Israel Travel

British-born Israeli STEVE BLOOMBERG will never forget the unpleasant experience he had a few months ago while visiting the northern city of Tiberius on the shores of Lake Kinneret.

“All I wanted to do was use the bathroom,” he begins. “But after trying a few places, I discovered that the city center, which is the heart of the tourist area, does not have even one accessible toilet!”

Tel Aviv — In the past few years, Tel Aviv has been dubbed a top travel destination for everyone from beach lovers to gays and lesbians, but until relatively recently few overseas tourists traveled to the city specifically to take in its contemporary art scene.

First, the good news: The Israel Hotel Association reported that foreign tourism in 2011 nearly paralleled 2010’s record-breaking season, when close to 3.5 million visitors flocked to the Holy Land.

Now, the bad news: The Arab Spring and the ongoing economic turmoil in the Euro Zone continue to take their toll on travel to Israel.

About five years ago, I was scanning reds by the glass in a Park Slope wine bar when something unusual caught my eye.

“Recanati,” read the listing. “Cabernet Sauvignon, Israel.”

Suddenly, in the last few years, it’s Israel’s turn to be one of the world’s hot new regions for serious wine. And boutique outfits like Recanati, with vineyards throughout the Galilee, are turning their wineries into a destination for oenophile vacationers — a kind of Napa Valley for the Holy Land.