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