Things to do in Akko
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Hummus Said
Deeply entrenched in the souq, this place has become something of an institution, doling up that much-loved Middle Eastern dip to throngs of visitors from around the country. For 15NIS, you'll get salads, pickles, pita and a big glob of hummus with fuul (fava bean paste) or garlic.
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Museum of Underground Prisoners
Before exploring the Knights' Halls climb up the stairs behind the ticket kiosk to the top of the Akko Citadel, a rambling structure built by the Turks in the late 18th century on 13th-century Crusader foundations. At the top of the stairs, turn left to reach the Museum of Underground Prisoners , which is dedicated to the Jewish resistance during the British Mandate. The citadel served for a while as a prison whose inmates included Ze'ev Jabotinsky, a leader of the Jewish underground, in the 1920s.
Exhibits include memorials to nine Jewish resistance fighters who were executed here (the gallows room is open to the public) and a model illustrating the successful mass break…
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Tourist Office
The 600m-long Southern Road was an important thoroughfare in Akko during Crusader times. It was here that pilgrims entering the Holy Land would be divided into groups before setting off towards Jerusalem. The road was recently found buried under the city and a 50m subterranean stretch has been excavated and prepared for tourism. The road is paved with stone tablets and its walls contain Crusader-era carvings of boats, crosses and shields.
A row of shops and a gate was also identified. At the time of writing the site had not yet opened for tourism - ask the Tourist Office for details on how to visit the site.
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Khan al-Umdan
Old Akko has several large khans (an inn enclosing a courtyard, used by caravans for accommodation) which once served the camel caravans bringing in grain from the hinterland. The grandest is the Khan al-Umdan . Its name means 'Inn of the Pillars', and it was built by Al-Jazzar in 1785. The pillars that give the khan its name were looted from Caesarea. It's a two storey structure and the ground floor would have housed the animals, while their merchant owners would have slept upstairs.
The courtyard now serves as Akko's unofficial soccer stadium.
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Al-Jazzar Mosque
Perhaps a little bit patchy up close, from a distance the large green dome and slender pencil minaret of Al-Jazzar Mosque form a beautiful ensemble. The mosque was built in 1781 in typical Ottoman Turkish style with a little local improvisation in parts; the columns in the courtyard, for example, were looted from Roman Caesarea. Around by the base of the minaret, the small twin-domed building contains the sarcophagi of Al-Jazzar and his adopted son and successor, Süleyman.
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Kurdi & Berit
From the Turkish Bathhouse, head away from the Crusader City and follow your nose to Akko's small but bustling souq. Here fresh hummus is boiled in giant vats while fresh fish nearby flop off the tables. As carts trundle past, children shuck corn and vendors hawk fresh fruit, all to the soundtrack of tinny Arabic music playing from battered radios. As you browse the stalls, visit Kurdi & Berit a tourist-friendly shop that ships herbs and spices worldwide.
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Donianan
Raising the bar for dining experiences in Akko, this upscale restaurant impresses with its beautifully presented appetisers and selection of fresh seafood meals. The grilled fish is the obvious choice but you could also try calamari, mussels or crab. Meat lovers may prefer the tender, marinated steak, complemented by a Golan wine. The restaurant enjoys spectacular views from its location atop the ramparts, next to Galileo restaurant.
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Burj al-Kuraijim
Heading west along Al-Jazzar's wall brings you to Burj al-Kuraijim , also known as the British Fortress. From here, the 12th century sea wall (refaced in the 18th century by Al-Jazzar with stones scavenged from the Crusader castle at Atlit) runs due south before looping around to the harbour. In the shadow of the sea wall is HaHaganah St, which terminates in a car park beside the lighthouse at the southernmost tip of Old Akko.
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Hammam al-Pasha
From the end of the Turkish Bazaar, turn right and look out for the Hammam al-Pasha, housed in the 1780 bathhouse built by Al-Jazzar, which remained in use until the 1940s. The Hammam now contains a worthwhile 30-minute multimedia show called 'The Story of the Last Bath Attendant.' The creatively designed exhibit leads you from the dressing room through the steamy rooms, all brilliantly lit with coloured glass.
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Templar Crusader Tunnel
Near the lighthouse parking lot at the southern tip of Akko, look out for the amazing Templar Crusader Tunnel , an underground passageway that connected the Port to a Templar palace. The tunnel was found by accident in 1994 after a complaint made by a local woman about a blocked sewer led a plumber to the underground shaft. The tunnel was investigated and opened to tourists.
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Abu Christo
One of the oldest restaurants in town, this institution has been serving kebabs and fish for six decades. The family that runs it still turns up each day to greet patrons and serve up any number of seafood dishes. The restaurant is located at one of the former city gates, built in the 18th century.
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Hammam al-Pasha Multimedia Show
The Hammam contains a worthwhile 30-minute Hammam al-Pasha multimedia show called 'The Story of the Last Bath Attendant.' The creatively designed exhibit leads you from the dressing room through the steamy rooms, all brilliantly lit with coloured glass.
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Okashi Art Museum
Around the corner from the Hamman al-Pasha (back towards the Crusader City) is the Okashi Art Museum , a gallery devoted to the works of Avshalom Okashi (1916-80), an influential Israeli painter and a resident of Akko for the last half of his life.
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Elias Dieb & Sons
For cheap eating there are several felafel places around the junction of Salah ad-Din and Al-Jazzar Sts. Self-catering supplies are available at Elias Dieb & Sons , a little cave-like supermarket opposite Souq al-Abiad; there's no English sign.
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Sea Service & Tours
From 10:00 to 18:00, Sea Service & Tours runs a boat trip from the end of the breakwater and makes a 20-minute cruise around the walls. The boat leaves whenever a sufficient number of passengers are aboard, and the trip costs 20NIS per person.
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Purple Beach
The best bathing spot is Purple Beach , so named because of the royally favoured dye obtained from the snails that frequented the area in ancient times. With wonderful views of Old Akko on the horizon, the beach is popular with Israelis.
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Knights' Halls
Buy tickets for the Subterranean Crusader City from the kiosk outside the touirist office. Head across the lawn to the entry to the Knights' Halls , a haunting series of vaulted halls that lie 8m below the street level.
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Leale al-Sultan
Traditional Middle Eastern coffeehouse sporting sequined cushions, colourful wall hangings and backgammon tables. A Turkish coffee costs 5NIS while a nargileh is 10NIS. Popular with locals.
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Walls Beach
Close to the Land Gate is Walls Beach, popular with windsurfers. There is a changing room near the entrance to the beach.
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