Hanukkah in Eilat 2026: Dates, Weather and What to Do

Hanukkah in Eilat 2026 runs from sunset on Friday 4 December to nightfall on Saturday 12 December. News outlets report the Israeli school break as Sunday 6 to Saturday 12 December. December is the start of Eilat's cool season, which is generally dry and mostly clear. This guide covers which days to travel, what the weather is like, and which events and attractions to check before you go.

Hours, schedules and event programmes change. Each changeable detail below links to its source, and to the official page wherever one exists. Use the times here as a starting point and confirm them before you set off.

Hanukkah in Eilat 2026: the dates and the school break

Hanukkah lasts eight nights. In 2026 it begins at sundown on Friday 4 December and ends on Saturday 12 December, with the first candle lit on the evening of 4 December.

The school holiday is a little less clear-cut. ynet and mako both give the Hanukkah break for the 2026–27 school year as Sunday 6 to Saturday 12 December, with pupils back on Sunday 13 December. Israel Hayom gives Saturday 5 December as the start instead. The difference is only one Shabbat. If your plans depend on it, check with your school or the Ministry of Education.

The ministry's parents' portal shows its Nitzanim holiday-school programme running from 6 to 10 December. Those are the programme's dates, not the official school break. They are still useful to know if your younger children attend.

Date	What happens
Friday 4 December	Hanukkah begins at sunset; Shabbat also begins
Saturday 5 December	Shabbat; one outlet gives this as the first day of the school break
Sunday 6 December	School break begins, according to most reports
Saturday 12 December	Last day of Hanukkah (ends at nightfall) and of the school break
Sunday 13 December	Schools reopen

Which days to arrive: a Friday start and a Saturday finish

This year a weekend falls at each end of the holiday. Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. Some attractions, such as the Coral Beach Nature Reserve, also close earlier on Fridays. Both points affect your journey and what you can do on your first and last days.

You have two realistic options. You can travel down before the holiday starts, on Thursday 3 or Friday 4 December, and settle in before the first candle. Or you can travel on Sunday 6 December, when the school break is reported to begin, and stay until the end of the week.

If you are thinking of staying at Central Park Residence, please note that we do not take arrivals on Saturdays (Shabbat). A stay can still include Saturday night if it starts earlier. Check-in is from 16:00. Check-out is until 10:00, or until 12:00 on Saturdays. That means a Sunday-to-Saturday stay over the school break ends with an unhurried morning on 12 December.

Current prices and availability are on our booking page. You can also ask us anything on WhatsApp at +972-50-555-1930.

What December in Eilat is like

The climate data site Weather Spark describes Eilat's winters as cool, dry and mostly clear. It puts the cool season at roughly the beginning of December to early March.

In practice, that means planning for a range of conditions across the day. Pack layers: lighter clothes for the daytime, swimwear if you plan to go in the sea, and a warm jumper or light jacket for the evenings and for desert trips.

Travel websites publish December average temperatures, but their figures don't match. Climate-Data.org and Climates to Travel, for example, give quite different highs and lows. We couldn't confirm them with the Israel Meteorological Service (IMS), so we've left the numbers out. Check the IMS forecast in the days before you travel.

Hanukkah events in Eilat: what to look out for in 2026

As of October 2026, Eilat hasn't announced its Hanukkah 2026 programme. The Eilat Tourism Corporation, which runs the city's tourism site eilat.city, has put on Hanukkah events in past years. Keep an eye on its listings.

Here are some events from past years:

2024: a Hanukkah edition of the Eilat Street Theatre Festival at Terminal Park, held over three days from 30 December 2024 to 1 January 2025.
2024: a family day at the Eilat Birdwatching Park, run together with the Tourism Corporation. All the events listed that year were free to enter.
2022: two festivals, one of them a colour festival at the bridge plaza.

There is no guarantee that any of these will return, or that future events will be free. Check the events section of eilat.city as the holiday approaches.

Winter-friendly attractions to check

The attractions below are open in winter. The hours given are the ones they published as of October 2026. Any of them can change on Fridays, on holiday eves and during the holiday itself, so check each official site.

Coral Beach Nature Reserve. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority points out that the reefs in the Gulf of Eilat are Israel's only coral reefs. The reserve has a shop, showers, toilets, sunshades, deck chairs and sun loungers.

Its published winter hours are 09:00–17:00 Sunday to Thursday and on Saturday, and 09:00–16:00 on Fridays and holiday eves. The last entry is an hour before closing. Check the page before you go in case the hours have been updated.

Coral World Underwater Observatory Marine Park. The Underwater Observatory Marine Park gives its hours as 09:00–16:00, seven days a week. It recommends allowing three to four hours for a visit. Its observatory tower goes down to 6 metres below sea level.

Timna Park. Timna Park is in the desert north of Eilat and makes a possible day out. Timna Park's own site gives its opening hours as 08:00–16:00, Sunday to Saturday. Some other websites, such as Tourist Israel, list shorter Friday hours. The park's own site is the one to trust, so check it before you drive out.

Free things to do. The city's tourism site has an Eilat for Free page, which says many sites can be enjoyed free of charge. It's handy on days when you want to spend less, or to balance paid attractions with simpler outings.

Staying in an apartment over Hanukkah

During a holiday week with children, your own kitchen and extra space can make the days easier. Central Park Residence is a complex of 25 fully equipped holiday apartments in the centre of Eilat. It is 6 minutes' walk from the sea and next to Eilat's leading shopping and entertainment centres.

Apartments sleep up to 6 guests (the Garden suite up to 5). Each one has a fully equipped kitchen, a private balcony, air conditioning, 2 TVs, 2 bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. There are five suite types, from the ground-floor Garden with three bedrooms to the Tulip and Royal Tulip on the top floor.

To be clear about what we don't offer: this is a self-contained apartment complex. There is no swimming pool, no breakfast or restaurant, no staffed check-in desk and no daily housekeeping. At least one guest in each booking must be 21 or older or hold a military ID. Children are welcome with an accompanying adult. Pets and smoking are not allowed.

Practical tips

Shop VAT-free. According to the Eilat Tourism Corporation, Eilat is VAT-free, so most items cost less than elsewhere in Israel.
Cook your own holiday meal. With your own kitchen, you can make a Hanukkah dinner and eat on the balcony rather than eating out every night.
Check Friday hours. Coral Beach closes earlier on Fridays and holiday eves, and other attractions may too. Save your longest outings for days with full opening hours.
Check flights early. The city's airport is Eilat Ramon Airport (ETM). As of October 2026, scheduled flights to Tel Aviv were running. Routes change often, so check with the airlines directly.
Watch the event listings. The 2026 Hanukkah programme had not been published at the time of writing. Check eilat.city as the holiday gets closer.
Check travel advisories. Before you travel, look at the current official guidance for Eilat and the south.

FAQ

When is Hanukkah 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sunset on Friday 4 December and ends at nightfall on Saturday 12 December. The first candle is lit on the evening of 4 December, and the holiday lasts eight nights.

When is the Hanukkah school break in 2026–27?

Most outlets, including ynet and mako, report the break as Sunday 6 to Saturday 12 December, with school starting again on Sunday 13 December. Israel Hayom gives Saturday 5 December as the start. Check with your school or the Ministry of Education to confirm.

Can you swim in Eilat during Hanukkah?

Whether the sea feels warm enough is a personal matter. Climate websites publish different December sea-temperature averages, and we couldn't confirm them with the IMS, so we haven't given a figure. Check the conditions and the forecast on the day.

Are there Hanukkah events in Eilat in 2026?

As of October 2026, no programme has been announced. In 2022 and 2024 the Eilat Tourism Corporation ran holiday events, including a street-theatre festival and a family day at the Birdwatching Park. Check eilat.city closer to the holiday.

Can we arrive on Saturday?

Not at Central Park Residence: we do not take arrivals on Saturdays (Shabbat). A stay can include Saturday night if it starts earlier, for example on Friday 4 December or earlier in the week.

If you're looking for a place to stay in Eilat over Hanukkah, you're welcome to see our suites and check current prices and availability on our booking page. If you have a question about your dates, send us a message on WhatsApp at +972-50-555-1930.