The plateau atop Masada, which measures about 550m by 270m, is some 60m above sea level – that is, about 488m above the surface of the Dead Sea. Visitors are given an excellent map-brochure of the ruins; similar information can be had from an audioguide (20NIS, including admission to the Masada Museum). Both are available – in Hebrew, English, French, German, Spanish and Russian – at the ticket windows, atop Masada and at the museum.
On the ruins, black painted lines divide reconstructed parts from original remains.
Drinking water is available so bring a bottle to refill. Eating atop Masada is forbidden.
Look down in any direction and chances are you’ll be able to spot at least one of the Romans’ eight military camps and their siege wall. The effort put into the siege by the Roman Legions is mind-boggling – no surprise, then, that they commemorated their victories over the rebels of Judea by erecting a monumental victory arch in the centre of imperial Rome, the Arch of Titus , whose design, many centuries later, inspired Paris' Arc de Triomphe.
