Jerusalem, or al-quds in arabic, has been the setting of innumerable world-changing events, and all of them have played out under a natural light so stunning that no visitor fails to notice it.

There is no earthly explanation for the fragile light that bathes this vibrant and often-contested city. Its location may play a part: a series of sun-baked brown hills and lush green valleys where pine and Lebanese cedar trees intermingle with palm groves and freshwater springs. Jerusalem’s diversity also includes vineyards, date and fig orchards and hillsides covered in colorful carpets of wildflowers and native orchids. The climate ranges from blistering hot August days to freezing winter nights, with an occasional soft layer of snow to surprise those who think the Middle East is all about sunbaked deserts.

For a one-day overview of this astonishing city, start with an early-morning Israeli breakfast at your hotel, and then head into the Muslim Quarter of the Old City for a self-guided tour of the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows), the winding route along the ancient streets Jesus is believed to have trod as he carried the cross to Calvary. Your journey encompasses some of Jerusalem’s most historic Christian sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

While you are still in the Old City, visit the Western Wall, the most important religious site for the Jewish people, and the gold-plated Dome of the Rock (Qubbet al-Sakhra) and Al-Aqsa Mosque, important Muslim sites. Be sure to dress modestly and expect to pass through several security checkpoints, where handbags and backpacks may be searched.

Spend the rest of the morning hours walking through the souks in the Muslim and Christian quarters of the Old City, exiting through the Damascus Gate, then walk or taxi to the well-known American Colony Hotel(http://www.amcol.co.il) in East Jerusalem. This exquisitely restored 120-year-old hotel has been hosting local politicians and visiting celebrities for decades, and its serene, open-air Courtyard restaurant is the perfect place for a quiet and relaxing lunch.

The Rockefeller Museum (http://www.imj.org.il/eng/branches/rockfeller), a treasure often missed by visitors, is a short distance from the hotel. Although its archaeological collection is not as large as the Israel Museum, interesting artifacts here are well worth an hour’s visit before taking a taxi to the western side of Jerusalem to Israel’s Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem (http://www.yadvashem.org). The new building, opened in 2005, sits atop a hill near Mt. Herzl. After exiting the underground exhibit rooms filled with Holocaust documents and material, visitors emerge to a bird’seye view of the Judean hills, often bathed in the ethereal pink/blue light of late afternoon.

In the evening Jerusalem transforms itself into a modern, glittering metropolis. For dinner head to the eclectic and wonderfully named Coolinary Restaurant (31 Emek Refa’im St., tel 02 566 2671) in the German Colony, then check out what’s playing at the Jerusalem Center for the Performing Arts (http://www.jerusalem-theatre.co.il).