© Lonely Planet 210 & the North Coast

Attractive beaches stretch from Netanya to Rosh HaNikra on the Lebanese border. Between the two towns is a fertile region of old farms, industrial parks and quaint seaside towns. Although a modern freeway system connects everything, the ancient past never seems far away.

The history of the region dates back to biblical times. is closely associated with the life of Elijah the prophet while Megiddo is simply Armageddon waiting to happen. Recorded history has been more closely linked with north coast ports, and comings and goings of people over the centuries. Herod built his massive port at to facilitate trade with Europe. In later centuries Akko served as a strategic base for crusading knights. Haifa developed into the region’s largest port during the 20th century and became the principle landing spot for early Zionists. It continues to attract immigrants, and Russian now make up a significant part of the population.

Moving inland, the coastal mountain range hides some picturesque villages and self- reliant communities. Ein Hod has developed into an enclave of artists while nearby Zichron Ya’acov produces some of ’s top wines. Druze, Arabs and Jews mix together in both the highlands and the cities; Haifa is considered to be the most heterogeneous city in Israel.

The north coast is deceptively small so travel time between sights in this chapter is usually not more than 20 to 30 minutes. By travelling with your own car, you can cover a lot of ground in a single day. With its central location, Haifa is the most obvious base, but HAIFA & THE NORTH COASTHAIFA there are plenty of quiet retreats elsewhere in the region.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stopping to smell the roses (and gazillions of other flowers) in the spectacular gardens around the Baha’i Shrine of the Bab ( p240 ) Waiting for the Armageddon at Megiddo (p234 ), a biblical site expected to host the Akko end of the world  Exploring the impressive ruins at Caesarea Baha'i Shrine (p230 ), Herod’s monolithic port city of the Bab Weaving through the underground passages of Akko (p235 ), an extraordinary fortified Ein Hod town on the sea Zichron Ya'acov Living the good life in Ein Hod ( p228 ) or Megiddo Zichron Ya’acov (p229 ), where you can taste wine and browse some of Israel’s best art Caesarea galleries

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9 0 0 2 / 2 1 / 1 111/12/2009 11:51:06 AM which means ‘beautiful coast’. means ‘beautiful which HAIFA & THE NORTH & Haifa •• COAST HAIFA Haifa’s central location and good trans- Haifa’s Despite its working class core, local local its working class core, Despite consid- was ago, Haifa A thousand years Residents have traditionally worked worked traditionally Residents have One of Haifa’s more unique aspects is its unique aspects is its more Haifa’s One of port links make it a useful base port links make from which need to is no great There the area. to explore lug your bags up and down the coast when Akko, Caesarea and other highlights the of on day trips. north coast can be visited authorities have put much effort put much into de- authorities have community, an arts and culture veloping museums and other cultural in- improving feature most striking stitutions. But Haifa’s is the Baha’iof Gardens, an inspiring slash Mt length of that cuts down the entire green also minded would Carmel. religiously The Elijah’s cave want to visit the holy sights of Carmelite Maris and the neo-Gothic Stella Church. an important town, but early in Arab ered the 12th century it was destroyed in battles Nearby Akko super- with the Crusaders. seded the town in importance, and at the Palestine, the Ottoman conquest of time of was an insignificant village. Haifa blue-collar jobs but that has changed in in changed but that has blue-collar jobs a hi- with the development of years recent has economy The diverse industry. tech development, bringing office parks spurred the outskirts, a trend and shopping malls to the downtown that sadly of killed off much signs of are There commerce in the 1980s. however, thanks in part to the res- revival, the old German Colony, now toration of for fine dining. address the city’s premier History in 3rd- appeared name first The city’s and, although its literature century Talmudic it’s been suggested obscure, origin remains words to the Hebrew is related that ‘Haifa’ yafe, hof mixed population of Arabs and Jews, liv- Arabs and Jews, population of mixed harmony. Haifans with visible ing together on the belief that they can pride themselves the region. be a model tolerance in of a major port. The graceful contour of its of contour The graceful port. a major of Mt the steep by is enhanced of sides shore from seaCarmel, rises which majestically With sweeping 546m. level to a height of the sea,views of one of twisting roads and world, gardens in the the most beautiful cities the most picturesque is one of Haifa East.in the Middle 71 60 Beit Jan (20km) חיפה Nazareth THE Ma'alot Tarshiha Buqei'a To Tiberias Afula Peqi'in 899 Goren Karmiel 73 Gilon 66 75 L E B A N O N Mi'ilya 77 85 79 89 70 Shlomi Rosh HaNikra 66 Um al-Fahm 70 Beit She'arim Montfort Goren Park Kiryat Tivon Lohamei HaGhetaot 00 20 km 12 miles Megiddo Jerusalem (73km) 4 65 To Nablus (10km); Airport Haifa Carmelite Monastery of St Elijah 4 75 Park Akhziv 70 Akko Nahariya National Isfiya Bay Daliyat 1 Haifa 1 al-Karmel Ein Hod 2 Zichron Ya'acov

Park

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Nahal Tanimin Nature Reserve 4 Carmel d National d Haifa Tel Aviv (37km) n Hadera To Netanya (8km); i . 2 6

r Hof Dor 04 / pop 264,900 s The best way around the area is with a car. is with a car. The best way around the area i M E D I T E R R A N E A N M E D I T E R R A - HAIFA & THE NORTH & THE HAIFA COAST a HaBonim f Caesarea North Coast (M) x Bay is the best natural harbour on the Haifa Israeli coast and was destined to be the site ﺣﻴﻔﺎ HAIFA HAIFA Getting There & Around Getting There & Around bus and train links from plenty of are There and the to Haifa and Jerusalem Aviv Tel driving, it’s a straight north coast. If you are up Hwy 2 (though Hwy 4 is the scenic drive the Galilee also bus links to are There route). Hwy 77 from Tiberias. take drivers region; (or buses you to Otherwise, can get Egged close to) most places, though you may have to put up with some long waits. Climate The north coast sees warm summer tempera- into the low thirties (°C) and that reach tures teens. dip to the low It’s temperatures winter the country, with parts of the wettest one of rain falling in Decem- than 150mm of more the a fact that allows most of ber and January, through to stay the year. green region lonelyplanet.com

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