Acre Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Acre

Acre, referred to as Akko in Hebrew and Akka in Arabic, is an ancient port city situated in the coastal plain of the Northern District of Israel. Occupying a strategic location at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay on the Mediterranean's Levantine Sea, the city features a prominent natural harbor. Positioned across the bay from Mount Carmel to the south, Acre historically functioned as a vital coastal trading hub and a major junction for travel along the shoreline and inland through the Jezreel Valley. Its historic Old City is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With a history extending back to the Early Bronze Age around 3000 BC, Acre ranks among the world's oldest continuously inhabited settlements. Although its initial settlement was abandoned after a few centuries, a major urban center was re-established during the Middle Bronze Age. The ancient town originally stood atop Tel 'Akko, an easily defended peninsula near the Na'aman River, about 1.5 kilometers east of the present-day city center. Over the centuries, control of the port shifted among various empires, including the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and early Islamic caliphates. Under Roman rule, the city was renamed Ptolemais, developed into a Roman colony, and gained an expanded harbor with a breakwater.

During the Crusades, Acre became a maritime stronghold on the southern Levantine coast and served as the headquarters for the Knights Hospitaller, acquiring the name Saint-Jean-d'Acre. The city was the site of significant military clashes, including major sieges in 1189–1191 and 1291. Following the 1291 siege, which ended Crusader control in the Holy Land, Acre was destroyed by the Mamluks and subsequently functioned as a quiet fishing village for centuries. Large-scale revival of the settlement did not occur until the 18th century during the rule of Daher al-Umar.

Today, Acre is recognized as one of Israel's mixed cities, housing a diverse community of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Baháʼí residents. It is notably the holiest city for the Baháʼí Faith within Israel, attracting many spiritual pilgrims every year. Visitors can experience a destination shaped by thousands of years of continuous maritime activity, architectural evolution, and multi-cultural history along the Levantine coast.