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ERETZ Magazine

STAYPUT HOME

JERUSALEM

TEL AVIV

YOUTH HOSTELS

UPPER GALILEE

GOLAN

SEFAD, ROSH PINA

LOWER GALILEE

WESTERN GALILEE

TIBERIAS

ACRE

HAIFA

CEASAREA

SHARON

ASHKELON

JUDEAN HILLS

BEERSHEVA

EILAT

KIBBUTZ HOTELS

 

Stayput Western Galilee

The Western Galilee is the epitome of a Galilean landscape: Green mountains covered with beautiful Mediterranean forests extending all the way down into the sea, beautiful beaches, ancient towns, and hidden mountain villages.

The Galilee is not a large region. A mere 100 kilometers separate its northern border – the peak of Mount Hermon – from its southernmost boundary along the Jezreel Plain, the site of biblical Armageddon. Its eastern reaches, on the far edge of the Golan plateau, lie only 70 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea in the west. But these 7,000 square kilometers encompass amazingly beautiful and contrasting scenery: mountains and valleys; fertile plateaus and stark cliffs; and a glimmering seacoast.
Not only is it a drive of just one hour from one end of the Galilee to the other, but it is also a short hop from major attractions all around Israel: a two-hour drive to Tel Aviv, under three hours to Jerusalem or the Dead Sea.
But what makes the Galilee an outstanding travel destination is more than its scenery or convenience. This is a region where it is possible to trace the long ascent of man from his early beginnings to what he has become today. Prehistoric skeletons found in the Galilee show that in this place, man developed the ability to speak. Here, too, man made the transition from hunter and gatherer to farmer – and the very first permanent villages were erected.
 Six thousand years ago, the Galilee was already bustling with human activity. The natural forests that covered Galilee mountains were cleared and replaced with farms and villages. On the plains, large cities sprung up. About 4,000 years ago, Hazor, of biblical fame, was a world-famous trading center.
Some 3,500 years ago, Joshua and the Israelite tribes conquered the Galilee and settled there, side by side with the pagan indigenous population. The haunting mountains of the Galilee were the abode of Elijah, the greatest of all biblical prophets. Later on, the Galilee became the home of the elusive “men of deeds” – Jewish healers and miracle workers. Jesus came from the Galilee, as did Peter, Andrew, John, and Bartholomew.
The Galilee mountains were the birthplace of Jewish mysticism. Shimon bar Yochai, regarded as the first Jewish mystic, lived in the Galilee in the second century CE. In the sixteenth century, the small town of Safed became the birthplace of Kabbala. The charismatic Yitzhak Ashkenazi Luria, the Lion of Safed, drew hundreds of followers. They flocked to the forested mountains of the Galilee to learn from him how to unravel the mystery of the Godhead.
The Galilee today is still a relatively unknown destination. Its tourism facilities have developed slowly. But in the past few years, the hospitality of its people, and the growing worldwide interest in agro-tourism and eco-tourism, have made the region increasingly popular. The Galilee as a travel destination is a place to take in things slowly, a place to sit in the shade of an ancient olive tree, bask in the sun on a quiet beach, or walk along a cobblestone lane still echoing with the footsteps of centuries. Its mystical atmosphere takes the visitor far away from the frenetic world we live in today.

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Montfort Castle

The castle was originally constructed as a Crusader agricultural manor, part of the feudal fiefdom of Meiliya. In 1220, the castle was separated from the fiefdom and sold to the German order of the Teutonic knights. The Germans fortified the fortress and renamed it Starkenberg – the strong fortress.
The Teutonic order was not popular with the two established Crusader orders of the Templars and Hospitallers and so it moved its headquarters from Acre, where the other orders were located, to Starkenberg, up in the mountains above Acre. The castle also held the treasures of the order and its archives.
In 1226, the Moslem sultan, Baybars, attacked the castle. The attack  failed and he was forced to withdraw. Five years later, Baybars returned. This time, with a unit of military engineers who managed to undermine the castle’s walls. After one week, the engineers managed to  topple the southern wall of the outer defenses of the fortress. The knights withdrew to the inner castle and continued to resist. After a heated discussion, the knights decided to surrender – on condition that they would be allowed to leave the fortress for Acre with their weapons, archive, and treasure. The archive was transferred to Austria, where it can still be seen today, and the Teutonic knights sailed away to Europe to become the scourge of Poland and to later take part in the creation of Prussia.
To get to the fortress entails a 30-minute walk, either from the Goren park, on the northern bank of Nahal Kziv, or from Meiliya and Hila. Both the walks lead through the beautiful Mediterranean woods around the castle. The castle itself, standing on a dramatic spur above the riverbed of Nahal Kziv, has not been excavated yet But the ruins are fun to explore with a lot of secret rooms and recesses in between the growth.

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Where to Eat

The Galilean bistro Aloma has a surprising location – the Arab village of Tarshiha. The menu is composed of fine French food created from the raw materials of the Galilee. A great deal of effort was put into the bistro’s design, which is impressive, yet innocent. (Tarshiha-Kfar Veredim Road, Tel. (04) 957-4477, not kosher).
The Morganfeld Steakhouse specializes in roasting meat over whispering coals. Its menu includes entrecote steak, beef filet, and asado. Come hungry – one doesn’t find portions of quality meat this large often (Moshav Liman, Tel. (04) 952-4333, kosher).
Arnold’s is a chef’s restaurant near Kabri Junction. The chef and owner, Uri Arnon, created a commendable meat menu. Try the milk-fed veal osso buco, the pullet stuffed with Galilean wheat, or the excellent steaks (Moshav Nativ Hashayara, Tel. (04) 952-2211, kosher).
Much has been said about the Adlina restaurant. Some have named it the best restaurant in Galilee. Its menu includes dishes such as paella with seafood and a mischievous selection of tapas, including the option of having nine different tapas for two diners for only NIS 115 (Kibbutz Kabri, Tel. (04) 952-3707, not kosher). 

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Achziv

The little hill that juts out into the sea, with a small secluded harbor at its foot, has probably been a magnet for fishermen and traders for millennia. The Phoenicians created a trading city on the hill, part of their Mediterranean empire. The town is mentioned in the Bible as part of the realm of the tribe of Asher. The city, remarks the Bible, was not conquered by the people of Israel. The Talmud mentions Achziv as a center for the production of the rare purple dye used by royalty and as a city on the main coastal road from Tyre to Acre. The Crusaders built a fort on top of the hill and Sultan Baybars conquered it from the Crusaders in 1271. For the next 700 years, it was a small Moslem fishing village located in the ruins of the ancient town. Following the War of Independence, the Arab villagers fled to Lebanon.
In the 1960s, Eli Avivi settled in the ruins, declaring Achziv an independent state. A few years later, the southern part of the ruins became a Club Med holiday village and the northern part was turned into  a National Park. Avivi, Club Med, and the park are all there today – in a site that has some of the best beaches in Israel along with the best camping ground in Israel.

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Rainbow Cave

Located at the top of the Sulam Range, the cave is the ultimate viewpoint of the Western Galilee. To get there, take Route 899 from Betzet Junction, north of Nahariya. Follow the road to the junction for Kibbutz Adamit and turn onto Route 9993 toward Adamit. The road hairpins up the mountain along Nahal Namer. At the top of the road, before Kibbutz Adamit, is a road leading to the right to the Keshet Picnic Site. Follow the road to the parking lot. Take the green-marked path to the cave. Be careful and don’t allow children to run around alone. The Rainbow Cave is part of a collapsed cave  popular with mountain climbers. From the cave, a path leads along the cliff. If you want to hike, take the red-marked trail to the right (west). It reaches the road at the top of the hairpins. A driver should take the car back down the road to meet the hikers.
The view from the cave is spectacular: The whole northern coastline, all the way to Haifa, and the mountains of Galilee.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Western Galilee

Take 89 to the west, towards the coast. At Nahariya, take Route 4 south to Acre and explore the Crusader town. Drive north on Route 4 to Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot and visit the ghetto fighters museum. Continue north to Rosh Hanikra for a visit to the grottos. Return south on Route 4 to Achziv for a swim in the Mediterranean (May to November).

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Day 2: Upper Galilee

Drive along Route 89 to the east. After the Druze town of Hurfeish, take the road to the right to the summit of Mount Meron. Walk along the summit path (40 minutes) for a view of the Galilee. Drive back to Route 89 and continue to Safed. Explore the city of the Kabbalists. Drive to Rosh Pina and explore the old village. End with dinner  at one of the many restaurants  in Rosh Pina.

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Day 3: Sea of Galilee

Take Route 89 east to Hosen Junction. Drive along the scenic Route 864 to Rama. Take Route 85 to the east, and at its end turn right onto Route 90. At the Capernaum Junction, follow 87 along the northern shore of the lake. This is the area where most of the events mentioned in the New Testament took place – Tabgha, with its beautiful mosaic, Capernaum, the home of Peter, with its massive synagogue, and more. Cross the Jordan and drive to the junction with Route 92. Take Route 92 past Kursi, the site of the miracle of the Gerasene Demoniac, to Ein Gev for lunch. Continue south to Deganiya for a visit to the Old Deganiya Courtyard, where the first kibbutz was founded. Continue around the lake to the southern entrance to Tiberias, where you will find the tomb of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness and the ancient synagogue of Hamat Tiberias with its beautiful mosaic.

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Day 4: The Galilee Panhandle

Take Route 89 east to the Hiram Junction just after Kibbutz Sasa. Turn left onto the road to the Baram synagogue. Continue to the junction to Rehaniya and turn right toward Rehaniya. At the end of the road, turn left onto Route 886 and drive through some of the most scenic landscapes of the Galilee on the way to Ramot Naftali. Take Route 899 down to Route 90. Drive a kilometer and a half to the south, and turn off into the Hula Agamon – an attempt to revive the Hula Swamp. After a jaunt with the thousands of wild fowl at the swamp, return to Route 90 and drive north to Kiryat Shemona. Take Route 99 to the Dan Nature Reserve to visit one of the sources of the Jordan River and the biblical tell of Dan. Now retrace a little on Route 90 to the junction with Route 918 – take it all the way south, through the Hula Valley and some of the lushest countryside in Israel to its end at Mishmar Hayarden. Take Route 91 west back to Route 90. Follow the road to the junction with Route 85 and drive back to the hotel.

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Day 5: Jerusalem

Drive to Jerusalem by taking Route 89 to 4 and from there take 2 to Route 1. Enter the Old City via the Jaffa Gate and visit the Tower of David Museum on the history of Jerusalem. Walk down David Street, the main souvenir market. Turn left onto Christian Quarter Street and walk to the alley of Saint Helena that leads down to the Holy Sepulcher. Exit by the doorway  to the Muristan Market and walk straight ahead until you reach the busy market street of Khan e-Zeit. Turn right and walk down the Crusader markets. Once out of the market make your way to Sisileh Street. Walk down to the Kotel. Take the Rabbi Yehudah Halevi steps up to the Jewish Quarter. Walk to the Zion Gate. Once out of the gate, turn right, and go to the Jaffa Gate.

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Day 6: Tel Aviv

Take Route 89 to Nahariya. Take 4 to Haifa and 2 to Tel Aviv. Explore Jaffa.  Stroll through historic Tel Aviv at Neve Tzedek and Rothschild Boulevard. Have lunch on Sheinkin Street and check out the shops along Dizengoff Street. End the day with dinner on Ibn Gabirol Street.

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Hacienda Forestview Hotel

The Hacienda Forestview is the only hotel that was harmed in the Second Lebanon War. As a result, its owners invested heavily in renovating the hotel after the war ended. In addition to a beautiful spa, complete with a Turkish hamam and fitness center, and acres upon acres of natural forest, the hotel is noteworthy for its cuisine. The renovations included the kitchen, where Chef Gil Segal was brought in to develop a varied, healthy, and tasty spa menu. The huge breakfast that is served daily includes more than a few gems, such as the extensive selection of homemade jams. Dinners are especially festive; the rich smell of meat that was slowly cooked in earthen pits or roasted just outside the dining room adds to the atmosphere. The 140 spacious, luxurious guestrooms are spread out over almost 20 acres of land, providing guests with privacy and the opportunity to luxuriate in nature. Several of the rooms are designed to accommodate the disabled, with wider doorways for wheelchairs and similar features. The newest guestrooms are the garden rooms with jacuzzis in their center and are highly recommended.

 

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Copyright ERETZ Magazine 2008