Galilee Panhandle

The Galilee Panhandle (Hebrew: אצבע הגליל, Finger of Galilee) is the northernmost part of Israel (not including the Golan Heights), a narrow strip of land running north-south.

Cities

 * (Hebrew: קרית שמונה) – Israel's northernmost city and the only city in this region, with a population of 22,000.
 * – Israel's northernmost town.

Understand
It borders Lebanon to the west and north, the Golan Heights to the east, and the rest of the Galilee region to the south. It is a rural area mostly known for its natural beauty.

Geographically, the Finger of Galilee mainly consists of two parts: the Hula Valley, a very flat region known for agricultural kibbutzim and as a focus of bird migration, and the Naftali Mountains, a steep hilly region along the Lebanese border. Route 90, the main road in the area, runs north-south on the boundary between these areas.

Kiryat Shmona is the urban center of the region. It has facilities like stores and restaurants that will be of use to travelers, and it's the destination for all the area's buses. However, it is not very interesting.

By road
From the south, one drives into Kiryat Shmona on Route 90 from the direction of the Sea of Galilee.

There is frequent bus service from Haifa (routes 500, 505), Tel Aviv (840, 845), Safed (511), and Tiberias (541, 840). The bus from Tel Aviv takes 3 to 4 hours; the one from Haifa two hours. Buses from Jerusalem (963) are infrequent. Buses terminate at the.

By air
Ayit Airways has two daily flights between Tel Aviv (Sde Dov Airport) and the just to the south of the Finger of Galilee. Cost is ₪260 per person (₪185 for residents of the north). Sundays-Thursdays, no weekend service.

Get around
The fastest way is by private car. Infrequent buses run from Kiryat Shmona to neighboring villages and to the Golan Heights. Taxis are easily obtained, they are expensive if you want to go a long distance, but sometimes you can share with other people and it will be cheaper. Hitch-hiking is also accepted and possible.

See




Nature
The ridge to the north and west of Kiryat Shmona is great for hiking, mountain biking, and free-riding. There is a spectacular panoramic view of the Hula Valley and the Golan Heights. If you are adventurous, you might try paragliding.

The northern Jordan River is a popular site for kayaking, rafting, and other water activities. The water is pleasantly cool even on the hottest days of summer. You can do this in several different places:

Buy
This region is not a shopping destination. The one thing you might want to buy here is hiking and camping gear if you forgot to bring it with you:

Eat
Eating in Kiryat Shmona is probably not at the level of gourmands. Nevertheless, there are a number of Israeli-style places to eat where you can walk away feeling satisfied and well-nourished.

At the most basic level, there are any number of falafel stands. Probably the best is Falafel Shel Aharon, across the street from the police station in the Rasko shopping center. Another good one is found in Kikar HaHistadrut, near the municipal auditorium.

More elegant dining is found in a number of places that combine Italian influence with Israeli style. These include:

Toscana - Just outside of town on Highway 99 in the direction of the Golan Heights, this place is recommended for good coffee and fine Israeli-style breakfasts.

Focaccia Bar - In a small shopping center on Highway 99 near the entrance to Kibbutz Ma'ayan Baruch, this place has outstanding wood-fired pizza.

Sleep
Kiryat Shmona has no hotels inside the city limits. So either stay at a tsimmer (what most Israelis do), or at a hotel in a nearby kibbutz.



Stay safe
Southern Lebanon, which borders the Galilee Panhandle, is controlled by the Hizbullah militia which is dedicated to destroying Israel. There have only been a handful of border incidents since the 2006 Israel-Hizbullah war. But a major war could in theory break out at any time. The regions immediately next to the border (typically 1 km away or less) are heavily militarized. If you see any military installations, or signs declaring areas to be closed military zones, stay away!

Go next

 * Golan Heights – If you've made it this far, you might as well continue a few last kilometers east. In particular, northern Golan attractions like Mount Hermon and Nimrod Castle are very close to Kiryat Shmonah, Tel Dan, and other northern Galilee Panhandle destinations.