Haifa

Understand

Haifa is an important transportation, industrial and cultural center and one of Israel's most important maritime trade centers. Haifa is home to Jews, Muslim and Christian Arabs, as well as small communities of Ahmadis (in Kababir), Druze (in nearby Isfiya and Daliyat al-Karmel), Bahá'ís, and others. Haifa is characterised as a mosaic of peaceful coexistence between the communities. It is also the second-holiest city in the Bahai faith. The phrase "Haifa works, Jerusalem prays, and Tel Aviv plays" refers to Haifa's reputation as a city of workers. A generation ago Haifa's image was that of a serious—and somewhat dull—labor city because of its factories and port. It still has an industrial area to its north, where one of Israel's two oil refineries is located. But it also has a world-class high-tech strip in its south, in the "Matam" technology park along the beach. The park includes blue-chip tech firms such as Intel, Philips, Microsoft, and Google as well as some of Israel's largest tech firms, Elbit, Zoran, and Amdocs. IBM has an R&D center on the top of Mount Carmel at Haifa University and HP has a lab at the Technion, Israel's leading technological university.

History 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 modern

Getting there

By plane 1 Haifa Airport (HFA IATA). As of early 2025, this airport is operated by Air Haifa with a daily flight from Athens and several daily flights from Larnaca. There is a bus line from the airport to the transportation hub "ha-Mifratz". A taxi won't be too expensive either, as the airport is only 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the center of Haifa. . People flying from anywhere else should use Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV IATA) 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.

By train

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. There are six train stations in Haifa, three of which are open 24 hours excluding the Sabbath (Friday night & Saturday daytime):

2 Hof ha-Carmel. 24 hr. Close to the Dado beach, Haifa Mall, Castra Mall and to the Hof HaCarmel bus terminal that serves the lines connected to the cities south of Haifa and local buses. 3 Bat Galim. Close to Bat Galim Beach, Elijah's Cave, and the cable car to Stella Maris Carmelite monastery. 4 Haifa Merkaz - Ha-Shmona (Haifa Central). 24 hr. Near the city downtown district, port terminal for cruise ships and Carmelit subway. 5 Lev ha-Mifratz. 24 hr. Close to the Cinemall Shopping center and Lev HaMifratz bus terminal that serves the lines connected to the North areas of Israel. Two other more distant stations are probably irrelevant to your trip:

6 Hutzot HaMifratz. Serving large shopping outlet (updated Aug 2023) 7 Kiryat Haim. Serving the residential neighborhood Kiryat Haim (updated Aug 2023)

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. Route 6, the inland toll road, is a bit quicker for accessing eastern parts of Haifa. 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 Haifa has two main bus terminals where passengers can switch between intercity buses t

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.

By bus 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.

Metronit Some buses operated by Superbus are branded "metronit" and thus marketed as a "bus rapid transit" system. The Metronit system consists of three lines (blue, red and green) and some of the buses are bi-articulated.

By subway

Haifa has a subway: the Carmelit funicular, which is the only subway in Israel. It is useful for getting up or down the mountain from downtown, but it only covers a small part of Haifa. If you need to go further, you can buy a ticket which includes a transfer to a bus for the remainder of your journey, though it's probably more convenient to just take a bus the whole way. However, the Carmelit is worth taking for fun, to see its weird angled structure (steps in the stations and train cars, made necessary by the steepness of the mountain). The Carmelit has few riders, so you'll always find a seat. The Carmelit has six stations listed here as they go downhill:

Carmel Center — in the Carmel Center, adjacent to the Haifa Zoo, the Louis Promenade (with a beautiful view of the Haifa Bay, the Haifa Auditorium and Cinematheque, and many shops and hotels. Golomb — in Golomb street, near the Bnei Zion (formerly known as Rothschild) Hospital and the Bahá'í World Centre (see below). Massada — Upper Hadar HaCarmel, home to an up-and-coming artists' neighbourhood with many antique shops, second-hand book stores, bars and coffee shops. Also not far from Nordau Street, a pedestrian mall which has seen its better days. Close to the National Science Museum. HaNevi'im — near HaNevi'im, Herzl and HaHalutz streets, and their shops, offices. Close to the Haifa Museum of Art and Wadi Nisnas pedestrian area. Hadar -

See

Haifa is largely a modern city.

Landmarks

1 Bahá'í Gardens and World Center, ☏ +972 4-831-3131, fax: +972 4-831-3132. Th-Tu. 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 Báb, terraced gardens and administrative buildings, the World Centre is the holiest site of pilgrimage for the members of the Bahá'í faith, as well as the faith's central administrative center. The gardens are stunning and well worth visiting if you are in Haifa. Only parts of the site can be accessed freely without joining the tour – this includes the bottom entrance and the level at the dome. Top, middle, and bottom parts have separate entrances that are far apart, and the middle part has a dress code. The tours are free and no reservation is required, unless you are a group of 25 or more. Check their website to find out when the tours take place. 2 Cave of Elijah (follow the stairs up on Siderot HaHagana). Elijah is considered a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, 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 as it's a very simple site. 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. 3 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. The present monastery and church, built over what the Carmelites believe to be a cave where Elijah lived, dates from 1836 after the previous buildings were destroyed in 1821 by Abdullah, pasha of Akko. It's worth visiting the church to view the beautiful painted ceiling which portrays Elijah and the famous chariot of fire (in which he ascended to heaven), King David with his harp, the saints of the order, the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and David, and the Holy Family with the four evangelists below. A small adjoining museum contains ruins of former cloisters dating from Byzantine and Crusader times. 4 German Colony, Centered around Ben-Gurion Blvd. All hours. In 1868 members of German Templer Society (not to be confused with the Knights Templar) 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 been preserved and have undergone restoration in the last decade of 20th cent

Do

1 The (student's) beach (Hof Ha'studentim - חוף הסטודנטים) (near "Hof Ha'Carmel" train and bus stations). The best beaches are right next to the Hof HaCarmel bus and train stations. Just get off the train/bus and walk straight onto the beach. Haifa has many kilometers of beautiful beach on its southwest side. Part of the beach has a boardwalk with cafes and restaurants that are always bustling—day or evening. The beach has its own unwritten segments. Families with kids come to the area along the boardwalk. Younger singles hang in the strip just south of there (with no boardwalk, stores). The locals call it "Students' Beach." Free. 2 Cable car (near "Stella Maris" (top station) or "Bat Galim" promenade (bottom station)), ☏ +972 4-8335970. Rides between Bat-Galim Promenade and Stella Maris. The ride offer spectacular views of the city, beach, port and Haifa bay. 3 Carmelit (best to start from Paris square). A subway runs between Carmel center and downtown Haifa. ₪6.60 per ride. 4 Holiday of the holidays (Ha'Chag Shel Ha'Chagim - החג של החגים), German Colony and Wadi Nisnas. A festival celebrating holidays of Christianity (Christmas, New Year), Islam (Ramadan), and Judaism (Hanukkah). The festival happens mainly on weekends, and include free entrance to museums, public shows, fair and colorful market. Free. Haifa Trail, ☏ +972 54-7237067, [email protected]. A trek along Haifa's landscapes and attractions, museums, cultural and religious sites, and the city’s unique urban wildlife. 5 Hecht Park. Haifa's largest park, located adjacent to the sea. 6 Nesher park. In a suburb of Haifa called Nesher, this is a beautiful park in a forested valley. There are hiking trails as well as two pedestrian suspension bridges over the valley. 7 Maccabi Haifa FC. This soccer club plays in the Israeli Premier League, the country's top tier. Their home ground is Sammy Ofer Stadium (capacity 30,700), 500 m inland from "Student Beach".

Buy

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.

Shopping malls Haifa has many shopping malls, including:

1 Grand Canyon. The biggest mall. It has international brand names such as Armani, Lacoste, Benetton and Zara as well as local brands and a large food court. "Canyon" is Hebrew for mall as well as English for canyon, and this mall is in a deep valley in central Haifa, hence the pun in its name. Israelis who don't get the pun will often just call it "the Grand". 2 Haifa Azrieli Mall. Su-Th 09:30-21:30, F 08:30-15:00, Sa 19:30-22:00. The Grand Canyon's little brother. Includes a moderate selection of shops, food court and a cinema. Known in the city just as "Haifa mall" (Kanyon Haifa). (updated Aug 2023) 3 Horev Center. Two small-medium floors, large supermarket, a few restaurants. Located at a central junction in the city with many bus connections. Taxis on site. 4 Castra Center. Known as an artistic center more than as a mall. 5 Cinemall. Lives up to its name: cinema and mall. Connected to Lev Hamifratz train station and the nearby central bus station. 6 City Centre Mall (Lev HaIr). 7 Kiryon. In the eastern Krayot suburbs. 8 Hutzot HaMifratz outlet center. Israel's largest open-air mall (updated Aug 2023)

Markets Market=shouq, in Hebrew

9 Talpiot Market. Haifa's historic market. An authentic market experience. Although it has seen better days, it is in the midst of renewal. Graffiti walls, local eateries and boutique restaurants alongside the usual stalls (but definitely not comparable to those in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv). The big building (orange and ugly, hard to miss!) is the market's center, but the nearby streets are also part of the market. Friday morning is a great time to stroll around, as the locals prepare for Sabbath and street shows are taking place. (updated Aug 2023) 10 Flea Market, Kibutz Galuyut st. A wide range of shops, merchant and handcrafts workshops that sell vintage, retro, antiques, clothes, second hand and collectibles. Officially all days of the week 08:00 to 16:00, but Saturdays are the real deal (highly recommended to visit then). (updated Aug 2023) 11 Wadi Nisnas market. Vegetables, fruits, coffee, falafel and shawarma (one of the best in Israel!), butchers, sweet shops, home food and cheeses. The main Arab market in town. (updated Aug 2023) 12 Tur

Eat

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. There are several Romanian-style restaurants; in actuality this is a hybrid of Middle Eastern and Romanian cuisine. Most are located downtown: Ma'ayan HaBira (beer fountain), Cafe (coffee) Glida (icecream) Younek. Expect to pay ₪50-100 per person for a meal.

Restaurant and cafe clusters

Moriah Avenue, along the length of this street from the Carmel Center in the north, to the Horev center (shopping mall) in the south. Some good places alongside this 3 km stretch include:

Charliebar (meat, seafood, hamburgers) Frangelico (sushi bar). Café Louise (organic). 1 Roladin, Horev st 18 (across the road from Horev center), ☏ +972 4-811-1445. Su-Th 06:00-18:00, F 06:00-15:00, closed on Sa. Cafe and bakery, large selection, outdoor seating. (updated Aug 2023) Sinta-bar (meat) El Gaucho (steaks, kosher) Meat In and Out (steaks) Canibar (hamburgers) Agadir (hamburgers) Lechem Erez Giraffe (Asian fusion) HaBank (cafe with good food) Pasta Carolla Isabella Bar Shipudei HaTikvah (traditional meats and salads, kosher) Pomodoro (pizza and pasta, kosher) Jacko - one of the best fish and seafood restaurants (on Moriah Street and downtown near Natanson Street). It was a workin

Drink & nightlife

Central Mount Carmel offers a decent selection of mid-class cafes and bars. Popular cafes are Greg and Tut (Strawberry), which are right next to each other in Kikar Sefer. Closer to the Horev Center, 'Frangelico' and 'Barbarossa' are considered to be the most popular bars. They are often very crowded, but if one can't get in, there are many other bars in close walking distance, such as Brown, Levinsky, Maidler, and Duke. The beautiful street of Yefe Nof also boasts a cluster of pubs, including a popular Charliebar and Irish-style pub. Downtown there are some more pubs, including the legendary old-fashioned 'Maayan HaBira', which is more popular among adult crowd; the "Martef" (Basement), where you might also catch an open-mic night; and up the street from HaMartef is Jack and the Beanstalk, a more intimate pub with a great selection of appetizers. Another downtown happening place is the Syncopa bar.

Sleep

Budget

1 Port Inn, 34 Yafo Rd (in Old City), ☏ +972 4-852-4401, fax: +972 4-852-1003, [email protected]. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. A restored Arabic building offers apartments, private rooms and dormitories. Lounge area with a multilingual satellite TV, a small kitchen with free coffee and tea available all day, and a flourishing garden. Member of ILH. ₪90. (updated Jan 2024) 2 Maya Guest House, y.l.perets 32, Haifa, ☏ +972 543302218, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Modern and luxurious units/apartments in Haifa city center with extraordinary panoramic view of the bay and city. Each unit has double bed room, kitchen and bathroom with full amenities. Maya guest house is located right near Wadi Nisnas and hadar area, near groceries, shops and public transportation. The host speaks multi languages so its very easy to communicate and get help. (updated Jan 2024) 3 Al Yakhour Hostel, Ben Gurion 24, German Colony, ☏ +972 77-657-0928. Highly rated and conveniently located at the foot of the Bahai Gardens. Dorm bed from ₪76. (updated Jan 2024) 4 Bethel Hostel, 40 Hagefen St, ☏ +972 50-7481789, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A Christian hostel in the German Colony. Bethel offers accommodations and facilities for Christian groups and individuals. Unmarried couples are not allowed to share a room (only married couples). ₪100. (updated Jan 2024) 5 Rutenberg Institute, HaNassi Avenue 77 (in Merkaz HaCarmel), ☏ +972 4-838-7958, fax: +972 4-838-7865, [email protected]. 6 German Colony Guest House, Derech Yafo 100, ☏ +972 50-686-6010. ₪120. 7 Haddad's Guest House, 26 Ben-Gurion Ave, German Colony, ☏ +972 52-235-4283, fax: +972 77-201-0618. Family-run guest house. (updated Jan 2024)

Mid-range 8 Hotel Beth Shalom, 110 Hanassi Blvd, ☏ +972 4-837-7481, fax: +972 4-837-2443. ₪240. 9 German Colony Guest House, 105 Yafo St, ☏ +972 4-855-3705, fax: +972 4-851-4919. Check-out: 10:00. 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 10PM. ₪180 including breakfast. 10 Bat Galim Boutique Hotel, 10 Yonatan St., ☏ +972 4-6037800, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. from US$90. 11 Kedem Hotel (Kedem Hotel & Spa - Tirat Carmel), Monheim Park ,Tirat Hacarmel, ☏ +972 747001010, info@

Go next

Haifa is the gateway to Israel's north and northeast.

Akko – The Shrine of Baha'u'llah, the holiest place for the Baha'is can be found here. Nahariyya – Founded in 1934 by German Jews fleeing Nazi oppression, which boasts the crusader Montfort Castle. Do not miss Rosh Haniqra, a short drive further. Tiberias – A large Israeli town in the east and great starting point for the Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights. Nazareth – The largest Arab city in Israel and best known as the home of Joseph and Mary. Jezreel Valley – Famous for Tel Megiddo (Armageddon) National Park and Mount Gilboa overlooking it. Druze Villages in the Carmel Range: 30min by service taxi (monit sherut) or longer by bus, line number 37א, to the closer village of Isifya or the more distant village of Daliyat el-Carmel. The tourist-oriented bazaar has inexpensive shops and you can top off the visit in one of the excellent Mid-Eastern restaurants. Caesarea & Zarqa Bay – Extensive archaeological site along the coast, and beautiful but not crowded beaches.