Sea of Galilee & Surrounding Area
Banyas (Ceasarea Phillipi)
This is the site of beutiful natural springs that feed the Jordan. The waterfall here is 30 ft high. This is the site where the Lord Jesus asked His Disciples, 'Who do you say that I am?' and where He told Peter 'You are Petros (Greek for a small pebble) and on this rock (a cliff rock in the Greek) I will build my church'. See the pebbles and the cliff-rock at the site where this took place! It is always nice to go to sites with water, especially if your visit to Israel is in the hot summer months.
The Huleh Valley
This valley lies a little north of the Sea of Galilee. Here there is a beautiful nature reserve where you can see wild buffalo, turtles, catfish and, in the right season, many species of birds. The reserve is built around a small lake, through which the Jordon River flows toward the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps you could visit the nature reserve as a part of your stay in Galilee.
Nazareth Village
Nazareth Village is an interesting attraction within the town of Nazareth, run by believers. They have attempted to recreate a village as it would have been in the time of Jesus, complete with actors in dress costume working on the farm and in the fields. Contact them on: info@nazarethvillage.com and take a look at their website, www.nazarethvillage.com for information and admission charges. If you are driving back toward Haifa on highway 75, stop by to take a look at Bet She'an, the site of an ancient Jewish town and cemetary (note that this is not the same as the Bet She'an that is south east of Nazareth, close to Jenin).
Alon HaGalil
This is quite close to Nazareth. From here you can take a beautiful bicycle tour of the surrounding area.
Tel Yizre'el
Tel Yizre'el is situated near Mount Gilboa. Could be interesting to have a guided explanation of the place.
Sea of Galilee & Environs
It is worth taking at least a couple of days in Galilee to look around. Many believers are blessed when they walk in the places where the Lord Jesus spent so much of His time. A nice thing to do is simply to drive around the Sea of Galilee and stop of at places of interest.
We highly recommend eating fresh, beautifully cooked and flavored fish at the restaurant Ein Gev, on the Golan Heights' side of the Sea of Galilee (although they have plenty of excellent food even if you are not a fish lover!) The restaurant is located in a kibbutz which is also interesting to view.
Many of the villages where our Lord ministered now lie in ruins, according to His promise. If you desire, you are able to see relics in some of these places, such as the ruins of an old synagogue in Capernaum, where Jesus delivered the discourse on the Bread of Life, Jn 6. At Ginosar, the ruins of a 2000 year old boat are preserved for visitors to see (there is an entrance fee).
For families and even for older people, we highly recommend going rafting on one of the rivers leading into the Sea of Galilee. There are many places where you can do this - one good place is found at Tsomet Rosh Pinah (just follow 'nahal [river] Rosh Pinah' up from the Sea of Galilee on the map and you should find it. 'Tsomet' means 'junction' in Hebrew). The rafting (called Kayaking) is very fun and gives you an altogether different perspective of the land!
Tsfat (Safed) is also interesting to see for its old stone buildings and ancient synagogues. It was the home of several famous Kabbalist Jews and is still a centre of Kabbalistic thought today.
Another fun family activity in Galilee is paying a visit to Hamat Gader where there are four natural hot springs where you can bathe. Within the site is a crocodile farm (where you are not permitted to bathe!) and you are able to walk along protected paths to view the crocodiles. You can also see here remains of ancient Roman baths. Nearby are the remains of a Jewish synagogue dating from the Byzantine period. Perhaps aim to either go Kayaking or see Hamat Gader in one day - two could take too much time.
