The Galilee consists of one-third of Israel, and it is divided into three areas: Lower Galilee, Upper Galilee and Western Galilee. The landscape of Galilee is featured by hills and flat fertile plains, making it similar to Tuscany in Italy. Both the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan are in the Galilee region that is featured by villages located beside ancient ruins. Beautiful hills and valleys enrich the fantastic landscape of this area of Israel.
The Lower Galilee
This place is mentioned as a historical location of famous events and battles. The Lower Galilee doesn’t feature hills, and it expands from the Jezreel Valley up to the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel through the Sea of Galilee. This area of Galilee includes the spectacular Mount Tavor, the ruins at Megiddo, Nazareth, which is the biggest Arab city in Israel, and Mount Gilboa with its beautiful colourful landscape.
The Upper Galilee
The Upper Galilee is further north and a remote and enchanting place that is really breathtaking. The Upper Galilee is one of the favourite destinations of Israelis, and Rosh Pina is one of its most picturesque towns. Another fantastic city is Safed, which is very well-known as a mystic and spiritual place. It is a pleasure to practice different sports in the River Jordan, such as kayaking, caving, canyoning, jeep tours and much more. A splendid location of this area of Israel is the Hula Valley, one of the best bird-watching locations in the world and featuring hills where you can find spas and charming guesthouses. The Sea of Galilee(Kinneret) is the lowest sweet water lake in the world. For several years, ancient settlements were located around the lake, and nowadays, their ruins stand beside some of the oldest communities in Israel, such as the oldest kibbutzim and moshavim. Windsurfs, sails and fishing are some of the activities performed on the lake.
The Western Galilee
The Western Galilee is the far north-western region of Israel, consisting of the Mediterranean coastline north of Haifa and the inward area. This region includes the ancient crusader port city of Akko, the caves in Rosh Hanikra, fantastic landscapes, and picturesque rustic beaches.
The Golan Heights
The Golan Heights region is a green mountainous hill situated in the east of the Sea of Galilee in the far north of Israel. This region stretches for almost 65 km from north to south with a width of about 3 km. Although it is a small region, the Golan Heights is a very important region of Israel, supplying the whole country with more than one-third of water.
Historically, it was a site of several important wars. The Golan Heights is featured by some of the most fabulous places of Israel, some are stony, and others are lunar. Since it is a location full of water sources, the green landscape is the main peculiarity of the Golan Heights. The Saar Falls are one of the most breathtaking places of Israel, and the most spectacular waterfalls of Israel, whose beauty can only be compared to the Banias Waterfall, which is the largest waterfall in Israel and the most iconic one. The Banias Waterfall is located in the Banias Nature Reserve, including many hiking and historical places.
Mount Bental is another breathtaking and fantastic location in Israel with its views across Galilee and Syria. The Gamla Nature Reserve is a rocky mountainside with a camel shape, located in a Jewish city founded 2000 years ago that is considered the Masada of the North of Israel. This site is one of the most unique and fabulous locations of Israel, primarily because of its marvellous views and the bird-watching observatory that attract tourists from all over the world to see, in particular, the Griffon Vulture and other rare birds.
In the southern area of the Golan Heights, the Hamat Gader is a marvellous location of natural hot springs that have been used for over 2000 years, and it is also home to the only crocodile farm in the Middle East.
The most popular attraction of Golan Heights is Mount Hermon because of its Ski Resort, which is the only one in Israel. The unicity about this resort is that it is less than three hours away from the desert. This ski resort is open during the wintertime and summertime, and it has pretty diversified vegetation and magnificent landscapes. During the summer, it is a pleasure to hike and swim in the several streams of this beautiful region of Israel. In the springtime, the prairies are full of multicoloured flowers, and in autumn, it is an excellent time for hiking in the woods.
The Golan Trail is a famous hiking route, and the impressive Nimrod Fortress is the biggest Crusader fortress in Israel that remained wonderfully conserved. The best way to visit the Golan Heights is renting a car or being part of a tourist guided group. You will spend almost three hours drive from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to reach the southern area of the Golan Heights, although you may find some buses sporadically. Every week, group tours plan trips to the Golan Heights; nevertheless, you can join a private tour group if you don’t rent a car. In the Golan, many activities can be carried out, such as a jeep tour to explore off-road sites and enjoy the unique and extraordinary landscapes, an ATV buggy tour that will guide you through different landscapes of this Israel’s region with magnificent views, historical locations and astounding natural habitat. In the Golan, the best extreme activities such as water hikes and canyoning can be performed in the Black Canyon, a fantastic place for both friends and families. In the summertime, the Golan becomes a refreshing place that is cooler than the cities in Israel, and an unforgettable experience can be rafting in the Jordan River, which is in the western area of the Golan.