Akko With Children

Akko the beautiful and unique.

Akko the colorful, both in appearance and in glorious past and wonderful present.

Akko (Acre), an UNESCO World Heritage Site, welcomes you for a visit in its bustling alleys.

The city is by the sea, on a peninsula, and is surrounded by an ancient crusader wall hiding all the city’s wonders and secrets.

Akko has fascinating sites to tell its story, as well as culinary delights, art and cultural treasures.

We’ve assembled the top 10 places you’d want to visit in the city, places to make your trip fascinating and complete.

Here are Akko’s top 10 sites:

 

1. The Knights’ Halls – Hospitaller Fortress

The Crusader fortress, also known as the Hospitaller Fortress, is considered to be one of the most impressive fortresses in the world. It was built in the 12th century by Knights Hospitaller, a monastic order which aided pilgrims who came from Europe to The Land of Israel. Today, visitors can visit the fortress and its knights’ halls, discovered under Akko’s streets, and learn about life in the crusader city. For dozens of years, rare archeological treasures were discovered, telling the stories of pilgrims, crusader knights and the people of Akko. You can stroll down a crusader street where different craftsmen once worked, observe water systems built by the crusaders to retain water for the people of the fortress and visit the main assembly hall or prison. A 4,000-year-old story unfolds inside the halls of the citadel. The museum has films projected on the walls that tell the story of the Crusades and offer vast historical information regarding the various eras.

Address: 1 Weitzman St. Akko

Opening Hours:

Summer: Sun-Thu, Sat and holidays: 8:30am-6pm

Fri and holiday eves: 8:30am-5pm

Winter: Sun-Thu, Sat and holidays: 8:30am-5pm,

Fri and holiday eves: 8:30am-4pm,

+972-4-9956707

Entrance fee.

2. The Templars’ Tunnel

The Templars were a military-monastic order who – in the name of the pope – aided pilgrims and the ill coming from Europe to visit the holy sites of the Land of Israel. The western edge of the tunnel is where the main fortress of the Templar order was built. The Templar Fortress was the strongest one in the city. The tunnel is 350 meters long and it extends from the Templars fortress in the west to the city’s port in the east. It crosses Pisan quarter and, in the past, served as a strategic underground passageway that connected the palace to the port. The lower part of the tunnel is carved in the natural stone and its upper part is made of hewn stones covered with a semi-barreled dome. The tunnel was discovered in 1994.

Opening Hours:

Summer: Sunday – Thursday, holidays and Saturday: 9:30am-6:30pm

Fridays and holiday eves: 9:30am-5:30pm

Winter: Sunday – Thursday, holidays and Saturday: 8:30am-5:30pm

Fridays and holiday eves: 8:30am-4:30pm

 

3. Treasures in the Walls Museum

The museum is located inside the northeastern walls of Old Akko. Its aim is to preserve the city’s fascinating historical heritage and restore authentic sights from the past. The hundreds of items displayed in the museum enable visitors to get acquainted with the traditional craftsmen who worked in the markets, the spectacular furniture of the city’s elite and the fabric of life in a city that was a unique meeting place of art and religion.

Address: 2 Weitzman St., Akko

Opening Hours:

All week, including Saturdays and holidays: 10am-5pm

Fridays and holiday eves: 10am-3pm

+972-4-991104

 

4. Akko Port

Akko’s first port was presumably located along the lower section of Na’aman River. The port was first mentioned in Kambizes’ journey to conquer Egypt in 527-525 BC, during the course of which Akko boasted hundreds of ships carrying soldiers, horses and supplies. Many of the pilgrims arrived to Israel through the Port of Akko. Akko’s status grew, primarily after its conquest by the Crusaders in 1104, when the port became the main gate to the Land of Israel. You can walk along the Marina and enjoy the local scene.

 

5. Elmarsa Restaurant

A chef restaurant in Akko, combining European and local Akko cuisine. Chef Alaa likes to combine different cooking styles and play with flavors and inspirations. A great combination of local and European cuisines with fresh sea ingredients and raw materials. The restaurant, with its European furniture and white tablecloths, overlooks the city walls, blue sea and fishing boats seen from its large windows

Opening Hours: Sunday-Saturday 12noon-11pm

+972-4-9019281

 

6. Al Pasha Hamam (Turkish Bath)

Governor of Akko, Jazzar Pasha, built al-Pasha Hamam at the end of the 18th century. The Turkish bath’s construction was part of the transformation of Akko during the Ottoman Period from a small fishing village into a teeming port city and trade center. During his reign, al-Jazzar strove to develop the city in many and varied ways. Among his accomplishments are the aqueduct leading water to the city, the breakwater for safe docking at the port and major buildings such as Khan al-Umdan – Akko’s largest mosque – his luxurious palace and, of course, the Turkish bath.

Address: 1 Weitzman St., Akko

Opening Hours:

Summer:

Sunday-Thursday, Saturdays and holidays: 8:30am-6pm

Fridays and holiday eves: 9am-5pm

Winter:

Sunday-Thursday, Saturdays and holidays: 9am-5pm

Fridays and holiday eves: 9am-4pm

+972-4-9956744

 

7. Al-Jazzar Mosque

“A masterpiece of the eastern world”, that is how an amazed traveler passing through Akko in 1783 described the mosque. According to the Arabic inscription engraved above the entrance door, the mosque was founded in the year 1196 to the Hijra (Islamic calendar), the equivalent of 1781/82CE, at the beginning of Pasha Al-Jazzar’s rule over Akko. Wanting to commemorate himself, Al-Jazzar initiated, built, and was the architect and construction supervisor of this impressive and lavish structure named, of course, after him. The mosque – keeping with 18th century Turkish architecture – was built as a large square hall with a big dome and tower on top. The front of the mosque features a wide courtyard surrounded by a colonnade of pillars and arches with 45 small rooms at their rear. Each gap created by the arches was covered with a small white dome creating a row of arches and domes giving the courtyard a charming, picturesque feel.

Location: El Jazzar St, Akko. Open during prayer times and activities.

+972-4-9913039

 

8. Ramchal (RAMHAL) Synagogue

The Synagogue is named after Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto known by his acronym, RaMChaL, who lived in Akko from 1743 to 1747. It served Akko’s Jewish community from the 16th century to the 18th century and today it’s the only active synagogue in the Old City. The synagogue’s uniqueness raises controversy as to its past: some claim the synagogue (located at the edge of an ally on Fakhr A-Din street, close to Al-Muallaq Mosque) was originally built where Al- Muallaq Mosque stands today, then in 1758 the Bedouin ruler Zahir al-Umar decided to turn the synagogue into a mosque, had the synagogue removed, and gave the Jews the current location where Ramchal Synagogue is found today. Ramchal Synagogue is missing two key elements characteristic of synagogues: It has no pulpit (Bimah) leading up to the Torah Ark and no Women Section for prayer.

Address: At the edge of an ally on Fakhr A-Din street

Opening hours:

Sunday-Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm

Closed at noon 12:00-1:30pm

+972-4-9956706

 

9. Amasbia

Amasbia is a kosher dairy restaurant located at the heart of Old Akko’s Turkish Bazar. It offers a rich and diverse menu of fresh food, breakfasts and pastas for kids. You can also enjoy art galleries on-site, showcasing creations of local artists, a wine store to have a glass of Rimonim Winery wine and complement the experience with Galilean cheeses or even visit a fashionable ice cream parlor.

Opening hours:

Sunday-Thursday 9:00am-10:30pm

Fri 9:00am-4:00pm
(Winter time 9:00am-2:00pm)
Saturday closed

+972-50-3272778

www.amasbia.co.il

 

10. Gallery Art 192

A vibrant and lively group of 10 women artists, each different with her own unique say.  Together, they settled in an impressive conserved building from Ottoman empire times, cleaned, renovated and placed rich and diverse exhibitions inside it. The gallery center has a changing exhibition of a different guest artist every month.
The gallery is everchanging and no visit is like the other.
The gallery offers creative workshops in various subjects for groups and individuals. Advance booking required.

Opening hours

Sunday 10am-5pm

Tue-Wed-Thurs 10am-5pm

Friday 9am-3pm

Saturday 10am-5pm

+972-4-8283955