עברית
Old Akko. Its beautiful alleys tell tales of rich history, many sovereigns have left their mark on the city and it stands – stands as a meaningful place in history for different religions for over 4000 years. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site alongside the beautiful Bahai Gardens at its outskirts.
Akko sits on a beautiful Mediterranean bay, which made it an important port city in the region, and for many years it was the portal to the Galilee.
Today, Akko is an attraction and inspiration to its residents and both local and global visitors. Normally (not during Covid-19) the city is teeming with life and full of tourists, the markets are bustling, modern art is weaved with antiques, authentic local food shares a table with incredible culinary developments, there’s infinite entrepreneurship, including gorgeous hosting options in ancient buildings turned inns.
One of the city’s features is the mix of locals and tourists walking through its alleys, which offer something for everyone. Whether it’s eating hummus or visiting the Knights’ Halls – Akko municipality, Old Akko Development Company, organizations like Western Galilee Now and JNF-USA, work together with entrepreneurs and locals to maintain and preserve the city.
Western Galilee Now – Small Business Consortium, operates an information center in the heart of the city. The center underwent an impressive reconstruction process and the building itself is owned by the philanthropic organization JNF-USA, which as part of its Go North initiative and the center’s goal, aims to provide passersby with information about Akko and the Western Galilee. The center hosts changing exhibitions by artists who create across the Galilee, giving their work a proper stage.
During October 2020, we reached out to the public, primarily the local residents, and collected photos of our beloved city, so we could give everyone a glimpse of it, from everywhere in Israel and the world.
This is the very first online exhibition we are opening to the public. We want to thank all the people who are taking part and give special thanks to JNF-USA for giving us, and tourism in general, a chance to live on through a time when tourism has almost completely halted.
Enjoy!
Michal Shiloah Galnoor – CEO
Western Galilee Now – Small Business Consortium
“I find the ties between residents of Akko and their city very interesting. This photo reflects just that: it shows an example of a resident, the fishing tradition so embedded in local culture and living, and the simplicity, all on the backdrop of a city named World Heritage Site.”
“I think this photo shows one of the most interesting activities in Akko. Sailing Akko bay, alongside the Old City walls to a spectacular view of the city and bay itself. The photo was taken from the city walls.”
“In my search for stories around the Old City, a friend recommended the rooftop and clock tower. The orange cat joined me on my way there.”
“Capturing lightning in a photo is no small challenge for photographers, and when such a beautiful one shines in our beautiful city the combination makes for a spectacular photo.”
“A photo of Akko during Covid. I took this photo of a man in a cafe at Khan el-Franj, in the Old City. I love his colorfulness and attitude for life that spread some light in this difficult time.”
“I chose a photo from my visit to Akko, of two women sitting and talking. That moment was so genuine, that is how people live in Akko. Two neighbors go down and sit on a street bench to chat. Something you don’t usually see in cities.”
“I chose a photo that I took one evening during the Open House festival, from one of the houses’ balcony at dusk. A magical moment of blurred lights. The rays of the setting sun and the twinkle of lights from homes and mosques, with the sea in the background. The twinkles from the houses and mosques take the place of the setting sun’s light, in view of towers and rooftops typical of Akko.”
“The beauty and essence of Akko throughout the years were the sea and port. In the photo, you see Akko’s sea, the Mediterranean, at dusk, when its blue color is warmed up by the sunset. On one side of the photo is the Old City walls, a relic from its glorious past, and on the other far side, you can see the ships sailing to Haifa Port, which took over Akko port’s role in the last 100 years. On the remains of walls of past, there is a shrub growing, maybe honoring what has gone…”
There is an age-long tradition in Old Akko to jump off the city walls into the sea. Some even say that whoever didn’t jump from the walls is not truly from Akko. “The photo of people jumping from Akko walls to the sea reminded me of cliff jumpers in Acapulco Mexico, risking their lives to try and make some money off observing tourists.”
“I love this photo because of its interesting perspective – an open window from the sea to Old Akko.”
“I chose this photo because I find it suits Akko’s character and speaks for itself.”
“I took this photo as I was flying near Akko. I particularly liked the sea seemingly blending in with the ancient stone structures of the city.”
One of Old Akko’s features is turquoise windows adorning the buildings overlooking the market alleyways, giving them a special charm. “I chose this photo because I think it represents antiquity, renewal and holiday come together – which is a feature of the beautiful places you get to see when strolling Akko’s alleys.”
“Old Akko has many faces. Cats are an inseparable part of the market and they act like they are its sole owners. The cat in the photo won his fair share of fights for dominance over that vegetable stand where the photo was taken.”
“The boy in the photo is my son and behind his is an incredible panoramic scene of Old Akko, which I think represents a great combination – the past and roots are Akko itself with hundreds of years of history, nobility and pain, as a humble background to the photo, and the hope for a better, promising future is my son, Aadel.”
“In my strolls through the alleys, I’ve found some favorite spots and this is one of them. It excites me every time I see it and I always discover something unique and different. This alley always has a great sea breeze and the view from it is magical, with so much art around. These days when everything is closed and standing still, this photo represents optimism to me.”
“This photo was chosen to highlight the beauty of Akko city; the city UNESCO chose to renovate. I moved to Akko’s Minrav on Sea complex 2.5 years ago because, in my eyes, the view of the sea is the best view in the world. Every night I watch the sunset from my balcony, and each one is better than the last. It was had to decide which sunset to choose. The sea view of Haifa and Akko bays is the best in Israel and Akko has the potential to be one of the fastest-growing cities, with its location and heritage.”
“I’ve captured the port in the photo, with colorful boats waiting to go out to sea.”
As a tour guide who lives in Matat in the Western Galilee, Karmit often visits and gives tours in Old Akko. “As someone who lives in the Western Galilee, Akko is one of my favorite places to give tours. I’m happy for every opportunity I get to go there with people and enjoy the amazing secrets it has to offer.”
“The photo was taken at Carma vacation home, which is inside an ancient stone building with elements from four different historic periods, dating back to the Crusades. Renovations took about two years and used local craftsmen and hands-on work. The result: we’ve turned a rundown house into an unforgettable gem in the heart of Old Akko.”
“I love this photo because it reflects the colors, richness, and diversity of the stands in the market alleys of the Old City.”
“I chose a photo that I took one evening during the Open House festival, from one of the houses’ balcony at dusk. A magical moment of blurred lights. The rays of the setting sun and the twinkle of lights from homes and mosques, with the sea in the background. The twinkles from the houses and mosques take the place of the setting sun’s light, in view of towers and rooftops typical of Akko.”
“The photo I chose to show symbolizes the essence of Akko’s beauty to me, with its diverse cultures, warm neighborly behavior of the residents, the rich history embedded in its walls, and the charming colorfulness it embodies. While I was taking the photo, a pigeon took flight and spread its wings at just the perfect moment, symbolizing coexistence and hope for peaceful times.”
“The photo is actually made of two photos of the entrance to the house, an old 1950s one, and a new one from this year. It reflects the changes the house went through overtime.”
“This photo, which I love, shows Akko’s lighthouse, located at the edge of the Old City walls promenade, overlooking Akko bay, Haifa and the Carmel. I took this photo close to sunset during Ramadan, when all of Akko is festive, decorated, and getting ready to celebrate with those who are soon to arrive.”
“The photo shows pigeons and walls. There is nothing to indicate the existence of man. Only a sense of something ancient still living and breathing.”
Western Galilee Now is a registered non-profit grassroots organization (NGO) promoting awareness and appreciation for the region’s boutique wines, beers, food and produce, along with its cultural diversity, its historic traditions and the area’s scenic routes nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea acting as a Chamber of Commerce to boutique tourism operators in the region.
We expose the visitors to the unique heritage and hospitality through workshops, culinary events, art, music, guides tours, festivals and also through our Tourist Information Center in Akko, owned by JNF USA which we were chosen to operate since Jan. 2016.
Our vision is to develop local and foreign tourism based on close cooperation between all the interested parties in the region.
Come and Taste Experience Discover – the Westen Galilee is NOW!