Routes and Rates
A short and beautiful circular route for the whole family in the city of Haifa, including an experiential ascent by the Haifa cable car to a viewpoint at the top of Carmel and a descent along a path facing the sea, passing by the impressive Carmelite Monastery, a Christian chapel, and a visit to the cave of the prophet Elijah.
We will start the route at the Bat Galim promenade in Haifa, at the lower parking lot of the Haifa cable car (marked on the map with the letter P), where we will purchase one-way tickets to ascend via the cable car to the Carmel ridge. The ascent between sky and earth is an experiential attraction for the whole family and children, promising enjoyment of the intriguing landscape below us.
The Stella Maris lookout (San Francisco lookout – marked in green on the map) is located at the cable car’s final station (marked in blue on the map), at the northwestern tip of the Carmel ridge, allowing us a stunning view of the entire Haifa Bay and on a clear day even to gaze far beyond Acre to Rosh HaNikra. A lighthouse established in the place in 1928 gave the site its name – Stella Maris (“Star of the Sea”).
At the observation site stands a statue of Mary erected in 1894 with the donation of the Chilean government, while across the road is the Carmelite Monastery, whose construction began in 1767. In front of the monastery is a monument in memory of the soldiers of Napoleon’s army who were killed in this monastery by the Ottoman army in 1799 after Napoleon Bonaparte’s retreat from Acre. Those interested can visit the monastery during opening hours and in modest clothing (marked in purple on the map).
The beginning of the path descending gently westward to the beach is located slightly south of the statue of Mary and is not marked. Further along the path, we will reach a white building with a picturesque dome against the backdrop of the blue sea – this is the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, belonging to the Carmelite monastery above us (marked in orange on the map). If we arrive in the spring, we will enjoy abundant blooming in the area.
From the chapel, we will continue and descend impressive stone steps, some of which are hewn into the rock (about 300 steps in total) until we finally reach Elijah’s Cave. This cave is sacred to Jews due to a folk tradition linked to the cave, which tells that the prophet Elijah found refuge in this cave when he was hiding from Ahab, King of Israel (marked in red on the map).
The prophet Elijah, who ascended to heaven in a whirlwind while still alive, has a special status in Jewish tradition, reflected among other things in the cup of wine reserved for the prophet Elijah on the Passover Seder table and in opening the door of the house in his honor. The place has served as a prayer site since ancient times, as evidenced by faded Greek inscriptions that can be identified on the walls of the cave. In the front part of the women’s section, we can clearly identify a menorah engraved in the rock.
At the end of our visit to the cave, we will continue to the road and carefully cross the Allenby interchange bridge on our way back to the beginning of the path (at the lower parking lot of the Haifa cable car – marked on the map with the letter P). Here we will conclude our trip.
The route can also be done without using the cable car, but then there is a need for a rather cumbersome vehicle shuttle between Stella Maris and Elijah’s Cave.
Opening hours for the Haifa cable car: Open every day from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Haifa cable car price: One-way ticket (the recommended choice) – 21 NIS. Round trip ticket – 29 NIS.
Free for children under two years old.
Elijah’s Cave – open on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM during summer time, and until 5:00 PM during winter time.
Fridays and holiday eves – from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Closed on Saturdays and holidays.
Difficulty level – Easy (the route is downhill, about a kilometer of walking)
Estimated walking time – one to two hours.
Directions:
For those coming from the eastern neighborhoods of Haifa and the northern area, it is recommended to arrive via the Carmel Tunnels. We will enter the tunnels at the Krayot interchange (or at the Neve Shaanan interchange) and exit on the western side of Haifa.
We should exit to the street of the Expelled from Spain and turn left onto Moshe Fleiman Street. On Fleiman Street, we will turn right, continue straight at the first traffic light, and before the second traffic light, we will turn right onto Route 4 (Sderot HaHagana). On Sderot HaHagana, we will drive until the Navy Road junction and turn left towards Rambam Hospital and Bat Galim. We will pass through the underpass under the railway tracks and at the roundabout turn left onto HaAliyah HaShniya Street, where we will drive 1.5 km until we reach the lower terminal building of the cable car, adjacent to the Allenby interchange.
In the future, when the Allenby interchange is completed, the route to Bat Galim will be significantly shortened.
For those who do not wish to use the cable car, it is possible to turn from Sderot HaHagana to the Allenby interchange and park at the foot of Elijah’s Cave (but it is necessary to arrange for another vehicle shuttle to Stella Maris).
For those coming from western Haifa and south of the city, they should reach Sderot HaHagana (from the Haifa South interchange continue straight north) and drive to the Navy Road junction (the entrance to Bat Galim and continue as described above).
*The information is provided as a public service; the details mentioned in the article may change from time to time.