Tiyulim in Haifa

By: Jason and Rebecca

Tiyul: Hike, trek (pl. tiyulim)

As we have mentioned before, the city of Haifa is a mountain. The city isn't on the mountain, it is part of the mountain stretching from the gritty port on the Mediterranean to the University perched at the very top of Carmel Mt. (~1,800 ft above sea level). Hidden among the neighborhoods, shops, falafel stands, shrines, hotels and highrises, there is a surprising network of green spaces. These trails encompass a variety of terrains: forests, wadis (dry river beds), and hillsides covered in sun-loving plants and shrubs.

Jason hiking past a eucalyptus tree

Although there are 8 official trails, many more exist connecting all parts of the city.  Each trail is marked with a colored blaze, but unlike the White Mountains, the trailheads for the Haifa tiyulim can be very hard to find! They are hidden next to bus stops, at the end of a cul-de-sac, or, our favorite, behind the zoo!

Even though you are surrounded by the city, it feels like you are in another world. Enveloped by lush forest filled with bird song, you forget for a moment the busy metropolis on the other side of the trees. It is a welcome change of pace and a good chance to reconnect with nature. 

The Mediterranean sea framed by olive trees 

On a recent hike, we stopped for a snack and heard howling shrieks coming from further down the trail. Interestingly, we also heard them in our neighborhood the other night! Jackals! The sound is very unnerving - a cross between a howling wolf and a crying baby. 

One of our goals for the fall and winter is to take more tiyulim. I learned my lesson about hiking in the summer when I went on a tiyul with my friend Abby and her son Rafi. It started out, as most Haifa tiyulim do, with a long hike downhill. We passed some ancient ruins and lovely springs of cool fresh water. Looking at the map, we decided to hike across the hill and down to the other side to get the bus home. What we didn't realize was that we would be crossing a hillside with no shade in the hottest part of the day. At one point, we had to bushwhack our way to a road as the trail ran through a fenced-off construction area. We were tired and hot, but we made it! 

We are looking forward to many more tiyulim. It's so great to have a little bit of nature to escape to, even in a city the size of Haifa. 

You can look at a map of the city, showing all the green space at the Haifa Tourist Board's website: http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/eng/Attractions_Map.html