You will find that the Sea of Galilee coast and the surrounding hills are a year-round vacation resort, with marked hiking trails, historical sites and holiday haunts. This entire region, including Capernaum, Tabgha, the Mt. of Beatitudes, Nazareth, Mt. Tabor, and the River Jordan, is closely associated with Jesus and the early Christians. Visit Bet She'an, an archaeological site of gigantic proportions that is constantly revealing new secrets.
	The Upper Galilee is a treat for the senses, with its forests and mountains, streams and waterfalls. This is an area for outdoor activities: horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, rappelling, birdwatching, fishing, skiing. Archaeological remains are everywhere with fortresses from Islamic and Crusader times, synagogues from Talmudic times, Roman temples and Canaanite palaces. The cultural scene is equally varied, with museums, music festivals, art galleries, sculpture parks, and folk dancing.
	Circled by Israel's highest peaks and greenest valleys, the major city in the Upper Galilee is Safed, the city of mysticism and Kabala and today an artist's colony. Safed is a useful base for exploring nearby sites such as the Banias Waterfall, the Hula Nature Reserve and the ancient tel at Hazor. Green is the predominent colour in the Galilee. Much of the credit for this goes to the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and other environmental organisations who work so hard to ensure that Israel's plants, wildlife, landscapes and historical sites are safeguarded. Israel is one of the few places in the world where it is an offence to pick wild flowers - and as you roam throughout the Galilee and the rest of Israel, you will appreciate the result of this policy.