First published: 04/06/06.

Christer Sundberg

Old City Of Acre

Old City of Acre (Inscribed)

Old City of Acre by Christer Sundberg

Further up the Isreli coast, just as you've passed Haifa, you reach to the old town of Acre. Or Acco, which is the locals name for the town. For me it was a rainy day in December and having reached the town by train, I hopped into a taxi in order to quickly get to the older parts of the town, located right next to the Mediterranean seaside.

They say that the weather makes half the experience and this time it was a wet one. But with the sun on your side Acre is a brilliant little town which history dates back to Canaanite times. Acre has somewhat of a 'Jerusalem feel' to itself but actually reflects the time of the Crusaders and the Arabs. Actually, it is the ruins of the 'Crusader City' that today is Acre's major attraction. When the Ottomans rebuilt Acre, they did so on top of the old Crusader City which lies 25 feet below that of today. It has now been unearthed, revealing big Gothic halls and underground tunnels. And if that isn't enough, a visit to the Mosque of El-Jazzar, the bazaars and a lunch by the seaside will easily kill more than a couple of hours. Acre is easily accessible from Tel Aviv or Haifa and definitely worth a visit.

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