Kiryat Shmona Overview

הנומש תירק

Kiryat Shmona (“Town of Eight”) commemorates Yosef Trumpeldor and seven others who were murdered in nearby Tel Khai in 1920. Situated atop the ruins of the Arab village al-Khalsa, which was destroyed in the 1948 War, the city received its new name in 1949. Due to its location on the Khula plain near the Lebanese border, Kiryat Shmona was the target of bombings and terrorist attacks until Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 to create the 9 mi. security zone. Since then, it has been subject to shelling by the militant Islamic group Hezbollah, earning it the grim nickname “Kiryat Katyusha” (referring to the type of rockets used). Perhaps as a result of its tumultuous past, Kiryat Shmona has become a largely charmless transportation hub, with a long, thin chain of gas stations and commercial centers lined up on the highway.

Kiryat Shmona seems designed to be explored by car, but since most things are on Tel Khai Blvd., it’s easily navigable on foot, too. To get to the Manara Cliff cable cars more easily, get off the intercity bus at the first Kiryat Shmona stop, before it goes all the way north to the central bus station.

Orientation And Practical Information

There’s almost nothing to see or do in Kiryat Shmona proper, but it’s conveniently located on the way to the Upper Galilee, Golan Heights, River Jordan, and Mount Khermon. The town centers on Tel Khai Boulevard (a short strip of Route 90 ) with one major kenyon (shopping mall) on its north end at the junction with Route 99, and another right in the middle, next to the central bus station. The Manara Cliff cable cars are at the south end of Tel Khai Blvd., at the entrance to town when coming from Tzfat. Uri Ilan Street (a right turn off Tel Khai Blvd. when traveling north) leads to a shady park and Tchernikovski Street (a left turn off Tel Khai Blvd. when traveling north, right after the bus station) offers access to the mall.

Accommodations And Food

There are no budget accommodations in Kiryat Shmona itself, although some residents rent out steeply-priced tzimmerim (guest rooms)—facing the front of the bus station, when walking left along Tel Khai Blvd. Try the neighborhood beween Itzhak Sade St. and Barzilai St. Exasperated travelers can always resort to the youth hostel in nearby Tel Khai (see Accommodations).

Most drivers and bus riders on their way through town don’t have time for haute cuisine, so Kiryat Shmona—transit central—has become a fat-kid’s dreamland, full of fast food and not much else. Major Israeli and American burger chains clutter the malls, and the stores surrounding the bus station and lining Tel Khai Blvd. feature cheap shawarma and falafel joints. For a slight change of pace, try a hot schnitzel sandwich (NIS20). Find groceries for picnics and hikes in supermarket Mega Bayur, on the first floor of the main mall, across Tchernikovsky St. from the bus station. (☎06 695 9995. Open Su-Tu 8am-8pm, W-Th 9am-9:30pm, F 7am-4pm. AmEx/MC/V.) On Monday and Thursday mornings, a covered outdoor market just north of the central mall starts up at about 8am.

Sights

Manara Cliff.  Kiryat Shmona’s one place for entertainment, Manara Cliffs pulls out all the stops but never quite reaches real amusement park status with its unlandscaped dirt. Offering the longest aerial cable ride in Israel, the complex’s glassed-in sky gondolas carry people up the 750m cliff. Down on the ground, a “mountain slide” ride lets people control individual carts on a rollercoaster-like track. There’s also a giant, egg-shaped dome full of trampolines and bungee jumping gear. A snack bar and bathrooms (in trailers scattered near the parking lot) are available to everyone. (At the southern end of town, on the left when traveling toward the central bus station. Bus #511 to and from Tzfat and Khatzor ha-Gelilit stops on the main road near the turn-off, marked with signs with pictures of cable cars. ☎06 690 5830; www.cliff.co.il. Open Su-Th 9:30am-6pm. Parking available. Cable car NIS49. Mountain slides NIS25. Trampoline dome NIS25. Children under 3 free. Combination tickets—some including kayaking, rappelling, or ziplining—NIS70-130. AmEx/MC/V.)

Beit Ha-Khan.   A beautiful, historic house that stands out from Kiryat Shmona’s dreary apartment towers. Though the building has been converted to a school for the arts, the manager, Shem Tov, will give tours if you call ahead. (12 David Razi’el St. Walk up Tchernikovsky St. from the bus station, turn right onto Herzl St., and follow it to the second traffic circle. Then go right onto David Razi’el St.; Beit ha-Khan is on the left. ☎050 532 4734. Open Su-Th 10am-noon.)

Daytrips From Kiryat Shmona

Kfar Blum

םולב רפק

By car, take Rte. 9779 toward Shamir out of Kiryat Shmona and go right onto Rd. 9778 to Kfar Blum. Signs point left off the main road to the kayaking place, before the kibbutz. Take bus #31 or 32 from Kiryat Shmona (3 per day, NIS9), and plan ahead for the return trip.

Quiet Kfar Blum draws sophisticated crowds every July to its huge classical music festival, called “The Sound of Music,” with performances in the school of dance and music and in the two-story concert hall. Both are beyond the front gate’s parking lot and to the left—ask locals for directions. For more information on the music festival and other events in Kfar Blum, like an annual series of lectures on Judaism, call the head of the culture department (☎06 681 6618).

The kibbutz houses a pricey four-star hotel, behind which lies a welcoming, well-kept public swimming pool. Though towels and discounts are only offered to hotel guests, everyone can swim. (☎06 694 8409. Open Su-Th and Sa 9am-7pm, F 9am-6pm. NIS50, ages 3-12 NIS25.) The kibbutz’s other big draw is Jordan River kayaking. A giant parking lot just outside the kibbutz fence behind the music school fills up with tour buses and marks the park entrance. Inside, buy tickets for a kayak trip for NIS75 per person per hr., or a rougher route for NIS109 per 2hr. The last tickets for this trip are sold at 1:30pm daily. If the frenetic, carnival atmosphere of the park appeals, visitors can check out the Top Rope challenges for NIS75, including a climbing wall, zipline, archery practice, and lots of rope bridges. Changing rooms, lockers, and first aid available. (☎06 690 2616; www.kayaks.co.il. Open May-Oct. 9:30am-4pm. AmEx/MC/V.)

Gadot And The Jordan River

תודג

Kibbutz Gadot is off Rte. 91, near the Jordan River Park. From Kiryat Shmona, head south on Rte. 90 toward Rosh Pina and then left on Rte. 91 at the Mahanayim Junction. Gadot is on the left, and the river park and hike are a bit farther on the right. Buses #55, 56, and 57 go from Khatzor ha-Gelilit to a stop right outside the kibbutz, and buses #55, 57, and 58 return (7 times per day).

Silent, rural Kibbutz Gadot has little to offer other than, well, its rural silence. Devotees of peace and quiet will be pleased to discover the laidback bed and breakfast nestled inside. Much more is provided in the way of amenities than atmosphere: private rooms scattered across pleasant lawns all have bathrooms, kitchenettes, A/C, TVs, outdoor tables, and use of the kibbutz’s swimming pool and petting zoo. (☎06 639 9188; www.gadot-lodging.co.il. June-Aug. doubles NIS550; Sept.-May doubles M-F NIS340, Sa-Su NIS440.) A few minutes past Gadot on highway 91, at a sharp turn in the road before the Benot Ya’akov Bridge, a sign points to the hiking trail in the Jordan River Park to the right. Head along the unpaved path down to the riverbank, where the black trail begins at the left. The trail follows the Jordan River south through thick vegetation and over river boulders. Hikers should be wary of fenced-off areas that indicate minefields and can return to the main road by retracing their steps; the trail is marked with black and white blazes in both directions. The river itself—the baptismal site of Jesus of Nazareth—is populated by Israeli teenagers. To get in on the white-water rafting action, turn left out of Kibbutz Gadot and head 3km down Rte. 91. The rafting company offers 1hr. trips for NIS75 (☎06 900 70 00).