# Frommer's Guide to Israel: Haifa

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Robert Ullian, Frommer's Guide to Israel: Haifa, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Frommer's Guide to Israel:
> 
> Haifa
> 
> Robert Ullian
> 
> 1998
> 
> Some compare Haifa, beautifully situated on a hill
> overlooking a broad bay, to San Francisco or Naples.
> Israel's third-largest metropolitan area (population
> 300,000) and the capital of the north, Haifa is like a
> triple-decker sandwich. The industrial area that comprises
> Israel's most important port is the lowest tier; the
> business district (Hadar), higher up, is the second; and the
> Carmel district, with its panoramic vistas, nestled even
> higher on the upper pine slopes, constitutes the third.
> Plans are now in progress to convert the beach areas
> southwest of the port into Israel's own "Riviera;" you'll
> see a great deal of hotel construction underway along the
> shoreline during the next few years. The beaches are already
> excellent.
> 
> Haifa Today
> 
> Very different from either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, the city
> is a pleasure to visit just to get a sense of its beauty and
> lifestyle. In a society unlike any other in the Middle East,
> Jews and Arabs live and work side by side; 25% of Haifa's
> population is either Muslim or Christian.
> 
> Like the rest of the country, Haifa is booming. Construction
> of new hotels (including a totally new hotel district down
> near the shore) is already under way. Planned development of
> the truly beautiful beaches just to the south of Haifa will
> change the nature of the city as a travel destination over
> the next few years.
> 
> Haifa is a good base for exploring this part of Israel. You
> won't need to rent a car if you base yourself here; many
> organized day tours originate in Haifa, or, since Haifa is a
> major transportation hub, you can just use public
> transportation to explore cities like Akko or even Safed on
> your own. In the evening, after a day of touring the area,
> Haifa offers a good choice of restaurants, films, and
> concerts, or just urban strolling to keep you busy.
> 
> Haifa has been the area's principal seaport since the
> British built its modern harbor (1929-34). Back in 1898,
> when he sailed past the spot that was to become modern
> Haifa, Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, saw a prophetic
> vision: "Huge liners rode at anchor . . . at the top of the
> mountain there were thousands of white homes and the
> mountain itself was crowned with imposing villas. . . . A
> beautiful city had been built close to the deep blue sea."
> Herzl recorded this experience in his book, Altneuland (Old
> New Land), and miraculously, the city developed precisely
> along the lines he predicted.
> 
> On April 21, 1948, Haifa became the first major city
> controlled by Jews after the end of the British Mandate and
> the U.N. Partition decision in 1947. Although Haifa's
> previous growth had already spurred development of
> residential areas such as Bat Galim, Hadar Ha-Carmel, and
> Neve-Shaanan, the new wave of immigration (more than
> 100,000) gave rise to others: Ramat Ramez, Kiryat Elizer,
> Neveh Yosef, and Kiryat Shprinzak. Haifa Bay, east of the
> port, became the backbone of the country's heavy industries,
> with oil refineries and associated industries, foundries,
> glass factories, fertilizer and chemical industries, cement
> works, textile manufacturing, and yards for shipbuilding and
> repair. Haifa is a workers' city and on political and social
> issues it has a liberal tradition.
> 
> 1 Orientation
> 
> Arriving
> 
> Haifa's intercity bus and train transportation center is at
> its northernmost tip, in the district of Bat Galim, about 2
> kilometers (1 1/2 miles) northwest of the downtown port area.
> 
> BY PLANE
> 
> At Ben-Gurion Airport contact tourist information inside the
> baggage claim area about taxi, sherut, and bus service to
> Haifa, approximately a 2-hour trip. Service to Haifa and the
> north is not as well organized as service to Tel Aviv and
> Jerusalem.
> 
> For the return to Ben-Gurion, El Al Airlines has an early
> baggage check-in service in Haifa, located at the Congress
> Center, 2 Kedoshei Yassi St., open Sunday to Thursday from
> noon to 11pm, Friday from 11am to 3pm, and Saturday after
> Shabbat to 11pm. El Al also offers a daily early morning bus
> transportation to Ben-Gurion Airport (available to anyone,
> not only to El Al's customers). The bus leaves the Egged
> central bus station daily at 3:30am, stopping at many hotels
> along the way, with its final departure from the Dan Carmel
> Hotel at 4:15am. It will pick you up anywhere along its
> route if you call in advance to request it. You can purchase
> tickets in advance from the El Al office, travel agents, or
> hotels (but not directly from the bus driver). For further
> information or to reserve a ticket, phone El Al's office
> (Phone 04/670-170). Sherut (shared taxi) service from Haifa
> to Ben-Gurion Airport can be arranged through Amahl Taxi
> (Phone 04/866-2324). Fare is NIS 44 ($12.30) one way per
> person. Another service to Ben-Gurion is Kavei Ha-Galil, 11
> Berwarld St. (Phone 04/664-444, 04/664-445, or 04/664-446).
> El Al passengers have the option of using a special
> transport company, Tisa La Tisa (Phone 04/643-371), which
> will pick them up at their hotel with a shared taxi or van,
> and get them to Ben-Gurion Airport in time for El Al flights
> for NIS 36 ($10) per person.
> 
> BY TRAIN
> 
> The New Central Railway Station is in Bat Galim. In the
> station you'll find Olamei Hod, a cheerful air-conditioned
> restaurant with set-price breakfasts or lunches if you're in
> transit, open Sunday through Thursday from 5am to 7pm,
> closing early on Friday and all day Saturday. There is also
> the Old Railway Station in Plumer Square.
> 
> Trains to Netanya and Tel Aviv leave approximately every
> hour from 5:45am to 7pm, Sunday through Thursday; the last
> Friday train leaves at 2pm; there's no Saturday service.
> Less frequent service to Akko and Nahariya is available. One
> early morning train departs from Jerusalem on Sunday
> morning. Train information can be obtained by calling Phone
> 04/856-4321.
> 
> BY BUS
> 
> The Egged Bus Terminal, with intercity buses to and from all
> points in Israel, is next to the Central Railway Station in
> Bat Galim. From here, you'll have to take a city bus to
> either of my recommended hotel districts, in Hadar or
> Central Carmel. For Hadar, catch no. 10 or 12; for Central
> Carmel and the top of the mountain, you want no. 3, 22, or
> 24. Interurban bus information can be obtained by calling
> Phone 04/854-9555. Right in the Egged Bus Station is the
> Egged Restaurant, just right for a meal before or after a
> long bus journey. There's a full set-price menu for lunch,
> and it's open Sunday through Friday from 7am to 4pm; closed
> Saturday.
> 
> BY CAR
> 
> Major highway networks connect Haifa with Tel Aviv,
> Jerusalem, and the Galilee.
> 
> BY FERRY
> 
> Your ship will dock in the port at the Maritime Passenger
> Terminal. It's only a short walk to the Paris Square (Kikar
> Paris) station of the Carmelit subway that climbs the
> mountain to Hadar and Central Carmel.
> 
> Visitor Information
> 
> The Haifa Tourist Board Office, 106 HaNassi Blvd. (Phone
> 04/837-4010), is in the Central Carmel neighborhood, just
> across the street from the Nof Hotel. There is also a
> downtown Tourist Information Office at 18 Herzl St., near
> the intersection with Balfour (Phone 04/866-6521 or 04/666-
> 522), and a small Tourist Board Office in the Central Bus
> Station (Phone 04/851-2208). All are open Sunday through
> Thursday from 8:30am to 5pm (till 9:30pm at the Bus
> Station), on Friday until 1pm; closed Saturday. Here you can
> obtain the monthly calendar "Events in Haifa and the
> Northern Region," plus detailed free maps, directions, and
> any other information you might need. The Haifa Tourism
> Development Association puts out a monthly poster, "Special
> Events in Haifa," listing many events of interest; look for
> it in the bus station, in hotels, in all the tourist
> information offices, and in other places around town.
> 
> The Israel Students Tourist Association (ISSTA) has an
> office in Hadar at 2 Balfour St. (Phone 04/867-0222). It's
> open Sunday through Thursday from 8:30am to 1pm, plus 4 to
> 7pm; on Friday it is open from 8:30am to 1pm.
> 
> City Layout
> 
> Of all its graces, Haifa is richest in panoramic views. For
> purposes of orientation, you might think of Haifa as a city
> built on three levels. Whether you come by ship, bus, or
> train, you will arrive on the first, or port, level of the
> city. The second level, Hadar Ha-Carmel, meaning "Glory of
> the Carmel," is referred to simply as Hadar. This is the
> business section as well as the home of the Haifa Museum,
> and some very pleasant restaurants and budget hotels. At the
> top of the hills is the Carmel District, a patchwork of
> verdant residential neighborhoods with its own small but
> busy commercial center called Central Carmel, numerous
> hotels and pensions, restaurants, small museums, and two of
> Haifa's brightest cultural beacons: Haifa Auditorium and Bet
> Rothschild (the James de Rothschild Cultural Center).
> 
> Because Haifa is built all the way up the side of a
> mountain, many of its main streets are sinuous switchbacks,
> curving and recurving to accommodate the steep slopes of
> Mount Carmel. The streets are always and forever
> bewildering, and you will find yourself lost repeatedly. If
> Haifa weren't so pleasant and beautiful, this would be a
> chore. About the only straight road in Haifa is the one that
> climbs the slopes of Carmel underground: the Carmelit.
> 
> 2 Getting Around
> 
> BY CARMELIT
> 
> The Carmelit is a fast and efficient means of getting up and
> down Haifa's various levels. Its terminal station is located
> on Jaffa Road, a few blocks north of the port entrance and
> not far from the old (Merkaz) railway station.
> 
> Pulled on a long cable up and down the steep hill, the
> Carmelit resembles a sort of scale-model M³tro, with only
> 1,800 yards of tunnel. It's picturesque, yes -- and it also
> happens to be the fastest way to get from the port to Hadar
> and Carmel. There are six stops in all. Starting from the
> bottom of the mountain and going up to the top, they are:
> (1) Paris Square (Kikar Paris, lower terminus, port area);
> (2) Solel Boneh (Hassan Shukri Street); (3) Ha-Nevi'im
> (Hadar business district, tourist office); (4) Masada
> (Masada Street); (5) Eliezer Golomb (Eliezer Golomb Street);
> (6) Gan Ha-Em (Central Carmel business district, upper
> terminus).
> 
> Trains run every 10 minutes. The Carmelit operates Sunday
> through Thursday from 6:30am to midnight, Friday from 6:30am
> to 3pm, and resumes service on Saturday from one-half hour
> after the end of Shabbat until midnight; it is closed during
> Sabbath. Ticket machines have English as well as Hebrew
> instructions. The fare is NIS 3.40 ($1.10).
> 
> BY BUS
> 
> Bus fares are charged according to destination, so you must
> tell the driver where you're going. Most fares to places
> inside Haifa itself are NIS 3.40 ($1.10). Haifa's municipal
> buses operate from 5am to 11:30pm Sunday through Thursday;
> on Friday, bus service halts around 4:30pm; there is limited
> Saturday service from 9am to midnight. For information on
> buses inside Haifa, call Phone 04/854-9131; for interurban
> lines, call Phone 04/854-9555.
> 
> Fast Facts: Haifa
> 
> American Express (Phone 08/867-1313)
> 
> Crime
> 
> See "Safety" below.
> 
> Currency Exchange
> 
> Banking hours are Sunday through Friday from 8:30am to
> 2:30pm. Afternoon hours are Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday
> from 4 to 6pm.
> 
> Doctors
> 
> Call the Rambam Hospital in Bat Galim (Phone 04/854-3111).
> 
> Drugstores
> 
> Standard hours are Sunday through Thursday from 8am to 1pm
> and 4 to 7pm; Friday from 8am to 2pm. According to a
> rotating schedule, one or two pharmacies remain on duty
> nights and on Shabbat; their names will be posted in any
> pharmacy window.
> 
> Embassies/Consulates
> 
> The U.S. consulate is at 12 Yerushalayim St. in Hadar (Phone
> 04/867-0615; fax 04/867-5757). Consular services are by
> appointment only.
> 
> Emergencies
> 
> Dial 101 for Magen David Adom first aid services; 04/851-
> 2233 for an ambulance.
> 
> Hospitals
> 
> The Rambam Hospital in Bat Galim (Phone 04/854-3111), and
> Carmel Hospital, 7 Michal St. (Phone 04/825-0211), will
> accommodate visitors.
> 
> Hotlines
> 
> The Rape Crisis Center telephone is 04/866-0111, daily 24
> hours. Emotional First Aid (Phone 04/867-2222) is open 24
> hours daily.
> 
> Laundry/Dry Cleaning
> 
> Laundromats in Haifa are not easily accessible from tourist
> areas; ask at your hotel.
> 
> Libraries
> 
> The main library is at 50 Pevsner St. (Phone 04/866-7766).
> Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 9am to 7pm, Friday
> 9am to 1pm.
> 
> Newspapers/Magazines
> 
> The Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Report Magazine, and Eretz (a
> magazine of history, nature, and travel) are readily
> available.
> 
> Police
> 
> See "Emergencies" above.
> 
> Post Office
> 
> Haifa's most accessible post office with the longest hours
> is in Hadar, at the corner of Shabtai Levi and Ha-Nevi'im
> streets (Phone 04/864-0917). It is open Sunday through
> Thursday from 8am to 7pm; Friday 8am to 1:30pm; closed
> Saturday.
> 
> Radio
> 
> English broadcasts are on Israeli radio 576 kHz and 1458 kHz
> at 7am, 1, 5, and 8pm.
> 
> Religious Services
> 
> "Events in Haifa," available at Municipal Tourist
> Information Offices, lists all major church, mosque, and
> synagogue services.
> 
> Resources
> 
> The Israel Student Travel Association (ISSTA), 2 Balfour
> St., Hadar, can be reached at Phone 04/867-0222 or 04/866-
> 9139: discounts on plane and ferry tickets. Association of
> Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI), 8 Wedgewood Drive,
> Haifa, can be reached at Phone 04/838-7140 or 04/838-4319:
> help for absorption of North American immigrants, social and
> cultural programs, tours, lectures, and activities.
> 
> Safety
> 
> Haifa is generally a low-crime city. Extra care should be
> exercised near the port after dark.
> 
> Taxis
> 
> For special taxis to destinations outside Haifa (including
> Ben-Gurion Airport), call Kavei Ha-Galil, Phone 04/866-4444
> or 04/866-4445.
> 
> Telegrams/Telex/Fax
> 
> Dial 171 for telegrams. You can send telegrams at the post
> office (see "Post Office" above). Ask at your hotel for fax
> services.
> 
> Television
> 
> Two Israeli channels carry many English-language programs.
> Channel 2 is the more highbrow; Middle East television from
> Lebanon specializes in American reruns.
> 
> 3 Accommodations
> 
> The lower and middle areas of town, the port and Hadar, have
> a few very reasonable hotels and pensions that put you right
> at the center of the business district.
> 
> Central Carmel is quieter and has trees, gardens, and views,
> and with the Carmelit, you're only minutes away from the
> other parts of the city. On top of Mount Carmel, when you
> climb the stairs out of the Gan Ha-Em Carmelit station,
> you'll come above ground on busy Ha-Nassi Boulevard. Walk
> southwest (up the slope) and in short order you'll arrive at
> the main intersection of Central Carmel, Ha-Nassi, and Sea
> Road (Derekh Ha-Yam). If you arrive in Central Carmel by
> city bus no. 22, look for this same intersection to use as a
> reference point.
> 
> For bed-and-breakfast accommodations, contact the Haifa
> Tourist Board (Phone 04/837-4010; fax 04/837-2953). They
> will arrange for a variety of accommodations: doubles in an
> apartment cost $40 without private bath, $55 with private
> bath; and $60 for doubles with private bath and separate
> entrance. Their reservations service is open Sunday to
> Thursday from 9am to 3pm. Expect to pay host families in
> cash; breakfast is usually $5 extra per person.
> 
> Hadar
> 
> Moderate
> 
> Haifa Tower Hotel. 63 Herzl St., Haifa. Phone 04/867-7111.
> Fax 04/862-1863. 96 rms (all with bath or shower). A/C TV
> TEL. $95-$120 double. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC,
> V. Carmelit: Ha-Nevi'im.
> 
> Located in a new 17-story office building in the downtown
> Hadar section of Haifa, this upper-middle-ranking choice
> has well-decorated and -designed rooms (all with views of
> the harbor or the city, though not as spectacular as those
> from the higher Carmel neighborhood) and very pleasant
> public areas. Business class guest rooms, with better
> furnishings and equipment, are $11 extra.
> 
> Central Carmel
> 
> Expensive
> 
> Dan Carmel Hotel. 85-87 Ha-Nassi Blvd., Haifa 34642. Phone
> 04/830-6306. Fax 04/ 838-7504. 219 rms (all with bath). A/C
> TV TEL. $184-$300 double. 15% service charge. Rates include
> breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em.
> 
> For 40 years, the Dan Carmel has reigned as Haifa's most
> luxurious hotel. The building itself is a perfectly
> maintained example of 1950s modernistic architecture and
> decor -- a style just now reaching the age to be appreciated
> for nostalgic as well as aesthetic value. There are spacious
> public areas, overlooking beautiful gardens, a large country
> club outdoor swimming pool, and a top-flight staff, all of
> which add up to a relaxing, pleasant experience. Deluxe
> rooms and suites, recently renovated, are beautifully
> furnished and decorated, with wall panels of Chinese or
> classic French textile designs that add a rich, intelligent
> touch. Superior (standard) rooms have not yet been updated,
> and show their age. Deluxe and Superior rooms are divided in
> price between rooms with interesting views and rooms with
> spectacular views. The in-house Rondo Restaurant, perhaps
> the most elegant kosher choice in Haifa, is open Saturday
> through Thursday evenings; a prix fixe meal here is a
> worthwhile (kosher) splurge for a special occasion at $40
> (Dan Carmel guests are exempt from the value-added tax (VAT)
> if the tab is charged to their room).
> 
> Dining: Two restaurants, lobby lounge, pub, poolside snack
> bar.
> 
> Services/Facilities: Executive business center, 24-hour room
> service, hairdresser. Swimming pool, sauna, health club,
> parking (fee).
> 
> Dan Panorama. 107 Ha-Nassi Blvd., Haifa 34632. Phone 04/835-
> 2222. Fax 04/835-2235. 267 rms (all with bath). A/C TV TEL.
> $150-$230 double. Rates include breakfast. 15% service
> charge. AE, DC, MC, V. Carmelite: Gan Ha-Em.
> 
> This hotel, set in a high-rise built in 1986, is less
> expensive and usually has a busier pace than its sister
> hotel, the Dan Carmel, down the street. It's part of the
> up-market Panorama shopping mall complex, which houses a
> choice of clothing shops, small restaurants, and snack bars
> just steps away from the hotel's polished stone lobby. The
> pool has been fitted onto the roof of one of the building's
> lower wings, and catches breezes on hot days. Rooms are
> compact, of efficient, modern design (even lower-category
> rooms have hair dryers), and classified in price according
> to their views (windows in many rooms are not really big
> enough to take in the views). The location, a short block
> from the Carmelit stop and the Carmel shopping district, is
> excellent. There are lots of pleasant Dan Hotel Chain
> touches, like the wonderful breads at the breakfast buffet.
> 
> Dining/Entertainment: Three restaurants, piano bar lounge,
> Viennese cafe.
> 
> Services/Facilities: Business service bureau, 24-hour room
> service. Outdoor pool, children's pool, fitness amenities,
> parking (fee).
> 
> Moderate
> 
> Hotel Dvir. 124 Yefe Nof St., Haifa 34454. Phone 04/838-
> 9131. Fax 04/838-1068. 30 rms (all with bath or shower). A/C
> TV TEL. $108 double. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V.
> Bus: 21, 28, or 37. Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em.
> 
> The 10 front rooms have an incredibly beautiful view of the
> city, the harbor, and across Haifa Bay to Acre and the
> mountains beyond. Each of these rooms has an entire wall
> made of glass as well as a balcony; get one of these if you
> can; back rooms are cramped and confining. But as
> significant as the view is the service. The Dvir is run as a
> hotel training school for the Dan Hotel Chain, and the young
> people who serve you here are out to get good marks both
> from you and from their supervisors. Other amenities include
> clock radios, heat, and wall-to-wall carpeting and use of
> the nearby Dan Panorama Hotel swimming pool. The long flight
> of stairs from the street to the Dvir's front door is a
> minus for many visitors (call ahead if you need assistance).
> 
> From Carmelit station, cross Ha-Nassi Boulevard, and look
> for Shar Ha-Levanon Street; walk one block and turn right on
> Panorama (Yefe Nof) Road.
> 
> Mount Carmel Hotel. 103 Derech HaYam, Haifa. Phone 04/838-
> 1413. Fax 04/838-1763. 100 rms all with bath. A/C TV TEL.
> $75 single; $120 double. AE, DC, MC, V. Bus 3 from the
> Carmel Center.
> 
> A short bus ride or a pleasant 20-minute downhill walk from
> the Carmel Center through one of Haifa's nicest residential
> areas, the Mount Carmel is a new hotel converted from a
> sprawling four-story retreat surrounded by pleasant gardens;
> in 1997, a swimming pool and health club were added. Rooms
> are freshly done and comfortable; ask for one of the new
> rooms added in 1997. You're not in the center of things
> here, and the uphill walk to the Carmel Center is wearying,
> but this is a moderate, relaxing alternative to the more
> expensive hotels in the Carmel Center. Free parking is a
> plus.
> 
> Nof Hotel. 101 Ha-Nassi Blvd., Haifa 31063. Phone 04/835-
> 4311. Fax 04/838-8810. 93 rms (all with bath). A/C TV TEL.
> $125-$160 double. Lower prices Dec-Feb; higher prices July
> 15-Aug 31 and Jewish holidays. AE, DC, MC, V.
> 
> A stay at the Nof Hotel is always an enjoyable experience
> and extremely good value. Nof means "view," and at the Nof
> Hotel every room offers a magnificent panoramic view. Guest
> rooms have especially large windows to take in their
> dramatic vistas; room refurbishing and a new wing are
> planned, but at present, decor in some rooms is starting to
> wear thin. The hotel dining room is good, and the in-house
> kosher Chinese restaurant (see "Where to Dine," below) is
> excellent. A drawback in summer is the lack of a swimming
> pool, but guests have free entrance to a local community
> pool and there are special hotel shuttles down to the beach
> in summer. Check about when planned construction is
> scheduled before reserving.
> 
> The Nof's management has a real commitment to Haifa (it has
> cosponsored some of the Haifa Museum's exceptional
> exhibitions) and the staff will help make your stay
> comfortable and interesting. Berte, the Nof's very efficient
> assistant general manager, offers Frommer's readers who book
> independently a 15% reduction if they stay 3 or more nights.
> 
> Inexpensive
> 
> Hotel Beth Shalom Carmel. 110 Ha-Nassi Blvd. (P.O. Box
> 6208), Haifa 31060. Phone 04/ 837-7481 or 04/837-7482. Fax
> 04/837-2443. 30 rms (all with bath). A/C TEL. $44 single;
> $66 double. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V.
> Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em.
> 
> This is a modern, efficient German Protestant guest house
> equivalent to a three-star hotel, open to all comers, with
> clean and airy rooms equipped with heating. Minimum stay is
> 3 nights. The location, just across the street from many
> luxury hotels and a few doors from the Municipal Tourist
> Office, is great; extra amenities include use of a small
> garden and a library.
> 
> Near the Port
> 
> St. Charles German Hospice. 105 Jaffa Rd., Haifa. Phone
> 04/855-3705. Fax 04/851-4919. $27 single; $48 double with
> breakfast. No credit cards.
> 
> On one of the port area's major thoroughfares, this hospice
> is, surprisingly, a quiet place, set back from the street in
> a large, stone-walled 120-year-old complex of gardens and
> stone buildings. The hospice is run by the Sisters of the
> Rosary, but it's open to all travelers. Rooms are simple,
> two or three beds to a room, with high ceilings, spare and
> practical furnishings, and running water in a sink in each
> room, with ample toilet, bath, and shower facilities down
> the hall, and a nice sitting room, too. You're welcome to
> use the kitchen to prepare meals, and to relax in the large
> garden. There is a 10pm curfew and 9am checkout.
> 
> On Carmel Beach
> 
> This beautiful beachfront area just being developed at the
> edge of the city is served by buses during the day, but can
> seem somewhat isolated from the rest of Haifa at night. The
> area offers a beach resort atmosphere, but is also close to
> the high-tech Matam Industrial Park, at the heart of
> Israel's own Silicon Valley. It is also convenient to
> Haifa's new International Convention Center. Parking here is
> not yet a problem.
> 
> Expensive
> 
> Carmel Beach Hotel and Suites. 10 David Elazar St., Carmel
> Beach, Haifa. Phone 04/ 850-8888. Fax 04/850-0222. E-mail
> carmelbh@netvision.net.il. 287 rms and suites all with bath.
> A/C TV TEL. $220 single; $240 double. Rates include
> breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V.
> 
> This lavish new high-rise hotel completed in 1997, part of
> an entire complex to be built at one of Haifa's best bathing
> beaches, offers superior (standard) guest rooms as well as
> one-bedroom, one-bath suites and a variety of two-bedroom,
> two-bath suites, all with well-planned kitchenette
> facilities, private safes, and voice mail. Everything is
> new, sleekly designed, and laptop-friendly. The variety of
> accommodations makes this a good choice for vacationing
> families as well as long term business travelers visiting or
> working at the nearby Matam Industrial Park; kitchenettes
> compensate for the fact that the site is not near shops and
> restaurants. There are long term discount plans available;
> ask about manger Neil Kaye's special: stay five nights, pay
> for only four.
> 
> Dining/Entertainment: Three restaurants, piano bar, beach
> snack bar.
> 
> Services/Facilities: Business and secretarial center,
> 24-hour room service. Swimming pool, children's pool, beach,
> tennis court, shops, soccer on the beach. Health club for
> extra fee. Free parking.
> 
> In the Hills South of Haifa
> 
> Isrotel Carmel Forest Spa Resort. Carmel Forest, P.O. Box
> 90000 Haifa 31900. Phone 888/ISROTEL or 201/816-0830 in the
> U.S. and Canada; 0181/997-6423 in the U.K.; or 04/832-3111.
> Fax 04/832-3988. E-mail carmel.forest.res@isrotel.co.il. 126
> rms with baths. A/C TV TEL. $250-$450 single; $320-$490
> double, full board included. Treatment programs extra. AE,
> DC, MC V.
> 
> Opened in 1997, this is a luxury spa that offers a green,
> tranquil alternative to the spa hotels at the Dead Sea.
> Rooms are freshly decorated, overlooking the distant
> Mediterranean or the acres of woods surrounding the hotel;
> they have electric kettles and personal safes for extra
> convenience. The spa includes indoor and outdoor pools, a
> gym, Jacuzzi, dry and steam saunas, and a real Turkish steam
> bath as well as a full array of weight loss, cosmetic,
> exercise, massage, meditation, and outdoor nature programs.
> You can arrange for everything from aromatherapy, seaweed
> wrap, water aerobics, horseback riding, Tai Chi, and
> mountain biking to Shiatsu, Reiki, reflexology, and Thai or
> Swedish massage. Meals are well prepared, filled with
> natural, wholesome ingredients.
> 
> 4 Dining
> 
> Haifa can cater to every culinary taste and pocketbook.
> Restaurants escalate in price and geographic level from the
> falafel stands adjacent to the port area to the Dan Carmel
> Grill Room overlooking the Mediterranean.
> 
> Hadar/Nordau Street Mall
> 
> After observing the success of Jerusalem's lively Ben-Yehuda
> Street Pedestrian Mall, Haifa decided to take the plunge and
> turn Nordau Street, one block above Herzl Street, into a
> tree-lined pedestrian area. The result has brightened the
> whole Hadar District, and has brought some really wonderful
> restaurant choices to the center of town.
> 
> Expensive
> 
> Voila. 21A Nordau St. Phone 04/866-4529. Reservations
> recommended. Main courses NIS 36-70 ($10-$19.60);
> fixed-price lunches NIS 58-65 ($l6.20-$18.20). AE, DC, MC.
> Daily noon-midnight. SWISS/FRENCH.
> 
> A charming hideaway in the Nordau Street Mall, Voila is a
> labor of love on the part of its owners, who have provided a
> secluded, intimate atmosphere with specially designed rustic
> French Alpine touches, both indoors and in the garden. The
> style of the kitchen is rich, but this is a place where its
> worth setting aside a diet. Choice appetizers include
> mussels in a butter, garlic, parsley and white wine sauce
> and mushrooms in herb butter stuffed with pät³ de foie gras,
> white cheese, or stuffed shrimp. You can order a seafood
> fondue served with four cheeses and a basket of sliced
> baguette plus a salad (150 grams of shrimp, mussels, and
> other seafood for $35; a considerably larger portion, which
> two can share, is $40); a dazzling house-specialty meat
> fondue for two ($30) served with five sauces on a sizzling
> stone; or roasted mullard (hybrid of duck and goose) breast
> in apple cider and date sauce. Less expensive are dishes
> served with spaetzli (Swiss flour and egg dumplings). A pan
> of Swiss rosti, a Voila specialty, or a salad, is served
> with each main course. Consider dividing a lavish, original
> dessert.
> 
> Inexpensive
> 
> Kapulsky's. 6 Nordau St. Phone 04/864-5633. Desserts NIS 14-
> 26 ($3-$7.50); light meals NIS 20-39 ($5.60-$11). MC, V. Sun-
> Fri 9am-11pm, Sat 1pm-midnight. CAFE.
> 
> Long a Haifa landmark for lavish pastries and beautiful
> light meals, Kapulsky's has a busy indoor cafe and outdoor
> tables that are great for leisurely people watching. In
> addition to its famous European-style pies and tortes,
> Kapulsky's serves salads, souffl³s, and lasagna and other
> light to major meals. Another branch of Kapulsky's is at the
> Panorama Center in Central Carmel.
> 
> Central Carmel
> 
> Expensive
> 
> Villa Rose. 8 Machanaim St. Phone 04/838-2212. Reservations
> required. Main courses NIS 55-100 ($15.50-$28.); business
> lunch starting at NIS 40 ($11.20). AE, DC, MC, V. Sun-Fri
> noon-3:30pm and 7-11pm; Sat noon-3:30pm. Carmelit: Gan
> Ha-Em. FRENCH.
> 
> One of the few remaining villas that once dotted the crest
> of the Carmel Range is the setting for this new restaurant,
> the most luxurious in Haifa. The restaurant is divided into
> a series of chandelier-lit rooms, with formal window
> draperies and 19th-century paintings in gilded frames;
> beside each table is a stand for chilled wine. The decor and
> formal service match the menu, which is classic French with
> just a touch of playful invention. The wine list ranges from
> imported to Israeli choices, including a fine Yarden
> champagne. Classic profiteroles filled with ice cream and
> hot chocolate and house cr°pes Suzette head a rich dessert
> menu. Luncheon specials are an excellent value.
> 
> Moderate
> 
> New York, New York. 122 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/836-1501.
> Hamburgers and light meals NIS 28-40 ($7.80-$11.20); main
> courses NIS 40-60 ($11.20-$16.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily
> noon-midnight. AMERICAN.
> 
> Step inside this convenient place located just beside the
> Carmel Carmelit stop, and you'll think you're in a suburban
> diner in the United States. Steaks and burgers, all weighing
> in at 300 grams (about 2/3 pound) are the big draws here,
> but you'll also find chicken and fish dishes served with
> your choice of potato and salad. More expensive than its
> American counterparts, this is a place to visit if you've
> got a yen for home. There's a fresh, but unimaginative
> one-time salad bar costing $8 or $6.50 if you order it with
> a main course.
> 
> Nof Chinese Restaurant. 101 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/835-
> 4311. Reservations recommended. Main courses NIS 45-65
> ($12.60-$18.20); business lunch NIS 55 ($15.40). AE, DC, MC,
> V. Sun-Thurs noon-3pm and 7pm-midnight; Sat after Shabbat.
> Closed Fri-Sat until after Shabbat. CHINESE.
> 
> A comfortable and well-known kosher Chinese restaurant, the
> Nof Chinese specializes in hot-pot creations and a variety
> of regional styles of preparation. The view in the daytime
> is dramatic.
> 
> Sea Waves Chinese Restaurant. 99 Yefe Nof St. Phone 04/837-
> 5602. Reservations recommended evenings and weekends. Main
> courses NIS 40-80 ($11.20-$22.40); complete luncheon special
> NIS 45-65 ($12.60-$18.20). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-3:30pm
> and 7-11:30pm. CHINESE.
> 
> With its fabulous views, Sea Waves offers a sophisticated
> well-prepared menu with specialties that include skewered
> meats served on sizzling iron plates and hot-pot dishes. It
> also has a large menu of more standard Chinese dishes at
> quite reasonable prices. Reserve a window table right up
> against the view; especially during daylight hours, it makes
> dining here memorable. Peking Duck (order in advance) is $25
> per person; there're good spare ribs and a very nice crispy
> duck with honey that you can order on the spot.
> 
> White Gallery. 125 Ha Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/837-5574.
> Appetizers and main courses NIS 30-60 ($8.40-$16.80). AE,
> DC, MC, V. Sun-Thurs 9:30am-1am; Fri 8am-3am; Sat 10:30am-
> 3am. CONTINENTAL.
> 
> A stylish restaurant, both in terms of cuisine and design,
> this place, with sleek minimalist decor and a sidewalk
> terrace for people watching, is both popular and affordable.
> Haifans come by for breakfast, which can be a simple coffee,
> a full Israeli-style meal, or a soft sesame roll (known
> locally as a bagel) with cream cheese and lox. For lunch and
> dinner, choose from inventive salads (that are meals in
> themselves) such as goose breast with fresh vegetables and
> mozzarella; the Far East salad, with chopped lettuce,
> chicken breast, rice noodles, and fresh vegetables in a
> sweet-and-sour coriander sauce; or the Hot Gallery Salad of
> lightly saut³ed vegetables in a tasty vinaigrette. Pasta
> dishes are also a good choice, and include a rich lasagna
> filled with mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and onions. Fajitas,
> a variety of excellent chicken dishes, quality steaks, and a
> good wine list and cheese platters round out the upmarket
> end of the menu.
> 
> Inexpensive
> 
> The Bank. 119 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/838-9623. Light meals
> NIS 15-36 ($4.20-$10). MC, V. Daily 10am-11pm or midnight.
> Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em. CAFE.
> 
> This is a bright, stylish place, with summery furnishings,
> where you can enjoy sitting at the sidewalk tables and
> watching the activity around Central Carmel. The Bank is
> great for light meals -- pancakes, blintzes, sandwiches,
> salads, crepes, cakes, and cappuccino, or many kinds of ice
> cream confections. The hefty Bank salad is especially
> recommended.
> 
> Chin Lung Chinese Restaurant. 126 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone
> 04/838-1308. Main courses NIS 30-65 ($8.40-$18.20); business
> lunch NIS 40 ($11.20). MC, V. Daily noon-3pm and 6:30pm-
> midnight Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em. CHINESE.
> 
> At first there seems to be no restaurant at all behind the
> sign and posted menu near the corner of Sea Road (Derekh
> Ha-Yam). But go down the adjoining steps and you'll discover
> a cellar dining room with a small-town American-style folksy
> Chinese decor in gold and crimson, with gold tablecloths and
> fresh flowers. The food is mostly Szechuan style, which can
> be spicy but needn't be if you don't like hot food. There
> are 50 items to choose from here; shrimp and calamari dishes
> are at the high end of the price range. Beer, wine, and
> cocktails are served.
> 
> Ristorante Italiano. 119 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/838-1336.
> Main courses NIS 28-50 ($7.80-$14). AE, MC, V. Sat-Thurs
> 5:30-11pm; closed Fri. EUROPEAN/ITALIAN.
> 
> A real favorite with Americans, this is a small, family-run
> restaurant where you can have a filling meal of spaghetti,
> cannelloni, or a truly hefty pizza with fresh toppings for
> less than $9. Breads and focaccia are served straight out
> the oven with heaping salads and wonderful main courses such
> as goulash just like Grandmother used to make, steaks,
> American home-style hamburgers, trout, and Saint Peter's
> fish. A rich bowl of vegetable soup and garlic bread makes a
> fine inexpensive lunch. The management here is very friendly
> and takes good care of returning customers.
> 
> Near the Port
> 
> Abu Yusuf. 1 Ha-Meginim St. Phone 04/866-3723. Middle
> Eastern salad bar NIS 10 ($2.50) for one plate; main courses
> NIS 25-44 ($7-$128). MC, V. Sat-Thurs 9am-midnight; Fri 7am-
> 4pm. Carmelit: Paris Square. ARABIC.
> 
> The sign is in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and this
> restaurant has been loved by speakers of all three languages
> for decades. Newly redecorated but still basically no
> frills, Abu Yusuf's food tends toward the Lebanese, with
> kubbeh, hummus with meat, grilled heart (delicious!), and
> roast chicken. One trip to the wonderful salad bar of 20
> Middle Eastern dishes comes with a main course, or you can
> order the salad bar alone and have a fine meal with fresh
> pita bread and a shot ("jot") of anise-flavored arak brandy,
> and two people will pay about $7 each. A meal with a large
> main course would be $10 to $15. Abu Yusuf offers fresh fish
> and grilled lamb dishes and has won awards several years in
> a row. Very good value.
> 
> In the Market
> 
> Jacko's. 12 HaDekekim St. Phone04/866-8813. Reservations not
> taken. Main courses: NIS 50-60 ($14-$16.80). No credit
> cards. Sun-Thurs noon-11pm; Fri noon-5pm; Sat noon-6pm.
> FISH.
> 
> At this little no-frills place in the market, you'll find
> the freshest, most delicious fish in town. It's run by
> Jacko, a retired fisherman, and his entire family. As Jacko
> originally came from Izmir on the coast of Turkey, you'll
> also find a Sephardic-Aegean touch in first courses like the
> Turkish-style "paella" or in the mezze of little salads that
> comes with your main course. The sesame shrimp and the
> shrimp saut³ed in wine and garlic are fresh and tasty.
> Always ask the waiter what's special and what the catch of
> the day is. From the Carmelit stop at Kikar Paris, walk two
> blocks down S. Nathanson St. and turn right into the market.
> From there, anyone will point out the place for you -- it's
> a Haifa institution!
> 
> German Colony
> 
> This neighborhood, filled with stone cottages built by
> German Christians in the late 19th century, has great
> potential for charm and is undergoing gentrification. The
> Haifa Municipality is helping things along with the
> construction of a new pedestrian promenade on the
> neighborhood's main street, Ben-Gurion Boulevard, which is
> perfectly aligned with the dramatic Bahai Shrine further up
> the slopes of Mount Carmel.
> 
> Expensive
> 
> 1873 Restaurant. 102 Jaffa St. Phone 04/853-2211.
> Reservations necessary. Main courses: NIS 40-85 ($11.20-
> $23.80). AE, MC, V. Sun-Thurs noon-3pm; and 7:30-11pm; Fri
> 7:30-11pm; Sat 1-4pm and 7:30-11pm. FRENCH.
> 
> Occupying a restored German Colony cottage built in 1873,
> this restaurant offers the most superb new kitchen to debut
> in Israel in several years. Each dish is gracefully
> inventive and presented with visual elegance; sauces are
> fabulous. Among appetizers, look for giant mushrooms stuffed
> with a forcemeat of goose breast in a smooth cream sauce;
> giant New Zealand mussels in wine sauce accented by chopped
> chives, or exquisite foie gras wrapped in thin slices of
> smoked goose breast in a sauce of prune, apple, and wine or
> with a slightly tart reduction of blueberries in plum sauce
> (available also as a main course). Main courses, which
> constantly change, may include grilled trout in an orange
> sauce based on Grand Marnier; scaloppini of ostrich under
> fruit glaze, or large, meaty quail stuffed with liver served
> on a bed of lightly saut³ed vegetables in red wine sauce.
> Vegetables are fascinating here, desserts perfect. Decor is
> charming without being glitzy or pretentious. Ask about
> special fixed-price dinners (true bargains) when you phone
> for your reservation.
> 
> Bat Galim
> 
> Bat Galim means "Daughter of the Waves" in Hebrew, and
> you'll know how it got its name when you stroll along its
> beachfront promenade. If you take a ride on the aerial cable
> car between the beach and Mount Carmel, at the lower
> terminal you'll be right at the end of Bat Galim. The
> restaurants I'll mention are all within about a 5-minute
> walk from there.
> 
> If you're not coming from the cable-car terminal, you can
> easily walk over from the main bus or train stations -- Bat
> Galim is located behind the stations. From the Central
> Station, go through the underground tunnel that connects to
> the train station; when you come out of the train station,
> you'll be in Bat Galim. You can also take bus no. 40, 41,
> 42, or 44 from the bus station to the cable-car terminal. If
> you're driving, come across at Hel Ha-Yam, the main
> boulevard running just east of the bus station.
> 
> Moderate
> 
> Dolphin. 13 Bat Galim Ave. Phone 04/852-3837. Reservations
> recommended evenings. Main courses NIS 45-75 ($12.60-$21).
> AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-4pm and 7pm-midnight. Bus: No. 40,
> 41, or 42. SEAFOOD.
> 
> è la carte prices are higher than in other neighborhood
> choices, but the reputation of the restaurant is very good.
> A typical dinner might include the excellent house fish
> soup, tomato-based and richly herbed; shrimp cocktail or
> fried calamari; followed by a main course of fresh fish.
> It's one block inland from Bat Galim Promenade.
> 
> Inexpensive
> 
> Yotvata. End of Bat Galim Promenade. Phone 04/852-6835.
> Light meals NIS 17-27 ($4.75-$7.50); main courses NIS 25-60
> ($7-$16.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 7am-4am. DAIRY/VEGETARIAN.
> 
> Right on the beach, at the lower terminus of Haifa's famous
> aerial cable car, this is an extremely popular emporium for
> dairy and vegetarian food. Everything is made from the
> best-quality produce bought directly from kibbutzim and from
> the famous dairy kibbutz at Yotvata. For under $10 there are
> salads, cheese platters served with fresh herbs and
> vegetables, blintzes, pancakes, vegetable pies, pastas, and
> pizzas. At the upper end of the price range, you'll find a
> selection of fish, chicken, pasta, and hamburgers as well as
> bagels and lox. The mixtures of natural fruit juices are
> famous, as are Yotvata's many ice-cream parlor desserts.
> 
> Cafes & Pastry
> 
> On the loft balcony above the dairy self-service Cafe Carmel
> in the vast Panorama Center is the Viennese Gallery (Phone
> 04/835-2222). The view is incredible from up here, and the
> distinctive architecture does everything to maximize it,
> with a curved, two-story window wall. The cafe serves mostly
> desserts and coffees; but there is also a selection of
> quiches, salads, omelettes, soups, and cold platters, as
> well Saint Peter's fish or "Dakar" fish (served with white
> wine and caviar for $16). Although the surroundings are
> fancy, prices really are quite reasonable. You can get a
> gorgeous Viennese pastry with a whole pot of freshly brewed
> tea or coffee for $6, or for $5, the "Viennese Fantasy," a
> combination of as many flavors of ice cream and as many
> toppings as you like -- you select the combinations. You'll
> find it open from 10am to 11pm daily (until midnight Friday
> and Saturday nights). If you're not a guest at the Panorama
> Hotel and unable to put the tab on your VAT-free bill, you
> will pay an extra 17% above the dollar prices.
> 
> In the downtown area, Exodus Conditoria, 31 Ha-Atzma'ut Rd.,
> is just the place for a light breakfast, afternoon tea, or
> dessert after lunch. The glass cases are crammed with
> delicious croissants, chocolate cakes, pastries, strudels,
> cream cakes, and the like. Coffee and tea are served, prices
> are fatteningly low (that is, you're tempted to go for
> another serving), and hours are 8am to 7pm, except Friday
> when they close at 2pm, and Saturday when they're closed all
> day. Coffee and pastry won't cost more than $3. The Exodus
> is down the street from the American Consular Agency, on
> Ha-Atzma'ut near the intersection with Eliyahu Ha-Navi
> Street (that's the vegetable-and-fruit market street).
> 
> Another good bakery in this area is Hershko Melekh, which,
> although the address is 21 Asfor St. (no phone), can be
> found by walking down Ha-Meginim Street until you're
> directly across from the Italian church; by this time you
> will smell the bread baking, and you can just follow your
> nose to find it (the sign outside is in Hebrew only). This
> is not so much a sweets shop as it is a bakery for bagels,
> rolls, pretzels with onions and spices, or pizza. Prices
> here are good, and you stand an excellent chance of walking
> in to find something coming piping hot out of the oven --
> couldn't be any fresher than that. Another plus is that, no
> matter when you come, you're sure to find it open -- it's
> baking away 24 hours a day. This, too, is a popular place
> with locals in the know.
> 
> Pinat Hatzaut (no phone), on the corner of Ha-Nevi'im and
> Hehalutz streets, specializes in those Turkish pastries
> dripping with honey and nuts, and whatever variety is your
> special favorite, you'll probably find it here, with
> extra-large sizes of all kinds priced at only NIS 2 (60¢).
> There are also doughnuts, bagels, huge pretzels, and other
> treats. Open Sunday through Thursday from 4am to midnight,
> closing Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.
> 
> Over on Herzl Street, near the corner of Shemaryahu Levin
> Street, look for Contidory Ha'uga, 14 Herzl St. (Phone
> 04/862-5288), a bakery doing a lively business in every kind
> of baked goods, from simple rolls, bread, doughnuts, and
> cookies, up to the most artistic refrigerated confections of
> chocolate and whipped cream. You can get a cup of cappuccino
> here too, and enjoy it with a sweet, but you'll have to
> stand up along the coffee counter -- the place is so busy,
> they've taken out the chairs to make room for all the
> customers. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 8am to
> 8pm, on Friday until 3pm; closed Saturday.
> 
> 5 Attractions
> 
> Before setting out, check with the Haifa Municipal
> Information Office's "What's on in Haifa," which tells you
> what's happening during the month that you're in town.
> 
> The Top Attractions
> 
> In Hadar
> 
> Bahá'í Shrine & Gardens. Free admission. Modest dress
> required. Shrine daily 9am-noon; gardens daily 9am-5pm. Bus:
> 22 from the port, 23, 25, and 26 from Hadar.
> 
> Haifa's most impressive sightseeing attraction is the
> splendid Bahá'í Shrine and Gardens, reached from Zionism
> (Ha-Zionut) Avenue. The immaculate, majestic Bahá'í gardens
> -- with their stone peacocks and eagles, and delicately
> manicured cypress trees -- are a restful, esthetic memorial
> to the founders of the Bahá'í faith.
> 
> Haifa is the international headquarters for the Bahá'í
> faith, which began in Persia in the mid-19th century in a
> bloodbath of persecution. Bahá'ís believe in the unity of
> all religions and see all religious leaders -- Christ,
> Buddha, Muhammad, Moses -- as messengers of God, sent at
> different times in history with doctrines varying to fit
> changing social needs, but bringing substantially the same
> message. The most recent of these heavenly teachers,
> according to Bahá'ís, was Bahaullah. He was exiled by the
> Turkish authorities to Acre, wrote his doctrines there, and
> died a peaceful death in Bahji House just north of Acre.
> 
> In the Haifa gardens, the huge domed shrine entombs the
> remains of the Bahaullah's herald, the Bab. The tomb is a
> sight to see, with ornamental gold work and flowers in
> almost every nook and cranny. The Bab's remains,
> incidentally, were hidden for years after he died a martyr's
> death in front of a firing squad. Eventually, however, his
> followers secretly carried his remains to the Holy Land. At
> the entrance to the shrine, where you must remove your
> shoes, you will be given a pamphlet providing further
> details on Bahá'í history and doctrine.
> 
> On a higher hilltop stands the Corinthian-style Bahá'í
> International Archives building, modeled after the
> Parthenon, and the Universal House of Justice, with 58
> marble columns and hanging gardens behind. These are
> business buildings, not open to visitors. They and the
> shrine of the tomb of the Bab all face toward Acre, the
> burial place of Bahaullah.
> 
> The beautiful grounds were planned by Shoghi Effendi, the
> late Guardian of the Faith. In addition to curious visitors,
> you'll see pilgrims who have come from all parts of the
> world to pay homage to the first leaders of this universal
> faith.
> 
> Note: The Bahá'í gardens are currently undergoing a massive
> redesign that will make them into one of the horticultural
> wonders of the world. You may be able to see part of the
> hanging-garden concept of the design as it is completed, but
> much will be under construction during the time span of this
> edition.
> 
> Haifa Museum -- Modern Art Museum. 26 Shabtai Levi St. Phone
> 04/852-3255. Admission good for all 3 branches of Haifa
> Museum NIS 16 ($4.50), NIS 12 ($3.40) students. Sun-Fri 10am-
> 1pm; also Tues-Thurs 5-8pm; Sat 10am-3pm. Bus: 12, 22, or
> 41. Carmelit: Ha-Nevi'im station in Hadar.
> 
> The Haifa Museum is composed of three branches. This is the
> downtown branch, containing the Museum of Modern Art, a
> collection of paintings, sculpture, and prints by Israeli
> and foreign artists, with a strong emphasis on Israeli art.
> The library and slide collection is open to the public;
> lectures, art films, and slide presentations are held in the
> evenings.
> 
> Haifa Museum -- Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art. 89 Ha-Nassi
> Blvd. Phone 04/838-3554. Admission good for all 3 Haifa
> Museums NIS 16 ($4.50), Bus: 22 or 23. Carmelit: Gan Ha-Em
> station.
> 
> The Tikotin has examples of almost all kinds of Japanese art
> and crafts, along with a library of approximately 3,000
> books. The beautiful building hosts 10 to 12 special
> exhibits of Japanese art and crafts, arranged to reflect the
> changing seasons. It's located just north of the commercial
> district in Central Carmel.
> 
> Haifa Museum -- National Maritime Museum. 198 Allenby Rd.
> Phone 04/536-622. Admission good for all 3 Haifa museums NIS
> 16 ($4.50). Sun-Thurs 10am-4pm; Sat and holidays 10am-1pm.
> Bus: 3, 5, 43, 44, or 45.
> 
> This third section of the Haifa Museum just up the street
> from the Af-Al-Pi vessel, near Bat Galim, encompasses 5,000
> years of seafaring in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The
> Museum of Ancient Art, recently relocated here from the
> central Haifa Museum Complex, displays archeological
> collections of Mediterranean cultures from the beginning of
> history until the Islamic conquest in the 7th century. There
> are outstanding collections of Greco-Roman culture, Coptic
> art, painted portraits from Fayyum, coins of Caesarea and
> Acre, terra-cottas of all periods, and finds from the Haifa
> area. The artifacts obtained through underwater archeology
> are particularly impressive.
> 
> Man³ Katz Museum. 89 Yefe Nof (Panorama Rd.). Phone 04/838-
> 3482. Admission donation. Sun-Mon and Wed-Thurs 10am-4pm;
> Tues 2-6pm; Fri 10am-1pm; Sat 10am-2pm. Bus: 22, 23, or 31.
> Carmelit: Central Carmel.
> 
> This building in Central Carmel, was once a rustic
> mountaintop villa where the French artist Man³ Katz lived
> (the neighborhood has certainly changed). The museum now
> houses Man³ Katz's own work and personal collection --
> drawings, aquarelles, gouaches, oil paintings, sculpture,
> and Judaica -- as well as interesting, well planned visiting
> exhibits of contemporary art.
> 
> In Carmel
> 
> Technion City. Free admission. Visitor center, Sun-Thurs 8am-
> 2pm. Cafeteria, Sun-Thurs 8am-2pm; Fri 8am-noon. Closed Sat.
> Bus: 17 from Central Bus Station, 31 from Central Carmel, 19
> from Hadar at Daniel St., next to the Armon Cinema on
> Ha-Nevi'im St., just down from Masaryk Sq.
> 
> Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, is Israel's
> version of MIT. Begun in 1954, its 300-acre campus now
> consists of 50 buildings, including 12 dormitories, a
> wind-tunnel laboratory, and the Churchill Auditorium. It's a
> most impressive university complex with its view of the
> city, the bay, the coastline clear to Lebanon, and the
> snow-topped Syrian mountains. Most important, the reputation
> of the school has grown so rapidly that it attracts students
> from many foreign countries.
> 
> Because so many people come to see the Technion, the
> Coler-California Visitor Center (Phone 04/832-0664) has been
> established to introduce the campus to visitors.
> You'll be greeted by a real working robot when you come in.
> There's also a free 25-minute video showing the different
> kinds of modern technology being practiced, researched, and
> taught here. You'll also receive a pamphlet and map of the
> campus, which you can use to take your own self-guided tour.
> The student-priced cafeteria downstairs is highly
> recommended for a good budget lunch.
> 
> There are activities held every evening (except Monday) at
> Bet Student, the Technion's Student House (Phone 04/832-
> 0664; see "Haifa After Dark," below). You can stop in at Bet
> Student's pub, cafeteria, or restaurant for a meal at
> student prices.
> 
> University of Haifa. Phone 04/824-0093, 04/240-007, or
> 04/824-0097 for free guided tour reservations. Campus tours
> Sun-Thurs 10am-3:30pm. Bus: 24, 36, 37 or 37A.
> 
> On the Mount Carmel road from Haifa to the nearby Druze
> village of Daliat-el-Carmel you'll see the buildings and
> tower of the University of Haifa. Initially designed by the
> architect of Brasilia, Oscar Niemeyer, new sections planned
> by other architects were added in the 1990s.The university
> began operation in 1963, under the joint auspices of the
> City of Haifa and the Hebrew University. At that time, the
> students numbered 650; now 13,000 full-time degree students
> attend the university.
> 
> The campus offers a magnificent view. From the 30th (top)
> observatory floor of the Eshkol Tower, which you can visit
> on your own, Sunday through Thursday from 8am to 3:30pm
> (admission free), you get an incredible view of practically
> the entire north of Israel. Throughout the university's
> public spaces you'll find a surprising amount of paintings
> and sculpture. The large murals located in the university
> lobby are especially notable.
> 
> The campus has several impressive art galleries. The Oscar
> Ghez Gallery, on the tower's 30th floor, houses a moving
> memorial collection of works by artists who perished in the
> Holocaust, compiled by Mr. Ghez over a 30-year period. The
> University Art Gallery in the Main Building displays
> important works by Israeli and foreign artists. The Reuben
> and Edith Hecht Museum contains a compact but impressive
> Israeli archeology collection, with rotating exhibitions;
> there is also a wing devoted to art -- paintings by
> Impressionists and the Jewish School of Paris. Adjoining the
> Hecht Museum, (at press time under construction) is the
> Maagan Michael Ship Museum, slated to hold the world's
> oldest vessel, a 2,400-year-old Phoenician era merchant ship
> salvaged by university archaeologists off the coast just
> south of Haifa. The art galleries and the museum are open
> Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 4pm, Friday from 10am
> to 1pm, Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Admission is free.
> 
> The Haifa University Students Association sponsors many
> activities throughout the academic year. Call the Students
> Association (Phone 04/824-0544) for information. There is
> also a Hillel House (Phone 04/824-0762) with a full
> schedule of activities.
> 
> Stella Maris Lighthouse and Carmelite Monastery. Stella
> Maris Rd. Phone 04/833-7758. English masses Mon-Sat 6:30am;
> Sun 7 and 9am. Modest dress required. Church open daily
> 6:30am-1:30pm and 3-6pm. Bus: 25, 26, or 31.
> 
> From Ha-Nassi Boulevard and Tchernichovsky Street go
> northwest to the Stella Maris French Carmelite church,
> monastery, and hospice (P.O. Box 9047). In the 12th century,
> during the Crusader occupation of the region, religious
> hermits began to inhabit the caves of the Carmel, in
> emulation of Elijah the Prophet, whose life was strongly
> identified with this mountain. Within a century, these
> monastic hermits were organized into the Carmelite order.
> Although the order spread throughout Europe, its founders on
> the Carmel range were exiled at the time of the Mamluk
> conquest in 1291 and did not return until the 18th century.
> Construction of the present monastery and basilica was begun
> in 1836. Situated across the street from the Old Lighthouse,
> with a magnificent view of the sea, the entire ensemble of
> buildings, including the Lighthouse,
> is known as "Stella Maris." An earlier monastery complex on
> this site served as a hospital for Napoleon's soldiers
> during his unsuccessful siege of Acre in 1799. The pyramid
> in front of the church entryway stands as a memorial to the
> many abandoned French soldiers who were slaughtered by the
> Turks after Napoleon had retreated from his toehold on the
> coast near Akko. It bears the inscription "How are the
> mighty fallen in battle," from King David's lamentation over
> Saul and Jonathan.
> 
> The church is a beautiful structure, with Italian marble so
> brightly and vividly patterned that visitors sometimes
> mistakenly think the walls have been painted. Colorful
> paintings on the dome, done by Brother Luigi Poggi (1924-
> 28), depict episodes from the Old Testament, the most
> dramatic being the scene of Elijah swept up in a chariot of
> fire; but the statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from cedar
> of Lebanon, is also notable. The cave below the altar (which
> you can walk down into) is believed to have been inhabited
> by Elijah.
> 
> Be sure to visit the rooms to the right of the entryway,
> where you'll find a charming nativity scene, a museum with
> artifacts from the Byzantine church occupying this same spot
> before the Carmelites built here, and a small souvenir shop.
> One of the monks will gladly give you a free pamphlet with
> information about the history of this site, and the
> Carmelite order, dating from the arrival of the Crusaders on
> this mountain in the late 12th century. They will answer any
> questions you may have, and guide you to the various
> interesting details of the church, such as the many little
> votive candles burning on the alter above the cave, each
> representing a Carmelite community in another country (the
> United States has its candle up on the left).
> 
> In the Port
> 
> Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum. 204 Allenby Rd.
> Phone 04/853-6249. Admission NIS 6 ($1.80) adults, NIS 3
> (90¢) students. Mon and Wed-Thurs 8:30am-3pm; Sun and Tues
> 8:30am-4pm; Fri and holiday eves 9am-1pm. Closed Sat. Bus:
> 3, 5, 43, or 44.
> 
> The vessel Af-Al-Pi (Nevertheless) is now a part of this
> museum, a memorial commemorating all the ships that defied
> the British blockade to smuggle immigrants into Palestine.
> This clandestine immigration movement, called "Aliya Beth,"
> is one of the most harrowing phases of Israeli history, when
> refugees from the Nazis and escapees from DP camps were
> packed onto illegal ships. Many such ships succeeded in
> making it undetected past British ships guarding Palestine's
> Mediterranean coastline; others were not so fortunate. The
> Struma, in 1941-42, waited for months at sea for some
> country to accept the 765 refugees aboard until at last it
> sank and all on board perished. Others, like the Patria,
> went down in Haifa harbor; hundreds died. Still others, like
> the Exodus, ran the British blockade only to have its
> passengers shipped to a Cyprus detention camp, or,
> pathetically enough, returned to a detention camp in
> Germany. Farther along Jaffa Road, past the bus and train
> stations, west in the direction of Tel Aviv, the road
> changes names, becoming Sederot Ha-Hagana (Hagana
> Boulevard). The Af-Al-Pi is on the left-hand side of the
> road.
> 
> More Attractions
> 
> The Rothschild Community House (Bet Rothschild), in Central
> Carmel near Haifa Auditorium at 142 Ha-Nassi Blvd. (Phone
> 04/838-2749), often has something of interest for visitors.
> Call to see what's up. Interesting, too, are the changing
> art exhibits and folklore programs at Bet Ha-Gefen (Phone
> 04/852-5251), the Arab-Jewish Community Center, on Ha-Gefen
> Street opposite the Chagall Artists' House.
> 
> Aerial Cable Car. Phone 04/833-5970. Round-trip NIS 18 ($5),
> one-way NIS 10 ($2.80) adults. Sat-Thurs 10am-5:30pm; Fri
> 10am-1:45pm. Bus: 26, 28, or 31 to the top terminal, or bus
> 40, 41, or 42 to the bottom terminal.
> 
> Directly across the road from the Af-Al-Pi is the lower
> terminal of the Haifa Aerial Cable Car, on your right-hand
> side beside the sea. The popular Yotvata Dairy Restaurant,
> famous for its salads and ice creams is also at the lower
> terminal. The cable car rides through the air from the beach
> at the western end of Bat Galim up to the tip of Mount
> Carmel, the site of the Old Lighthouse and Stella Maris. The
> round aerial cars, imported from Austria, are equipped with
> recorded messages about what you're seeing as you go up and
> down (flip the switch to choose English or Hebrew). The top
> terminal also has a place for refreshments; the bottom
> terminal's downstairs hall contains an exhibit of a
> different featured artist's work each week.
> 
> Beit Dagon Grain Museum. Kikar Plumer. Phone 04/866-4221.
> Free admission. Tours Sun-Fri 10:30am; call for
> reservations. The museum is only open to the public for the
> guided tours. Bus: 10, 12, or 22
> 
> On display are earthen storage jars, striking mosaic murals,
> and various exhibits showing the development of one of
> humankind's oldest industries -- the cultivation, handling,
> storage, and distribution of grain from ancient to modern
> times. There are even some grains of wheat here that are
> more than 4,000 years old, as well as fertility statues and
> flint grain sickles.
> 
> Chagall Artists' House. 24 Ha-Zionut Ave. Phone 04/852-2355.
> Free Admission. Sun-Thurs 9am-1pm and 4-7pm; Sat 10am-1pm.
> Bus: 10, 12, 22, 23, 25, 26, 32, or 41.
> 
> This gallery exhibits the works of contemporary Israeli
> artists. In 1998, there will be a grand exhibition for the
> 50th anniversary of the State of Israel.
> 
> Elijah's Cave. 230 Allenby Rd. Phone 04/852-7430. Free
> admission, but donations are accepted. Summer: Sun-Thurs 8am-
> 6pm; Fri 8am-1pm. Winter: Sun-Thurs 8am-5pm; Fri 8am-1pm.
> Closed Sat and holidays. Bus: 3, 5, 44, or 45 will let you
> off at the highway nearby.
> 
> From the Af-Al-Pi, it's just a short walk up to Elijah's
> Cave, nestled at the base of steep Cape Carmel, below the
> Stella Maris lighthouse and the Carmelite Monastery.
> Tradition has it that Elijah hid here when fleeing the wrath
> of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. It's also the site where
> Elijah established his school upon his return from exile,
> thus earning the name "School of the Prophets," where
> Elijah, among others, studied. The cave is also said to be a
> place where the Holy Family found shelter for a night on
> their return from Egypt. The cave is sacred to Jews,
> Christians, Muslims, and Druze, all of whom venerate the
> prophet Elijah. Pilgrimages and huge dramatic ceremonies are
> held at this cave many times each year. Head coverings are
> available at the entrance to the cave.
> 
> Israel Edible Oil Museum. In the Sherman Oil Factory. Phone
> 04/865-4237. Admission NIS 10 ($2.80). Sun-Thurs 9am-2pm.
> Bus: 2.
> 
> Many interesting items connected with the cooking oil
> industry in Israel, from over 2,000 years ago up to the
> present, are housed in the original old stone factory
> building.
> 
> Museum of Prehistory, the Zoo, and the Biological Institute.
> 124 Ha-Tishbi St. Phone 04/837-1833 for the museum, 04/837-
> 2886 for the zoo. Admission NIS 20 ($5.60), NIS 16 ($4.50)
> students. Museum and Institute: Sun-Thurs 8am-3pm; Fri 8am-
> 1pm; Sat 10am-2pm. Zoo: Sept-June Sun-Thurs 8am-4pm, Fri 8am-
> 1pm, Sat 9am-4pm; July-Aug Sun-Thurs 8am-6pm. Bus: 22, 31,
> or 37. Carmelit: Central Carmel.
> 
> The first of these maintains a permanent exhibit of fossils
> and artifacts from the Carmel region. Each of the others, in
> its own way, features the animal life of the country, with
> particular attention to the fish indigenous to Israel's
> waters and the fauna of the Carmel region.
> 
> National Museum of Science and Technology. Old Technion
> Campus, Balfour St. Phone 04/862-8111. Admission NIS 14
> ($3.90) adults; discounts for students. Mon and Wed-Thurs
> 9am-5pm; Tues 9am-7pm; Fri 9am-1pm; Sat 10am-2pm. Bus: 18,
> 19, 21, 28, 37, 42, and 50 come nearby.
> 
> The old Technion campus is being developed as a museum site,
> home of the Technoda -- the National Museum of Science and
> Technology. This museum demonstrates the latest discoveries
> in Israeli science. Walk up the hill from Herzl St., and
> you'll find the entrance to the Old Technion campus, on the
> right.
> 
> Railway Museum. 40 Hativat Golani Ave. Phone 04/856-4293.
> Admission NIS 8 ($2.30). Sun, Tues, and Thurs 9am-noon. Bus:
> 17, 42, or 193.
> 
> Two 1950s-vintage diesel locomotives, several cabooses, a
> club car built in 1922, and a passenger coach dating from
> 1893 are the major exhibits, but there are also displays of
> photographs, timetables, tickets, and other memorabilia
> going all the way back to the railroad's construction in
> Ottoman times (1882). This museum is in the old Haifa East
> railway station near Feisal Square.
> 
> Parks & Gardens
> 
> The grounds of the Bahá'í gardens are split by Zionism
> Avenue. Farther up the hill is the lovely Mitzpoor Ha-Shalom
> (Peace View Park), also called the Ursula Malbin Sculpture
> Garden, at the corner of Shnayim Be-November Street. Amid
> trees, flowers, and sloping lawns are 18 bronze sculptures
> by Ursula Malbin of men, women, children, and animals at
> play. The view from here is magnificent -- you can see all
> of Haifa's port area, Haifa Bay, Acre, Nahariya, and up to
> Rosh Ha-Niqra at the Lebanese border, plus the mountains all
> around.
> 
> Mount Carmel National Park, Israel's largest national park,
> has 25,000 acres of pine, eucalyptus, and cypress forest. It
> encompasses a large area of the Carmel mountain range, and
> contains many points of interest that are well marked and
> easily reachable. And, of course, it also has picnic areas,
> playgrounds, a restaurant, and rest rooms. Take bus 37.
> 
> 6 Organized Tours
> 
> The Haifa Tourist Board (Phone 04/837-4010) offers a free
> 2 1/2-hour guided walking tour of Central Carmel (atop the
> mountain) at 10am every Saturday morning. The meeting point,
> marked by a sign, is on Panorama Road (Yefe Nof) at the
> intersection with Shar Ha-Levanon; Ha-Levanon is the little
> street that meets Ha-Nassi right behind the Gan Ha-Em
> Carmelit station. Modest dress is required. Ha-Nassi curves
> and heads northwest behind the Carmelit station. To reach
> the meeting point, take bus no. 23 from Ha-Nevi'im Street,
> or bus no. 21 from Herzl Street, both in Hadar; they run on
> Saturday (note that the Carmelit does not).
> 
> The following companies have all sorts of tour plans of the
> Haifa Region for your consideration: Egged Tours, 4 Nordau
> St. (Phone 04/862-3131); and Mitzpa Tours, 1 Nordau St.
> (Phone 04/867-4341).
> 
> Carmel Mountains
> 
> The Society for Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), 18
> Hillel St. (Phone 04/ 866-4135; fax 04/866-5825), does
> excellent urban and nature trail tours of the Carmel
> Mountains, and also sells excellent hiking and walking maps
> of the Carmel range.
> 
> A 3-hour tour to the crafts village of Ein Hod (see "Day
> Trips from Haifa," below) leaves most weekdays at 9:30am. It
> includes a drive through the Carmel mountain range, visits
> to University of Haifa and the Druze market of
> Daliat-el-Carmel, and stops at art galleries, artists'
> studios, and other points of interest. Check with the
> tourist office for current schedules.
> 
> For bike tours of the Carmel region, contact Gideon at Phone
> 04/822-1288 or 050/413-239 for information about his tours
> and group rides.
> 
> 7 Sports, Outdoor & Other Pursuits
> 
> Ha-Peol and Maccabi are two sports leagues in Israel. By
> contacting either of the leagues or the Haifa Tourist Board,
> you can get the latest data on where to go to play tennis,
> to exercise or work out in a gym, or take in sports events
> as a spectator.
> 
> BEACHES
> 
> Carmel Beach (Hof Ha-Carmel) can be reached by bus no. 3 or
> 45 from Shapiro Street. In winter, at least one beach
> restaurant pavilion remains open until 7pm; in summer until
> 8:30pm. Never more than $10, and usually less, dinner at the
> beach in summer, with the sunset over the Mediterranean at
> the end of an afternoon swimming in the warm turquoise sea,
> is one of the most memorable dining experiences Haifa has to
> offer.
> 
> Hof Shaket (Quiet Beach) in the harbor area of Bat Galim, is
> open with a lifeguard year-round. It can be reached via bus
> no. 40, 41, or 42. The Bat Galim sea beach is on the
> opposite side of the small Bat Galim promontory. Entrance
> fee is NIS 5 ($1.40),
> 
> There is also an adjoining beach, a sandy stretch known as
> the Municipal Beach, free to all comers. These in-city
> beaches are often crowded and not as clean as the more
> distant strand of Hof Carmel. There's also a public beach at
> Kiryat Haim, a Haifa suburb; take bus no. 51. South of town,
> heading toward Tel Aviv, are a number of other good public
> beaches, including Hof Zamir and Hof Dado.
> 
> Bicycling
> 
> Also see above, under "Organized Tours."
> 
> FOLK DANCING
> 
> Israeli folk dancing sessions meet Monday at 8:30pm at Haifa
> University and Tuesday and Thursday at 9pm at Bet Ha-Student
> at the Technion. International Folk Dancers meet Thursday at
> 8:30pm at Bet Rothschild, to the side of the Haifa
> Auditorium on Ha-Nassi Boulevard.
> 
> SWIMMING
> 
> In the Central Carmel section you'll find the Maccabi
> swimming pool on Bikkurim Street (Phone 04/838-8341), heated
> in winter, and serviced by bus no. 21, 22, or 23 and by the
> Carmelit. Admission is NIS 16 ($4.50), but the fee doubles
> in winter. Don't forget the pleasant gardened pool at the
> Dan Carmel Hotel, for a whole day's worth of pool, shower,
> and sporting privileges.
> 
> TENNIS & SQUASH
> 
> A 15-minute ride south of downtown Haifa, in the Kefar Zamir
> suburb, are the Haifa Tennis Center (Phone 04/852-2721 or
> 04/853-2014) and the Haifa Squash Center (Phone 04/853-
> 9160). Both have regular hours, and you're welcome to come
> and play, but you must call in advance to reserve a court.
> Take bus no. 43, 45, or 3A.
> 
> 8 Shopping
> 
> Haifa has a number of modern indoor shopping malls,
> including the Panorama Center in Central Carmel, Migdal
> Haneve'im in the Hadar District, and the Chorev Center on
> Chorev Street at the intersection of Pica Street. The
> Panorama Center is most easily accessible to visitors
> staying in the Carmel Center, and offers branches of a
> number of the country's best women's clothing stores,
> including Dorin Frankfort and Oui Set. Herzl and Nordau
> streets make for an interesting window-shopping stroll, but
> the downtown center of Haifa is not what it once was for
> quality stores.
> 
> Masada Street, with its own Carmelit stop halfway up the
> mountain between Hadar and the Carmel Center has become home
> to a number of small, offbeat antique and curiosity shops.
> My favorite stop here is Yad B'homer Contemporary Ceramics
> Cooperative Gallery at 9A Masada St. Phone 04/862-9239. Here
> you can see the work of eight artisans of high quality, as
> well as special exhibits of guest ceramists. There is also a
> shelf of very reasonably priced Ethiopian figurines and
> Judaica. It's open Sunday and Monday and Wednesday and
> Thursday from 10am to 1pm and 4 to 7pm; Tuesday and Friday
> from 10am to 2pm. Most shops on the street keep similar
> hours. A walk down Masada Street gives you a feel for the
> architectural structure of Haifa's residential
> neighborhoods, with 1930s and 40s apartment buildings
> virtually climbing up and down the mountain on either side
> of the street.
> 
> There are branches of the Steimatzky Bookstores at 82
> Ha-Atzma'ut St., 16 Herzl St. in Bet Ha-Kranot, 130 Ha-Nassi
> Blvd., and in the Central Bus Station. For used books try
> Beverly's Books, 18 Herzl St., second floor.
> 
> See "Day Trips from Haifa" for information about the
> artists' village of Ein Hod, where you can shop for silver,
> enamel, and gold jewelry, hand-blown glass, pottery, and
> other contemporary crafts. Also see the section on the Druze
> villages for handicrafts.
> 
> 9 Haifa After Dark
> 
> Haifa does not have as much nightlife as Tel Aviv, or even
> Jerusalem. Check in the Jerusalem Post, which despite its
> name is a national newspaper covering events, cultural
> offerings, and movies throughout Israel. The Friday-morning
> edition includes the indispensable weekly calendar of
> happenings, some of which are in Haifa. Better yet, call the
> 24-hour telephone hotline for "What's On in Haifa" (Phone
> 04/837-4253), and check with any of the tourist information
> offices, to find out about special events happening around
> town.
> 
> At the Technion and at the University of Haifa,
> entertainment of one kind or another goes on almost every
> night. Every evening (except Monday) at Bet Student, the
> Technion's Student House, there's folk, disco, and '60s
> dancing, films, and other activities. Call Phone 04/832-0664
> during the daytime for information. The many activities at
> Haifa University include movies (free), disco, folk dancing,
> performances by popular Israeli singers and bands, and more;
> call the Students Association (Phone 04/824-0544) for
> information.
> 
> The Performing Arts
> 
> Haifa Auditorium. 138 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/838-0013.
> 
> This is Haifa's largest concert hall, where you can find
> symphony, opera, the Israel Philharmonic, dance concerts,
> and many other cultural events and big happenings. There's
> also usually an interesting art display in the lobby, which
> you can see anytime for free, from 4 to 7pm (except Friday).
> Haifa Auditorium is just a short distance south of the
> Central Carmel commercial district, where Ha-Nassi Boulevard
> becomes Moriah Avenue. Ticket prices vary with performance.
> 
> Haifa Municipal Theater. At the intersection of Pevsner,
> Yehoshua, and Trumpeldor. Phone 04/862-1555. Box Office open
> Sun-Thurs 9am-9pm; Fri 9am-1pm.
> 
> Lots of shows are offered at this theater where the play
> performances are sometimes in Hebrew, sometimes in English,
> and sometimes both, in simultaneous translation. Ticket
> prices vary with performance; seats for many productions are
> NIS 100 ($28).
> 
> James de Rothschild Cultural and Community Center. Bet
> Rothschild, 142 Ha-Nassi Blvd. Phone 04/838-2749.
> 
> Next to Haifa Auditorium, this community center always has
> something going on: a dance, exhibit, or concert. Also,
> inside the community center is the Haifa Cin³-math²que (see
> below under Films).
> 
> Clubs, Bars & Other Entertainment
> 
> Looking for a place to hang out, listen to music, have a
> drink, and dance? The Haifa Tourist Board Office, 106
> Ha-Nassi Blvd. in Central Carmel, across the street from the
> Nof Hotel (Phone 04/374-010), has compiled a list of
> recommendable spots; stop by for information. Haifa is a
> port of call for the United States Mediterranean Fleet. with
> a USO at 114 Yefe Nof St., around the corner from the Dan
> Panorama Hotel, and when the fleet's in, pubs and bars all
> over the city become busy.
> 
> CLUBS
> 
> Martef Esser (Cellar Ten), 140 Ha-Nassi Blvd. on the far
> side of Rothschild Center (Phone 04/824-0762), was once a
> Rothschild wine cellar. It's now a nightspot run by and for
> students, with live music of many kinds (jazz, classical,
> and more), and a nice wicker coffeehouse/bar atmosphere.
> There is a cover charge on Friday.
> 
> Fever, Gan Ha-Em Promenade (no phone) is a favorite disco
> with teenagers. Summer weekend evenings are busiest, and it
> s open after 11pm. Thursdays are over-25 nights
> 
> BARS
> 
> Many of Haifa's restaurants have bars with entertainment.
> Both the upper and lower terminals of the Aerial Cable Car
> are enjoyable places to stop on an evening out, with
> restaurants, bars, and dancing. You can ride the cable car
> until 11pm; most of the year, until midnight.
> 
> Walking along the Bat Galim Promenade toward the cable-car
> terminal, you'll pass Panass Boded (Phone 04/534-978), a
> black-and-white pub/piano bar with an archway over the door.
> Though the sign is in Hebrew, you'll know it's Panass Boded
> by the entertainment listings posted out front. Inside,
> you'll find Israeli Maccabee beer for NIS 7 ($2.10) and a
> network of rock videos for decor. It's open daily in summer
> 8pm to 4am.
> 
> Films
> 
> Haifa's Cin³math²que, 142 Ha-Nassi Blvd. (Phone 04/838-
> 3424), is housed in the James de Rothschild Cultural and
> Community Center. This film repertory theater shows a wide
> variety of international films (up to three different movies
> every day, many in English, most with English subtitles),
> including special-interest art film screenings. Tickets are
> NIS 22 ($6.20). The Cin³math²que hosts the Haifa Film
> Festival each fall at the time of Sukkot. Call for
> information about what's going on.
> 
> 10 Day Trips from Haifa
> 
> Daliat-el-Carmel & Isfiya
> 
> The Druze villages are located 15 minutes from the Ahuza
> section of Carmel. If you're driving, just ask for the road
> to Daliat-el-Carmel. Isfiya is the first village you'll
> reach from Haifa; Daliat-el-Carmel is a very short ride
> farther. The trip takes about half an hour, and it's a
> splendid drive along the uppermost rim of Carmel. The
> Mediterranean is way down below you, and so is the entire
> city, the port, and the industrial area. Bring your camera.
> 
> Architecturally, the villages are no longer the quaint
> enclaves of 30 or 40 years ago; instead, they've become part
> of the urban sprawl at the outer edge of the city. Haifans
> visit the villages for the many home-style Middle Eastern
> restaurants that have sprung up, and for bargain basement
> shopping (see below).
> 
> The Druze are Arabic-speaking people who are, however, not
> Muslims. Theirs is a rather secretive religion; they draw
> heavily on the Bible and venerate such personages as Jethro
> (a Midianite priest and the non-Israelite father-in-law of
> Moses). The Druze were loyal to Israel during the 1948 war,
> and several of their brigades are highly respected
> detachments in the Israeli army.
> 
> They are an industrious people; you'll see their terraced
> hillsides, meticulously cared for and, as a result, very
> fertile. Many houses are new, and also square and boxlike in
> the Arabic style. Outside their own villages, Druze find
> employment on kibbutzim as electricians, builders,
> carpenters, and mechanics. Their hospitality is legendary.
> 
> In both villages, you can buy quite unusual souvenirs and
> handcrafted items, such as new or antique baskets and trays
> in the Druze style at moderate prices, but bargaining is
> necessary. (Markets will be closed on Friday, the Druze
> Sabbath day.) There are several pleasant cafes in both
> villages. You'll see older men in flowing gowns and
> headdresses, often wearing big mustaches, while the younger
> men wear Western-style clothes.
> 
> You can reach the villages on bus no. 192, which leaves
> infrequently from the Central Bus Station; but bus service
> back to Haifa seems to vanish by 3pm. Various tours also go
> to these villages (check with the Tourist Information Office
> for details). There's a sherut service that leaves Haifa
> during the evening from 6pm to 6am, departing from Hadar at
> the corner of Shemaryahu Levin and Herzl streets. Between
> 6am and 6pm, the sherut service from the port area is at the
> corner of Ha-Atzma'ut Road and Eliyahu Ha-Navi Street, near
> Kikar Paris. The sherut takes 25 minutes to reach
> Daliat-el-Carmel and the fare is the same as by bus.
> 
> Where to Stay
> 
> Stella Carmel Hospice. Isfiya (P.O. Box 7045), Haifa 31070.
> Phone 04/839-1692. Dormitory and private rms. $28 single;
> $56 double; $12 per person dormitory. Rates include
> breakfast. No credit cards. Bus:192 from Haifa bus station.
> 
> A short bus trip from Haifa, this atmospheric place is
> operated by the Anglican Church. It's in the style of an
> old-fashioned Middle Eastern country inn. Public areas are
> filled with crafts; private rooms are plain but adequate.
> Only married couples may share double rooms. Lunch and
> dinner, as well as breakfast, are available here.
> 
> Where to Dine
> 
> The Druze villages are lined with eating establishments
> geared to the weekend crowd.
> 
> Ganei Daliyah. Isfiya-Daliat-el-Carmel Road. Phone 04/839-
> 5367. Reservations recommended on weekends. Main courses NIS
> 25-50 ($7-$14). AE, V. Daily 10am-11pm or midnight. MIDDLE
> EASTERN.
> 
> A pleasant garden filled with the sound of its fountain and
> a covered dining terrace are presided over by a colorful
> proprietor, Mr. Toufik Halaby. Standard Middle Eastern
> dishes are a cut above normal, and there are a few
> well-prepared unusual offerings. The pigeon stuffed with
> onion, pine nuts, and sumac, grilled on an open fire, is
> earthy and excellent, as is the homemade Druze bread, and
> the oven-baked sweetbreads. This is a good choice for a
> leisurely roadside repast. If you come late at night and
> have had too much arak, Mr. Halaby rents rooms in a simple
> hotel above the restaurant. Arabic and Hebrew are spoken.
> Coming from Haifa, look for the restaurant with its front
> garden and sign on the right as you leave Isfiya, and before
> you enter Daliat-el-Carmel.
> 
> Muhraka
> 
> Half a mile south of Daliat-el-Carmel, the road to Muhraka
> forks off to the left side of the main road. Its destination
> is not posted, but it meanders and climbs through scrub oak
> and pine woods to the monastery at Muhraka, the place where
> Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal. You'll see a dramatic
> stone statue of Elijah, sword raised to heaven, and a lovely
> Carmelite monastery, open Monday through Saturday from 8am
> to 1pm and again from 2:30 to 5pm (on Friday until noon
> only). The view from the roof of the monastery (NIS 2
> admission) is unsurpassed; you can see halfway across Israel
> to Migdal Ha-Emek and the mountains near Nazareth. There are
> tables for picnics on the grounds outside the monastery. The
> name "Muhraka," or "place of burning," refers to a time when
> this extraordinary vista point was a sacred high place for
> burnt offerings and sacrifices in Canaanite and early
> Israelite times. Interurban bus 192 or sheruts from downtown
> Haifa will take you to the fork in the road that leads to
> Muhraka for NIS 10 ($2.80). From there it's a half-hour
> uphill walk; returning buses are few, and seem to end by
> 3pm. The Druze-Muhraka area is most easily visited by car,
> or as a day-long bicycle excursion from Haifa.
> 
> Ein Hod
> 
> In the coastal hills, 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of
> Haifa, off highway 4 (the old Haifa-Tel Aviv road that runs
> inland and parallel to Highway 2, the major coastal
> highway), is the artists' village of Ein Hod. Road signs
> will point the way for drivers, and from 10am to 5:30pm
> there's Egged bus service all the way up the moun-tainside
> to this famous colony. You can also take bus no. 921 to the
> Ein Hod roadway that intersects with the older, more inland
> Tel Aviv-Haifa Highway 4, and hitchhike up the mountainside
> from there. (True hikers will find the half-hour uphill trek
> a simple one.)
> 
> Ein Hod (Well of Beauty) was built over an abandoned Arab
> village in 1953 by Israeli sculptors, painters, and potters,
> under the guidance of Marcel Janco. The village now includes
> a museum of surrealist art, several workshops, and an
> outdoor theater. It's a picturesque place, tranquil and
> rugged looking, with a view of sloping olive groves and the
> broad Mediterranean that can inspire even the nonartistic.
> Crumbling archways and Moorish vaults are relics of the
> past. Most of Ein Hod's full-time residents are artisans,
> and sell their work in a large, cooperative gallery.
> 
> Cooperation is emphasized: the village members have their
> own council of elders; the handyman is employed by the
> entire community; the gallery takes a much smaller
> percentage on sales than do other galleries; the workshops
> are shared; and the proceeds from the amphitheater's shows
> and concerts, which range from folk and classical to hard
> rock (summer weekends only), are used for the welfare of the
> village. Call Phone 04/984-3152 or 04/984-2029 for
> information.
> 
> The Janco-Dada Museum (Phone 04/984-2350) is open Sunday to
> Friday from 9:30am to 4pm, on Saturday until 5pm. There is a
> pleasant snack bar/cafe for visitors.
> 
> The Ein Hod Gallery (Phone 04/984-2548) carries a good
> selection of the village's work -- silver jewelry, lots of
> ceramics, lithographs, etchings, oil paintings,
> water-colors, tapestries and shawls, sculpture, and
> woodwork. The gallery staff will box your purchases and mail
> them to you wherever you live. Admission to the gallery is
> by a small donation for adults. It's open Saturday to
> Thursday from 9:30am to 5pm and Friday from 9:30am to 4pm;
> Open every day except Yom Kippur.
> 
> Where to Stay
> 
> Nir Etzion Kibbutz Hotel. Carmel Beach 30808. Phone 04/984-
> 2541. Fax 04/984-3344. 74 rms (all with bath or shower). A/C
> TV TEL. $90-$138 double. MC, V.
> 
> If you are driving and continue along the road that runs
> through Ein Hod, you'll reach the delightful resort of Nir
> Etzion. The kibbutz offers glatt kosher meals, an on-kibbutz
> synagogue, in-season pool, children's playground,
> baby-sitting service, transportation to nearby Dor Beach,
> and a warm, friendly atmosphere. The kibbutz is also near
> Mount Carmel Forest. Jewish holidays and weekends and July 5
> to September 1, you may be required to take half or full
> board, which adds an additional 30% to your bill. A Sabbath
> atmosphere is maintained on Shabbat.
> 
> Frommer's Favorite Haifa Experiences
> 
> Promenading. The view of Haifa from the promenade in Central
> Carmel makes you keep coming back for more. By day or night,
> it's always lovely. Combine it with a meal that gives you a
> table right by the edge, or coffee and an elysian vista with
> dessert (see "Cafes," above).
> 
> Beachcombing. Haifa's great beaches are to the south of the
> city, reachable by municipal bus or, in summer, by special
> shuttle from the big Central Carmel hotels, as well as
> sheruts. At Hof Ha-Carmel (Carmel Beach) or the quieter Hof
> Dado just to the south, you can combine a dip in the warm
> gentle waves with shish kebab or falafel from one of the
> many beachside stands. Stay late and you'll see the sunset
> over the Mediterranean.
> 
> A Day Trip to Old Akko. It's amazing to think that two such
> different cities could be located on opposite ends of
> Haifa's sweeping bay: modern Haifa with its panoramas, and
> medieval Akko, with its labyrinth of bazaars, caravansaries,
> and mosques. A short bus ride gets you the 14 miles up the
> coast where you can explore this largely unrestored
> architectural treasure, have lunch or dinner in true
> Mediterranean style at an outdoor harborside cafe, and even
> take a boat ride around the Old City walls.
> 
> Robert Ullian, Haifa., Frommer's Israel, 01-01-1998.
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views42840 views since posted 2002-02-28; last edit 2012;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../ullian_israel_haifa;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
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> Formatted 2002-02 by Jonah Winters.
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> Shortlink: bahai-library.com/552
> Citation: ris/552
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> — *Frommer's Guide to Israel: Haifa (Used by permission of the curator)*