I am travelling to Israel in July and have allocated 2 days to stay in the Galilee region (arriving from Haifa). Can anyone recommend a nice town/region to find accommodation? I would like somewhere quite, near to the Sea of Galilee (I think), with a nice views/scenery and a nice atmosphere. Transport links must also be good as I am travelling by public transport only.
Thanks in advance!
Rebecca
If you want a town with an old center and a few museums and shops then Tzfat (Safed) suggested by a1 is where you should go.
This is also the only place on this list which has good enough bus connections to leave, go, take bus excursions, etc.
The following places can be reached by bus but it's not a frequent service so once you're there, you'll stay there for the duration of your Galilee visit.
If you want a place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to relax and go swimming, then have a look at these:
http://www.eingev.com/
http://www.ginosar.co.il/en/
If you want a secluded place in the hills to enjoy the silence and walk around the forest look at these (arranged from the most expensive down):
http://www.mizpe-hayamim.com/
http://www.amirim-home.co.il/eng/
http://www.teva.org.il/english/?CategoryID=190&ArticleID=97
http://www.teva.org.il/english/?CategoryID=190&ArticleID=96
I second Tzfat / Safed, the Kabbalist town. The Old City is very beautiful, the view on the valley and the hills down the village is spectacular, the local ultra-orthodox community is generally peaceful and nice (there is not the tense atmosphere you find in Jerusalem's Mea Sharim for instance), there is a small artist colony. I'd advise you to have dinner and stay overnight at a Bed & Breakfast run by a religious family if you can, there are several offering this service and it can be really nice.
I would also advise you to visit nearby Rosh Pina and its lovely artist colony up the steep hill, in the old part of the village. If you can, have lunch at Rafa, which serves fabulous food in an old house nestled in the forest along the Artist colony.
Not far from Galilea you have the Old Crusader City of Akko / Saint Jean d'Acre, which is extremely beautiful and very lively day and night. The Old City is inhabited by Palestinian citizens of Israel, while the new city is inhabited by Israelis. The only exception to that rule is fabulous seafood restaurant Uri Buri, run by a famous Israeli hippie chief and which serves the most incredible dishes on the port, inside the Old City Walls.