Mentioned in the Bible as being founded by the Philistines, this port city has a 5,000-year history. Archaeological gardens display excavations that go back to Canaanite, Greek and Roman times, including a church that dates to the AD 400s and a sheikh's tomb from the 1200s.
Ashkelon is famous for its long and beautiful beaches and a large marina that draws yachts plying the eastern Mediterranean. 45 mi/70 km west of Jerusalem.
