The seaside town of Nahariya offers a beautiful and relaxing vacation, regardless of whether visitors come for a day trip or for several days of fun recreation. There are miles of expansive beaches for swimmers along with opportunities to enjoy the area’s culture.
By Laurie Rappeport
About Nahariya
Nahariya was established in the 1930s by pioneers who wanted to create an outpost of Jewish settlement in the Western Galilee. During the early years they earned their living from agriculture and industry. The town began to grow when German immigrants immigrated to the area and chose Nahariya as a town in which they could establish a strong German Jewish presence that featured the types of amenities and atmosphere to which they were accustomed. Nahariya continues to present that same European flavor today with small cafes and coffee shops, cultural events and a diverse population.
Beaches
A highlight of a Nahariya vacation is a visit to the seashore. Nahariya’s beaches are among the Mediterranean coastline’s cleanest. The seashore is sandy, the waves are gentle and the area features a clear coastline that extends down to Haifa to the south and to Lebanon in the North. The Galei Galil beach is the central Nahariya beach where children can play in the shallow waters or swimmers can swim out into the deeper areas, all under the watchful eyes of the lifeguards. The showers and changing areas are clean and well-maintained and there are kiosks where beachgoers can purchase snacks and other goodies.
The Promenade beach stretches from to Acco (Acre) in the south and offers walkers, runners, bikers and others a stunning expanse of beachfront on which they can wander at their leisure. There is a guarded swimming beach with nearby lawns and playground equipment along with a sports and recreation compound wotj skating, basketball and mini-soccer.
Other area beaches include the Achziv beach, part of the Achziv nature reserve and the Bezet beach which is a part of the Bezet nature reserve. Both of these beaches are located just north of Nahariya.
Nahariya Activities
There are a wide range of Nahariya activities to suit any age level or interest. Families can spend several hours enjoying the Botanical and Zoological Gardens, located on Ben-Gaon Street in the Rasscoe neighborhood of Nahariya. The gardens feature the indigenous plant life of the Western Galilee which borders the walkways between the zoological park’s 12 enclosures. These enclosures house pelicans, raccoons, meerkats, tortoises and more. There is a reptile house and a petting zoo for young children. The park also features a crafts center where children can express their visit in the form of art projects.
Leiberman Museum
Nahariya’s history, while not yet 80 years old, offers a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived during one of the most difficult times in Jewish history. Early Nahariya pioneers were faced with complex difficulties in creating a Jewish community in the Upper Western Galilee region while absorbing immigrants who were fleeing from Nazi terror. The Leiberman museum presents this history in pictures, documents and other original materials that enable visitors to learn about the ultimately-successful development of Northwestern Israel.
Blogger/Author
Laurie Rappeport made aliyah to Safed, Israel 30 years ago from Detroit. She works in the field of education, utilizing different forms of formal and informal educational models for young Jewish learners of all ages. Laurie is also involved in a wide range of projects which are aimed at bringing visitors toSafed to enjoy the religious, historical, cultural and artistic sites and experiences that the city has to offer.
