Akko
Israel · Northern District · 10 m
Description
Akko (עכו) is a walled Ottoman port town built directly on top of the Crusader capital, and because the Ottomans filled the older city in rather than clearing it, an entire twelfth century Hospitaller fortress survives under the streets and has been excavated room by room since the nineteen fifties. You walk through the knights' halls, the refectory and a Templar escape tunnel that runs to the harbour. Above ground it is a working Arab town with a fishing port, a covered souk and the Al-Jazzar mosque. UNESCO listed it in 2001.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: April – June or September – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Crusader Hospitaller fortress under the old city (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Templar tunnel to the harbour
- Al-Jazzar Mosque and its courtyard
- Covered souk and the spice stalls
- Fishing harbour and the sea walls
- Hummus and the Akko seafood restaurants
- Khan al-Umdan and its clock tower
- Turkish bath museum of Hammam al-Basha
- Bahji Gardens and the shrine of Bahaullah (UNESCO World Heritage)(Day trip)
- Akko Fringe Theatre Festival (approx. October)
- Ramparts walk around the Ottoman walls
Getting there
- Train stations:
- Akko