Nahariya – Israel's northern Riviera
Nahariya is a small seaside resort, set on the shores of the Mediterranean in the north of Israel and the perfect place to spend a really relaxing vacation along with some sightseeing in the Western Galilee.
Nahariya was founded in 1935 by a group of immigrants from Germany. First envisaged as an agricultural community, Nahariya's first residents soon realized that the area's natural beauty, the sand and the warm waters of the Mediterranean made it the perfect place to develop Israel's version of the French Riviera.
Today, Nahariya is a lively community of some 50,000 inhabitants and as well as being a great place to relax, is also the cultural center of the Western Galilee.
As befits any seaside town, Nahariya has a wide selection of hotels and boarding houses for the visitor to choose from. The most luxurious of Nahariya's hotels is the Carlton Hotel. Centrally situated on Gaaton Avenue, Nahariya's main street, the Carlton is just five minutes away from the central bus station and train stations, a five minutes walk from the excellent sea front promenade and beaches, and centrally located to all of the fine restaurants and shops that Nahariya offers its visitors. The Carlton has been completely refurbished and offers guest luxury accommodation of the highest standards. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna, Jacuzzi and fitness room, as well as two fine restaurants and a club especially for the kids.
Not for nothing is Nahariya known as the Riviera of the North. Sandy beaches and warm water, coupled with great weather for over 8 months of the year, make this the perfect place for the sea and sand lover. If you're a diver, there are a couple of scuba clubs in the area so you can hire equipment and get all the info you need to explore beneath the waves. Then again, you could just lay on Nahariya's beach, soaking up the sun (don't forget your sun block!) or sit in one of the many beachside café's gazing at the water and the passers by whilst enjoying a cold beer, a delicious fish meal or a pizza.
Nahariya isn't just the beach – Gaaton Avenue is lined with many fine café's and restaurants and here you'll find many of the locals doing what they seem to love doing the most, sitting outside over a cup of coffee, arguing about politics or sport! Just like on the Riviera! For a really interesting experience, take a horse and carriage ride around the town during the summer nights – the kids will love it and it's also very romantic. The rides leave from the entrance of the Carlton Hotel.
The area around Nahariya also has plenty to offer. Just north is Rosh Hanikra with a cable car that descends into some amazing grottos that the sea's relentless waves have carved out over the millennia.
To the south of Nahariya is the ancient walled city of Akko with its fishing port and authentic Middle Eastern "souk" or market. Visit the Crusader Halls and enjoy a wonderful fish meal or real humus.
Just a few minutes from Nahariya you'll find the wonderful Baha'i gardens, just check at your hotel for opening times. Not far from the Baha'i Gardens, is the Ghetto Fighters House Museum at Kibbutz Lochamay HaGhetto'ot, a sobering experience but one that should not be missed.
There is so much to see and do in Nahariya and the surrounding area, that you would need an entire guide book to tell it all. Come and see for yourself what Nahariya has to offer you and your family, it's a decision you'll never regret.