Haifa (חֵיפָה), the third largest city in Israel, is a very modern city with many different attractions. In addition to religious destinations, there are many other cultural centers to visit.
The Baha'i Gardens and World Center acts as the holiest site of pilgrimage for members of the Baha'i Faith, and the surrounding gardens are some of the most impressive in the country. There are also gorgeous botanical gardens adjoined to the Haifa Zoo.
The Cave of Elijah is also considered to be an interesting place to visit for its religious-historical significance. Walking down to the cave from Stella Maris, the French Carmelite monastery, provides a beautiful scenic route.
There are also many museums in Haifa, such as the National Museum of Science, the National Maritime Museum, the Haifa Museum of Art, the Hecht Museum, and the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art.
Unlike a lot of destinations in Israel, Haifa is very easily accessed. It operates its own airport that serves flights to and from Tel Aviv (the closest international airport). You can also take a train from Tel Aviv, Acre, Beersheva, and the Tel Aviv airport. There are also buses from Tel Aviv (line 910) Jerusalem (lines 940 and 947) and Afula (line 301).
If you have a private car, the journey to Haifa from Tel Aviv takes about 2 hours.
Local buses operate on a daily basis, including Saturday, but often do not run on Friday evenings. It is also home to the only subway in Israel, used for getting up and down the mountain from downtown.
