Haifa
Discover Haifa
Haifa (Hebrew חֵיפָה Heifa; Arabic حَيْفَا Ḥayfā) is the third largest city in Israel and the largest city in the north of the country with a population of 282,000 (2021). The city is located on Israel's Mediterranean shoreline, on Mount Carmel and at its foot. Haifa is the second holiest city in the Baha'i Faith. The Bahá'í sites in Haifa were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008 and serve as one of the city's leading tourist sites.
What to Experience in Haifa
Taste of Haifa...
Haifa is not a gourmet center like greater Tel Aviv, but it still has plenty to offer. Falafel and other street food. Some good falafel can be found in: Falafel Michel and Falafel HaZkenim, both in the Wadi Nisnas area; Falafel HaNasi (locations in the Carmel Center and Horev Center); and at Paris Square, the lowest Carmelit station. Wadi Nisnas has many restaurants and food stalls for shawarma, falafel, and Middle Eastern sweets like baklava and knafe. There is a huge concentration of falafel and shawarma stands downtown on Yafo Street, near the old Bat Galim Central Bus Terminal building (about 400 m from it). The food is cheap and authentic (about ₪10-15 for a falafel, and around ₪20-22 for a shawarma in a pita). Another cheap street food is the Bureka—a Turkish phyllo dough, filled pastry—which is almost as common as falafel. Price is also cheap, and it usually comes filled with cheese, potatoes, spinach and feta, or meat. Further up the food chain are the Middle Eastern/Arabic restaurants. Most are located downtown: Abu-Yousef (there are two with no relation), Hummus Faraj, Hummus Abu-Shaker (on HaMeginim St.), Abu Maroun (in the flea market), Matza (a good place 10 minutes walking distance from the shopping mall "Grand Canyon"). They are all famous for their high quality hummus (which is regarded as the "best of the best" in Israel). Expect to pay ₪50-80 per person for a complete meal.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Haifa into what it is today.
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 Byzantines 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....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsPeople flying from anywhere else should use Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Lod, where flights arrive from all over the world. It's less than two hours to drive from Ben Gurion Airport, and buses, trains, taxis and shuttles operate on this route. The best way to get to Haifa from the airport is to take the train leaving from the airport terminal. Haifa is well connected to Tel Aviv, Akko (Acre), Beer Sheva, Nahariyya and the Ben Gurion International Airport by a train line operated by Israel Railways. The trip takes a little over an hour and during peak hours there are as many as 3-4 services hourly. An easy connection in Tel Aviv brings you to almost any station in Israel. A less-frequent line connects Haifa to Beit Shean via Afula and Jezreel Valley, it takes an hour....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
For more information check: Public transit in Israel. Acquiring Rav Kav or paying through the Moovit app are the best ways to get tickets. While Israeli manners may be rougher than in some other countries, they are also more likely to actually help you, with several people debating the best route for you. Haifa's local bus system includes three "Metronit" (BRT) routes, and a lot of "normal" routes. Buses in Haifa run regularly between 05:00 and 00:00. Unlike most cities in Israel, local buses (but not the Carmelit subway) run on the Sabbath (Friday afternoon to Saturday evening) and Jewish holidays; however, they only operate minimal and highly infrequent services during these hours. A night bus route runs from 00:00 to 05:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 22:30 to 05:00. During the peak period (summertime) this route runs every night, but in the off-peak season it only runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
Where to Stay
Haifa is the gateway to Israel's north and northeast.
Money & Budget
Haifa's mountainous location makes it generally unfriendly for the pedestrian. Therefore shopping avenues are less common than in other cities, though there are a few, such as the Hadar area and the Carmel Centre. In the old downtown (city center), in a flat area close to the seaport, there are inexpensive shops. Haifa is not a gourmet center like greater Tel Aviv, but it still has plenty to offer. Falafel and other street food. Some good falafel can be found in: Falafel Michel and Falafel HaZkenim, both in the Wadi Nisnas area; Falafel HaNasi (locations in the Carmel Center and Horev Center); and at Paris Square, the lowest Carmelit station. Wadi Nisnas has many restaurants and food stalls for shawarma, falafel, and Middle Eastern sweets like baklava and knafe.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Haifa
aerial view of green palm trees and green grass field during daytime
city with high rise buildings during daytime
A view over the Bahá'í gardens and the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel
aerial view of city during daytime
aerial view of green and brown dome building
high-angle photography of city during daytime
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Shrine of the Báb. Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel. 2012
a building with a dome on top
Enjoying the views in Haifa, Israel. 🤍🇮🇱 Haifa is one of the main cities mixed between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Israel. Also, it is close to Druze villages. It used to be an underdeveloped place on the outskirts of the Ottoman Empire. Today, it is a thriving economic center and one of the last cities in the entire Middle East where coexistence is preserved.
aerial view of green palm trees and green grass field during daytime
city with high rise buildings during daytime
A view over the Bahá'í gardens and the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel