THE HEART OF THE WESTERN GALILEE

Galiloka — Authentic Culinary Tours & Cooking Workshops

Daniela and David are a couple in life and in business, home cooks and avid culinary enthusiasts from northern Israel. After many years of investigating traditional and modern cooking methods, searching for quality raw materials and local, unique cuisines in Israel and around the world, they opened a business in which they provide culinary tours in rural areas in the Galilee. Daniela and David invite those with the passion and love for local food — food rich in flavors and textures reserved mainly for local foodies — for a day of culinary experiences that has never been seen before! A day full of tastes, smells, sights and an unforgettable experience. Galiloka offers culinary tours, workshops, private cooking classes and group activities combining tours, workshops and amazing dinners! All culinary experiences by appointment only.

Sweet Moments

Nohad Bisan is a cook and confectioner who hosts groups, couples, and families from all over the country in the courtyard of her home in the picturesque Druze settlement of Yanuh-Jat for unique baking workshops as well as for tasting desserts of spectacular beauty and handmade delicacies, in front of a Galilean landscape.  The hospitality at Sweet Moments includes getting to know Nohad, the story of her life and the story of the Druze community, and a tasting of traditional desserts such as knafe, Turkish baklava filled with cheese and pistachios, authentic Druze cookies, and a variety of other desserts full of color, aesthetics, and beauty, all handmade! Nohad also conducts baking workshops at her home that include making traditional cookies as well as baking workshops on the Tava. Between the months of December and April, she holds experiential baking and foraging workshops in the field, which combine foraging and preparation of traditional foods such as fatayer stuffed with spinach and za’atar, combined with spices from Druze cuisine.  Sweet Moments, the business Nohad dreamed of all her life, is a combination of her three greatest loves – cooking, baking, and hospitality. She fulfilled her dream about 7 years ago, and the business name was chosen by one of her four daughters.

Therapeutic Styling Tours with Orna Rothbert Nitzan

When we open up to new styles and colors, there is movement. According to therapeutic styling, the garment is a deep tool for self-presence and change. Our emotional connection with the garment allows us to feel better about ourselves. Therapeutic Styling Tours in secondhand stores are intended for women only. Currently, the tours are held on a variety of routes through the Western Galilee, Haifa, Tel Aviv, and more! We start by gathering with coffee and pastry, in local cafes, and a discussion about clothes with activities of intention and cards. A visit to secondhand stores, where we experiment with different types of clothing, fabrics, and colors while examining the relationship of each of the participants with the various clothes and reconnecting with herself in a way that will allow each to choose who she wants to be through the clothes. It is possible to add to the tour, a visit to a local artisan, and also an authentic Druze lunch. Orna Rothbert Nitzan, originally from the center of the country, moved to the Galilee with her family 11 years ago and fell in love with the Galilee landscape and the diverse initiatives and entrepreneurs. Dealing over the years in the fields of culture and tourism with groups of visitors out of love for the Western Galilee and a desire to empower women and entrepreneurs in the Galilee. When she set out on her independent path, she naturally chose to focus on tours for women in the Western Galilee with an emphasis on female empowerment. Today, Orna combines the tours with her studies: training in the Satya method, styling studies at Shenkar College, and styling therapy by Dr. Tali Stolovi’s method. All of these are reflected both in the personal training she gives, in lectures, and in meetings. The group tours are a great method of female empowerment and creating a feeling of perfection with every female body through clothing items and accessories.

Group Visit to the Malabi House

You are invited to hear the story of Tina, who is both a businesswoman and a single mother from Akko. The story is about female faith and empowerment. Her story will be accompanied by authentic black coffee and of course a taste of mahalabia (malabi). Tina says, “I am a person of creation and I realized that in order for the Mahalabia House to look and feel like myself I decided I would do everything with my own hands including renovating and designing. And so for a whole year right after I put the kids to sleep at night I kept working on my dream at night. Over time the Mahalabia House has undergone many changes but the main message remains as it was. The main message I want to convey here to the people of the country is a message of closeness, unity, and love. If my grandmothers were successful then we all can be. I believe that at the end of the day we all came here for a short journey and would like to live well and together. Happily, I am in a place that embodies this unity. The Malabi House represents to me a place that allows for variety and diversity, the dominant color in the place is turquoise and the message is that anything is possible under the sky.” For groups of 8 and up and by prior arrangement only.

Norman Trail

The Norman Trail, also known as the Yellow Stone Trail, is named after Norman, an artist who lives on Kfar Vradim. One day, quite a few years ago, he decided to turn the huge forested hill (Ashkar Mountain) south of the village into a kind of tacit playground. He created little trails and small, sometimes almost invisible signs that lead to the realm of imagination and great hints from fairy tails. For example, you can meet at the “house of Snow White” – which is actually a unique rock. The view from Ashkar Mountain, the Galilean atmosphere and the fantastic rocks in the area make the point worthy of coffee.    

A Tour of Old Akko – Between Houses & Local Encounters with Tour Guide Ayelet Bar-Meir

Ayelet Bar-Meir is a tour guide, loves encounters, stories, and nature that creates unique trips to man, culture, and nature in the Galilee. Among her flagship tours is the Old Akko Tour, which includes visits to homes and riveting encounters: a walk through the alleys of Old Akko: alleys, stories of homes, the church, sea, and port. The tour includes a visit within the old and new arabesque including a view from the roof and hospitality at the Effendis house with painted ceilings including tasting local cuisine. “The Galilee is an area with a unique charm – a meeting of landscapes and people from east and west, where there is both strength and serenity, mountain peaks, green groves, springs, rare flowers, and abundant animals intertwined with the human story in a unique cultural fabric. The Galilee is an area that has been populated by different religions, diverse forms of settlement, many opposing views, and neighborly relations.”

The Artists’ Quarter in Akko: Recommended Half-Day Trip to Old Akko

Al E’in Tent — Bedouin Colors, Stories & Flavors on Mount Kammon

Al E’in Tent in Kamanneh is a beautiful and air-conditioned accommodation complex that provides a Bedouin hospitality experience full of color, flavors, and stories. Al E’in Tent, owned by the couple Eid and Ekhlass, is located on the outskirts of the Bedouin village of Kamanneh at the top of Mount Kammon in the Misgav Regional Council and is located in a green Galilean space with a view overlooking the entire Western Galilee. The owners of the complex, Eid and Ekhlass host groups and private audiences for an authentic Bedouin experience that includes a meeting, a coffee ceremony and traditional refreshments, a kosher Bedouin meal as well as stories and explanations about the Bedouin culture and the shared life of the Bedouin and Jewish community on Mount Kammon. In addition, Eid initiates guided tours to the village and the nearby spring. You can book the Al E’in Tent for private events, for an overnight stay experience in a Bedouin tent or just to come for a meal made by Ekhlass, by prior arrangement.

An Accessible Trip Combining Nature, Wine, Ecology & Inspiring Social Businesses

A recommendation for an accessible route throughout the Western Galilee. Suitable for all seasons and all ages!

The Rom Farm

**The Rom Bistro is back to normal operation as of November 8, 2023. Open all week 9 am – 3 pm (Closed Saturdays) and we are looking forward to seeing you! – Sharon, Amir and Nadav** Feel free to get excited with us for a breathtaking view, Galilean delicacies, and magical moments close to the Earth. Havat (Farm) Rom, located at the top of Mount Kammon, overlooks Mount Meron, from the ocean and (almost) to the Sea of ​​Galilee. At Havat Rom you will visit a goat dairy where you can taste fine goat cheeses made on-site from pasture milk, and a Galilean deli that offers a variety of Galilean products, and healthy food made by farm chef Gil Maoz (“Abba Gil”). In addition, it is possible to coordinate conferences, diverse workshops as well as tours of the vegetable garden and orchards, succulent incubator, rehabilitation factory, and end with a tasting of fine cheeses in front of a breathtaking Galilean view. In all branches of agriculture of Havat Rom (goat breeding, orcharding, organic vegetable gardens, and more) the farm staff is constantly examining ways that benefit the environment and bring about the right balance between nature and human needs. According to this perception – the local herd goes out every day for long grazing on Mount Kammon and as a result, the milk becomes richer, and the cheeses are particularly healthy and high quality. The craft of the cheeses is done similarly to the past and the cheese is artisanal and fine in taste. In the early 2000s, a protected production plant was established on Havat Rom by the Ministry of Health, which employs several dozen mentally disabled people to this day. Workers at the production plant grow, dry, and pack herbs, cultivate succulents and cacti in a magnificent greenhouse, work with wood, and create beautiful serving trays, cutting boards, and wooden blocks (in which they plant the succulents and cacti). On the spot, you can also purchase a variety of products manufactured with love by the workers.

An Accessible Route Through the Western Galilee

Start the tour with a rich breakfast at the Alto Dairy – a boutique family dairy for rural goat cheeses in Kibbutz Shomrat.

Day Trip in Akko Following Three Religions & Authentic Cuisine

Trip through Peki’in in the Western Galilee

Noalush is located between Kfar Vradim and Tarshiha. Drive on the Galilean road from Kfar Vradim in the direction of Tarshiha and turn in front of it in the direction of Kibbutz Ga’aton.  

Tour in the Druze Village of Hurfeish with a Local Guide & Authentic Meal – Safta Maha

You are welcome to walk with the tour guide Amir Amer (Maha’s husband) among the alleys of the beautiful village of Hurfeish. The tour will focus on the ancient nucleus, the hysteria of the Druze village – Hurfeish. It is possible to combine a home meeting with creative Druze women, where you can hear their personal stories and their confrontation with the dilemmas of tradition versus progress. The tour is recommended to open or end with an authentic traditional meal at Safta Maha’s. The duration of the tour is between 2 to 4 hours. About Safta Maha: Safta (Grandma) Maha Amer and her husband Amir open their home in the beautiful Druze settlement of Hurfeish. Maha grew up in a village in a traditional home and like most girls her age, she graduated in eighth grade and stayed home to help her mother with the housework. Maha says that she always loved the preparation of the dishes and when there were many events in the village, she used to accompany the preparations and learn from the older women who prepared the food for the celebration. Come hear the moving story of Maha Amer, talk to her about the status of the Druze woman today and in the past, and of course savor breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Come and enjoy the fresh air, the view from the terrace, and of course the variety of authentic delicacies from the Druze cuisine.

Safta Maha — Druze Experience

Safta (Grandma) Maha Amer and her husband Amir open their home in the beautiful Druze village of Hurfeish. Maha grew up in a village in a traditional home and like most girls her age, she graduated in eighth grade and stayed home to help her mother with the housework. Maha says that she always loved the preparation of the dishes and when there were many events in the village, she used to accompany the preparations and learn from the older women who prepared the food for the celebration. Come hear the moving story of Maha Amer, talk to her about the status of the Druze woman today and in the past, and of course savor breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Come and enjoy the fresh air, the view from the terrace, and of course the variety of authentic delicacies from the Druze cuisine By prior arrangement, you will be served dishes such as shulbato, beef or chicken stew, grape leaves, stuffed cabbage, maqluba, mugrabi (a stew of chickpeas with meat, pumpkin, and burgul), or Druze-style breakfasts. You can also experience cooking workshops or combine all this goodness with a tour of the ancient village to be led by Amir, Maha’s husband, a certified tour guide. Suitable for families and groups of 6 people or more.

Culinary Tour in Fassuta with Rima Khoury

You are invited to a guided tour of the alleys of old Fassuta accompanied by Rima Khoury. After a meeting at The Rima House where we will hear the story of Rima and her unique path, we will go on a tour of the alleys of the picturesque village of Fassuta. We will enter the spectacular Greek Catholic church ‘Maralias’ (which still belongs to the popes), the local houses for warm human encounters, we will taste bread from the local bakery with homemade labaneh and za’atar. We will taste special and rich cakes that are considered the “Bavaria of Europe” and also traditional cookies that will be prepared especially for us and that can usually only be eaten during Christmas. We will visit Raida’s roasting house, taste the roasted coffee, smell and try the local spices, and taste Raida’s crackers. The duration of the meeting is about 3 hours by prior arrangement and costs 100 NIS per person.

The Rima House — Visitors Center & Workshops

Rima Khoury, is considered the “Peter Pan” of Fassuta, full of inspiration, joy for life, and giving without limits. Rima is the granddaughter of Eid Habib Khoury. After her grandfather passed away in 1983, his house, which at the time of the establishment of the state was the crowned house of Fassuta, was locked and Rima decided to bring life back to the house, through significant social and artistic endeavors with the girls and boys of the village. Being a creator herself and also an art and English teacher she saw fit to bring her worlds of knowledge and deploy them to the girls of the village and allow them to meet new worlds out of a strong desire to create social and cultural change, female empowerment, hope and horizon out of meaningful doing, discourse and giving for better tomorrow. Rima, a significant member of the village, also founded the “Women’s Club” of Fassuta that connects not only the women of the village to a common and empowering cause but also many women from the area from all religions and sectors. Beit Rima is today a cultural, tourism, and art gallery center. The house is like going back in time to discover Galilean and rural Christian culture and tradition in the Land of Israel. A place of fulfillment and empowerment under the guidance of Rima Khoury, who hosts groups from Israel and abroad. In Beit Rima, peace dialogue meetings are held between the various communities in the geopolitical area, in addition to meetings for women and female empowerment through action, conversation, and meetings of multiple workshops and classes (some of them as a contribution to the community). In the field of workshops, you will find dance, the art of traditional sewing, creation through painting, preservation of heritage and customs through objects and stories, and more! Visitors are invited to hear Rima’s personal and local story as a child living in the Mukhtar village and a daughter and wife in Fassuta. We will meet and hear from the village women about the traditional customs, culture, and local holidays While placing special emphasis on the feminine and gendered aspects and the conduct in the private and public space in an Arab Christian village in Israel, from then until today. Beit Rima was established in 2015. It began by dreaming of a place that would allow for action in a neutral space, unaffected by the opinions and meticulous spirit of the local community of Fassuta. In a sense, it was to go in a new and different current, to march without fear and without hesitation and thus bring a fresh and special breeze that speaks and discourse of art, femininity, creativity, and development – a place that allows the female voice to be heard and resonate in space.” In addition, in 2019 a new project began in Beit Rima, the “giving from the heart project”, a donation of second-hand clothes and games. Everything was donated very generously from the local community – children, women, and men. All clothing is sorted by the girls and women in the village and donated to individuals and/or centers throughout the country, where required (regardless of gender or religion) in the belief that giving should be pure and genuine that sees the other’s pain and works to improve it in every way possible. Welcome.

Ghosts in Akko with Tour Guide Gaby Zohar

Join tour guide Gaby Zohar for a unique and unusual tour of the alleys of the Old City of Akko and outside the walls through figures who worked throughout the various periods in Akko. A trip with the story of Akko through the ghosts, real characters from the city’s fascinating past. During the tour we will meet the Ramban, Ahmad Pasha al-Jazer, the Crusader king Henry II, Chaim Farhi the Jewish adviser who prevented the conquest of the city by Napoleon, a French officer who participated in the failed siege, Dov Cohen, commander of the Akko prison break-in and other figures. The characters are played by a professional actor during the tour.

Nature & Culinary Experience in the Western Galilee

We will start the day with an indulgent and popular gluten-free breakfast at the Tupelo Bakery & Cafe in Tarshiha.

A Day Trip in the Meta Asher Area

We will go north on road 70. A little after the village of Sheikh Danun, we turn left to the Yehi’am Memorial parking lot. On the site, you can hear the story and get an impression of the special monument.