by Eli Meiri
We’ll start our tour in Tel Aviv. We’ll go by an accessible bus or minibus – starting our tour on the “Tel Aviv – Haifa highway Number 2.” Passing over Hertzliya, Natanya, and Hadera. We’ll turn west at the Qesaryya interchange. Pass “Rabin power station” and get to the entrance of the ancient city of Caesaria.
Caesaria has seen many changes through history. Between the 6th and the 4th centuries BCE it was a Phoenician village. In 30 BCE the Roman awarded the village to Herod. He built the city up and named it in honor of his patron Octavian Caesar. And till our days it passed under many rulers.
Here we’ll get down from the bus and start our trip. Right by the entrance we’ll find the most impressive structure remaining in Caesaria from the time it was erected – The Roman Theater. Semi – circular in shape, it has 4,000 stone sets and is still in use today for many different shows.
We’ll go on to the other side of the theater towards the sea side and here we’ll find the remains of a Roman palace with a beautiful pool. Strolling on we’ll get to the Roman Hippodrome. We can still see the seats on the east side, and remains of a palace that was build later on when the hippodrome wasn’t in use. On through the beach promenade we’ll get to the gate of the Crusaders part of the city.
Some Crusaders buildings on the beach were renovated in the 19th century and we can see here a Mosque that was attended to by Moslem people from Bosnia that were lived there.
In this part we can find fish restaurants and some art shops and galleries. We’ll get out through the northern parking place while observing ongoing excavations sites.
The bus will wait for us here. We’ll get on the bus and go to visit Ramat Hanadiv in Zichron Ya’aqov.
Accessibility Information:
• Right after entering the old city, by the Roman Theater you can find accessible toilets.
• Some of the restaurants in the Crusaders city are accessible.
• All the way from the entrance – the Roman Theater to the Crusaders city is accessible for wheelchairs.
Other Attractions in the Region:
• Zichron Ya’aqov and Ramat Hanadiv.
• Kibbutz Sedot Yam.
• Ralli Museum in the new part of Caesaria – Rothschild Blvd.
Accommodation in the region:
• Dan Qesaryya Hotel – no accessible rooms.
• Sdot Yam Guest House – no accessible rooms.
• Nasholim Guest house – some accessible rooms are available.
