Eliana Bermant
Google
Beautiful, ornate gate, by far the most impressive entrance to the Old City. Has real atmosphere and character. The gate takes you directly into the Muslim Quarter/Arab Shuk, and it’s about a 10 minute walk to the Kotel if you go straight down Rechov Hagai.
In the past Damascus Gate has been a flashpoint for violence between Arabs and Jews, but due to extremely heavy police presence, it seems to have calmed down in recent years. At any time of day, there’s a steady stream of visibly Jewish people entering, mostly from Meah Shearim/Beit Yisrael, but as stunning as Damascus Gate Plaza is, I never feel entirely comfortable there as a Jew, and it’s probably not the safest way to enter the Old City if you’re visibly Israeli. But for any hardcore lover of Jerusalem and its history, it’s a must-see, and to be fair, you’ll almost definitely be fine.