Haifa Port

Haifa in detail

Along the north side of Mount Carmel is Israel's main port of Haifa, an ancient and special city in its own right with its famous fortress. Haifa was known as Sycaminum in antiquity and as Caiphas during the time of the Crusades in the 11th and 12th centuries.

In the 12th century a castle built on the site by Crusaders was destroyed by Saladin, sultan of Egypt and Syria. Haifa is also close to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. In Nazareth you will find the striking Basilica of the Annunciation (where the archangel Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary), the Church of St Joseph (traditionally the site of Joseph's carpentry shop) and St Mary's Well. The Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) is a clear freshwater rift valley lake completely encircled by a beach. In the past, the vicinity of Lake Tiberias was well populated, and several of the great trade routes of Asia Minor converged at the lake.

Nine cities flourished on its shores, and it was the centre of an extensive fishing industry. Of the biblical towns only Tiberias, on the western shore, still exists.From Haifa it is also possible to visit the Holy City of Jerusalem, sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.