Northern Israel
After spending a couple of days in Tel Aviv to regroup from our travels and get our feet solidly on the ground, we rented a car and headed to the North of Israel. If you have the time, it is well worth the drive as there are many beautiful seaside towns rich in historical significance.
Although you can take public transit to the North, we chose to rent a car allowing us more freedom. If you are going to rent a car, be sure to have full insurance. Our research indicated many people have difficulties arise with insurance issues and returning of deposits. We went with a local company based on price and service. She seemed legit and explained the deposit debacles - it’s an Israeli thing with outside credit cards - we’ll watch our bank account with bated breath!
Caesarea National Park - Theatre
First on the tour was Caesarea, a small town with a population of 5700 residents. Caesarea has a rich history of battles won and lost and it was in 30 BC that King Herod developed the area into a booming Port city. Today, the land comprises the Caesarea National Park. Here you can find evidence of the past settlement including the Herodian Amphitheatre and Theatre, the latter still used today for summer concerts. Baron Edmond James de Rothschild purchased the land around Caesarea and it has been developed into a beautiful seaside that locals and tourists can enjoy. It’s definitely an upscale neighbourhood and to be clear, it’s got an extremely complicated and controversial back story of ownership.
Caesarea
After a few hours in Caesarea, we continued about 40 minutes to Haifa, the third largest city in Israel with about 280,000 inhabitants. We stayed at the Eden Hotel, a mid-range hotel located in a busy neighbourhood close to Wadi Nisnas. Wadi Nisnas is a close knit Israeli-Arab community of winding alleyways, shops and restaurants that is a must visit if you come to Haifa.
The morning after our arrival in Haifa, we put on our hikers and spent the day walking the city. Haifa is built on the Northern slopes of Mt Carmel so expect to walk a lot of hills. Haifa has over 1500 steps and we walked up most of them! Our first stairway, the Gedera, was quite beautiful winding through some beautiful homes and artwork along the way. After checking our pulse rate a few times, we finally made it to the top entrance to the Bahai Garden Haifa, the obligatory stop for all tourists. This is the most holy site for the Bahai faith and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The upper two levels are free to meander through but you must book a guide to walk the lower levels. We skipped the guides and walked to the lower entrance to get the best view of the gardens and shrine. If you come to Haifa, make sure you check online for hours of operation and more details to make your trip enjoyable.
Bahai Gardens in Haifa
Below the Bahai Gardens sits the German Colony, a popular spot filled with many restaurants, shops and hotels. Templars first settled the area in 1868 with the hopes that the “second coming of Christ” would come faster, and many with German citizenship were placed in internment camps or deported after World War II.
Another beautiful area to visit is Bat Galim to enjoy the sunset and seaside, although not as impressive as Tel Aviv, still relaxing and enjoyable. After a late lunch, we took the Cable Car to Stella Maris Monastery at the top of Mount Carmel. The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was built in 1836 and is a Catholic Christian monastery for Discalced Carmelite monks. Furthermore, it is believed to contain the cave inhabited by the prophet Elijah (we forgot to look for it).
After our two night stay in Haifa, we travelled further to Akko or Acco or Acre - we’ve seen it written all three ways. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Akko is an absolute gem on the coast with an impressive Old City. Like Haifa, it has been invaded by many and changed hands throughout history but today it is home to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Preserved citadels, mosques and Hammam above and below ground, along with a thriving market make for a day or two of sightseeing.
Old City in Akko
If you are a history buff, you need to make your way north of Tel Aviv and spend a few days in these three cities of Israel. You can book day tours but we encourage you to rent a car and pace yourself because there is so much to take in and sort through along the way.
If you want more on Israel, check out our Youtube Channel.
Cheers.
