Israeli North
Without a rental car, my time in the Israeli North was set on the schedule of public transportation. Between awkward hours, long journeys and the shabbat closures, using Israeli public transportation always gives an interesting, nail biting experience. Following a full day business meeting in the city of Haifa, I was left with Wednesday through Friday to use public transportation to explore the Israeli North.
First, a quick overview of Israeli public transportation. I’m going to break the system up into 3 categories: Israel Railways, inter-city buses and local buses.
1: The Railways: Israel railways provides a super convenient method of transportation across the country. Serving cities as far south as Dimona and Beer Sheva, and as north as the Lebanese border, Israel railway connects over 90% of the nation’s population. In addition, a near-direct 45 minute train to Jerusalem and a 1:20hr ride to Haifa places the main Israeli city of Tel Aviv in reach for a vast majority of the country’s population.
2: The intercity bus lines: Israel provides a solid network of intercity bus lines. With over a hundred lines to choose from, almost all major cities provide a low cost option to a nearby major city. In addition, some long intercity bus routes connect the far ends of the country, such as the routes between Tel Aviv and Eilat: an almost 6 hour journey.
3: The local bus lines: The major cities of Israel provide numerous local bus lines for easy transit. Tel Aviv, for instance, has nearly a hundred lines that can connect neighborhoods across the city. Similar models are in place in Jerusalem, Haifa, and other major cities.
With the exception of a few Shabbat bus lines only in Tel Aviv, all 3 of these transportation methods are closed from friday around 5pm, until Saturday night. This creates an interesting dynamic, truly giving the feeling that you could be STUCK somewhere, if you missed the last bus.
Haifa: Wedged between the coastline and the northern hills, Haifa is the 3rd most populous city in Israel. With its steep setting within the hills, Haifa is one of the prettiest cities in the country. In addition, Haifa is the center of the little known Baha'i faith, which maintains the gorgeous Baha’i gardens in the city center. A quick 1:20hr train ride from Tel Aviv center station brought me to the center of Haifa. After spending my first day at the renowned Port of Haifa for a tech conference, I was free to explore the city. Taking public transportation to the Stella Maris Monastery gave me striking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Watching a sunset at Carmel Beach and an excellent full moon above the Baha’i Garden concluded my first day in Haifa.
My next 2 mornings brought sunrise opportunities at the top of the gardens. A 4am taxi brought me to the garden overlook for 2 days in a row (with bureaucratic tension closing the actual gardens for the trip duration). The first day's skies gave interesting sun rays while the second sunrise gave a more classic sunrise over the Haifa skyline.
Acre: One of the most historic crusader towns in Israel is a short train ride away from Haifa. Only a 3 stop, 30 minute ride north landed me in the center of the modern town of Acre. A short 10 minute local bus ride got me to the historic core of the city. Acre is one of the oldest continuously habited settlements on earth, being subject to the rule of many empires during its time. Acre served as the crusader’s main foothold in the Holy Land on the way to Jerusalem. Remnants of this history are left in historic sites such as the Citadel of Acre and the Knights Templar. After arriving in the town, I was able to spend my half-day visiting the citadel and walking through the thousands of years old streets. Overlooks on the Mediterranean coast gave great opportunities to watch the sunset. Following sunset, I waited at the bus stop for my ride back to the train station. Unfortunately, construction seemed to impede the bus route and caused some stress for me getting home. After passing multiple expected arrival times, I finally got a bus to stop and take me back to the train station. A quick ride back to Haifa concluded my half day in Acre.
The historic port of Acre
Tiberias: Tiberias is the fourth holiest city in Judaism. Following the destruction of most of Judea from the Roman wars, Tiberias remained a center of Jewish life. Its role as the place where the Talmud was written cemented the small town’s place as a Jewish holy city. Situated below sea level, along the banks of the Kineret (Sea of Galilee), Tiberias gives a unique view. Following a 90 minute intercity bus from Haifa. I was brought to the main city center. I first spent about an hour walking along the city streets and up to the Kineret, where I could look across the vast sea. Afterwards, a short walk brought me to the tomb of Maimonides, a significant site in Jewish history. After exploring the city, a local bus took me a few miles south to the Hamat Tiberias National Park and the Tomb of Rabbi Meir. The National Park delves into the history and hot-springs within the city while Rabbi Meir’s tomb is a major religious site. After visiting both, I made my way back to the bus center and concluded my half day in Tiberias.
1. The tomb of Maimonides
2. Ruins at Hamas Tiberias National Park
Nazareth: The final city in my Israeli North adventure was Nazareth. Well known as the childhood home of Jesus, Nazareth holds a special place in the hearts of many devout Christians. An hour-long bus ride from Tiberias got me into the Nazareth center. A half mile walk through the Arab suburbs got me into the center of the historic core. I spent about an hour wandering around the Church of the Annunciation. Stained glass and interesting exterior rock carvings drew my attention. After my time in the church, I walked through the steep streets of the city, up above the historic core. Not in the best area of town, I enjoyed my view and headed back down towards the tourist areas. Being a friday, I was working with a brinkmanship to catch the last bus out of town. Evidently, I got to the bus stop in Nazareth quite early to ensure that I wouldn't be stuck in the town. A two hour intercity bus ride got me to the north of Tel Aviv, where I caught one of the last local buses to make it within walking distance from my apartment. The north of Israel is one of the most historically significant regions of the country (I didn't even mention my earlier visit to Tzfat, the 3rd holiest city in Judaism) and cannot be missed.
Church of the Annunciation