Galilee & the Golan in 2 days: water, holy sites and the green north

The Galilee splits neatly into two days: the first around the Sea of Galilee, through the Christian sites and quiet shores; the second higher up, on the green Golan, and then down to the Mediterranean. Base yourself in Tiberias or Nazareth — everything is close from there.

Day 1. The Sea of Galilee — Christian Galilee

Start in Nazareth at the Church of the Annunciation — the largest Catholic church in the Middle East, raised over the house where, by tradition, the angel appeared to Mary. Then drop down to the Sea of Galilee: a freshwater lake below sea level, its shores lined with a whole cluster of holy places. Capernaum — the "town of Jesus", with its white synagogue and the house of the Apostle Peter; nearby is Tabgha, site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, with its ancient mosaic.

Climb the Mount of Beatitudes — a hill crowned by an octagonal church above the lake, where the Sermon on the Mount was given; from here comes the quietest, rosiest view over the water. End the day in Tiberias, a town right on the Sea of Galilee, with hot springs, a promenade and St Peter's fish for dinner.

Day 2. The Golan and the coast — from waterfalls to Crusaders

Give the morning to nature: head up onto the Golan Heights with their green plateaus and views as far as Mount Hermon, and at the far north, at the foot of Hermon, call in at Banias — one of the sources of the Jordan, where the country's most powerful waterfall thunders through the woods. Then to the Mediterranean, and it's easiest to work the coast north to south, without backtracking. First on the way is Acre, the Crusader city with the underground Hospitaller halls and an Arab bazaar; here in the harbour is the best lunch in the north — fresh fish and hummus by the water. Further south is Haifa: the terraced Baha'i Gardens, cascading down the slope of Mount Carmel in nineteen tiers to a golden shrine (the gardens close at 17:00 and are shut on Mondays and Tuesdays). And right at the southern end of the coast is Roman Caesarea, with an amphitheatre at the very edge of the water — a fine place to catch the sunset; the park closes in the later afternoon, so check the seasonal hours.