Tiberius And The Sea Of Galilee - What To Do And What To See

TIBERIUS - SAME AS LAKE COMO BUT IN ISRAEL

Here history is combined with modernity, absolute peace with active water sports, and pilgrimage shrines with unique tourist routes. And all this is the amazing city of Tiberias.

Tiberias, located on the shores of Lake Kinneret, is the “lowest” city in Israel (about 200 meters below sea level). Thousands of tourists and vacationers flock here every year. It is a lively tourist destination with plenty of fun and varied leisure options for all ages. The city has 30 hotels, including luxury hotels, as well as more modest guesthouses and hostels. Most of the hotels are located right on the beach, and living in them is a real pleasure.

Water parks for the whole family, restaurants, and bars, extreme water sports are just a small part of Tiberias' wealth to offer to its guests. There are also many hotels in the Old Town, located by the lake and on the embankment. You can ride a boat on the Kinneret, admire the sunset, walk along the picturesque embankment along the lake, sit in one of the cozy cafes and restaurants, where you will be served dishes made from fresh, freshly caught freshwater fish.

Jeep excursions are very popular in and around Tiberias. If you like active rest, then jeep tours are for you. Moreover, such tours are organized for a wide variety of groups and are suitable for all ages and there are tours adapted for the disabled.

The main boulevard leads from the Old City to the very center of Tiberias. It is a lively place with many restaurants, cafes and pubs, gift shops, and ice cream shops. In summer, it is especially crowded here, and music is played in the colorful bazaar. There are more than 40 various restaurants, cafes, clothing, footwear, perfumery, and much more in the entertainment center. Another detail - this largest supermarket in the city is open on Saturdays. Every weekend - on Friday and Saturday, guests of the city are offered free walking tours. Additional information about such excursions by phone: +972534779797. So, after wandering around the center, you can take an unusual tour of the city using one of the local tourist attractions - a horse-drawn carriage.

On the other side of the boulevard is the famous fish market. The fishing industry in Tiberias is very developed. Every morning dozens of boats sail off the coast of the Kinneret to return with fresh fish, which are then sold at the local market. Near the market, there is a popular restaurant famous for its unique original falafel. Thousands of people come here especially to eat hot and delicious balls. The hosts will be delighted to suggest you try falafel in the hope that you will opt for their establishment and the large municipal park opposite hosts concerts and parties open to the general public.

In Tiberias, it is worth visiting the House of Donna Grazia - a museum palace dedicated to Grazia Nasi, who saved many Jews from the persecution of the Spanish Inquisition. Thanks to this wealthy woman, a Jewish city was rebuilt in Tiberias. The rich exposition of the museum, combined with music from the Renaissance, tells the story of Donna Grazia and a bygone era.

To the south of the Old City is the Hamat-Tiberias National Park with its seventeen healing hot springs, whose waters contain about 100 minerals and have a unique therapeutic effect (by the way, the water temperature reaches 60 degrees). The healing properties of this place have been known for over 2000 years. Since time immemorial, it has attracted people. The waters of these springs feed the famous mineral resort Khamei-Tiberias, offering visitors thermal mineral baths, magnificent massages, and unique therapies. Here you can have great relaxation, as well as enjoy the amazing views of the Kinneret.

SPA Teva is by far the most unique and exclusive SPA located in Hamat Gader. Here it is proposed to combine a pleasant treatment with the same pleasant body care. At Hamat Gader, you will be offered a special treatment - a hydromassage bath with a theological effect. Moreover, during all procedures in the spa, you can admire the magical view of the mountains in the relaxing atmosphere of the resort. Here you will be offered to visit a Finnish dry sauna, solarium, jacuzzi lit by torches, as well as various other professional body treatments, including Thai massage, shiatsu, reflexology, hot stone massage, hydrotherapy, Swedish 4-hand massage, Ayurveda, crystals. We must not forget about the related services offered at Hamat Gader. You do not need to worry about taking with you such necessary things as a bathrobe and a towel, they will be given to you on the spot. And don't forget that your first drink in the spa is free of charge. Here you can also go to the Blue Bar or the dairy restaurant, which offers a beautiful view of the mountains. In "SPA-Teva" everything is arranged in the best possible way and all procedures are also available for people with disabilities.

Lake Kinneret has been a source of water and food for people for thousands of years. It is of great value to both Christians and Jews. In 17-22 AD, Herod Antippa founded a city here, named after his patron, the Roman emperor Tiberius. In the second to tenth centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in Galilee, a political and religious center, as well as a center of Jewish spiritual creativity.

A few years after the founding of the city, around 30 AD, it is here, on the Kinneret, that the biblical story will be met - stories related to the life and miracles of Jesus Christ, including walking on water, take place here. With the development of Christianity, many churches were built in and around Tiberias.

Throughout its history, Tiberias has always been inhabited. Buildings and ruins dating back to different historical eras are well preserved. Built during the Crusades and the Ottoman Empire, the Old City features sights such as the 18th-century Daher el-Amar, a Jewish ritual bathing pool, the remains of a black basalt city wall, and St. Peter's Church. The modern church was built on the ruins of a crusader church. One nave and narrow windows make it look like the hull of an overturned ship. The church is decorated with symbols of the four Gospels and Jesus' phrase addressed to Peter: "Feed my lambs." The stained-glass windows depict fish and saints, and in the backyard, there is a copy of a statue of Peter brought from Rome in 1833.

There are also many churches outside the walls of the Old City. Concerts are sometimes held in the modest basalt Scotch Church or its flowering garden. The church was founded by Dr. David Watt Torrance, who also created the first hospital in Tiberias. The opposite is the Scottish hotel where Christian pilgrims stay. And at the southern end of the embankment, there is a Greek Orthodox church and a monastery with three prayer houses and a wall with icons.

The nearby Berenice Mountain offers stunning views of the surroundings. There are also the impressive ruins of the Anchor Church, named after the heavy anchor found in the center of the stone altar. No less famous is the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus read his famous Sermon on the Mount.

North of Tiberias, near the Kinneret, is the YMCA (Young Christian Association) complex with a small church. A magnificent panorama of the Kinneret opens from here. The complex also has a private beach and guest rooms.

According to history, to the south of Tiberias is Yardenit - according to history, the baptism of Jesus took place here. Thousands of believers come here to be baptized in this water.

In addition to the Christian holy places in Tiberias, there are many tombs of Jewish sages, which makes it one of the holy cities of Israel. Pilgrims flock to the graves of Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai, and the great philosopher and sage Maimonides (Rambam). Many come to pray at his grave and ask to be given a spouse, children, a source of food.

Tiberias is ready to receive guests all year round. During summer and Sukkot, special events for the whole family are organized here. In January, the international holiday "International Tiberias Marathon" is held. And on Passover, in the spring - a water festival or "Water Festival in Tiberias" on the Kinneret Lake. As part of the Bird Winter Festival, excursions called "Tiberias Phoenix" are held, during which guests of the city learn about the city's attractions, combined with the exciting stories of the heroes of those times. The tour lasts about an hour and is held every Friday in winter, starting at 10 am.

Thanks to the beauties of nature, pastoral beaches, many attractions, and various types of outdoor activities, Tiberias welcomes guests from all over the world all year round

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