5 of Israel’s Most Beautiful Public Gardens
July 16th 2018
Some of the most popular places to visit in Israel are the many beautiful public gardens dotted throughout the country. Maybe it’s because of the semi-desert landscape that make these oases of greenery so sought after as locations in which to relax, picnic, and explore.
Public gardens offer a relaxing break during tours of the major cities as well as insights into the history of the particular area and the local flora and fauna.
Some of our favorite places to visit include the most popular well-managed gardens in Israel and these include the following.
Baha’i Gardens in Haifa
The Baha’i Gardens in the northern city of Haifa is perhaps the most distinctive and famous of public gardens in Israel. It’s also the second most holy site of the Baha’i faith as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The beautifully and meticulously maintained gardens occupy over 200,000 square meters of land, and cover an entire slop of Mount Carmel. The gardens feature terraces of colorful flowers, winding pathways, cascading water steps, and the graves of the Bahá’í holy family.
From the summit of the gardens you can see the entire city of Haifa, the huge port, the Mediterranean coastline, and also the domed Shrine of the Báb, the founder of Baha’I faith, at the foot of the slope.
Ramat Hanadiv
The Ramat Hanadiv Memorial Gardens is a nature park and garden situated on the southern slopes of Mount Carmel near the town of Zichron Yaakov. The park was bequeathed to the residents of the town by Baron Edmond de Rothschild in the 19th century.
Rothschild was a driving force behind the establishment of Jewish communities throughout Israel in the early Zionist period. He and his wife are buried in the center of the beautifully kept gardens and carefully managed nature reserve, which extend over 17 acres.
Within Ramat Hanadiv is a visitor’s center where visitors can learn more about the history of the gardens and its biodiversity.
Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
Located in the heart of Jerusalem next to the Hebrew University, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens contains a wide variety of different plant species from around the world. It serves as an education and research center for both the local university and for visitors, who come to view the various activities related to botany, horticulture, agriculture, and environmental protection.
The gardens feature over 10,000 species of fauna and are arranged based on geography with plants and trees from every continent. There’s also a Bible Path which showcases approximately 400 different plant species that are specifically mentioned in the Bible.
Yarkon Park
Yarkon Park – also known as Park HaYarkon – is Tel Aviv’s main public park. It’s named after the river which flows through the center of the grounds and features extensive lawns, beautiful lakes, botanical gardens, an aviary, a waterpark, and sports facilities.
There are numerous paths and cycle routes throughout the park, as well as a diverse range of animal and plant life. A Tropical Garden and a Rock Garden feature over 3 thousand species of plants, including cacti, orchids, and vines.
It’s a great place to unwind from the noise and bustling activity of Tel Aviv.
Baha’i Gardens in Akko
The Baha’i Gardens of Akko are a similar but smaller version of the most well-known Baha’i Gardens in Haifa (as mentioned above). Although lesser-known, the gardens in Akko are actually considered more sacred. The site is known among observants as ‘The Most Holy Sanctuary’ and contain the remains of Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i faith.
The gardens are stunningly beautiful with precise geometrical patterns and a serene atmosphere, which makes this a very relaxing, contemplative, and visually appealing place to visit.
