Northern Israel – Best Attractions by Region and City

There are many attractions in Northern Israel. And in this guide, we will cover the major cities and all regions.

Notes:

• If you are driving to northern Israel and looking for a place to stop, see 50 Attractions on the way to Northern Israel.
• If you are traveling during the summer, see Summer in Israel to know what kind of attractions to pick and other tips.
• If you want to visit other regions, see Israel Trip Planner.

Map

Attractions with links to the relevant posts were marked on the following interactive map.

And now, we will go over tourist cities in northern Israel.

Haifa

Haifa is the third-largest city in Israel. And on the dedicated page to Haifa, you can find its attractions, what to do with kids (34 Places to Visit in and near Haifa with Kids), and Best Hotels in Haifa.

Acre

Akko (Acre) is a port city about 25 km north of Haifa. The Old City of Acre is one of the world’s oldest cities and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can find various attractions on the dedicated page to Akko (Acre), like Hospitaller Fortress (Knights Halls).

Nazareth

Nazareth is a city in northern Israel, where according to the New Testament, Jesus spent his childhood. Hence it became a center of Christian pilgrimage. You can find a visitors guide at Nazareth.

Tiberias

Tiberias is a city on the western shore of the Sea Of Galilee.  It is one of the Four Holy Cities, and you can find many religious sites in this area. For a full visitor guide, see Sea Of Galilee.

Safed

Safed (Tzfat), the city of Kabbalah, is one of the four holy cities. Moreover, it is the highest city in Israel and is located in Upper Galilee. You can find a visitors guide at Safed (Tzfat).

So far, we looked at cities. And now, let’s go over attractions by region.

The Valleys: Jezreel Valley and Beit Shean Valley

The Jezreel Valley in Northern Israel is located south of Lower Galilee. It is east of the Carmel mountain range and west of Beit Shean Valley. In this area, you can find national parks (mostly historical cities) and many springs in Beit Shean Valley. Here are several of my favorite attractions:

• Nahal HaShofet offers loop and accessible tracks. Stunning nature and easy trails make Nahal HaShofet a popular place. You can visit anytime. But if you want to enjoy cooler weather and see flowers, I suggest visiting towards the end of Winter and during the Spring.
• Tel Megiddo National Park allows seeing the remains of the ancient city of Megiddo (Armageddon).
• Anemone Forest HaSargel (Landing Plane Megiddo) – easy trails in the forest allow seeing anemones of different colors. The best time to visit is during the blooming, which is February for Anemones (the more comprehensive range is January – March, depending on the weather).
• Beit Shean National Park (Scythopolis) has the best-preserved remains (due to an earthquake) of an ancient Roman city in Israel.
• Gan Garoo (Gan Guru) is a thematic zoo in Beit Shean Valley. And it is the perfect attraction for families. But it has one downside.
• Spring Valley Park in Beit Shean Valley is one of the most popular summer attractions. And Nahal Kibbutzim is part of Spring Valley Park. It is a water hike with water slides, a pool, and a picnic area. Also, see Nahal Kibbutzim for additional info about Spring Valley Park.

Notes:

• If you are visiting during the summer, note that it is usually boiling in Beit Shean Valley. Thus, in summer, most people prefer visiting the springs.
• Since we mentioned several National Parks and Nature Reserves, here is a guide to National Parks And Nature Reserves in Israel.

Western Galilee and Zvulun Valley

This is a long and narrow (around 10km) coastal territory starting from Haifa to the border with Lebanon. Here are the most popular attractions in this area:

• There are dedicated pages to Haifa and Akko (Acre).
• Beit Shearim National Park is an archaeological site of an ancient Jewish town. It is a world-famous Jewish cemetery of the Mishnaic era. It is located about 20km from Haifa.
• Ein Afek Nature Reserve by Kiryat Bialik is a wetland with many animals and accessible trails. Hence it is loved by families with kids.
• Ein Hardalit is a spring at Nakhal Kziv, and it offers a stunning water hike suitable for all ages. Moreover, It has water all year round.
• Achziv National Park offers stunning beaches, seaside pools, a campsite, and history. Hence it is one of the most popular beaches in Israel.
• Keshet Cave at Adamit Park is near the Lebanon border. It offers tracks, stunning views, rappelling, and a place for a picnic.
• Rosh HaNikra is a geologic formation near the border with Lebanon. Sea activity on white chalk rock formed the grottoes.

Lower Galilee

Some think the name Lower Galilee was given because the mountains are not as high as Upper Galilee. While others believe it is related to the fact that Lower Galilee is located to the south. Anyway, it is not a new name, and it was used by Yosef Ben Matityahu more than 2000 years ago.
Here are some of the most popular attractions in this area:

• Nazareth is a city in northern Israel, where according to the New Testament, Jesus spent his childhood. Hence it became a center of Christian pilgrimage. The city has many churches and holy sites. You can find additional information at Nazareth.
• Bethlehem of Galilee is a historical Moshav in northern Israel. Today you can find there Templer buildings and agricultural attractions. There are also attractions near the Moshav, and you can find all info at Bethlehem of Galilee.
• Tzipori National Park presents remains of the ancient city of Sepphoris, including beautiful mosaics and an ancient water system.
• At Moshav Yodfat, you can find Tel Yodfat National Park (with trails through the Hellenistic city of Jotapata and the surrounding mountains) and Yodfat Monkey Forest (an amusement park with various animals).
• You can find many attractions near the Sea Of Galilee (for example, Arbel National Park). For a full list, see Sea Of Galilee.

Upper Galilee

Mount Meron is the highest peak at Upper Galilee (1208 meters above sea level). And the most touristy city is Safed (Tzfat). Here are several other attractions:

• Amud Stream Nature Reserve in northern Israel offers nature tracks with a lot of vegetation, lovely ponds, and history.
• Safed (Tzfat)
• Mount Meron Summit Trail is a short loop track at the highest nature reserve in Israel.
• Yehiam Fortress from the Crusader and Ottoman periods, near Nahariya, is a lovely attraction for a short family visit.
• Most cherry-picking farms in Israel are located at Golan Heights. But Savanna Farm is within one hour drive from Haifa, in Jish. Thus, if you are visiting during the cherry season, consider a visit (the sweet cherry-picking season usually begins towards the end of May and lasts till the end of June).

Galilee Panhandle

If you look at the map, Galilee Panhandle looks like a finger from Upper Galilee to the border with Lebanon. And Kiryat Shmona is the biggest city in this region.

Here are some of the most popular attractions in this area (listed from south to north):

• Tel Hazor National Park in northern Israel shows the remains of Hazor, the largest fortified city in the country during the Israelite period.
• If you love birds, consider visiting Hula Nature Reserve or Agamon Hula. These are two different places, which are both located in the Hula Valley. Сheck out Agamon Hula versus Hula Nature Reserve – Which one is Better? for a comparison of the two places.
• Horshat Tal National Park is near Kibbutz HaGoshrim, and it is both a resort (with camping and pool) and a nature reserve (oak tree grove and Mesopotamian fallow deer).
• Kayaking and Rafting is a popular attraction in Galilee. Different firms offer this attraction, and you can find further information at Weekend in Upper Galilee.
• Snir Stream Nature Reserve (Hasbani) offers various nature hikes, including water trails. Thus, it is the perfect place for hot summer days.
• At Tel Dan Nature Reserve, you can find the Dan Stream, the primary source of the Jordan River. Moreover, you can also see the remains of a 5000-year-old city. And you can explore the reserve using several trails.
• Ayun Stream Nature Reserve has two excellent trails – the long track visits four waterfalls, and the short path goes to Tanur Waterfall.

Golan

The Golan is located east of the Galilee Panhandle and Sea Of Galilee. And here are some of the most popular attractions on the Golan:

• At Hamat Gader, you can find hot springs, a crocodile farm, an archeological site, fishing ponds, a hotel, restaurants, and more.
• Susita National Park (Hippos) was a Hellenistic city on a hill of the Golan Heights overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
• Ein Keshatot (Umm el Kanatir) at Golan Heights is an ancient Jewish village with an impressive synagogue from the Talmudic Period.
• Majrase – Betiha Nature Reserve, by the Sea of Galilee, offers a short and easy water track that perfectly suits hot days.
• Gamla Nature Reserve offers various tracks to ancient Gamla (synagogue), the highest waterfall in Israel, the vulture lookout, and more.
• Ein Tina (Ein Notera) on the slopes of Golan Heights offers pools, a water hike using a loop trail, a waterfall, and a picnic area. Thus, it is the perfect place for hot summer days.
• If you visit in June, during the cherry-picking season, you can visit Bustan Bereshit or Self-Picking Odem.
• Saar Falls on Golan Heights is one of the most beloved waterfalls in Israel. And that is because of its size, beauty, and accessibility.
• You can explore the rich history (Caesarea Philippi, Temple of Pan) and amazing nature (Banias waterfall) of Banias via four trails.
• Nimrod Fortress National Park by Mount Hermon on Golan Heights presents Israel’s most giant Middle Ages castle.
• Mount Hermon is the only ski resort in Israel. Additionally, it offers activities for visitors during the summer.

Summary

I hope this post gave you new ideas regarding attractions in Northern Israel. And if you have any suggestions, leave a comment below. Also, what are your favorite places in Northern Israel?

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
• What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
• Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
• Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.