Caesarea

Understand

250px|thumb|An aerial photo of the remains of the Roman archeological site Caesarea became known in the first century BCE, when Herod the Great built one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean on the spot. The city continued to flourish through the Byzantine era. For most of the Muslim period it was a notable city, and the Crusaders built impressive city walls which still stand. However, by the Ottoman period Caesarea was either uninhabited or home only to a small village.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Baron Edmond James de Rothschild purchased much of the land around Caesarea. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Rothschild family gifted these holdings to the Caesarea Foundation. Caesarea is therefore the only locality in Israel which is managed by a private organization (the Caesarea Development Corporation), rather than a municipal governmental organization. Today Caesarea is considered one of the most upscale residential developments in Israel. The current Baron de Rothschild still maintains a home in Caesarea, as do many other wealthy and influential individuals and foreign residents. It is also home to Israel’s only 18-hole golf course, a luxury hotel, a vacation village, miles of sandy beaches, and a series of attractive restaurants, galleries and boutiques huddled around the Mediterranean cove.

And, of course, visitors marvel at its extraordinary archeological attractions, not least of which is the Roman theatre, where c…

Get in

Hitchhiking to or Caesarea is possible and rather easy.

Get around

The main ruins form a single national park which is easy to walk around (though lacking in shade, so bring a hat).

The other sites are far enough apart that a vehicle can be useful, particularly on a hot day. But walking between them is also a reasonable option. Even the distance between Caesarea and Jisr az-Zarqa, if you stay there, can be managed on foot - 5 km along the beach.

See

thumb|250px|A portion of the Crusader walls and moat still standing today

Do

Surfing is possible here - ask at Juha's Guesthouse.

Buy