Itinerary · Full day · North

Judaism through the ages in northern Israel

Ancient mosaics, a biblical city, a town of mystics and the birds of the Hula at sunset.

Part of Classic Israel: a week across the country →

The shape of the day

We spend the day crossing northern Israel, from the lower hills to the far north, taking in four very different sides of it: a Roman city of mosaics, an ancient biblical city, a mountaintop town of mystics and a valley where the skies fill with birds at dusk.

We begin at Tzippori (Sepphoris), a grand Roman and Byzantine city in the Lower Galilee, famous for its astonishing mosaic floors, among them the woman known as the Mona Lisa of the Galilee.

It was also a great centre of Jewish life, the place where the Mishnah, the foundation of rabbinic Judaism, was set down.

We then head north to Tel Dan, where a nature reserve of rushing springs and shaded woodland sits on top of one of the most important biblical cities in the north.

We see the ancient city gate and the great platform where the kingdom of Israel built its rival temple, and hear about the “House of David” inscription found here, among the earliest mentions of David’s dynasty outside the Bible.

We then ascend to Tzfat (Safed), perched high in the mountains and one of Judaism’s four holy cities. In the sixteenth century it became the heart of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, and we wander its stone lanes, ancient synagogues and the artists’ quarter.

We end at the Agamon, the lake at the heart of the Hula Valley, on one of the planet’s busiest migration routes.

At dusk tens of thousands of cranes come in to roost and the water fills with birds; it’s one of the great wildlife spectacles in the country, and sunset is the ideal time to see it.

Sites we visit

Tzippori (Sepphoris)
Tel Dan
Tzfat (Safed)
Agamon HaHula

Who it’s for

This is a day for travellers who want the variety of the Galilee in one sweep: world-class mosaics, real biblical archaeology, the spiritual depth of Tzfat and a wildlife spectacle to finish on.

There’s gentle walking on shaded trails at Tel Dan and an easy circuit at the Agamon; Tzfat’s old city sits on a hill, with steps and slopes.

The crane spectacle is at its biggest from autumn through winter, though there’s birdlife and beauty in the valley the whole year round. Because it ends at dusk in the far north, it works best with an overnight in the Galilee.

FAQ

When is the best time to see the birds?

The crane spectacle is at its biggest from autumn through winter, when tens of thousands roost in the valley, and the spring and autumn migrations are extraordinary.

The Agamon is worth a visit year-round, but for the full sunset spectacle the cooler months are the time to come.

How much walking is it?

Gentle. There are shaded, accessible trails at Tel Dan and an easy circuit at the Agamon (on the visitor train or in a golf cart).

Tzfat’s old city is on a hill, with some steps and slopes. We set the pace to your group.

Can we add Nazareth, the Golan or a winery?

Yes. Tzippori is right beside Nazareth, and we’re within easy reach of the Golan, so it’s simple to add a Nazareth church, the springs at Banias or a Golan winery, or to spread the area over two days. Tell me what appeals and I’ll build it in.

Where does it start, and do we need to stay over?

It’s a full day right across the Galilee that finishes at dusk in the far north, so it’s best done with an overnight in the Galilee, on its own or paired with another northern day.

It can be done as a long day trip, but it makes for a long day on the road.