Excursion «152. Ancient and majestic Acre. Stella Maris Monastery»

Class «Tourist class»
Type Group tour
Language Russian

In one day, our excursion will take us to two magical places: the Stella Maris Monastery (Carmelite Monastery), located on the slopes of Mount Carmel in the northern capital of the country, and the ancient city of Acre (Akko) - the capital of the Crusaders.

Haifa is the third-largest city in Israel and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

The history of the Stella Maris Monastery dates back to the 11th century when groups of religious hermits began settling in the caves of this area, imitating the prophet Elijah. Over a period of 7 years, starting in 1767, Brother Giovanni Battista Casini of the Order built a large church and monastery, which was heavily damaged during the Napoleonic campaign and subsequently completely destroyed.

The current monastery and church were built under the orders of Casini and began operating in 1836.

The monastery is considered a center of Carmelite spirituality for the whole world. The main part of the monastery complex is the cathedral, which has been given the title of "Church of the Mother" and holds the status of a global center of the Carmelite Order.

Next, we will embark on a comprehensive tour of Acre, a city that captivates you from the first glance. Every centimeter of the city is a living attraction, shrouded in mysteries and enigmas. You will encounter walls that withstood Napoleon's siege, the unique Hospitaller Monastery built in the form of a fortress, the beautiful Magical Garden, the impressive Citadel of Acre, the mysterious and somber Templars' Tunnel, the unusual Turkish Bath, and much more.

If you want to touch history and immerse yourself in the magical power of the past, welcome to our excursion!

Important

Thematic tour September 19 th!

Departure days

Departure days depend on your departure city

Info

Conditions for order cancellation:
If a tourist cancels an excursion in less than 2 days, the penalty is 100%, unless travel insurance has not been purchased.

Important:

Those who are late and do not go on the excursion will not receive a refund.

The company is not responsible for lost items.

Requests for excursions for children under 5 years old are not accepted

Responsibility for having an individual insurance policy falls on the tourist.

Tourists may wait up to 30 minutes for the bus.

Minor changes to the route are possible.

The company reserves the right to change the departure time for the excursion, which is communicated to the tourist the day before.

The company does not sell excursions indicating seats on the bus.

Physical activity level: 3/5

We recommend: Take drinking water, a hat, sunglasses, comfortable shoes with you on the excursion - walk a lot.

The cost of trips does not include and is paid on the spot:meals

Attractions

Akre

It is the city, within the walls of which is still heard the clang of swords and armor of the crusaders and war cries calling for battle. Acre is saturated with history and time has no power over this place. Sometimes it seems that it is moving perfectly in a chaotic direction. Monuments of the past and present mixed together here, but they appeared far from architectural badness, on the contrary brought a special atmosphere.
There is an ancient port, and fortresses of the crusaders, and Turkish baths (hamams), mosques and even a magical garden built during the crusaders. Among all the historical diversity it is difficult to single out one thing.: the city keeps the secret of the Templars, it hosted Napoleon, the legendary king Richard the Lionheart, and despite all the warriors, rulers and conquerors, Acre has never interrupted its settlement for more than five millennia and is one of the oldest cities in the world.

Bahai Gardens in Haifa

The spiritual center on Mount Carmel in Haifa is one of the holiest places for Baha'i practitioners, the youngest monotheistic religion in the world. The center includes a temple, a tomb where the remains of the Bab, the ancestor of the faith, and famous gardens rest.

The tomb is an impressive building crowned by a gilded dome. It is equipped with a backlight. Thanks to her, the dome is illuminated at night, but so that it seems as if the source of radiance is inside it.

To get to the tomb, the guest have to go through the gardens that terraces cover the slope of Mount Carmel. There are twelve in all. Seeing this incredible work of human hands, you will understand why the gardens are called the eighth wonder of the world. The local collection contains about 450 species of various plants, among which there are unique flowers. Shrubs are sheared, and you probably will not find lawns more even and greener in the city. Add to this the fountains - isn't it awesome? Bahai Gardens is a monument not only to faith and its founder, but also to the harmony and great taste of architects.

Stella Maris Monastery

The monastery was built in the second half of the 18th century. During the period of the Napoleonic wars, the church was seriously damaged, and in the first half of the 19th century, the Turks wiped off its last remnants from the face of the earth. But a decade later, people began the reconstruction of the monastery and it opened its doors in 1836 on the same place. In the 20th century, it was in turn occupied by British and Israeli troops, but nowadays the monastery and the church recovered their original meaning. Today, the Stella Maris Cathedral is considered being the main spiritual center for the Carmelites of the whole world.

Haifa

Try to describe Haifa in a few words, and... and you will fail. You can travel to this city alone or with the family. It does not matter how old you are, what kind of relaxation you prefer and what impressions you long for. No one will feel bored here. No wonder they say that "Haifa is full of high".

Founded in a time before remembering and known since the Roman era, today's Haifa is a metropolis. It proudly bears two honorary titles: the country's main port and northern capital.

There are two must see objects in the city – small and huge one. The first is the underground funicular train. The tiniest in the world! It has a poetic name – "Carmelit." All because the train rolls through the tunnel, penetrating the Mount Carmel.

 

The second is a huge Bahai temple, the domes of which can be seen from everywhere in the city, and its gardens. Baha'i faith is one of the world’s youngest monotheistic religions.

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