'''Haifa''' [http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/indexEng.phtml] (Hebrew ?????? ?efa; Arabic ??????? ?ayf?) is the third largest city in Israel and the major city in the north of the country with a population close to 300,000. It is a seaport located on Israel's Mediterranean shoreline, below scenic Mount Carmel.
Understand
Haifa is first mentioned historically around the 3rd century CE as a small town near Shikmona, the main Jewish town in the area at that time and a center for making the traditional Tekhelet dye used for Jewish Priests' temple cloth. The archaeological site of Shikmona lies southwest of the modern Bat Galim neighborhood. The Byzantine ruled there until the 7th century, when the city was conquered ? first by the Persians, then by the Arabs. In 1100, it was conquered again by the crusaders after a fierce battle with its Jewish and Muslim inhabitants. Under crusader rule, the city was a part of the Principality of Galilee until the Muslim Mameluks captured it in 1265.
In 1761 Daher El-Omar, Bedouin ruler of Acre and Galilee, destroyed and rebuilt the town in a new location, surrounding it with a thin wall. This event is marked as the beginning of the town's modern era. After El-Omar's death in 1775, the town was under Ottoman rule until 1918, except for two brief periods. In the years following, Haifa grew in terms of traffic, population and importance, as Akko suffered a decline. The development of Haifa increased further with the arrival of members of the German Protestant Temple Society in 1868, who settled a modern neighbourhood near the city, now known as the "German Colony". The Templers greatly contributed to the town's commerce and industry, playing an important role in its modernization.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, Haifa had emerged as an industrial port city and growing population center, reflected by the establishment of facilities like the Hejaz railway and Technion. At that time Haifa District was home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants, comprised of 82% Muslim Arab, 14% Christian Arabs, and 4% Jewish residents. The Jewish population increased steadily with immigration primarily from Europe, and by 1945 the population had shifted to 38% Muslim, 13% Christian and 47% Jewish.
Today, Haifa is home to significant populations of Jews, Muslim and Christian Arabs, Ahmadis (in Kababir), Druze (in Daliyat al-Carmel), Baha'is, and others, and has often been characterised as a mosaic of peaceful coexistence between the communities. The city has an industrial area to the north, where one of Israel's two oil refineries is located, and a high-tech south, where R&D Centers are located for a large number of Israeli and international hi-tech companies including Intel, Elbit, Zoran, Microsoft, Philips, Google and Amdocs. IBM has R&D labs on top of Mount Carmel at Haifa University and HP has a lab at the Technion, one of Israel's leading technological universities.
Get in
By plane
Haifa has its own airport, Haifa Airport which serves flights to Tel Aviv and Eilat, although the closest international airport is '''Ben Gurion International Airport''' in Tel Aviv, where flights arrive from all over the world. From Ben Gurion, you could connect on a flight to Haifa, although, chances are you'll have to transfer between terminals, or even airports, to '''Sde Dov Airport'''. The better option is to travel straigt on to Haifa - its only about a maximum of two hours to drive, and buses, trains, taxis, and sheruts, operate the route.
By train
Haifa is well connected to Tel Aviv, Akko (Acre), Beer Sheva and the Ben Gurion International Airport by a train line. The trip takes a little over an hour and during peak hours there are as many as 3-4 services hourly.
There are 4 train stations in Haifa:
''Hof ha-Carmel'' — close to bus terminal that serves the lines connected to the cities south of Haifa and local buses.
''Bat Galim'' — close to Elija's Cave and the cable car to Stella Maris Carmelite monastery.
''Haifa Merkaz - Ha-Shmona'' — near city downtown and Carmelit underground funicular.
''Lev ha-Mifraz'' — close to bus terminal that serves the lines connected to the North area of Israel.
By car
From the south, route 2 is the coastal highway which links Haifa with Tel Aviv. This journey takes up to one and a half hours. Other more minor roads link Haifa to the East and North, although chances are, if you're up there, you've come close to or past Haifa to get there in the first place.
By bus or taxi
Alternatively, you can take Egged buses from Tel Aviv (910), Jerusalem (940,947), Afula (301) or almost any city in the region to Haifa. During the Sabbath, you'll have to resort to a shared taxi (''sherut''), most of which leave from near Tel Aviv's central bus station.
From Haifa (the Hadar neighborhood, i.e. the uphill part of downtown), sheruts provide cheap frequent service to the cities of Akko, Naharia, and Karmiel, as well as to Haifa and its suburbs.
By boat
Get around
A high-resolution map of Haifa (in PDF vector format) is available [http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/uploads/maps/map.pdf here]. The map is in Hebrew.
Unlike other major cities in Israel, local buses (but not the Carmelit) run on Saturday and other Jewish holy days. However, they don't operate on Friday evenings.
Haifa Has two main bus terminals where passengers can switch between inter-city buses and trains to the local routes operated by Egged bus company. The two stations are:
''Mercazit Ha-Mifratz'' — (bay area hub) connecting Haifa with the Krayot (northern suburbs) and the Galilee. Located near Lev ha-Mifraz train station.
''Mercazit Hof Ha-carmel'' — (Carmel coast hub) connecting Haifa with southern destinatons . Located near Hof ha-Carmel train station.
Haifa has a subway, the Carmelit funicular. It is a must-use if you want to get up or down the mountain from downtown. However, it only extends to a small part of Haifa. If you need to go further, you can buy a train ticket which includes a transfer to a bus for the remainder of your journey.
The Carmelit has 6 stations listed here as they go downhill:
''Gan Ha'em'' — in the Carmel Center, adjacent to the Haifa zoo, a panoramic promenade, the Haifa Auditorium, and many shops and hotels. It's the only subway in Israel (so far...)
''Bnei Zion'' — in Golomb street, Near the Bnei Zion (Rothschild) hospital and the Baha'i World Centre (see below).
''Massada'' — upper Hadar Hacarmel, near Massada st. and Nordau st., with their galleries, antique shops, cafes and restaurants. Close to the National Science Museum.
''Hanevi'im'' — near Hanevi'im, Herzl and Hachalutz streets, and their shops, offices. Close to the Haifa Museum of Art and Vadi Nisnas pedestrian area.
''Solel Boneh'' — near Ha'atzmaut park, and the Haifa city hall.
''Kikar Pariz'' — downtown. Near government building and courthouse, Ha'atzmaut street, walking distance to Haifa Merkaz train station and Haifa port.
See
Haifa is largely a modern city.
Landmarks
Baha'i Gardens and World Center. 972-4-831-3131. 972-4-831-3132. very day but Wednesday. ours are Free but MUST be booked in advance. ttp://terraces.bahai.org/visiting.en.html. The gardens and world centre on Mount Carmel's northern slope area a must-see for any visitor to Haifa. Comprising the golden-domed '''Shrine of the Bab''', terraced gardens and administrative buildings, the World Centre is the holiest site of pilgrimage for the members of the Baha'i Faith, as well as the faith's central administrative center. The gardens are stunning and well worth visiting if you are in Haifa.
Cave of Elijah. Elijah is considered a prophet by both Judaism and Islam. The Carmelites have a tradition that they were founded by Elijah at this time. According to tradition Elijah lived in a cave on Mt. Carmel during the reign of King Ahab. The site itself may disappoint many tourists. One enjoyable and scenic option for good walkers is to walk down to the cave from Stella Maris (monastery) at the top of Mt. Carmel.
Stella Maris. A French Carmelite church, monastery and hospice. This is the founding place of the Carmelite Order, a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church. Located atop Mount Carmel, there is a hiking trail connecting it to the Cave of Elijah below.
German Colony. entered around Ben Gurion Boulevard. ll Hours. ree. In 1868 members of German Templar Society (not to be confused with the Knights of the Templars) purchased land that was far from the city and set out to build the first planned agricultural community in the Holy Land. Many of the original templar houses have preserved and undergone restoration in the last decade of XX century. Now the main street of the former colony (Ben Gurion Boulevard) is a promenade, with many restaurants and coffee shops. Some example of good place in the German Colony are; Havana plus is a Hooka bar with a full service bar. Milagro is a restaurant that provides great beer on tap and live Music after 8PM and Isabella is one of the finer restaurants in the area. The City History Museum and the local Tourist Board are located here.
Haifa University. Located at the top of Carmel, the campus was originally designed by the architect of Budget
Port Inn. afo Road (in Old City). 0 NIS/night w/o breakfast, for a dormatory room bed. ttp://www.portinn.co.il/.
Rutenberg Institute. anassi Avenue 77 (in Merkaz HaCarmel), P.O.B. 6015, 34642 Haifa. 972-4-8387958. nfo@rutenberg.org.il. 972 - 4 - 8387865. ttp://www.rutenberg.org.il.
'''Haddad's Guest House''', 26 Ben Gurion Ave.- German Colony, 052-2354283, fax 077-2010618, [http://www.haddadguesthouse.com]. Family run guest house.
Mid-Range
Dan Gardens Haifa Hotel. 24 Yefe-Nof St.. 972-3-5202552. eservations-T.DanGardensHaifa@DanHotels.com. 972-3-5480111. ttp://www.dangardenshaifa.com. The Dan Gardens Haifa is a modern bed and breakfast hotel for guests who want to enjoy Haifa's special charms and stay within budget. Set on Mount Carmel in an exclusive neighborhood featuring richly wooded areas and a tranquil ambience, the hotel offers dramatic views of Haifa Bay. With its compact size and highly personalized attention, the Dan Gardens Haifa welcomes guests in true Dan Hotels tradition which means Israel's finest hospitality.
Hotel Beth Shalom. 10 Hanassi Blvd. 972-4-8377481. 972-4-8372443 . rom US$60. ttp://www.beth-shalom.ch/.
German Guest House. 05 Yafo Street. 972-4-8553705. 972-4-8514919. 0 am. LS 180/night including breakfast. Very clean and comfortable rooms. Run by the Rosary Sisters (Roman Catholic nuns) who seem to take great care of the guests. A free breakfast is included and it's a very central location near the Haifa HaShmona central railway station and the Haifa port. The only downside is that you have to be back in the guesthouse by 10 pm.
Splurge
Dan Carmel Haifa Hotel. 5-87 Hanassi Avenue. 972-3-5202552. eservations-T.DanCarmel@DanHotels.com. 972-3-5480111. ttp://www.dancarmel.com. The Dan Carmel commands unforgettable panoramic views of the bay and the city of Haifa. Come and be charmed by this classically elegant hotel with its private gardens, verdant hillsides and endless coastline. An unmatched location on the crest of Mount Carmel, gracious service and an atmosphere both luxurious and soothing, provide an extraordinary setting for enjoying the beauty of Haifa and the Galilee. See Dan Carmel Haifa [http://www.danhotels.com/vt/vt.asp?hotelNo=3 Virtual Tour] See also [http://www.danhotels.com/movies/movies.asp?hotelNo=3 Video Tour] Of Dan Carmel Haifa.
Dan Panorama Haifa Hotel. 07 Hanassi Avenue. 972-3-5202552. eservations-T.PanoramaHaifa@DanHotels.com. 972-3-5480111. ttp://www.panoramahaifa.com. Contemporary in style and young in spirit, the Dan Panorama rises high above Mount Carmel, offering thrilling views of Haifa bay and miles of coastline. Ideally located for business travelers, the hotel is directly linked to a stylish mall. Its convenient location also makes sightseeing so easy, such fun. With a myriad of things to do and see in Haifa - and with the Galilee and Arab villages close by - all you have to do is go. See Dan Panorama Haifa [http://www.danhotels.com/vt/vt.asp?hotelNo=6 Virtual Tour] See also [http://www.danhotels.com/movies/movies.asp?hotelNo=6 Video Tour] Of Dan Panorama Haifa.
Holiday Inn Haifa. 972-3-5390808. i.gmsec@hiil.co.il. 00 NIS/night. ttp://www.h-i.co.il/hotel.aspx?resortID=8&LangID=2. On Mount Carmel, near Carmel Center and the Bahai Gardens. Health club has a covered pool, wet and dry sauna, Jacuzzi and gym.
Get out