WALK No. 4      BACK

 

DOWN MT. CARMEL TO THE CENTRE

Exploring Mt. Carmel is not as difficult as it may seem - if you walk down the steps cut into the mountainside. This walk ``downstairs'' provides a quick and interesting cross-section of the city. (There is nothing to stop the energetic walker from doing this walk in the other direction.)

Start from the Gan Ha'em station of the Carmelit underground train on Mt. Carmel. Leave the station and turn left, north walk downhill to Rehov Yafe Nof (Panorama). It is so called since it runs along the edge of Mt. Carmel, affording a breathtaking view of the city below, its harbour, and the surrounding plains and mountains. This view is one of the highlights of a Haifa tour, and should not be missed, either by day or by night.

Turn right and walk along this street until you see a flight of stairs on the left, called Madregot Gedera, where the descent of the mountain begins. There are no hand rails, so be careful. At the bottom, turn right into Rehov Hahashmonaim and then left again into Sderot Wingate, past Bet Harofeh and Rothschild Hospital, and down Madregot Spinoza. Bet Harofeh houses Haifa's Medical Association, located at 2 Sderot Wingate.

Madregot Spinoza descends past Rehov Hess and Rehov Bar Giora, leading to Rehov Arlosoroff and to the top of Rehov Balfour. Follow the latter downhill and in a few minutes you reach the Old Technion. Continue as far as the intersection of Rehov Balfour and Rehov Herzl, in the centre of Hadar HaCarmel.

If you are still not tired and want to continue all the way down, turn left into Rehov Herzl and walk to Rehov Hanevi'im following it downhill, pass Kikar Solel Boneh to Madregot Hanevi'im. Follow the stairs past a turn until they lead to Kikar HaHagana. Here turn right into Rehov Hiat (Khayat) which leads to Palmer's Gate, the entrance to the port.