illuminating experience.