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Jerusalem certainly has a bright present and future, but it's the city's rich past that makes it one of the globe's most popular and attractive destinations. From its humble urban beginnings as a Jebusite backwater, to capital of the Jewish kingdom and then important Byzantine and Muslim city ruled by nearly every Western empire to grace our history books, Jerusalem has certainly seen it all. And because every civilization that has laid claim to the city left a mark, you can see it all too. If you've only got a couple days to explore the ancient and not-so-ancient history of Jerusalem, here's a quick guide to make sure you pack in as much as possible.

Day One: The Old City

Breakfast

The Old City is not the oldest part of the city (go figure), but it holds what is probably the world's highest concentration of historic and religiously significant sites. Case in point: Even your breakfast can be historical. Grab some Viennese strudel and coffee at the Austrian hospice, a 150-year-old pilgrimage way-station turned Jordanian hospital that is now a Muslim quarter inn. For those of Kosher bent, the only thing better than the Quarter Café's food is their view, overlooking the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives.

Half-day Old City Tour

Next, get with a local tour operator for a half-day tour of the Old City's four quarters. You won't see everything, but at least you'll get to get in important sites such as the Via Dolorosa, the path said to have been used by Jesus carrying the cross; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (pictured), one of Christianity's holiest sites; and the Jewish Quarter's Cardo, which was one of the most important avenues during Roman times, and today features many excavations and colonnades from that era.

Lunch at Abu Shukri

Nothing says Jerusalem like hummus, and nothing says hummus like Abu Shukri, a Muslim quarter hummus eatery that's the product of one of the most venerable hummus families in Jerusalem (yes, Jerusalem has hummus families). Some believe the delicious chickpea dip, which is just about the only thing on offer at Abu Shukri (with good reason), dates back to antiquity, so just eating it is historical in nature.

Western Wall area history

The Western Wall is Judaism's holiest standing site, but just a few steps away from (or under) the ancient stones lie a plethora of antiquity sites, many of which are open to the public. One such example is the Western Wall Tunnels (pictured), which take visitors down to the base of the Western Wall (the area above ground is just a sliver of what is still standing) and to the spot directly opposite where it is believed the Holy of Holies once stood. Staying above ground, check out the Jerusalem Archeological Park, a well tended excavation along the Temple Mount's Southern Wall, with antiquities from Canaanite to Mameluke periods represented. For a look at what Jerusalem was like during the First Temple period, the Ariel Center in the Jewish Quarter has exhibits galore on the history of the city and that most holy of temples.

Dinner with Tony

For dinner, stay in the area and get some fine eats at Tony's Between the Arches, a Jewish Quarter mainstay that takes its history as seriously as it does its food, with a crusader-era cavern setting, a Second Temple-era floor and antiquities-topped tables.

Lights and fun nights

The Tower of David is one of the old City's most famous landmarks, with its Ottoman tower rising high above Jaffa Gate. At night, the citadel become home to one of the city's moist unique attractions, a light and laser show highlighting the history of the city (pictured).

After the show, head to the nearby Armenian Tavern, one of the Old City's only bars, a colorful way to experience the mostly closed off Armenian Quarter.

Day Two: Outside the Old City

Breakfast where the coffee revolution began

While many believe Jerusalem's historical aspects start and stop inside the Ottoman-era walls, there is plenty to see in the rest of the city. Start your day off with breakfast at Café Hillel on Hillel street in Jerusalem, sitting at the center of what has been the city's downtown since its modern Zionist renaissance, nearly 100 years ago, and what future historians may point to as the beginning of Israel's contemporary java culture.

Time Elevator, Finger of Og and City of David

Before embarking on your tour of old Jerusalem, the Time Elevator offers a good overview and is pretty fun too. The experience transports visitors back thousands of years until the city's reunification in 1967.

The nearby Russian Compound, just west of the Old City, holds what is referred to as the Finger of Og, which is probably not the finger bone of the Amorite giant-king. Instead it's most likely a cracked pillar of the Herodian period, more than 2,000 years ago.

Just east of the Old City lies the City of David (pictured), where Jerusalem began more than 3,000 years ago and stood during the First Temple era. Today, the excavations can be explored either underground, via the ancient water tunnels of Hezekiah, or from atop a Segway, bringing a bit of the future to the past.

Lunch and an afternoon at the Israel Museum

Make a pit stop at the David Citadel Hotel for lunch at Scala. A relative newcomer to Jerusalem's high-end dining scene, Scala offers authentic regional cuisine but with a contemporary brazenness.

The newly-renovated Israel Museum is a must-see for anybody interested in the history of the city. From the Dead Sea Scrolls, housed in the Shrine of the Book structure, to a huge model of Jerusalem as it looked during the Second Temple era (pictured), to an embarrassment of ancient treasures, the museum offers something for everybody. Use the museum's shuttle system to visit its east Jerusalem annex at the Rockefeller Archeological Museum for thousands more antiquities.

Eucalyptus and Bible Lands

For dinner, the high-concept restaurant Eucalyptus offers food inspired by the ancient cuisine of the area, with only fresh ingredients and a local take on the "slow food" concept.

Cap the night with a visit to the Bible Lands Museum (pictured), which, throughout the week, often offers nighttime lectures, wine and cheese tastings and musical performances amid its collection of local ancient artifacts.

That's Jerusalem in a nutshell for history buffs, but if you've got an itch for high-class treatment and an excellently planned-out itinerary that includes all of this and more, make sure to check out our VIP-style tour options here.