The UNESCO-listed Masada Fortress sits dramatically on a plateau high above the Dead Sea.

Built in 30 BC by Kind Herod, it holds a special place in the hearts of the Israeli people as the last stronghold of the Jewish resistance of the Romans.

Within the complex you’ll find wonderfully preserved and restored buildings including King Herod’s palaces and a Roman-style bathhouse with mosaics and murals as well as structures used by the Jewish resistance fighters and, far below the fortress, the siege bases used by the Romans.

Overlooking the stark beauty of the desert, the views are also not to be missed.