Shavei Tzion Beach – Visitors Guide (Hours, and More)

Shavei Tzion Beach near Nahariya has stunning beaches with seaside pools. Moreover, there is a mosaic floor of a Byzantine church nearby.

Note: the beach at Shavei Tzion reminds me of Achziv National Park.

Map

Shavei Tzion is a moshav in northern Israel, situated between Acre and Nahariya. To reach the beach, drive to Shavei Tzion. And after entering the moshav, continue driving straight to the sea.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

Opening Hours

The car gate is open daily from 06:00 to 21:00. But the lifeguard services and restrooms are open from 08:00 to 17:00.

Entrance Fee

Free. Parking is also free.

Shavei Tzion Beach

From my experience, you can find free parking by the beach if you arrive early (up to 9:00). And the later you arrive, the further you have to park.

There are lifeguard services, And as you can see in the following photo, there are several limitations. For example: “Do not light the fire,” “No entry for animals,” and “Setting up tents is forbidden.”

Among the facilities on the beach, you can find restrooms, showers, and changing rooms.

The next photo shows the outdoor showers, cafeteria, and parking in the background. Also, to the left, there is a small playground for kids.

You will see two swimming areas as you walk along the paved path toward the lifeguards.

To the right (north), you can find a shallow pool with a few waves (some stones serve as wave breakers). Thus, this area is ideal for families with young kids.

You can find a deep water swimming area to the left (to the south).

This area is also behind wave breakers. Thus there are fewer waves. But the entrance to the water is at a steep angle. And only after a few meters the water level exceeds 1.5 meters. Thus, it is hard to exit the water, and older people might need help.

And in the middle, between the two swimming areas, you can see fishermen.

Byzantine-era Church and the Mosaic Floor

Behind the beach strip, you can find a walkway. And if you walk to the north for several hundred meters, you can find the remains of a stunning church.

But if you reached Beit HaEmek River, you have gone too far and must return.

Unfortunately, the door leading to the church was closed during my visit. But since the fences are not high, I could see the mosaics from the outside.

Today you can see the restored church (currently end of phase one).

The mosaic floor of the Byzantine church at Shavei Zion represents one of the earliest Christian religious buildings unearthed in the Holy Land. The church was located on a sandstone ridge above the Beit HaEmek Creek. Excavations were conducted at this site between 1955 and 1957, with further excavations undertaken in the 1960s. Two Roman milestones found in the vicinity indicated that Shavei Zion had been “Nea Come” in antiquity, a fishing village remembered as “new” in Roman times, located on the road which connected Antioch with Acre.

Nea Come was apparently occupied from at least the 5th or the 6th century BCE. The church itself was built in the 4th century CE. Excavations revealed a spring of sweet water within the church compound that must have attracted both settlers and travelers. During the 5th and the 6th centuries, earthquakes and tidal waves struck the Mediterranean coast at Acre and north of it, causing significant damage to the church. Squatters and looters caused further damage, but the church was ultimately destroyed by fire.

Source: sign

And here are several additional photos of the mosaics:

Summary

Shavei Tzion Beach is a lovely place, and the sea pool makes it a good alternative for families with small children. In my opinion, this is a free alternative to Achziv National Park. And if you love the sea, then I recommend this place.

Have you ever been to Shavei Tzion Beach? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

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.