Lower Galilee

1280px WV_Lower_Galilee_region_in_Israel - 120px

The Lower Galilee (Yahudi: הגליל התחתון HaGalil HaTahton, Arabic: الجليل al-Jalīl) is a northern region of Israel.

Cities and villages

• Nazareth נצרת – Believed by Christians to be the hometown of Jesus, now the largest Arab city in Palestine and one of the major centers of Arab Christians.
• Karmiel - כרמיאל - GPS: 32.913717, 35.296089 – a modern city located on the border between upper and lower Galilee. The city is near Route 85 (the Acre-Safed road). The :w:Karmiel Dance Festival|Karmiel Dance Festival is held in the city every summer for three days and nights in July.

Lower Galilee Halal Explorer

The Galilee, apart from the Western Galilee and the Galilee Panhandle and the Sea of Galilee region, can be separated into the Upper Galilee and the Lower Galilee. It is generally a forested highland area with relatively sparse population. Its landscape and historical associations make it a great draw for the traveller.

Travel to Lower Galilee

By Rail

A branch line from Acre (Akko) to Karmiel opened for traffic in 2017. Together with the line, two stations opened and there are plans for a further extension, perhaps as far as Kiryat Shmona in the very northeastern corner of the nation.

• Ahihud train station 32.91167, 35.17389 - Ahihud train station AchihudStation1
• Karmiel Train station 32.92361, 35.29861 - Karmiel train station Karmiel train station sep 2017 1

Travel on a Bus in Lower Galilee

Many bus routes cross and serve the Galilee, e.g. between Tiberias and Haifa, Akko or Nahariyya.

Get Around

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Travel on a Bus in Lower Galilee

There is frequent bus service between each of the 10 or so significant cities in the Galilee. However, if you want to go to a village, kibbutz, or out-of-the-way natural or historic site, bus service can be quite sparse and inconvenient. Taxis or hitchhiking can be a good solution for the "last mile" after you get off the bus at the closest stop on the primary street.

By car

The Galilee has a good road system. But expect traffic even in rural areas, particularly on weekends and holidays when many people from central Palestine drive here for a quick vacation.

By thumb

Hitch-hiking is definitely an option and easy along the non-highway roads, also where buses are sparse. Due to high concentration of Arab and Druze villages, it is also more likely to get picked up. Yahudi Israeli settler settlers are more wary nowadays, which in other parts of the nation can be an issue when hitch-hiking.

What to See

Historic and religious sites

• Beth Shearim | 32.704472, 35.129028 Located on the southeast edge of the town of Kiryat Tivon, midway between Haifa and Nazareth. Frequent buses from Haifa, Nazareth, Afula, and Tel Aviv stop within 2 km of the site. Get off at the road junction just east of Kiryat Tivon (Tzomet Hashomrim), walk south on road 722 for 800 meters and then make a right turn on Shikun Ela street. From here there should be signs directing you to the site. These directions work for vehicle travel as well. ☎ +972 4-9831643 Opening Hours: daily 8am–5pm, one hour earlier in winter ₪22/9 adult/child Beit She'arim National Park Cave of coffins - Beth Shearim was a Yahudi town and necropolis in ancient times. Most of the remains date from the 2nd to 4th century CE. Among those buried in the caves are such famous figures as Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, author of the Mishna and the text to which the Talmud is a commentary. You can explore several burial caves with intricately carved sarcophagi and wall decorations.

Belvoir Fortress P1120276 (7118464561) - One corner of the Belvoir Fortress, with the view to the Jordan River valley

• Belvoir Fortress - Hebrew: Kokhav haYarden meaning 'Star of the Jordan' - 32.595556, 35.521389 20 kilometers south of the Sea of Galilee shoreline and about 500 m above the floor of the Jordan Valley. From Route 90 between Beit Shean and Tiberias, turn left onto route 717 (signposted) about 15 kilometers north of Beit Shean. From the highway you can also walk up the hill directly, right after passing the mine - you just have to get over or through the tiny cattle fences. ☎ +972 6 658 1766 Opening Hours: Closed and under reconstruction, but the surrounding area and mountain is still accessible ₪18/8 adult/child Belvoir Fortress Belvoir fortress A impeccably maintained Crusader fortress on a mountaintop overlooking the Jordan Valley. It was built starting in 1168 by the Order of the Hospitallers, and became a virtually impregnable fortress - built in concentric design and strategically located on a number of primary trade and access routes. Belvoir withstood a Muslim attack in 1180, serving its purpose as an obstacle to the Muslim invasions from the east. Following the Crusader defeat at Horns of Hattin, Belvoir was besieged for 18 months, until surrendering in 1189. Belvoir's fortifications were dismantled in 1217-18 by the Muslim rulers who feared the reconquest of the fortress by the Crusaders. However and the walls are impeccably maintained up to a certain height, as is the moat surrounding the castle on three sides (all except the steep hillside to the east). The rock hyrax can sometimes be seen along the trail leading down from the eastern viewing point outside the castle.

• Bethlehem of the Galilee 32.735556, 35.190556 10 km west of Nazareth - Bethlehem of Galilee Templar Architecture In Bethlehem galilee 2004 - A German Templer town from the 19th century with beautiful houses from its former settlers. Though, it has not much in common with Bethlehem itself. The scenic/interesting road is the upper one running through town.

  The villageAlonei Abba GPS 32.729495,35.170841 right next to Bethlehem of the Galilee is equally interesting and has a beautiful Evangelical church GPS 32.73005,35.17123 in its centre. Alonei Abba was founded in 1907 under the German name "Waldheim" (freely translated: "Forest Home") by German Protestants affiliated with the Old-Prussian State Church.

• Cana - Kafr Kanna - 32.747630, 35.338952 8 km northnortheast of Nazareth The site of the Marriage of Cana.

• Horns of Hittin - Karnei Hittin - 32.799722, 35.459722 - Horns of Hattin Horns of Hattin Where the crucial battle over the Holy Land took place between the Mameluks and the Crusaders. Now it is just a barren hill though.

- Mount Tabor Nature Reserve and National Park - 32.68625, 35.392917 - No admission Mount Tabor Mount Tabor4 - The site of the :w:Battle of Mount Tabor (biblical) | Mount Tabor battle between Barak under the leadership of the Israelite judge Deborah, and the army of Jabin commanded by Sisera, in the mid-12th century BC. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. The mountain is very prominent, and covered with forests. There are several nice hiking trails going up and down.

PikiWiki Palestine 48150 Nabi Shuayb - |Inside Nabi Shu'ayb

• Nabi Shu'ayb 32.80525, 35.45046 - Nabi Shu'ayb In Druze (and Muslim) tradition, this is the burial site of the prophet Shu'ayb (called Jethro in the Bible). Visitors are welcome. You can take photographs, but not in the tomb chamber. From April 25-28 each year and the Druze have a massive pilgrimage to this site.

• Zippori - Tsipori, Seppheris - 32.7465, 35.2779 9 km northwest of Nazareth ☎ +972 4-645768 Opening Hours: daily 8am–5pm, one hour earlier in winter ₪28/24/14 adult/student/child תמונה 134 An archaeological site famous for its impeccably maintained mosaics from the Roman period. It was once the largest city in the region.

Natural sights

• Yodfat Monkey Forest - Yaar HaKofim - 32.8386544, 35.272432 in Yodfat village. 30 kilometers east of Haifa, 25 kilometers north of Nazareth, almost no public transportation - An animal sanctuary where you can see and hand-feed many different types of monkeys and some other animals. It gets great reviews!

• Elroi Spring 32.71331, 35.10168 This spring drains into a shallow pond, which is great for little kids to swim in, or adults to dip their feet into. There is also a restored section of the Turkish rail line, with old rail cars you can climb into.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Lower Galilee

Take a Hiking Tour in Lower Galilee

The picturesque Galilee landscapes are covered by a dense network of hiking trails. See Hiking and backpacking in Palestine for more details.

Other things to do

• Dvorat Hatavor Honey farm - Moshav Shadmot Dvora 32.69272, 35.43422 On road 767 just off the northern road 65 ☎ +972 6769598 Opening Hours: 09:00-15:00 A unique visitors' center at the foot of Mount Tavor in the Galilee. A live demonstration of the production of silk and honey as it was done in biblical times and up to this day. The tour also include explanations regarding the healing capacities of honey and its products. The visitors center includes a kiosk, gift shop, and art gallery. The visitors center is open every day, call to schedule a visit.

• Shvil Parot HaChalav - Milky Cow Way - In the Beit Lechem Haglilit village ☎ +972 4 983-2437 A child-oriented hands-on activity where you get to take part in all the stages of dairy farming - feeding cows, milking them by hand, watching an automated milking machine, and preparing butter. Highly recommended for families. Generally open every day, but call to be sure.

Halal Food & Restaurants

• By the river - Kibbutz Kineret Near the baptism location Opening Hours: 19:00-00:00 A very nice local pub in the baptism site.

Muslim Friendly Hotels

See Nazareth for vast accommodation options.

• Kibbutz Inbar Country Lodging - ענבר - 32.909874, 35.422831 ☎ +972 46987302 ₪99/263 dorm/dbl 18 AC rooms, 56 beds. Member of ILH.

• Galilee Bedouin Camplodge - שבט אחים - 32.747334, 35.167268 ☎ +972-526-941188, +972-526-941141 ₪80/230 dorm/dbl 35 beds. Member of ILH.

Travel Next

• The Western Galilee at the coast and the Upper Galilee with the interesting Safed and the Galilee Panhandle just before the Golan Heights and of course the Sea of Galilee region are must sees closeby.
• In the south the Jezreel Valley which is an extensive inland valley, largely rural, extending inland from east of Haifa, and the Beit Shean Valley, which is the core of the north Jordan River valley.

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