Haifa is a port city in the north of Israel, approximately 80 kilometers north of Tel Aviv; it climbs up the slopes of Mount Carmel (400m above sea level). The population is about 300,000, of mixed ethnic backgrounds. Haifa is the world capital of the Bahá’í religion and it boasts the landscaped terraces of the Bahá’í Gardens and, at their heart, the gold-domed Shrine of the Báb. There are two universities in Haifa – The Technion and the University of Haifa, and a number of colleges. Other than the Bahá’í Gardens the main attractions include the ‘German Colony’ with its many restaurants and the 18 kilometers of beach, part of which is accompanied by promenades and a park. Haifa is well connected to Tel Aviv by rail and buses, with trains running at least twice an hour. Trains to and from the airport run twice an hour during the day and once an hour at night (approximately 80 minutes).
Photo by Maggie McCutcheon