We arrived in Tiberias late afternoon and settled into our overnight accommodations, the Leonardo Hotel, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We enjoyed unobstructed views of the lake from our room and could estimate the size of town. The sun was beginning to set but a group of us were excited to explore this charming port with its shops, cafes and evening vendor stalls.
Founded by Herod Antipas during the time of Roman rule, Tiberias is the largest of the settlements established along the western shores of the lake. According to some sources, the town was built upon a cemetery and Antipas forced Jews to move here in the 1st century AD. Throughout our stroll, we noticed evidence of fortifications throughout the town and we were curious to learn if these ruins dated back to the Roman era. Notable stops on the walking tour include the Turkish Citadel, the famous Etz Hachaim Synagogue and the Scottish Compound.
We stopped for a few moments to take in the beautiful architecture of St. Peter’s Church along the northern promenade. [A better look at the church during the day is provided in additional photos below.] Built by 12th century Crusaders, this charming stone chapel was once a mosque and later a Turkish caravanserai until it was rebuilt in 1870 by the Franciscans.
We then found the Scottish Compound that once provided housing to a group of Scots who made Tiberias their home in the 19th century.
The promenade seemed desolate at the start of our evening and eventually began to bustle with tourists and locals. We passed gelato stalls and beautiful restaurants with extravagant architecture and continued south towards an artists’ quarter.
The lovely paved sidewalks branching off from the promenade enticed us to explore the cafes and shopping when we noticed the Khan, which was once the central square of Tiberias with a mosque at its center. The mosque is the abandoned mosque of Al-Amari. Predating the 1940s, this structure was built by Daher al-Omar in the 18th century.
We found ourselves a bit lost within the fascinating town but quickly found our way back towards the shore gazing out onto the full moon. The sea was calm and the lunar reflection was magnificent.
We had finally arrived at the southern-most stop to find a large metallic plaque with the Sea of Galilee cut out in the middle. Such a technological site seemed so out of place and we learned that the device records the water levels of the lake.
While many online guides referenced a magnificent fountain show at the hours of 9PM, 10PM and 11PM, the event was not running during our visit or may have been discontinued. We were looking forward to the “multi-sensational show that integrates a magnificent fountain like the famous fountains in Las Vegas and Barcelona…with pyrotechnics an elaborate sound system and advanced lighting…” I must say that the 2011 YouTube video was quite dramatic and would have been lovely to have seen.
Although we did not spend much time in Tiberias, we learned that the area is quite known for its several hot springs and spas. We were fortunate enough to have booked a few spa treatments while staying along the Dead Sea, so we were extremely satisfied with all of our shopping therapy for the evening.
It was a short walk along the promenade to our hotel and lugging back our purchases, we were curious as to whether we would need to buy additional suitcases for our travel back home. We had not even reached the halfway mark on our tour, but there were so many amazing souvenirs to purchase and we enjoyed our bonding shopping session in Tiberias. Who knows how much shopping time we will have over the next couple of days?
If you have visited Tiberias and/or the Sea of Galilee, I would love to hear your thoughts on the area. Do you have any suggestions for maximizing your time or any tips that would be helpful? I would love to hear from you if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. I am so thankful that you took the opportunity to review my wonderful time in Tiberias and wishing you many Happy Travels!
Local Attractions:
While many of the locations provided in this post are not identified by a physical address, there is a website that can where you can find these amazing attractions!
Hotel Accommodation:
Leonardo Hotel Tiberias
Gdud Barak Road, 9
Tiberias, Hauafon (Northern) Israel
Telephone: +972 4670 0800
Restaurant Recommendation:
Galei Gil
Yigal Allon Promenade
Tiberias, Israel
Telephone: +972 04 672 0699
The restaurant is known for serving eight varieties of grilled or fried fish from nearby Sea of Galilee as well a the Mediterranean. We loved that the eatery was built around a tree that grows out from the side of the structure. The restaurant provides outdoor seating along the Tiberias promenade with a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee. Order the St. Peter’s fish (Mousht) or the Lavrack (Sea Bass). Meals are served with a baked potato or fries.
Welcome to Tiberias
The View of Tiberias from our Hotel
Lovely View from the Leonardo Hotel
The Galei Gil Restaurant
St. Peter’s Church