Lower Galilee by Flickr user heatkernel

The pretty Galilee region encompasses much of the north of Israel. Its tuscan-esque landscape is divided into a number of sub-regions, each with distinct geographical features, landscapes, and communities. Of particular biblical importance to Christians, the Galilee is perfect whether you’re after a relaxing retreat or adrenaline-filled adventure. The are also a wide range of types of hotels in the Galilee from quaint zimmers to luxury spas.

Lower Galilee

Forested paths at Gilboa by Flickr user yxejamir

The Lower Galilee is the least hilly region of the Galilee stretching from the Jezreel Valley (Valley of the Armageddon in Christianity) on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel across to the Sea of Galilee. It includes the breathtaking hump-back shaped Mount Tavor, the ruins at Megiddo, Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel and Jesus’ home-town, and Mount Gilboa, renowned for its pretty, colorful landscape.

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee by Flickr user Beny Shlevich

Upper Galilee

The Upper Galilee is more remote, more enchanting, and more breathtaking. Popular with Israeli’s escaping for vacations, it features everything from quaint towns such as Rosh Pina to active adventures on the River Jordan to one of the world’s best bird-watching locations in the Hula Valley.

Sea of Galilee

Really a lake, the Sea of Galilee has had settlement around its shores for thousands of years. Ruins of ancient settlements today stand alongside some of the pioneering and oldest communities established in Israel, including some of the oldest kibbutzim.

Western Galilee

The Western Galilee is the far north-western region of the Galilee, roughly the Mediterranean coastline north of Haifa and the area inland. Whilst the southern part of this region is relatively built up with part of the Haifa Metropolitan Area, the north offers beautiful scenery as well as some cool things to do and see.

Golan Heights

Although not officially part of the Galilee, the Golan is the area beyond the Upper Galilee, more or less everything to the east of the Sea of Galilee. Featuring Israel’s highest mountain, Hermon, where you can ski in winter, the Golan also offers some incredible vistas, fascinating historical sites, and natural wonders.

Forested paths at Gilboa by Flickr user yxejamir

Mount Gilboa, located in the Lower Galilee region, south of the Sea of Galilee is one of Israel’s most beautiful spots. Whilst spring saturates the Mountains in pretty wildflowers, no matter what the season, Gilboa is a stunning, tranquil area to explore, offering a break from the intense summer heat with a cool breeze. The Gilboa Scenic Road is your access point into this array of hikes, viewpoints, picnic sites, bike paths, and stunning outlooks, and is a great path to follow when exploring the area.

View across the Lower Galilee by Flickr user Yo-Yos

Gilboa Scenic Road

You can enter the Scenic Route by turning onto Road 667 from the Jordan Valley Highway (90). This description, however, begins at the opposite end: Take Highway 60 from Afula and turn left (east) at the Yizre’el Junction onto Road 675. Turn right at the sign for Road 667, the Gilboa Scenic Route.

You are now climbing the Gilboa Ridge, which is 18 kilometers long and juts out from the northern side of the Samarian Mountains. Its proximity to the Syrian African Rift created steep cliffs on the Gilboa’s northern and eastern sides, over the Harod and Beit She’an Valleys, and at their tallest height they reach 650 meters above sea level. Prepare to immerse yourself in the past: The entire route follows mountain peaks and overlooks whose names are connected with biblical events.

Pass (or stop in at) the Nurit Picnic Site. In the 1950s, this area became a makeshift community (ma’abara) for Yemenite immigrants given jobs planting trees on the Gilboa and working in the area’s quarries.

Drive on a bit further to reach the top of Mount Shaul (Saul), 302 meters above sea level and jutting from the rest of the ridge. Follow the asphalt road to a short, circular Bible Trail. Slightly overgrown with dry weeds and neglected at the moment, it is lined with rather illegible Hebrew plaques that describe the biblical events that have taken place on or near the Gilboa.

Fortunately, this route has other attractions; at a break in the pine forest through which you are walking, a “window” seems to open onto a very special view of the Gilboa dropping sharply down to the valley, and of the valley itself. Part of the mountain is completely bare, the only foliage being forests planted by the JNF. Could this be a result of David’s curse?

Biblical names associated with battles are everywhere. To the north you can see Givat Hamoreh, on whose foothills the Philistines camped before going to battle with Saul – and whose adjacent valley housed the Midianites before they were routed by Gideon. Beyond Givat Hamoreh, you can make out the tip of Mount Tabor (Barak and the prophetess Deborah). The Heights of Issachar, who fought with Barak, are to the east, while the upper Jezreel Valley is spread out before you to the west.

Recreation

Mount Shaul has become extremely popular with Israeli hang-gliders. If you come up on a weekend, you can watch as sports enthusiasts take off from the mountain top and glide gracefully over the valley like the birds of prey that once lived in the cliffs.

Back on the road, it isn’t far to Ketef Shaul (Saul’s Shoulder), the Scenic Route’s main recreation area. It features picnic tables adapted to wheelchairs, playgrounds and an accessible trail to a lovely lookout.

After your picnic, continue along the route to the Vinya Overlook on your left. Turn in and take the bumpy (but passable) road to two balconies in a lush grove. Reuven Vinya Cohen was active in the JNF, and he was one of the founders of Ein Harod, visible below – along with sparkling fishponds and colorful fields. Follow the road to the end, turn right, and you will find yourself back on the Scenic Route.

A trick hike

Continue along the route and, if you have two cars and are very fit, you can take a difficult red-marked trail that leads to Ein Hasamal (the sergeant’s spring). The “samal” in question was Moshe Rosenfeld, a remarkable Jewish policeman under the British Mandate who patrolled this area with two Arab underlings. One day in late 1935, while following a trail of grapefruit peels from fruit stolen out of Jewish fields, Rosenfeld was ambushed near a spring and killed by terrorists. He is considered to have been the first victim of bloody Arab riots that lasted from 1936 to 1939.

In those early years, when the Palmah was organizing units in the area so that farmers could defend themselves, members needed a place to train. But the British had a camp in the wadi, where the Shata Prison stands today. Searching for the right venue, they happened upon a valley completely hidden from prying eyes.

But how were they to practice weaponry without being heard? Nearby, there was a Jewish-owned quarry that presented the Palmah commanders with the answer – and timetable. Troops practiced shooting when there was drilling at the quarry: When rocks were blasted with explosives, they tried out hand grenades.

The steep trail is for good hikers only, for near the bottom the descent becomes very difficult to maneuver. During your hike, you pass the now-dry spring and begin descending toward the Hidden Valley. Your second car should be waiting below the Gilboa at Old Tel Yosef.

If you didn’t do the hike, keep going on the scenic route to reach Mount Barkan, where a far easier, hour-long circular peak trail gives you an excellent view of Nablus and the Jenin Valley. Take the path from the JNF tower.

Iris Nature Reserve

Back on the road, you will soon reach the Gilboa Iris Nature Reserve. It is dry in summer, but from here you can take a path that leads all the way to the watchtower at Mount Barkan (you can see it from the reserve). If you return in spring, you can take a circular path through the reserve to enjoy the sight of these exquisite flowers. They commonly appear in numerous shades of purple and, in rare cases, other colors as well.

Today, it is simply the Avinadav Recreation Area, with sparse-leafed olive trees that don’t provide much shade and deep green carobs that do. Trails are several hundred meters long and parallel to the cliff. These paths, like that which leads to the edge of the mountain, offer a stupendous view of the Beit She’an Valley, the Gilead Mountains and the gleaming pools below. In season, this spot is a wonderland of cyclamen and other brilliant flowers.

Because we call it the Gilboa iris, you would think that this is the only spot on which it can be found. Actually, it also grows in the Judean Desert and near Ein Gev – but in much smaller quantities. Some people claim that this is not the Gilboa iris’s natural setting. Indeed, they say, the iris was first planted in Arab cemeteries long ago and only later reached the reserve.

Only a few dozen meters down the road, on your left, there is a marvelous overlook named for Paltiel Sela. Park next to the sign, then walk about 400 meters in the shady forest. When you see a stone picnic table up the hill and to your right, you will have reached the lookout. Climb up for a terrific view. I read somewhere that after the War of Independence, Arabs destroyed the monument to Moshe Rosenfeld at Ein Hasamal; Sela, who worked for the Nature Reserves Authority, got a group of young people together that reconstructed the memorial and cleaned up the spring.

Dubi Shamir, born and raised in the Beit She’an Valley, fell in the line of duty on April 4, 1977. His son Eran, a toddler of two at the time of his father’s death, was killed during a battle in Lebanon exactly 20 years and one month later. Both were nature lovers who were steeped in the history of this land, admired its heroes and found immense pleasure in her landscapes. How fitting, then, that a stirring monument to their memory stands on the heights of the biblical Mount Gilboa and offers spectacular views of the countryside.

Last year, some kind of bug or bacterium hit the nearby Iris Reserve and there were very few flowers to be seen. Here at the Dubi and Eran Overlook, however, they appeared in all their glory.

As you walk to the top, stop to read the poems inscribed in stones that line the path. You will recognize at least some of them, for they have been put to music and become popular songs about the Gilboa and the Jezreel Valley.

Built by new immigrants from Russia and Ethiopia employed by the JNF during the early 1990s, the last recreation area on the route once boasted a contraption that created the sound of windpipes and was called the Mount Avinadav Wind Flute Recreation Area.

Excerps: JPost

Negev

The Negev is full of off road trails which can be experienced by jeep. It is best to explore with the aide of an experienced guide who will know the terrain and keep you out of any danger. With a good guide, a jeep tour in the Negev can be the experience of a lifetime!

There are loads of tours you can do in the Negev. Yehuda of Karom Jeep Tours describes some of those which his company offers.

Ramon Crater Tours

“Its back in time jeep tour with scenes from 250 million years ago. Explore this geological window and learn about our world. The “deserted” desert here preserved for us the pre-history and expanded its depth by another 10,000 years.”

Zin Valley

“Jeep tour into the wilderness of Zin valley . The Zin wilderness  is the Biblical desert from which the 12 spies were sent by Moses to tour the promise land. Its a nature tour that explores this unique desert.“

Spice Route

“The tour covers the region of Negev Highlands to the Arava Valley. These is a continuum of a biblical panoramic scenes that you will pass in one day. Its also an opportunity to retrace the Spice Route path with all its glory.”

And our favorite at Tourist Israel, the Night Jeep Tour

“The gerbil is constantly watching for his predators: the majestic owl or a desert fox. The beetles and the lizards or the snakes will vouch that the dressed hedgehog is constantly looking for them. At night the bats are diving in the darkness looking for their delicious dinner: the tasty moth. And the Ibex even while resting, is on the lookout, he knows that his life would be somewhat boring without the majestic leopard around. And what do you think the leopard is doing? Even he is on a watch for the  striped hyenas. Wouldn’t you like to see it all?” We say its awesome

For more information on any of these tours, contact Yehuda at Karom Jeep Tours. Be sure to mention Tourist Israel!

Hotels in the Galilee

Akkotel in Akko, Western Galilee

In the Old Crusader City of Akko, the boutique Akkotel opened in 2007. Since then it has built up a great reputation, and is, at the time of writing, the most popular hotel in Israel on TripAdvisor. Travellers love the hotel for its traditional decor and great levels of service. www.akkotel.com

Nof Ginosar Hotel, Sea of Galilee

The hotel at this Kibbutz offers fairly basic accomodation in a great location with a private beach on the Sea of Galilee. Travellers love it for its location and facilities. www.ginosar.co.il/en/hotel

Kfar Blum Kibbutz Hotel, Upper Galilee

Luxurious kibbutz hotel located at Kfar Blum on the banks of the River Jordan. The hotel has great facilities, and is a good half-way point between a Zimmer and a proper hotel. www.kfarblum-hotel.co.il

Mitzpe Hayamim, Upper Galilee

Located near Rosh Pina in the Upper Galilee, Mitzpe Hayamim is a spa hotel and member of the Relais and Chateaux group. The hotel has a stunning location, excellent treatments, and great food. www.mizpe-hayamim.com

Shavey Zion Estate, Western Galilee

This hotel is so super-luxury that it doesnt even call itself a hotel. The ‘estate’ is a mansion with

Vered HaGalil, Sea of Galilee

Another spa hotel, set between the Sea of Galilee and Rosh Pina. It was listed in Workman Publishing’s book of 1,000 places to see before you die, and even has horse-back riding on site! www.veredhagalil.com

B&B’s and Zimmers in the Galilee

Chateau Provence, Moshav Ramot, Sea of Galilee/Golan Heights

A collection of guesthouses overlooking the Sea of Galilee. In the style of the French Provence, they offer a balance between cozy home appeal and spa luxury. www.6731789.com

Ken BaHula, Yesud Hama’ala, Upper Galilee

Located in the Hula Valley, this Zimmer overlooks ice-capped Mount Hermon, and is in an agricultural community or Moshav. Travellers like its homely feel. www.kenbahula.israel.net

Pina Barosh, Rosh Pina, Upper Galilee

A boutique inn in Rosh Pina. With 7 bedrooms in a historic stone building overlooking the Golan and Hula Valley. There’s also a jacuzzi and restaurant. www.pinabarosh.com

The Western Galilee is the far north-western region of the Galilee, roughly the Mediterranean coastline north of Haifa and the area inland. Whilst the southern part of this region is relatively built up with part of the Haifa Metropolitan Arean, the north offers beautiful scenery as well as some cool things to do and see.

Tefen Open Museum

The Tefen Open Museum is a collection of four museums including a Museum of Industry, Art, Classic Cars, and German Jewry set in the Tefen Industrial Park, a unique pioneering industrial setting, which has been replicated both within Israel and around th world.

Grottoes at Rosh HaNikra

The Grottoes at Rosh HaNikra, the furthest point north on Israel’s Mediterranean coastline are a series of underground caves which have developed. There is a walking trail through them which is accessed by a cable car, the steepest in the world!

Where to Stay

For a selection of the Galilee’s coolest places to stay, from luxury spa hotels to rural bed and breakfasts and zimmers, click here for our Galilee Hotel Guide.

Settlement has been taking place around the Sea of Galilee for thousands of years. Ruins of ancient settlements today stand alongside some of the pioneering and oldest communities established in Israel, including some of the oldest kibbutzim.

Tiberias

Whilst Tiberias, the largest city around the Sea of Galilee, and a holy city in Judaism, is nothing special in itself, it is here that you can visit the Tiberias Hot Springs, ancient pools filled with water from 17 natural springs, for some pampering. The springs also have massage and mud treatments and Turkish Baths. From Tiberias, and elsewhere on the lake, it is possible to rent a bike and cycle the perimeter.

Kibbutz Kinneret

The coolest place we know around the Sea of Galilee is Rob Roy’s Canoes. Near Kibbutz Kinneret, and on the banks of the Jordan River south of the lake, this oasis is a relaxing spot. Canoes can be hired for the lake, or you can just sit on a bedouin rug, with Bob Marley music playing in the background, under the shade of a tent, and watch the water flow through a river which is so steeped in and important in the history of the world.

Above the Eastern shores of the lake, Switzerland is a forest and driving trail. Suitable for all cars, this tarmaced road affords fantastic views of the lake. There is a picnic site, but we would recommend the drive to anyone wishing to emerse themselves in the unique atmosphere of the Galilee.

Hamat Gader

About 5 miles east of the lake is Hamat Gader – Hot Springs one of Israel’s most popular attractions. With mineral springs of up to 50 degrees, there have been ancient baths here for almost 2000 years. There is also an alligator and exotic bird reserve!

Beaches

There are lots of open access points to the beaches surrounding the Sea of Galilee, although these are unserviced. If you dont require facilities, the best beach is Tsemach Beach on the eastern shore, where you can also rent basic facilities for a small fee.

Rosh Pina's quaint old town by Flickr user mykaul

The Upper Galilee is a remote region popular with Israeli’s escaping for holidays. With everything from skiing to ancient ruins, it is a fascinating region.

Rosh Pina

Rosh Pina is a small town with a rural feel located in the Upper Galilee. One of the first settlements in Israel, the houses in the old town have been restored whilst the main streets have country style accommodation and restaurants. Neighboring Safed is home to Kabbalah, the mystical Jewish beliefs, and it is said that Madonna, a devout Kabbalist has a property in Rosh Pina.

With more water, the Upper Galilee has some great flora by Flickr user Gaspa

The Hula Valley

The Hula Valley is a drained swampland centered around a large lake and nature reserve. Whilst you can see fauna and flora of various varieties here, as well as museum displays abuout the area, walking and biking here is magical and fun for all. Bird watching is also very popular here with Israel a major migratory route for birds. It was named in 2009 as one of the top places in the world to see nature by BBC Nature Magazine. Click here to read more about the Hula Valley

The Hula Nature Reserve by Flickr user orimogi

The Banias waterfall is a beautiful place for a hike

Safed

Many guides will tell you not to miss Safed. This religious town is home to Kabbalah, and whilst it is fairly interesting, unless you really want to know about this Jewish sect, or have loads of free time, we think there are cooler places to go in this area.

Metulla

A beautiful tree...by Flickr user Gaspa

At the foot of Mount Hermon is tranquil Metulla, a village at Israel’s set among rolling hills and orchards. The quiet main street is a cool place to stroll, with some historic homes built by the early pioneers who settled the spot, or for more serious walkers, you can hike to the nearby Ayoun waterfalls. The town is full of B&B’s, small hotels, and restaurants.

The town’s sports center, the Canada Center is the world’s largest sports center, with an Olympic size ice skating/ice hockey rink, bowling alley, billiards, swimming pool, firing range, and gym. (04-6950370)

Kayaking on the River Jordan

A number of kibbutzim on the Jordan River run centers from where kayaks (more like rubber inflatable rafts) can be hired. The fast currents of the river make this a really enjoyable and cool way to spend an afternoon. Click here to continue reading about kayaking on the River Jordan.

Where to Stay

For a selection of the Galilee’s coolest places to stay, from luxury spa hotels to rural bed and breakfasts and zimmers, click here for our Galilee Hotel Guide.

The Lower Galilee is the least hilly region of the Galilee stretches from the Jezreel Valley (Valley of the Armageddon in Christianity) on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel across to the Sea of Galilee. It includes Mount Tavor and Megiddo, and is less than a one hour drive from Tel Aviv.

Zippori

Whilst many guides will pick out the interesting excavations at Zippori, housing mosaics of an ancient Jewish city, the site is not incredibly developed with visitors centers and so what might be more interesting for many people is in the new village of Zippori. Here there are some beautiful hiking trails through oak and pine forests, through olive groves and ancient caves and ruins. Alternatively there is the quaint Zippori Country Spa as well as a number of tranquil bed and breakfasts.

Gan Ha’shlosha

Gan Ha’shlosha was chosen by TIME magazine as their favorite destination in Israel. The National Park offers a warm river where you can swim in a landscaped surround. As well as this is a small selection of archaeological sites and a heritage museum. The main draw, however, is the natural jacuzzi under a waterfall. Although busy in the summer, this is a great place to visit.

Mount Gilboa

Nearby, the Mount Gilboa Scenic Road is perhaps the best scenic road in the country. With hiking trails off the road, as well as numerous viewpoints, this is a great way to see the beautiful landscape of the Lower Galilee and Jezreel Valley.

Nazareth

For those interested in Christianity, Nazareth is in the Lower Galilee with the ancient monuments that display the history of Christ. See the Nazareth Cultural and Tourism Association for more info.

The Galilee is a large region of northern Israel, making up one-third of the total land area of the country. Divided into three sub-regions, the Lower Galille, Upper Galilee, and Western Galilee, the Galilee has a hilly landscape with flat fertile plains, and an almost Tuscan-style appearance.

The Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret in Hebrew) is the lowest fresh water lake on Earth, and it, as well as its surrounding area offers phenomenal leisure activities. This area is also of up most importance in Christianity, with the city of Nazareth in the region, and in Judaism, with the holy cities of Safed and Tiberias here.

The Galilee is also an incredibly mixed region, with less than 50% of the population Jewish, and the majority being either Druze or Arab.

Whilst the religious sites of the Galilee are interesting, this region is packed with cool destinations. Many Israelis vacation in the Galilee themselves, taking advantage of its pastoral landscape and relaxed atmosphere. With great spas and wealths of activities, we hope you can take advantage of this too.

The Galilee section of this website is split into the three sub-regions outlined above, as well as the Sea of Galilee. These are:

The Lower Galilee

The Lower Galilee is the least hilly region of the Galilee stretches from the Jezreel Valley (Valley of the Armageddon in Christianity) on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel across to the Sea of Galilee. It includes Mount Tavor and Megiddo, and is less than a one hour drive from Tel Aviv.

The Western Galilee

The Western Galilee is a small area, bordering the Mediterranean. It is roughly the region north of Haifa along the Mediterranean, including the cities of Nahariya and Acco.

The Upper Galilee

The Upper Galilee stretches from the Sea of Galilee north to the Lebanon border. The Upper Galilee includes Har Meron, Israel’s tallest mountain, and Safed, a holy city in Judaism as well as the stunning Hula nature reserve.

Golan Heights

The Golan rises from the east of the Sea of Galilee, peaking at Mount Hermon, Israel’s highest peak where you can ski in winter. Beautiful landscapes make this remote area worth a visit.

The Sea of Galilee & Surrounds

The area around the Sea of Galilee contains some of Israel’s earliest agricultural settlements plus beaches and some other really cool things to do and see!

Where to Stay

For a selection of the Galilee’s coolest places to stay, from luxury spa hotels to rural bed and breakfasts and zimmers, click here for our Galilee Hotel Guide.