Exploring Akko (Acre)
written by Zvika Gasner Koheleth, photos by Angela Hechtfisch 13-July-2020, edited 15-Sep-2020, 21-March-2021, 11-Aug-2021
Akko (Acre) – general information
The city of Akko, also known as Acre, is a 4,000 years old jam stone in the north part of Israel, located on the Haifa bay, and is only 23 km from the border of Lebanon. The city is inhabitant with 2/3 of the Jewish population and the other 1/3 of the Muslim and Christian community. In the new part of Akko lives mostly Jews and the old city is mainly occupied by the Muslims. The city’s main income comes from tourism, which can explain why the locals are so friendly and hospital. The easiest way to reach the city from Tel Aviv is taking toll road number 6, drive most of its way, a trip that may take just shy of 1-hour. Also, Akko can be a great jumping stone being close to Rosh hanikra and the city of Nahariya, only 10 km. distance, therefore these 3 locations can be smartly incorporated into your 1 tour theme.
What is there to see in Akko?
Well, saying it bluntly, there is pretty much a lot, but as starting good advice, if you wish to see everything that Akko has to offer, split it into 2 days and make an overnight at one of Akko’s finest hotels, such as “The Efendi” or the “Melisende”.
So what to see then? Akko’s “Bahai Gardens”, twin to the “Bahai Gardens” located in Haifa, the Hospitaller Fortress, better known as the “Knights halls” that were only fully dugout in the last 20 years, buried under massive soil and discovered after long and extensive excavation activity, The “Templers Tunnel” from the once exited Templer’s palace to Akko’s port, The “Turkish Hamam”, a Turkish hot bath and wellbeing Centre which used to host the merchant who visited the city, The “Al Jezzar” Muslim mosque – the most famous governor of the city in the late 18th century, that even Napoleon Bonaparte could NOT defeat him in his quest over Akko in 1799, the famous Akko harbor with its traditional fisherman and extreme activity boats, the brave Akko’s youth amateur show jumping from the city’s south-west walls into the sea, some country well-known restaurants like the “Uri-Buri” for seafood or the “Humus Suhila”, the colorful Turkish and Arab markets with its authentic street Bazar…and more.
Akko’s Knights halls
The Hospitallers are a military, monastic order devoted to caring for the sick in the Holy Land and to maintain the personal safety of the pilgrims who flocked to the holy sites. Since the beginning of the 1st Crusaders’ in 1099, headed by King Baldwin of the “Jerusalem Kingdom”. Once the 1st Hospitallers center was NOT sufficient anymore they moved it to a new location in the north part of the city, This Hospitallers center, known to us nowadays as “Knights Halls”, documented 1st in (1149), when a church named after St. John was built in the Hospitaller quarter south of the new center. In 1169, a pilgrim by the name of Theodoric visited Akko. Among his impressions of his journey to the Holy Land, he describes the Hospitaller center as most impressive, During the Third Crusade, the Christians were unable to free Jerusalem from the hands of the Muslim forces of Salah al-Din, therefore they established their new kingdom along nowadays the coastline of Israel and Lebanon between the city of “Tzur” in the north and the city of “Ashkelon” in the south, making “Akko” as their central second Kingdom capital and the Hospilar’s rebuilted headquarters, which consisted of two to three floors around a central court as well as underground sections for water reservoirs and a sewage system.
Once arriving at the “Knight’s halls”, you receive an audio device that includes information for every numerated station in the construction. The audio explanations are clear and short. The estimated time for the visit is between 1.5 – 2 hours. As we write this down, entry fees are 30 Israeli Shekels per visitor (adult), and it includes a circular ticket which incorporates altogether the following attractions: “Knights halls”, “Templer’s tunnel”, the “ Turkish Hamam” and the “Okashi modern art museum”.
The “Hamam” – the “Turkish Baths”
The Turkish baths from the Ottoman period have been turned into a museum for life in the Holy Land in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Hamam began functioning following its establishment by the Muslim governor of Akko, Al-Jazzar, and remained in operation until 1948. Nowadays a 15 minutes multimedia show featuring fictitious bath attendants of the “Hamam” (Turkish baths) will discover the history of the city of Akko and demonstrate the role of the bathhouse in the daily life of the city. The show is available in all major languages ( NOT including Aborigine ).
After the show, visitors pass through the Turkish bath facilities such as the dressing room, the intermediary rooms where cosmetic treatments, healing, and massage treatments took place. The last station is a rounded big steam hall, which contained in the past a heated pool and a steam bath.
As mentioned before, Akko’s “Turkish Hamam” is part of the paid Akko circular ticket.
The “Al-Jazzar” Mosque
The “Al-Jazzar” Mosque is located on Al-Jazzar street in the north part of the old city, just 300 meters shy of the “knights-Halls”. Also named after the Ottoman vicious governor of Akko in the late 18th century which managed to stop Napoleon from conquering the city, after his 1799 siege. The mosque’s completion in 1782 was NOT only for its religious reasons but its grandiose size was intended to serve Al-Jazzar’s consolidating political legitimacy as ruler of Syria. It is believed that Al-Jazzar was the architect of the mosque with drawing up its plans and design and supervising its entire construction, even though he lacked any formal engineering education, but certainly NOT lacking an ecstatic touch.
Until the year 1969 with the renovation of the “Al-Aqsa” Mosque in Jerusalem, the “Al-Jazzar” mosque was the biggest of its kind in Israel.
To reconfirm this interesting religious complex you need to make a pre-booking over the phone (04-9913039) and there are 10 Shekels per person entry fees. One must dress modestly and women MUST have a headcover.
Akko’s port
A traditional Middetirane port that exists over 4,000 years dated back to the days of the Finks. Up to the 19 century, Akko’s port was the most important and served as the opening gate to Israel by sea, but with the growth of the city of Haifa and its industrial port, the port lost its prime position, BUT only the beautiful lighthouse at the harbor’s south-west cornerstone, and the lost remains of the “Templer’s palace” and there’s central bank tells the city’s historical importance through history.
Today you can experience local fishing boats alongside water sport attractions and plenty of tourist trap restaurants. However, there are some great places to eat. We highly recommend “Uri-Buri”, a top seafood spot BUT it comes with an expensive token. On the contrary, a local Arabic cuisine called “Humus Suhila”, one of the best Eastern food establishments in the country, specializing in Humus, a complete meal all under 100 Israeli shekels for 2 people (approx 25 Euros). Whenever “Shuhila”s is too overcrowded and 30 minutes waiting is NOT an option (which is reasonable between 12:00 till 16:00 and NO in advance booking is possible) you may find a free table at “Humus Romeo” located in the city’s market, a 2 minutes distance walk. However, “Humus Shuhila”s must be the preferable choice when available.
Akko Templar’s Tunnel
The Templar’s Tunnel is a 350 meters underground tunnel located under the streets, mainly beneath Old Akko Piza’s quarter. The Tunnel connects between Templar Palace in the west, which was destroyed in 1291 and sank in the sea, to the Akko’s old port in the east.
These crusaders built the Tunnel towards the end of the 12th century as a strategic underground route by members of the Templar Order stationed in Akko, to pass goods and fortune directly from the vessels in the port to the Palace, which held the most valuable safe in the ancient world of that time. The Tunnel was discovered randomly in 1994 after occupants of a house above it complained about a blocked sewer, and inspections revealed it. The western part of the Tunnel was opened in August 1999.
The height of the Tunnel is about two meters most of its length, but only 1.5 meters in the first 20 meters, which requires the passers-by to bend down. Entrance to the Templar’s Tunnel is part of Akko’s circular paid ticket. The visit takes 10 minutes, ending at Akko’s lighthouse and Uri-Buri famous restaurant.
Akko’s Bahai Gardens
The Shrine of Baháʼu’lláh, better known as Akko’s (Acre) Bahai Gardens, is the holiest place for Baháʼís and represents their Qiblih, or direction of prayer. It contains the remains of the Baháʼu’lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. UNESCO inscribed the Shrine in the World Heritage List in 2008. The style of the Gardens and the facilities in them are Eclectic. Even if Akko’s Bahai gardens are the sacred place for the faith, the Gardens located at Haifa are more impressive due to the unique topography and the Haifa bay panoramic view seen from the top of the Carmel mountain. The garden mix different international ideas, precisely as the Bahai faith combines influences from all aspects, mainly from the Persian world. The gardens are beautifully kept, with a repetitive symmetrical synergy.
The Garden represents the Bahai fundamental ideas such as universalism, esthetics and the human spirit, simplicity, the love of light and the beauty of nature, acceptance of the other and integration with the surroundings. It is only a 2-minute drive on road #4 from Akko, and there are NO entry fees. A visit may take a full hour.
Akko’s city market and bazaar
The city’s market and the Turkish bazaar are also two pieces of the puzzle of Akko you don`t want to miss, between the traditional Arabic sweets of “Kashas Knafe”, the classic Sugercane juice at “Cane’s”, Turkish delight cookies at “Jooma Sweets”, “Humus Said”, and other genuine local tastes.
Where to stay in Akko?
Like said above, it is more than recommended to split a visit at Akko for 2 days, or even more, and make an overnight at one of the city finest and comforting hotels, such as the unbelievable “Efendi” ,the luxurious “Melisende”, the beautiful house boutique of Zidan Sarai, and an amazing sea view and gorgeous Arab cuisine at the Arabesque Arts & Residency Center. Booking either choice is an absolute bingo.
