North

Places to see/sites to visit

Haifa-Acre-Rosh HaNikra are three sites you can see all on the same day with only a 25-30 minute drive between each place. Haifa is the big city in the northern district and is notoriously beautiful! You can visit the Baháʼí World Centre, Stella Maris, the German Colony, art and history museums, and even do nature hikes inside the city! You can drive or even take public transportation to Acre and start to walk around the beautiful street of the old city. The Knights' Halls are halls that the Crusaders used when they conquered the country and made Acre their capital. The city of Acre made an entire museum where you can learn about the Crusaders, their culture, stories, fights, and what happened to them in the holy land. From there, you can continue to Rosh HaNikra grottoes, a place where the mountains meet the sea. The Rosh HaNikra cliff is made of chalk and formed after thousand years of waves crashing against the soft chalk rock. The result is beautiful white caves with crystal clear water.

After visiting the north coast line, you can move east and start to discover the inland of the north. One of the big cities in the center of the north is Nazareth. Nazareth is the biggest Arab city in Israel, with a mixed population of Muslims and Christians. Nazareth is one of the most important cities in Christianity making it a big tourist attraction! With beautiful churches, great restaurants, incredible coffee, amazing markets (not on Sunday) and wonderful vibes.

Another, very important city, a city with a centuries-old Jewish community is Tzfat. Sixteenth-century prosperity is the time when the Jewish community was at its peak. All the major rabbis of the time were in Tzfat. That was also the time the city became a center of Kabbalah. Today you can visit the old synagogues, see Jewish art shops, try some of Israel’s most famous cheese, and enjoy the pastoral view and atmosphere.

When standing in Tzfat and looking to the east, you will see the sea. Not the Mediterranean, and honestly, it’s not really a sea. You will be looking at the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret), which is a lake (shhhh don’t tell anyone 😉). The Kinneret has so many things to do, sites to visit, and places to see: Tiberias, Magrase Nature Reserve, Luna Gal water park, sailing, water skiing, and other water sports.

More places to discover in the north: Bet She'arim National Park, the Gilboa Mountain, the Sahne (Gan HaShlosha National Park), Pki’in, Hahula Valley, Rosh Pina, Mount Meron, and Metula.

Food

When traveling in the Galilee area, you will come across many different and unique cultures and ethnicities. Two of those are the Druze and the Circassians. While traveling around, you should definitely visit a Druze or/and Circassians villages. There are many families that will take you into their home, feed you, and share their story and culture with you. This is a once in a lifetime experience!

Just like in the center district, you can find many boutique cheesemakers and wineries and also really high-quality olive oil.

Entertainment

If you want to hike, Sea to Sea (Yam El Yam- ים אל ים) is a great option! The Sea to Sea trail crosses the country from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee. Normally, people complete it in 4 days. If you are a professional hiker, you can do it in 3 or even 2 days. Make sure you know where you can refill your water bottle and get enough food for the hole trail.

Another very cool activity is kayaking, Jeep tours, and Bike rides. Along the north part of the Jordan River, there are few kayaking spots. You can choose between 1-6 people on each boat and go kayaking for 40-60 minutes. Jeep and All-terrain vehicle tours are very popular in the north. Wherever you drive, you will see advertisements for different kinds of tours. If you have not had enough biking in Davis, you can go on a beautiful bike ride in Agmon HaHula. At the right time of year, you can see over half a billion birds crossing through the northern skies of the Galilee.

Fun Fact

The majority of the population in the northern district are Arabs (55%) who practice four different religious.