Things to do
Sights, museums, parks, beaches, activities for kids and day trips, each checked against its own page.
35 places
Attractions & sights
Large coastal national park combining the ancient city of Ashkelon (including the Canaanite arched gate, c. 1850 BCE), lawns and picnic areas, an organised campsite and a bathing beach.
Photo: Aaadir, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC0 (opens in a new tab)
Beaches
One of Ashkelon's five municipal declared bathing beaches, with a lifeguard station in season; a free beach sports compound (four beach-volleyball courts, football pitch, strength area, ninja course) opened here in 2025.
Attractions & sights · Afridar
Courtyard of Beit HaAm in the centre of Afridar displaying archaeological finds from Ashkelon, including two ornate Roman marble sarcophagi; a brick relief of Samson decorates the courtyard wall.
Photo: גד סובול, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Museums & heritage
City museum in the building that served as the great mosque of the town of Majdal, telling Ashkelon's story since 1948 with photos, maps and documents and a replica of the Canaanite bronze calf from Tel Ashkelon; the Khan rooms house artists' workshops.
Photo: (Gad Sobol) גד סובול, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
International marina with border control, customs and marine police, about 320 berths (designed for c. 600 vessels) and a shipyard with a 100-tonne lift; a monument at the entrance commemorates the 1939 immigrant ship that reached Ashkelon's shore.
Photo: דר' אבישי טייכר, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
Seafront promenade; the renovated northern section has walking and running paths, fitness equipment, lookout and seating decks and sculptures along the sea.
Photo: דר' אבישי טייכר, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab)
Day trips nearby
The "land of a thousand caves": bell caves, burial caves, a Roman amphitheatre and Crusader remains in the Judean lowlands, about 45 km east of Ashkelon. Booking ahead through the INPA system is recommended.
Photo: Bukvoed, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Mosaic floor from the northern aisle of a Byzantine church built in 493-499 CE, with Greek inscriptions of verses from Psalms; it has been integrated into a small public park.
Photo: אפי אליאן - היסטוריה על המפה, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights · Barnea
Remains of a Byzantine church on Tzvi Segal St in Barnea, excavated in 1956; nearby a mosaic floor with Greek inscriptions of Psalms belongs to another church built 493-499 CE.
Photo: Bukvoed, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 3.0 (opens in a new tab)
Parks & playgrounds
Large city park with a lake next to the Agamim neighbourhood; the municipality has opened a geodesic-dome events area there.
Photo: אורי מ., via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC0 (opens in a new tab)
Day trips nearby
Biblical city mound with the Assyrian siege ramp, city gates, palace remains and a 44 m well, plus a new visitor centre whose 12-minute film has Russian subtitles (and French subtitles on the English version).
Photo: DaringDonna, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
Domed Mamluk-period tomb (13th century) on the seafront next to the promenade, north of the marina, with a view over the marina and the open sea.
Photo: Orest2000, via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
Attractions & sights
City performing-arts hall at the HaNasi - Ben Gurion junction east of the City neighbourhood, staging theatre, stand-up, concerts, musicals and children's shows; 600-seat main hall plus 240-seat balcony, with hearing-assist headsets.
For kids · Gan HaVradim
Municipal music centre (founded 2004) teaching about 15 instruments and voice in classical, pop, rock and jazz styles, with ensembles and a choir.
For kids
Youth football club run by the Ashkelon Municipal Company, with boys' and girls' academies (age groups from about 8) training several times a week from September to June.
Attractions & sights
The city market, with about 350 stalls selling fruit and vegetables, food, clothing and shoes, operates on Mondays and Thursdays.
Sport & pools
Year-round municipal pool in the south of the city next to the Agamim and Shimshon neighbourhoods, with a covered, heated half-Olympic pool (6 lanes, shallow section), lawns, swimming classes and private events; open 7 days a week.
Sport & pools
Municipal football stadium with adjacent training pitches, run by the municipality's stadium department for the city's football teams, their youth sections and national squads.
Antiquities & places to visit
Municipal tourism page with downloadable self-guided route brochures: a driving route, a walking route and a seafront route in English.
Beaches
Lifeguarded beach inside Tel Ashkelon National Park, run by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority; park entry fee applies.
Sport & pools
Multi-purpose municipal arena opened in 1999 (about 6,500 m2, 2,999 seats) hosting basketball, futsal, volleyball, handball, martial arts and rhythmic gymnastics, plus shows and fairs.
Beaches
Declared municipal bathing beach in the Bar Kochva area with a lifeguard station in season; the municipality is running a Bar Kochva beach rehabilitation/upgrade project.
Beaches
Declared municipal bathing beach with its own lifeguard station during the bathing season.
Sport & pools
Free beach sports area opened in August 2025 at Delila Beach, with four beach-volleyball courts, a football pitch, a strength-training area and a ninja/arches course.
Beaches
Declared municipal bathing beach with a lifeguard station during the bathing season, at the northern end of the Delila beach area.
For kids
Themed children's park listed among the municipality's featured parks.
Day trips nearby
Museum on Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, about 10 km south of Ashkelon, with a reconstruction of the 18 Mila Street bunker of the Warsaw Ghetto, the 1948 battle site and the Anielewicz memorial; visits are by advance booking, with guiding in Hebrew, English, Russian, French and Spanish.
Attractions & sights
Municipal culture complex on floor -1 of Hutzot mall with five upgraded, protected cinema halls used for shows, films, workshops and community events; main halls seat about 240 and 140.
Sport & pools
Local branch of the national Mamanet league, a team ball game for mothers and women, run by the Ashkelon Municipal Company; the published fee is 190 NIS a month plus a one-off national registration fee.
Attractions & sights · Migdal (Old City)
Pedestrian street in the Migdal neighbourhood, where modern Ashkelon began, lined with old courtyard houses and narrow alleys and shops ranging from bridal salons to Judaica and gifts.
Day trips nearby
Reserve of shifting and semi-stable dunes, kurkar ridges and old orchards between Ashkelon and Ashdod, with a day/night camping area at the gate; vehicles are banned and the area south of the Nitzanim beach road is an IDF firing zone.
Parks & playgrounds
Seafront green park at Delila beach with lawns, shade, picnic areas, lookouts, 13 m climbing walls, a rope park and other extreme attractions, a kids' bike area and cycle paths; free entry except the extreme attractions.
Beaches
Declared bathing beach with separate swimming days for men and women, serving the religious, Haredi and traditional public; the municipality publishes the men's and women's days.
Beaches
Municipal surfing compound beside the marina with toilets, showers, board storage and seating decks facing the waves; used for surfing competitions and festivals.
Attractions & sights · Migdal (Old City)
Synagogue founded in 1951 by immigrants from Libya in an abandoned building in western Migdal; about 130 seats and a Torah scroll over 100 years old brought from Libya.
From our network
A few organisations from the Consult With Ari network whose work reaches people in Ashkelon.
These are not paid listings, and they are separate from the checked directory.
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