Vacation Spots in Northern Israel

Israel is one of the few countries in the world that offers the possibility to enjoy the hot sun in Eilat, at the most southern part of Israel, and on the same day in wintertime, to be able to ski on the slopes of Mount Hermon in the northern part.

A tour of northern Israel brings with it the exciting discovery of the visitor’s centers, museums and ancient olive press. In ancient Ekron, next to Kibbutz Revadim was discovered an entire infrastructure system for oil industry-sponsored by the international Neo- Assyrian kingdom, after they took over the Philistine and it surrendered to them. According to the archaeologists who investigated and researched the area, it was one of the areas in the Northern Israel that served as a source of oil to the whole world. Olive oil was used primarily during the ancient times for light. Olive oil from Halutzah is made in the oil press in Kibbutz Revivim from olives grown in the olive groves of Halutzah, near Kibbutz Revivim. The combination of the dry desert climate and the salty water in northern Israel constitute a unique growing condition. The professional treatment that is given to the crops yields abundant trees and makes the barren desert soil prosperous. Olives are harvested in advanced methods and transferred immediately after harvest to the oil press, located on the kibbutz. There the temperature is kept low, and the premises are incredibly clean. There are museums in northern Israel can be nice to visit: Tal gallery in Kfar Vradim, the sculpture garden in Lavon, Adam museum in the Galilee- - Yigal Alon House Museum, Golani memorial site, Hagolan Museum of  Antiques, Kinneret yard, a museum of Homa U'Migdal - Kibbutz Nir David, the Moshava Museum at Kfar Tavor, the Museum of the History of Kiryat Shmona. There are many more museums in Northern Israel.

Tourists vacationing in the northern part of Israel can benefit from its vacation packages in any season. The package often includes trips, spa treatments, lodging, breakfast, or a full board, bicycle tours and all those combined with rural hosting. Packages that combine bicycle tours with vacation packages in the north rent bicycles for individuals or couples and organize bicycle tours for groups. In addition, some lodging places which provide vacation packages in the north will also offer a professional service for bicycle repair for private bicycle owners and the alignment of wheels in a professional level. It seems that the accommodation house owners which include vacation packages in the north are working towards the new trend of Israeli tourists who hold bicycle tours in the area. Another component of the vacation package can be very suitable for the hot summer season: The many water sources are a central and fun attraction in the north, for families, couples individuals. Kayaking and tubing in the lush north make for a fun, refreshing activity, which also provides an escape from the heat. These are all usually included in vacation packages in the north.

Sometimes, the vacation package includes spoiling spa treatment of different kinds, such as - Swedish massage, Shiatsu, reflexology, hot stone massage, facials and a variety of treatments and massages. Vacation packages in the north will sometimes include a choice of a wonderful variety of trips with beautiful lookouts to pick from, in the heart of the Galilee. Extreme- sports and water sport lovers will be delighted to know that some vacation package in the north include a kayak trip in the biggest water- sport site in northern Israel. You can take the Hatzbani River down to the river crossings and straight on to the Jordan River. On a kayak trip there is also an option of a family route with small waterfalls and many other reviving and exiting water surprises.

When vacationing and traveling in the Galilee, one can enjoy the perfect escape to nature and visit many of Galilee attractions of historical and spiritual interest. A vacation in the Galilee is a great way of combining a leisure holiday and a spiritual and educational vacation in one of the nice hotels in Galilee, or guest houses in the Northern part of Israel. These places are in the dreams of millions of Christian believers and many of them fulfill the Biblical commandment to visit the Galilee in the Holy Land.  Places such as Capernaum, Mount Beatitudes, Tabgha, Sea of Galilee, Cana and Nazareth are sites that every Pilgrim visiting the Holy Land will visit and most probably get elevated in spirit. There are many famous archeological sites to visit in the Galilee such as Megiddo also known as Armageddon, Hazor, Banyas, Tziporri, Beit Shean, Acre and many other sites. Safed in the Galilee is also the center of Jewish mysticism, also referred as Kabala city.

The Golan Heights is one of the most historical places in Israel. It is a range of mountains and biblically known as the Gilead Mountains, overlooking the Sea of Galilee and the Hula Valley in Galilee. There are many interesting sites that are the Golan Attractions. The Golan Heights is well known for its present history. Before the 6 Days War of 1967, this part of land was a Syrian Territory. From 1948, these hills became a constant threat on the settlements and towns in the Galilee. The Syrians never stopped fortifying the slopes building bunkers and army positions dug into the basaltic rocks. During the fifties and sixties, kinder gardens and schools were in fortified shell protected buildings, as the Syrians were shelling and bombing the Hula Valley daily. In 1967, Israel conquered the Golan Heights and liberated the people from this threat. Immediately after the war, new settlements were built on the plateau, and the Biblical Jewish settlements such as Katzerin, Hamat Gader, Nov and others, were built. The Golan Heights that was once a military zone under the Syrians is now a flourishing fertile land. The new settlements grow thousands of acres of, apples, plums and mainly wine-grapes vineyards. The best wineries of Israel are located on the Golan Heights, producing excellent wine from these grapes. One of the Golan Heights attractions one should visit is, Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel, 2888 meters high. There is also the reconstructed synagogue from Mishna time in Katzrin. There is “Gamla” also known as the Masada of the North.  Visit the hot springs in Ramat Gader. THe Golan Plateau vast areas are declared as Nature Reserves where wild life is protected. A beautiful and adventurous experience is a jeep tour or horse riding tour in this beautiful part of Israel.

Tiberias was a popular vaction spot dating back to 2000 years ago during the roman times. Tiberias was named after Caesar Tiberius and a vacation in Tiberias has been popular for the last 2000 years. King Herod has developed the town into the famous Tiberius Spa center taking advantage of the many Hot springs around the Sea of Galilee.  Today, a vacation in Tiberias can be spent in one of the many hotels in Tiberias.  There is a large variety of luxurious hotels and cheap hotels as well as country side guest houses in the Kibbutz in the Galilee. Being the capital of the Galilee, Tiberias is a busy town with excellent choices of restaurants serving the popular dish of the St Peter fish growing in the Sea of Galilee.  The town offers many varieties to enjoy Tiberias nightlife. The popular tourist attractions in Tiberias are the Hot Springs, Maimonides Tomb, Rabbi Akiva Tomb and other Holy Rabbis buried in Tiberias or in the vicinity.