The Carmel Mountains, short Carmel or sometimes Carmel (Hebrew כרמל, originated from “kerem el”, “God's vineyard”; Arabic جبل الكرمل Jabal al-Karmal), is a small mountain region in the northwest Israel.
The highlights of a visit to this scenic area are the port city of Haifa and the high-altitude Druze villages. Between the mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea lies the Carmel Coast; a visit here is worthwhile, among other things because of some beautiful beaches.
The forests of Mount Carmel are actually among the most beautiful in the country, which is why it also crosses Israel National Trail The area. The national and nature parks are located in the region Mount Carmel, Chai Bar Carmel (Hai Bar Carmel), Nachal Me'arot (Nahal Me'arot) and Nachal Taninim (Nahal Taninim). However, forest fires in December 2010 left visible damage in the forest areas that visitors can still see in the forest area between Haifa, the Druze villages and the coast.
Regional breakdown
The Carmel Mountains reach a height of almost 550 m, it runs from the Carmel Cape on the coast near Haifa for about 25 km in a south-easterly direction. In the north it borders Western Galilee, in the east Lower Galilee and the Jezreel plain, south of the Carmel Mountains lies the Sharon Plain. In the southeast the mountain range merges into the mountainous region of Samaria in the West Bank.
In addition to the actual ridge, the region also includes the coastal strip to the west, the so-called Carmel Coast. In the area of the Carmel coast are the most important traffic routes, some of the larger towns in the region, some sights and beaches. The Carmel coast is only a few kilometers wide and narrows from south to north; in the area of the Carmel Cape in Haifa, the mountains practically reach the sea.
places
- Haifa, the capital of the region, is the third largest city in Israel and the largest port in the country. The city stretches from the Mediterranean Sea over the northern slopes of the mountain range. The Baha'i Gardens around the Shrine of Bab are particularly worth a visit.
- The artists' village is just a few kilometers south of Haifa near Atlit En Hod.
- In the middle of northern Carmel is Kibbutz Bet Oren with one hotel.
- Zichron Ya'akov (also Zikhron Ya'akov), 1882 with the support of the family Rothschild founded, is the seat of the largest Israeli winery Carmel.
- The kibbutz Nachscholim with a small museum and beautiful beaches lies west of Zichron Ya'akov.
- Daliyat al Karmal and Isfiya are two predominantly of Druze inhabited villages that have grown together in the meantime (see Druze villages (Carmel)).
Other goals
- The Carmelite monastery is located southeast of Daliyat al Karmal Muhraqa.
- the national park of Nachal Me'arot with the caves inhabited in prehistoric times
- the Dor HaBonim Nature Reserve, the stretch of coast between HaBonim and Dor was placed under protection.
- the Bet She'arim National Park with the necropolis belonging to the world heritage.
background
The Carmel Mountains consist mainly of (often wooded) hills. It is among the areas that have been populated since the earliest history of mankind. Traces of human settlement in some of the region's caves date back to the Paleolithic about 130,000 years ago. In the Bible, Carmel is mentioned, among other things, because Elijah is said to have challenged the priests of Baal: While they did not succeed in igniting their sacrifice through prayer, fire is said to have fallen from heaven on Elijah's prayer, whereby the God of Israel is said to have been the one true God proved. The story ends bloody: Elijah lets the Baal priests lead to the brook Kishon (east of Carmel) and kill there (1 Kings 18,1-40 ). Not least because of these biblical accounts, Christians from the time of the Crusaders settled in the Carmel Mountains and founded monasteries there; the best known are the Muhraqa Monastery in the southeast and the Carmelite Monastery in Haifa.
From the 17th century, Druze villages were founded on Mount Carmel - some of them were later destroyed, so that only the two still existing villages of Isfiya (also Usafiya) and Daliyat al Karmal (or al Karmil) remained. With the beginning of Jewish immigration in the region from the end of the 19th century, Zichron Ja'akow emerged, one of the first new settlements to be established in present-day Israel. Today one of the most important wine-growing regions in the country extends around this small town.
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After the establishment of the State of Israel, large areas of the Carmel Mountains were placed under protection; part of the mountain range is a israeli national park. Parts of the region are even considered the “Little Switzerland” of Israel. However, in December 2010 a fire caused great damage. It devastated vast areas of forest and caused damage in some places in the region - including the artists' village of En Hod. A total of around 50 square kilometers of forest burned down, especially in the area between Haifa, the Druze villages and the Carmel coast. This area was devastated after the fire, the vegetation has largely recovered, but the trees are still far from their previous height. The devastation meant a heavy blow for the popular excursion and hiking area.
language
Most of the places in the Carmel region are Jewish, and Hebrew is spoken accordingly. However, there are also some localities of Israeli Arabs where Arabic is the colloquial language. Generally speaking, however, you can get along well with English.
getting there
By plane
Although there is a small airport in Haifa, it is only of national importance and only the destination of comparatively fewer flights. Normally you travel via the Ben Gurion Airport at Tel Aviv at.
By train
The main line of the Israeli railway runs along the Carmel coast. There are train stations in Atlit (from there, however, the onward journey is difficult as the train station is hardly integrated into the bus network) and in Haifa. You can change to buses at the train stations, among other places Haifa Hof haKarmel, Haifa Bat Galim and Lev haMifrats.
By bus
The Carmel Mountains are only accessible in a few places by bus lines. Getting to the capital of the region, Haifa, is very easy: The city's central bus stations can be reached directly from most of Israel's larger cities and are in the immediate vicinity of train stations (for detailed information see in the article Haifa). Zichron Ya'akov is also served by some bus routes (for detailed information see There). If you want to reach other places by bus, there are essentially only two corridors that are served by buses: Along the Carmel coast, buses from lines 202 and 921 run in close succession on road 4; the stops are almost without exception directly on the main road. The Druze villages - and thus the central Carmel - are accessed from Haifa with buses on line 37 א. During the day, these buses run about every half hour along road 672 to Daliyat al Karmal (only until about 7 p.m.), the line starts at the old central bus station in Bat Galim.
In the street
In the narrow coastal strip between the western slopes of the Carmel Mountains and the sea run the Autobahn 2 and the old coastal road 4, the Tel Aviv in the south and Haifa at the north end of the Carmel Mountains. The toll motorway 6 ends in the southern Carmel Mountains and turns into road 70, which leads from Zichron Ja'akow to the Jezreel plain.
The most important road in the high areas is road 672; it leaves Haifa in the south and then roughly crosses the Carmel in a north-south direction.
mobility
It is easiest if you can discover the Carmel Mountains with your own car - on road 672 you can cross the Carmel in the longitudinal direction, on road 4 you can roam the Carmel coast. Important connections from the coast to the Carmel are the road 721 from Atlit via Bet Oren and the already mentioned road 70.
If you are dependent on public transport, you only have to use the few bus routes already mentioned or your own feet. Destinations that are off Roads 4 and 672 are difficult to reach by bus.
Tourist Attractions
Places and structures
- One of the highlights of a visit to the region is Haifa. From the panoramic promenades of the upper town you have a wonderful view over the Bay of Haifa and wide stretches of land north of the city as well as the artistically designed gardens of the Baha'i around the shrine of Bab (the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). At the foot of the gardens are the pretty houses of the former German colony.
- The artist village En Hod is located 15 km south of Haifa on the western slopes of the Carmel Mountains; It can be reached via the old coastal road.
- The wine town is located in southwestern Carmel Zichron Ya'akov with a small, contemplative city center.
- It is not far from Zichron Ya'akov to the kibbutz Nachscholim on the Carmel coast with the Tel of the ancient city of Dor and a small museum.
- monastery Muhraqa lies in the high altitudes at Daliyat al Karmal; the monastery stands on the place where, according to tradition, the prophet Elijah won the battle against the priests of Baal.
Nature and national parks
In the area of the Carmel Mountains and the offshore coast there are a number of parks of the Israeli National and Nature Park Administration:
- The region between Road 70 and Haifa is largely an Israeli National Park: Mount Carmel National Park. Tel.: 972-4-822-8983, Fax: 972-4-832-2287. Price: Fees are charged for parking lots and campsites.- The park offers hiking and camping opportunities, beautiful nature, deeply cut valleys and impressive panoramas. The extensive forest fire in 2010 left immense damage to nature, even if the vegetation has recovered in the meantime, the park has lost some of its beauty, the old trees are missing.
- The game reserve is a special feature "Chai Bar Carmel" (written mostly Hai Bar Carmel), located just south of the university in Haifa on road 672. Animals that were once native to the region but have since become extinct are bred in the 600-hectare park: Hai Bar Carmel. Tel.: 972-4-832-0648, Fax: 972-4-984-3144. Open: For single travelers it is only open on Shabbat (Sa) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. last admission one hour before closing time; for groups also during the week.Price: fees for vehicles.. Partly wheelchair-accessible, animals are not allowed. The park was also affected by the fire in December 2010.
- On the old coastal road 4 you reach the junction to the Kibbutz En Carmel Nachal Me'arot (Nahal Me'arot). You can also take the 921 Haifa-Hadera bus, which runs at least every half hour. In this park there are caves in which relics of prehistoric settlement have been found. There is a film showing in a cave; Parts of the site are also accessible for wheelchair users. There is a souvenir shop and snacks are available. Nachal Me'arot Natural Park. Tel.: 972-4-98417502, Fax: 972-4-9843144. Open: Apr-Sept: 8 am-5pm, one hour shorter in winter; on Fridays and the days before festivities only until 3 p.m. last admission is one hour before closing.Price: Adults 20 NIS, children 9 NIS.
- Nachal Taninim (Nahal Taninim) nature park, starting point of the aqueduct after Caesarea. Nachal Taninim, the "crocodile stream", is located on the coast southwest of Zichron Ya'akov (near Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael), the stream is one of the last in Israel that is practically free of impurities, so the park is a refuge for Plants and animals: Taninim Nature Reserve. Tel.: 972-4-626-5151, Fax: 972-4-626-5152. Open: April – September 8 am-5pm, one hour shorter in winter; last admission is one hour before closing time.Price: Adults: NIS 20; Children: NIS 9; there are discounts..
activities
- The area around the Mount Rom Karmel, at 546 m the highest point on the Carmel, is a national park that is ideal for hiking. The Rome Carmel (32 ° 43 '51 "N.35 ° 2 ′ 52 "E) is located southwest of the Haifa - Isfiya road (after the confluence of the Atlit / Bet Oren road).
- In the Carmel Coast area there are some beautiful beaches where you can swim.
kitchen
The Druze and the Arabs in the Carmel Mountains cultivate Arabic cuisine; The rich starter plates are particularly popular, as they fill you up on their own. In addition to the typical pita bread, the starters include falaffel, various salads and pastes.
nightlife
Haifa is a particularly good place to go out; There are also various offers here in the evening and at night.
security
There are no exceptional security risks in the Carmel Mountains area. As otherwise, one should pay attention to the general security situation.
climate
In the Carmel Mountains there is a climate that is typical for the coastal region of Israel: While the summer (as everywhere in the country) is dry and hot, the winter is practically frost-free. Due to the location on the coast and the steep western flank of the Carmel Mountains, there is a relatively high amount of rain in an Israeli comparison (an annual average of over 800 mm). As a result, the Carmel as a whole has comparatively lush vegetation and larger natural forests.
