February is the last winter month in Israel, characterized by a bit higher temperatures, less rain, and more flowers, compared to other winter months. This makes it one of the best months to visit Israel, as it offers a great number of events, and is one of the months with the smallest amounts of tourists in Israel. For those reasons, a February trip to Israel offers a great, peaceful experience, with pretty good weather and relatively affordable prices.
Weather in February in Israel
In this month there is a high probability of rainfall, although February is usually not as rainy as December and January. The average daily temperature for February is just a tad higher than January. In the interior and coastal areas of the country, the temperature varies between 18 Celsius/64 Fahrenheit during the day and 8 Celsius/46 Fahrenheit at night. In the mountains such as the Golan Heights, Tzfat, and Jerusalem, the temperature varies between 8 Celsius/46 Fahrenheit during the day and 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit at night.
February tends to be less rainy than other winter months in Israel, with an average of 8 rainy days in the whole month.
Best places to visit in Israel in February
Judean Foothills
This special, underrated area, which is very rarely visited by tourists, is at its peak during the winter days. Thanks to the rain and the cool weather, the entire Judean Foothills become a one-of-a-kind natural gem. While in the summer, this region is very hot and the land is arid, in winter, and especially in February the numerous agricultural fields here turn green, and the mountains and hills are dotted with beautiful, colorful blooming. The entire area of the Judean Foothills is full of dairies, wineries, agricultural products, history, and archeology, which make it a great region to visit, with a huge variety of possibilities.
Ramon Crater
Although the Ramon Crater is suitable for a visit in any season, February, when the desert weather turns cool and the air is incredibly clear and clean, is definitely the best time to come here. On your winter trip to Ramon Crater, you can observe the impressive rock formations while hiking the many trails in and around the crater, for an epic desert experience.
Birding Center in Ma’agan Michael.
A great visit for Bird lovers in the winter time, The Birding Center, next to the fish ponds of Kibbutz Ma’gan Michael, will give you a chance to see multitudes of migrating birds, who stop here to rest and refresh on their way to warm countries, as well as many types of impressive local birds.
In addition, you can go on a guided tour here, In the area of the southern pools of the kibbutz, near Nahal Taninin, and along the seashore, where you can watch the birds and the various habitats of the area. The combination of the views of the green fields of the Kibbutz, Mount Carmel, and the sea that you will see from here, creates a wonderful landscape in Ma’agan Michael, which is at its best during the rainy season.
Events and festivals in February
Darom Adom Festival – February 1st-February 28th
The Darom Adom festival is an event that takes place every year in the northern Negev, usually during February, at the height of the anemone blossoms. The main area of the festival is in Habsor National Park and the surrounding towns.
Throughout the festival, which takes place in all of February, and sometimes starts in mid-January, you can visit the endless fields of anemones and enjoy dozens of activities and attractions in the surrounding sites, such as picking strawberries and vegetables, agricultural tours, a variety of creative workshops, guided nature tours on foot and by car, visits to agricultural farms and wineries, bicycle tours in the fields, and more.
Culinary lovers will be happy to know that the festival offers a large variety of culinary tours, coffee carts, home chefs, wineries and breweries, local restaurants, and even great picnic baskets that you just have to order in advance and collect on the way to nature.
Tel Aviv Marathon
The Tel Aviv Marathon, usually held on the last Friday of February, is the biggest running event in Israel, which attracts thousands of visitors worldwide and is a great experience for running and sports lovers. On the Tel Aviv Marathon, you can run several different distances, from the kids’ race of 2 kilometers/1.2 miles, and all the way to the full marathon. The race goes through some of the most beautiful streets of Northern and Central Tel Aviv and adds a joyful atmosphere to the city for a day.
Tu Bishvat
The holiday of Tu BiShvat is celebrated on the official “trees’ new year’s Eve”, in the middle of the Jewish month of Shvat, which is usually at the beginning of February. This symbolizes the time when most of the rains have already fallen, and most of the trees are not dependent on rainfall for the rest of the year. On Tu Bishvat, it is customary to eat fruits that are grown in the land of Israel, and dry fruits in particular. In addition, Tu Bishvat is associated with taking care of the planet, and on this day, kids from all over the country go out to plant new trees and clean nature reserves.
Valentine’s Day
Although Jewish Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the summer, Christian Valentine’s Day has become an important event in Israel too, giving Jewish people two times a year to celebrate their love. This day will mostly be felt in Tel Aviv when many couples tend to go out to restaurants and bars late at night. Just like in many other places in the world, many restaurants and shops will be decorated with beautiful hearts and flowers on February 14th.
