Acre was named the most inviting city in Israel in the Traveller Review Awards of Booking.com website: it is not surprising. Acre has developed a lot in recent years and has become a leading travel site with many museums and attractions. Acre has it all - an ancient port city with a wall, magical narrows alleys, galleries, museums and more. In the Knights Halls, one of the main attractions in the city, the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition is permanently open to the public. The culinary scene has also developed with a food market, chef restaurants and lively bars. And beyond the old city - there is the beach, the ornate Tunisian synagogue, the Holy Gems visitor centre and more.

A trip to Acre - the most inviting city in Israel

Wandering through the alleys of Acre is a different experience than what I remembered from many years ago - the alleys are pleasant and clean and with many new shops and art galleries. The port is undergoing renovation and construction processes in a total investment of about 30 million shekels. This includes the renewal of the port, the fishermen's square, Khan al-Omdan, the lighthouse square, the promenade surrounding the port, the breakwater rock, the fishermen's warehouse, the vendor stands and more. The renovated port will make it possible to combine fishing and commerce activities side by side. The ancient khans are undergoing accelerated development processes. Khan Al-Omdan is already in the process of renovation and construction to become a luxury hotel with 80 rooms. The construction embraces the preservation of the antiquities in the area and is integrated into the local landscape. The opening is planned in two and a half years.

There is a proliferation of small boutique hotels such as Arabesque, Akotika, Daya and others. Also vacation rentals, an example one is Daya by Housestory, a beautiful romantic suite with balcony to Acre alleys. Here are some of the developments:

Akotika

Akotika complex has expanded to 20 rooms and suites. The owner Meir Davidson purchased apartments and houses in the nearby alley and converted them into luxurious rooms of various types. Akotika is situated next to the wall with a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean Sea! On the rooftop they serve a rich Acre-Galilee style breakfast with traditional authentic pastries. This meal is also open to the general public.

Akotika

Jozefin

Jozefin is an accommodation complex in an ancient building that has been carefully renovated and preserved, providing an authentic atmosphere. Around the courtyard full of light, four magical units have been renovated in buildings preserved from the Ottoman times, with high ceilings of wooden beams. One room has vaults from the crusader times. There is an outdoor kitchen in the courtyard and you can also hold events there. The Jozefin complex is on the ground floor and has an accessible suite.

Melisende

Another boutique hotel in the old city that was designed as a riad is Melisende. The place is named after Melisende, who was one of the prominent queens in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. At the time, the kingdom also ruled over Acre. In its center is an oasis with a Jacuzzi pool. The owner of the place says "I wanted to create a place with the feeling of a retreat". The rooms at Melisende are decorated in a style that blends old and new. The ancient and impressive stone arches create a connection with the place and history while the modern design with formal cleanliness creates an interesting contrast to the ancient stone that is hundreds of years old.

Melisende

Dining

In the Acre culinary scene, lively new restaurants and bars are flourishing and the old ones are being renewed.

Uri Buri

It seems that the well-known restaurant of Uri Jeremias is already part of the landscape of Acre. And it only gets better with time. The restaurant has undergone renovation after the riots while preserving its core quality. The prices are reasonable, even cheaper than some of the other restaurants, and the value for money is excellent!

Uri Buri

The design of the restaurant is clean and relaxing, the walls of the restaurant are mainly white, the large windows overlooking directly at the blue sea, there is no background music, the tablecloths are white and the plates are simple and all this induces calmness. Uri uses fresh quality ingredients - up to 8 ingredients in a dish, he explains. The spices are added sparingly so that they do not take over. Innovative culinary techniques are used without giving up the classics dishes that the guests come back and ask for.

The best way to experience Uri Buri is by taking a personalized tasting meal. . The waiter learns the preferences of the diners and prepares a suitable series of dishes. This is enabled by a selection of starters in the form of small portions, and the option to order half portions of the main dishes.

Among the dishes we received were mushroom soup with truffle oil in an espresso cup, bruschetta with eggplant cream and smoked sea fish. The appetizers for the tasting were “Gargir” salad and baby St. Peters fish in caramel on beets. In each of the dishes, even the butter has a subtle seasoning that bounces the taste buds to new heights. So are the main dishes such as the barramundi in lemon sage butter and the trout in a cauldron with cream sauce.

Uri Buri - dish

The atmosphere in the restaurant is unique. Uri is often present at the restaurant, he walks around signing copies of his books (translated to English and German), giving and receiving attention from diners to whom he hands out treats such as black pepper or cardamom ice cream balls. The ice cream is neither sweet nor spicy and goes great with hot fish dishes - like ice cream on a hot cake. His ice cream parlor is not far away, and is worth a separate visit!

Roots Restaurant

Roots is a kosher restaurant with Levantine-Acre cuisine situated in the garden of the Knights' Halls complex. The restaurant is built of exposed stone walls decorated with large arches and chandeliers inspired by the location. It is a partnership between Arabs and Israelis and thus offers a selection of local dishes such as Mashan, Ottoman Kebab, Shishbarak and whole meat portions. For a first course, it is recommended to take the meze platter, which includes hummus, eggplant cream, pesto tahini and more.

Sama Rooftop Bar

Sama, “sky” in Arabic is a restaurant-bar located on the roof of a central building in the old city and has a magical panoramic view of the rooftops of Acre and the sea. Sama is a restaurant bar with chef's dishes boasting Acre fusion cuisine directed by chef Hamudi Okala. The bar has a modern décor and at night turns into a lively place with a DJ and first-class cocktails such as Wonder Woman based on white wine and Poutin based on vodka. The menu combines a lot of fish and seafood, but also offers salads and meat in a selection of meticulous dishes with an Acrerean-Mediterranean fusion.

Sama Rooftop Bar

Or Torah Synagogue

The Tunisian Or Torah Synagogue is one of the most beautiful and special in Acre and perhaps in Israel. It was established about 60 years ago and over the years it has been decorated with dozens of spectacular mosaic works on Judaism and the Land of Israel. These are combined with impressive vitrage windows and beautiful art and Judaica items. The synagogue is a short walk from the old city. It can be visited during weekdays, RSVP recommended.

Or Torah Synagogue

Holy Gems

Back in 1988, Rebbe Milovevitz claimed that Israel had good stones and even indicated where - in the Haifa Valley. Only at the end of the 1990s did the late Avraham Taub establish a company to search for precious stones and after about 20 years of research and development this happened, the company received a discovery certificate and the dream became a reality. Today the company mines gems in the Kishon valley and the stones are used for jewelry that is designed here. The visitor center at the factory in the Acre industrial area is open to the public, where you can learn about the process of mining, screening and producing jewelry. You can also purchase here jewelry designed from the traceable gems of the Holy Land.

You should know: Acre is an ancient city, many of its buildings were built in the Ottoman period, and it has structural accessibility challenges. Most of the buildings are old and are set for preservation, therefore there are no elevators or ramps and there are many stairs, some of which are not according to today's construction standards. Though many efforts are made to make them as accessible as possible, consult the local hosts or the tourism department in the city, where needed. Regarding kosher food, Acre is a mixed city, except the kosher Roots restaurant, some places have private kosher or none at all. It is worth checking before arrival.

For more information, visit: https://www.Acre.org.il/en/

The author was a guest of the Old Acre & Nazareth Development Company the sites mentioned in the article.