Zichron Yaakov

Zichron Yaakov, located upon Mount Carmel, is a city with magnificent views across the Coastal Plain to the Mediterranean. The town was founded in 1882 by 100 Jewish pioneers, returning to their Biblical homeland from Romania. Today, the quaint main shopping street is lined with charming restaurants that sit alongside historic buildings. Zichron Yaakov is also famous for the Carmel Winery, one of Israel’s top vineyards which is located here.

Zichron’s main street, known as Midrahov, features several fantastic cafes and boutique artistic stores. Being the original street of the settlement, many of the houses are of great historic value and contain plaques that tell their story. At the end of the street is the First Aliyah Museum, which describes the journey of the European pioneers who established Zichron Yaakov.

Visiting Zichron Yaakov

On our Caesarea, Wine Country, and Kibbutz Experience Tour, you’ll enjoy delicious wines at an excellent winery in Zichron Yaakov. You’ll also learn about the wine-making process and discover fascinating insights into Israel’s wine industry.

Founded in 1882, the rocky soil of Mount Carmel upon which the town was built proved very difficult to farm, and due to an outbreak of malaria, many of the original pioneers left within a year. This could have been the end of Zichron Yaakov before it was even established. However, the following year, French Jewish philanthropist and winemaker Baron Edmond James de Rothschild to Zichron Yaakov visited Israel. Upon visiting, he discovered that the slopes of the Carmel offered superb wine-growing properties, and he established Zichron Yaakov as a winemaking town. He named the town after his father, Jacob (Ya’akov in Hebrew; Zichron means Memorial), and founded one of Israel’s top wineries-the Carmel Winery.

As a wine-making town, Zichron Yaakov’s original winery, the Carmel Winery has a visitors center open to the public. Also near the town are the famous wineries of Tishbi and Binyamina which also have visitor centers. Israel’s wine and wineries are popular across the country and wine tours in Israel make for an interesting way of experiencing the country. Next to the Carmel Winery is another interesting alcohol production facility, the Pavo Microbrewery.

Surrounding Area of Zichron Yaakov

Just outside of Zichron Yaakov is Ramat HaNadiv, the memorial garden for the Baron Edmond de Rothschild. This large estate occupies a swathe of hillsides on Mount Carmel, and the formal gardens at the center are breathtaking. With a cool breeze blowing in from the Mediterranean and great views, these superb gardens are some of Israel’s finest. Its visitor center tells the story of Ramat HaNadiv and features a spectacular cafe. Best of all, entry to the site is free of charge.

Discover more of Israel’s stunning northern region through our Galilee, Nazareth, River Jordan and More Tour, where you’ll visit significant, impressive sites like ancient Capernaum, enjoy breathtaking views of the Sea of Galilee, stroll through the charming town of Nazareth, and more. The best way to explore other incredible places in Israel is through our Israel Package Tours. You’ll fully enjoy all of Israel’s highlights, from the Old City of Jerusalem to the picturesque Dead Sea, while we handle all the details-inclusive transfers, expert tour guides, exciting activities, and comfortable hotels.

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