Some of the Strangest & Most Fascinating Places in Israel

October 16th 2017

Israel has some of the most exciting historical monuments known to mankind, and then it has its weird secrets. Hidden away where you might never find them are some unusual hotspots that are sure to enhance the adventurous tourist’s itinerary. If your curiosity has been piqued, then check out the weird, zany, and altogether fascinating enigmas of the Holy Land.

Akhzivland

Here’s an absolutely mind blowing location you can use to outsmart any of your friends. Did you know that within Israel lies an infinitesimally small micronation? Resting right outside Nahariya, Akhzivland was founded by Eli Aviv in 1972. With a unique history that you won’t find anywhere else, Akhzivland stands for peace and freedom, and is the only country in the Middle East never to have taken part in any military conflict!

The Carmelit

All aboard! Well, if you’d like to climb on board this train, you’ll have to head underground because the Carmelit is Israel’s only underground metro system. What’s really interesting about this tram line though, is its path and the vast elevation changes it takes to run its course. Running from the Mediterranean coast, the Carmelit finishes its trip at the top of Mount Carmel. The round trip takes it from sea level to an ascent of 900 feet! And, that’s spread over just 1.1 miles. This is certainly worth the eight minute ride just to observe the almost 60 year old station, tram cars, and experience.

Underground Bullet Factory

A secret bullet factory forged underground during times of civil uprising and imminent war? Now, this is the stuff movies are made of. Machon Ayalon was built in 1946 and took an alarming 22 days to complete. The amazing thing is that the entire factory, massive bullet-forging machinery and all, was constructed without anyone finding out. The Israelis concealed the operations going on below by setting up industrial machines (a washer and oven).

And, let’s end this piece with a lovely shout out to the medical clowning school up at Haifa University. Here, folks can actually get a degree in physical therapy, psychology, and healing with an emphasis on theatrics. Students take this major and use it to brighten the lives of hospital-bound children and adults. The amazing thing is that doctors have seen tremendous results from these therapy sessions, making medical clowning a serious study!

There’s always something fabulously interesting going on around Israel, so leave a few days on your itinerary for exploring the great unknown!