Napoleon
Napoleon’s 1799 campaign through Ottoman Palestine left a thin trail along the coast, from the failed siege at Akko (Acre) to the brief stop at Jaffa. The posts here cover the Jaffa and Haifa chapters of that campaign, set inside the wider Ottoman-period stories of both cities.
5 articles
5 articles
Safed / Tzefat
A return to Tzefat, where I spent three months on my gap year, this time as a guiding student. Akhbara, Mt Canaan, the kabbalists' synagogues of the Old City and a sunset over the Crusader citadel.
Jaffa
A guided walk through ancient Jaffa: the clock tower, Andromeda’s rock, St Peter’s Church, the Bronze Age excavations, Napoleon’s campaign route and the Protestant cemetery with its surprise occupant.
Akko (Acre)
A full day in the old port city of Akko: the British Mandate prison museum, Al-Jazzar Mosque, the Hospitaller Fortress, the Templars' Tunnel, Hammam al-Basha, and the Bahji gardens just outside the walls.
Haifa
A day in Haifa: the Bahai Gardens spilling down Mount Carmel, the Ahmadiyya mosque, Stella Maris and the cave of Elijah, the German Colony, and a hike in Nachal Siach to round off.
Ramla and Lod
A field trip to two adjacent cities in central Israel: the Karaite Centre, White Tower, Arches Pool and Great Mosque in Ramla, plus the Church of St George in Lod. A surprisingly rewarding day for return visitors.
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student