Tiberias (Hebrew Teveriyah טבריה) is a large town located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee/Lake Kinneret in the north of Israel. The view of the lake from the hills is simply fascinating - so much water, and so blue. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Tiberias received an influx of rabbis who established the city as a center for Jewish learning. Tiberias is one of the Jewish Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Safed. It is a pleasant lakefront resort, and also a good base for visiting the Galilee and Golan (see "Get out" below).

Get in

There are buses from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Nazareth, and other cities. You can also drive to Tiberias, and there are organized tours that come here.

Get around

Nearly all of Tiberias' attractions are close together and easily manageable on foot.

See

Tomb of Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon (Rambam)

Tiberias hot springs

Aerial photo of Tiberias

• 1 Hamath Tiberias National Park. Israel's spa craze actually has a 2000-year-old history which started at the hot springs of Hammat Tiberias when, during Roman times, they were the focus, if not raison d'être, of a community of 40,000 fervent bathers. Check out the history of the site at the Hammat Tiberias National Park, which features a small museum in what was originally part of a Turkish bathhouse. The main highlight is a synagogue dating from the 3rd to 5th centuries AD, which has a beautiful zodiac mosaic floor. Much has been made of the mosaic's curious mix of Jewish and pagan symbols, but somehow this seems quite apt in Tiberias, a town that, historically, seems to have been able to reconcile the spiritual with the more earthly. The fame of Hammat Tiberias was such that in AD 110 the Emperor Trajan had a coin struck dedicated to the springs - with the image of Hygeia, the goddess of health, shown sitting on a rock, enjoying the water. The springs were also mentioned by Al-Idris, an Arab writer who lived during the Crusades, and were recommended by the Jewish sage Rambam to his patients. 

• Old Cemetery with both Jewish and Muslim sections

• Church & Monastery of the Apostles is Greek Orthodox complex is on the site of a Byzantine monastery that was destroyed by the Persians in the 7th century. Since then the complex has been rebuilt and destroyed numerous times; the buildings standing today date from the late 19th century but have been restored as recently as 1975. Three monks live here and they'll usually admit visitors who ring the bell. There are four chapels beyond the pleasant, walled courtyard. One chapel is dedicated to St Peter, one to the disciples, and one to Mary Magdalene; the one in the ancient round tower is dedicated to St Nicholas.

• 2 Tomb of Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon (Rambam). Final resting place of the Spanish physician, also known as Maimonides or Rambam, who worked in the court of the Muslim ruler Saladin. This revered rabbi, who died in 1204, was one of 12th-century Egypt's most highly regarded sages. Legend has it that before his death in Cairo, he instructed followers to load his remains onto a camel and bury him wherever the camel expired. The camel was apparently drawn to Tiberias.Next to Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon's tomb lies Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai, the Holy Land's most eminent sage at the time of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. Ben Zakkai is said to have faked his own death, escaping the city in a coffin and jumping out of the casket in front of the Roman general Vespasian who he prophesied would become the new Caesar. When the prophecy came true, Ben Zakkai was granted one wish by the new leader; a Jewish learning centre for him and students. 

• The Berko Park - the excavations of Roman Tiberias
• St. Peter Church - a medieval crusader church
• The Khan - this used to be Tiberias' central square with a mosque at its centre
• The Antiquities Museum - housed in the Fishermen's Mosque, now under renovation
• The Jewish Court - the site of three 19th Century synagogues at the heart of the old town
• The Scottish Compound - this used to be a small Scottish colony during the 19th century. It now houses a boutique hotel and a church.
• The Citadel - the Turkish citadel was the highest point in the old town. It now houses an art gallery.
• St Peter's Church Hidden along the northern promenade it is worth looking out for the lovely Franciscan church built by 12th-century Crusaders. The Muslims converted it into a mosque, and you can make out an area of uneven stone on the southern wall filling in the hole where a mihrab (prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca) was carved. Later, the Turks used the building as a caravanserai before it was rebuilt as a church in 1870.
• As out of place as a pin-stripe suited gent at a teenage rave, the dignified little Al-Amari Mosque looks threatened and lost squeezed between some gaudy shops and a brusque concrete supermarket. Built by Daher al-Omar in the mid-18th century, the mosque is one of the very few buildings in Tiberias that predates 1948. It is generally held that its construction was partly paid for by the town's Jewish community, presumably grateful to the sheikh for being permitted to return.
• One of Judaism's holiest sites is the Tomb of Meir Ba'al Hanes, the 2nd-century rabbi who helped to compile the Mishnah.The tomb is marked by two synagogues: Sephardic, the one on the left with the white dome; and Ashkenazi, with the blue dome. In the courtyard of the Sephardic synagogue is a pillar topped by a large bowl, and four days before the Lag B'Omer holiday a bonfire is lit here on the Pesah Sheni (second Passover). Crowds of religious Jews visit throughout the year to pray and it is a belief that God will answer the prayers of pilgrims with personal problems.

• Amdur Fine Gallery. A contemporary art gallery featuring the works of several local artists. 

• 3 Sea of Galilee fountain-statue. Showing water level and shape of the sea 

Do

• Stroll along the promenade and catch a northern breeze
• Visit the City Spa, located within City limits and featuring thermal and sulphur pools
• Take a swim in the lake, but don't urinate in it, because the water from here is being pumped and whisked in underground pipes to central Israel for drinking by humans...
• Visit St. Peters church, this holy church was built in year 1100 and you won't want to miss it!
• Hire a bicycle and go cycling around the Kinneret lake (requires a whole day to complete the approximately 55 km circuit)
• You used to be able to take a boat from Tiberias to Ein Gev on the other side of the sea. But as of July 2009 you can only do this as part of a large group, there is no regular ferry service. The "Kinneret Sailing Company" 04-665-8008 runs the boats.

Buy

• The Fish Market
• The promenade

Eat

• Avi's Restaurant, Ha kishon street (in front of Leonardo Club Hotel). 11:00-23:00. A very well known and famous restaurant in Tiberias. The place known for it's delicious meats and it's fresh fish from the Sea of Galilee. Highly recommended 
• Old Tveria restaurant in the center is a really gourmet institution with reasonable prices (much cheaper than comparable restaurants in Tel Aviv). Try their filet mignon or Beef Strogonoff!! An old British pub ambiance with outdoor terrace.

Sleep

Tiberias Hotel Strip

Many cheap hotels can be found across the shore and on the main street. If you do not have a booked reservation, consult any taxi driver (if you want to be ripped off).

• The Scottish House hotel. An upscale boutique hotel, right at the center and steps from the water. Best hotel in town, with restored British decor and fancy tea time tradition. 

• The official H-I hostel. Is located in the center of town, with a price of approx. 18$ for one person a night. 

• Backpacker Hostels in the Sea of Galilee area. 

• Prima Hotel (Prima Tiberias Hotel), 1 Elhadif Street, ☏ +972 4-6791166, fax: +972 4-8559939. 

• Royal Plaza Hotel, Ganei Menorah Blvd. The Royal Plaza hotel is situated just outside the town of Tiberias. There is a free public beach adjacent to the hotel and the Young Tiberias Spa is within walking distance. 

• Tulip Inn Sea of Galilee Hotel (Tulip Inn Sea of Galilee Hotel), ☏ +972 57-9378348. Check-in: 3:00PM, check-out: 11:00AM. Tulip Inn Sea of Galilee is a pastoral resort village boasting the most tranquil of surroundings, the highest standards of hospitality, and service characterized by warmth and love. 

• Ein Gev Holiday Resort (Ein Gev, on the shores of the lake), ☏ +972 4-6659800. One of the largest resorts in the area with 166 rooms. 

• Rimonim Galei Kinnereth, 1 Eliezer Kaplan St, ☏ +972 4-6728888. Luxury hotel with spa and private beach. 
• Tiberias Hostel, Rabbin Square - Hayarden Street (From the Central Bus Station, go 2 blocks east, downhill toward the Sea of Galilee. The Hostel is located in Rabin Square, on the left above the Bank,across from a large Fountain.). Check-out: 10am. A wonderful owner, breakfast included in the price, five minute walk to the sea and boardwalk, awesome for travelers, clean. Great price for all that you get. Two computers available for use with internet and video chat capabilities: no charge for usage; TV with cable, bathrooms in each dorm of four beds. 85NIS. 

• Leonardo Plaza Hotel, Habanim St., Tiberias 14103, Israel, ☏ +972 4-6713333, fax: +972 4-6792320. Luxury hotel 
• David Hostel, Rachel Street, Tiberias, ☏ +972 54-447-1022, hablerd@netvision.net.il. Centrally located in the unique city of Tiberias with a homely atmosphere, the hostel includes 10 rooms, each one with a bathroom, shower, TV & air conditioner. There are also 2 guest kitchens, a large lounge, a balcony, Wi-Fi & laundry service. The hostel provides an authentic residential experience with exposure to the local living characteristics and a multicultural, pluralistic outlook. In addition, David, the owner, will happily offer you guidance and suggestions for great tours in the area over a steaming cup of herbal tea or a cool glass of water. The hostel is located near public transportation routes and a local supermarket. David, the hostel's owner is always there for you with a smile and a sincere desire to assist in any way he can. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, allowing for complete and total relaxation. €62. 

Go next

See Sea of Galilee.

Routes through Tiberias

Eilat ← Belvoir Castle ←

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→ Qiryat Shemona → Metula