Welcome to North Coast
On Israel’s north coast, ancient history peeps out between the palm trees. Sandy beaches run parallel to the cobalt-blue Mediterranean, luring surfers and sunbathers to their breezy shores. But beach life is a blink of the eye in this historic area: in Caesarea, the well-conserved ruins of Herod’s ambitious port stand proud against the sea, while life continues in the labyrinthine, centuries-old alleys in walled Akko.
Top experiences in North Coast
Recent articles
North Coast activities
Haifa Shore Excursion: Nazareth and Galilee Day Trip
While your ship is at Haifa Port, meet your guide at the port side and settle into your air-conditioned minivan for your full-day tour.As you leave Haifa, admire views of UNESCO-listed Baha’i Gardens, a cascade of garden terraces set around the burial monument of the founder of the Babism faith. Then, continue through the Carmel mountains to Nazareth as your guide recounts stories that link the city to Jesus' childhood. After roughly an hour, arrive in Nazareth itself and visit the Church of the Annunciation — where the Angel Gabriel is said to have appeared to the Virgin Mary. Then, pass through Kfar Kana (Cana), the town made famous as the site of Jesus' ‘water into wine’ story, and stop at the baptismal site of Yarendit on the Jordan River. Take in views of baptisms taking place on the riverbanks, before you continue to the Sea of Galilee.In the ancient fishing village of Capernaum, explore the ruins of a synagogue where Jesus is thought to have preached. Hear how the village has been long revered as the seat of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, and listen to tales that originated about Jesus in the area. From Capernaum, continue to Tabgha, site of one of the most famous New Testament stories — ‘the feeding of the 5,000.’ Head inside Tabgha’s Church of the Multiplication, and admire the 5th-century mosaic that depicts two fishes and a bread basket, in honor of the tale.Stop to see the Mount of Beatitudes, the believed site of the Sermon on the Mount, and gaze out over the sparkling Galilee waters. If time allows, pay a visit to a traditional kibbutz (communal farm) to see the residents at work and learn about this form of communal living and agriculture that’s unique to Israel.Your tour then ends back at Haifa port. Please note: Visits to the sites mentioned are dependent on accessibility, religious festivals, queues and time constraints on the day of your tour. The order of sites visited, as described above, may also be subject to change on the day.Worry-free Shore Excursion:We will ensure your timely return to Haifa Port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Haifa to Nazareth and Sea of Galilee Private Shore Excursion
Meet your private guide outside Haifa Port, and then travel east by air-conditioned minibus to Nazareth, roughly an hour away. The holy city, nestled into the Galilean Hills, is home to one of the most important shrines in Christianity – the Church of the Annunciation – where the Angel Gabriel is said to have appeared to the Virgin Mary.Head inside the basilica for a look around, and learn of the site’s significance as a Christian pilgrimage destination while admiring the architecture. Another sacred site – St Joseph’s Church – is nearby, so stroll over to it next with your guide and head inside. Built on the ground where Joseph of Nazareth's carpentry workshop is said to have stood, the church is fascinating to explore with a network of crypts beneath its main prayer hall.After walking around the church with your guide, leave Nazareth and continue your tour of the Holy Land by minibus. Pass through the tiny village of Cafa and stop for photos at the Church of the Multiplication on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. It was here that one of the New Testament’s most famous parables – the feeding of the 5,000 – took place.Continue around the foot of Mount Beatitudes to the ancient fishing village of Capernaum, and see the ruins of Jesus' much-celebrated synagogue on a walk with your guide. Enjoy a break for lunch (own expense) and then travel onward toward the city of Tiberias on the Jordan River.Stop at the baptismal site of Yarendit, to walk along its sacred river banks and learn about the baptismal rituals that take place at the water’s edge. If you want to want to get baptized at Yarendit, simply speak to your guide to see if it can be arranged during the stop. After enjoying the tranquil ambiance of the site, hop back inside your minibus and start your journey back to Haifa Port where your day trip finishes.Worry-free Shore Excursion:We will ensure your timely return to Haifa Port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Galilean Cooking Workshop
Makluba, Hubeza, Sinya… Maybe you've heard the names but never realized that it's authentic Galilean food. Galileat gives you an authentic experience that will make your trip to Israel an unforgettable one. We will show you Israel through the eyes, and palate, of a local. Our culinary adventures allow the participant a hands-on, true to life cultural immersion. It is a unique experience, unlike anything else you've ever done in Israel. You complete one of our cooking workshops having learnt how to cook something new and different , having eaten what you prepare with your host, and will understand a little better how people live in the rural Galilee. Oh, and let's not forget, it's a whole lot of fun!We have Druze, Muslim and Christian hosts, all of whom exemplify the middle-eastern custom of hachnasat orchim; warmly welcoming guests into their homes. Our hosts live in villages throughout the Galilee, including Dali'at el Carmel, near Haifa, Julis in the Western Galilee, Arrabeh in the Lower Galilee and Maghar, not far from the Kinneret. The day starts with tea and coffee and introductions to your host family, their village and way of life. We continue with approximately 3 hours of hands-on preparation of traditional dishes. In the winter and spring, it is many wild greens, picked fresh from the fields. Late spring and summer, frikki (smoked green wheat) is on the menu. The menu changes seasonally, in keeping with the cycle of life in the Galilee. Once we have finished preparing the delicacies, we all sit and enjoy our feast. The best way to learn about the Galilee and to obtain an understanding of the Galilean way of life is to be welcomed into their homes and hear what they have to say, over the chopping board.
Haifa to Jerusalem and Dead Sea Private Shore Excursion
Leave Haifa Port and travel south to Jerusalem by air-conditioned coach, roughly two hours away. As you enter the city, stop to admire the views o from the Mount of Olives, gazing out at the Dome of the Rock at Temple Mount Esplanade. Travel through Kidron Valley, past the monumental burial tombs at the Garden of Gethsemane – where Jesus was said to have prayed before his crucifixion – to the walls of the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.Stretch your legs on a walk, ambling along the old Byzantine main road, and stop to admire the Western Wall, nicknamed the ‘wailing wall’ after the worshipers who use it as an open-air synagogue. Soak up the atmosphere and continue through the Jewish quarter to the Christian quarter for a walk along the Via Dolorosa. The road was once an important pilgrimage route for Christian visitors, believed to mark the way to the site of Jesus’ crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.Enjoy a break for lunch (own expense), and then wander away from the Christian quarter to check out the Muslim bazaar, a bustling place where Hebron glass and Armenian pottery knickknacks are sold alongside spices and coffee. Browse the stalls with your guide, and then leave Jerusalem for your journey through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea – roughly an hour away.Stop at the northern coast, and head inside one of the Dead Sea resorts to swim and float in the mineral-rich waters at leisure. Marking the lowest point on the face of the Earth, the impressive stretch of water is fed by a collection of incoming rivers that gush in to its land-locked shores. As the waters have nowhere to flow on to, they evaporate and leave behind a rich concentration of natural salt that attributes to the Dead Sea’s famous buoyancy. After floating on the water and enjoying the therapeutic mud, meet your guide and return to Haifa Port where your day trip finishes. Worry-free Shore Excursion:We will ensure your timely return to Haifa port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem small group tour from Haifa Port
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Old City of JerusalemVisit Jerusalem start from the Mount of Olives, and pass the Garden of Gethsemane as you enter Old Jerusalem city. Follow Jesus footsteps – walk along Via Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross, Church of Church of Holy Sepulchre, say a prayer beside the Western Wailing Wall in Jewish Quarter. Duration: 4 hoursStop At: Church of the NativityDiscover Bethlehem, the City of Bread – a result of the wheat crop that grew in the region, and the birthplace of Jesus Christ and King David. Visit Bethlehem, The Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born. Duration: 2 hours
Somek winery tour and wine tastings
Somek is an intimate winery operating according to the ‘Old World’ philosophy. The Winery makes a point of using only grapes from the family vineyard, cultivated by the family since 1882 in the "Bikaat Hanadiv" area, which results in high quality Estate Wines.We at Somek believe the "Bikaat Hanadiv valley" has a unique ‘terroir’ receptive to the production of wine grapes of exceptional quality.Each Somek wine you have uncorked is the end result of a long, labour intensive, enjoyable process where the grapes,sun, soil , winds and rain have come together, guided by meticulous manual intervention and our sheer love of wine.