Israel’s underrated daytrips: From farms to wineries
While tourists and locals alike never tire of hitting the beaches in Tel Aviv, visiting the Old City, or floating in the Dead Sea, there are plenty of worthy day trips in and around these regions.
By SHARON FEIEREISENPicnic at Tishbi Winery (photo credit: DANNY GOLAN)
Now that we’re out of lockdown, it’s time to ditch Netflix and chilling and start taking advantage of all the unique experiences Israel has to offer. For those in a position to do so, there has also never been a better time to support local, small businesses. While tourists and locals alike never tire of hitting the beaches in Tel Aviv, visiting the Old City, floating in the Dead Sea or exploring Haifa’s Bahá’í Gardens, there are plenty of worthy day trips in and around these regions that don’t involve the obvious.From farms to wineries, here’s a look at standout destination spots and activities to consider for your next day trip.MOUNT CARMEL NATIONAL PARK & NATURE RESERVEThe Carmel Park, part of Mount Carmel in the north of Israel, is a picturesque dream whether you’re looking to spend the day hiking or picnicking, particularly now when hundreds of plants blossom. In fact, because Carmel receives plenty of rainfall (mostly in the winter months), there are some 670 different species of plants that grow in the warmer months. While human activity has caused the rapid deterioration of wildlife, you’ll still spot some gazelles, deer and other animals. The Carmel Hai-Bar Nature Reserve, a nature reserve for breeding animals, is open to visitors and to groups. Those looking for more than a day trip can make use of the campgrounds. There are also playgrounds throughout the more than 10,000-hectare park. The entrance fee for private cars is NIS 36.Haifa, (04) 822-8983, parks.org.ilTISHBI WINERYLocated in Zichron Ya’akov, Tishbi Winery is one of Israel’s most well-known and largest wineries and their special wine tastings include chocolate parings (NIS 45 per person; NIS 30 for wine-only or for chocolate-only tastings). There is also an option to do a wine tour along with your tasting (NIS 55 per person; NIS 35 for the tour with just the chocolate or just wine tasting). They also have a dairy restaurant with outdoor seating shaded by grapevines, overlooking some of the Tishbi Estate vineyards. Fridays there’s a popular smoked meat barbecue, served via food truck, where you can enjoy the week’s portion of hickory-smoked brisket, ribs and poultry (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). While you’re there, you can also load up on artisanal products including jams, preserves, honey and, of course, a variety of chocolate products.Miyasdim Street, Zichron Yaakov, (04) 638-0434, tishbi.com, kosherASSAF WINERYThis wine paradise in the Golan Heights offers visitors a winery, a vineyard, a restaurant – AdiKa Café’ – and cabin accommodations for those looking for more than a day trip. Set up in a eucalyptus grove, there are also wine tastings led by one of the members of the family that owns the winery. The experience includes tastings of five wines for NIS 45 or three wines for NIS 30. If you’re looking for a food spread to go with your wine, the restaurant is run by a chef and a nutritionist who uses nothing but fresh, local ingredients to make sourdough, brioche, tapas, smoked meat, pickled fish and local cheeses to complement Assaf’s wines. Because the winery isn’t kosher, it’s open for tastings Monday through Saturday.Route 91 in the Golan Heights, 054-391-5552,assafwinery.com THE SALAD TRAILYou don’t need to be a kid to appreciate the touch-and-taste nature of The Salad Trail tours. Located in the greenhouses of the HaBesor region in the northern Negev, the appointment-only tours are led by leading agronomist Uri Alon. It’s nothing short of awe-inspiring to see flavorful produce of all kinds grow in the middle of the desert thanks to cutting-edge agricultural technologies that you’ll learn about. The two- to 3.5-hour-long tours can be customized based on language and ages, but no matter what, you’ll pick and taste everything from tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, to strawberries, oranges and even green medicinal herbs. There’s also a hands-on part where you’ll actually get to cook using the farm-fresh ingredients you pick. Tickets for the Hebrew tours are NIS 50 per person. For other languages and big groups, private tours must be booked.31 Marva St., Talmei Yosef, (08) 998-2225, salat4u.co.il‘ISH SHEL LECHEM’ PIZZA WORKSHOPIsh Shel Lechem specializes in handmade sourdoughs, breads, cookies, cakes, challa, granola, pastries, as well as gluten-free and vegan options all made at the Ginaton Moshav and distributed locally. To learn about how these fresh baked good are actually produced, workshops are offered throughout the year. Most of them are focused on bread (think spelt workshop or gluten-free workshop) and last three hours (NIS 250), but they also offer workshops for both adults and children, like their pizza workshop. You’ll go home with a recipe so you can remake the pies at home. The one-and-a-half-hour workshop (NIS 70) also has a vegan option and is suitable for kids seven or over accompanied by an adult.4 Derech Harimon, Ginaton, 050-307-0355,, kosherTHE NEGEV CAMEL RANCH While sandboarding is an unforgettable and unique option – there are plenty of companies that rent them out – “surfing” down a dune requires an arduous climb not everyone is up for. All ages, however, can enjoy a camel ride along the rim of the crater, and there are a number of camel farms across the Negev. The Negev Camel Ranch stands out because it’s not only one of the most reputable, but in addition to leading tours, it’s an actual working farm that breeds and trains their own camels. There are one-hour (NIS 65 for children, NIS 75 for adults) or two-hour (NIS 120 for children, NIS 140 for adults) tours available, which must be booked online.Dimona, (08) 655-2829, cameland.co.ilIGRA FARM Igra Farm is a farm-to-table restaurant with an adjacent delicatessen stocking local, organic and fresh produce – both are located on a working farm. The project comes from the owner of Melamed Farm, which is known for their organic poultry, and the two men behind the popular Tel Aviv restaurant, Igra Rama. In keeping with the farm-to-table nature, dishes are constantly changing, but always made using crops from the farm, which are pesticide and antibiotic-free. It’s a great place to come with the whole family as kids will love exploring the farm including, of course, plenty of chickens, while adults dine or load up on groceries including poultry, eggs, fruits, veggies, oils, olives and other curated artisanal buys.56 HaEla St., Kfar Hanagid, (08) 912-3329,facebook.com/pg/igrabameshekOLIVE OIL PRESSES AND TASTINGS Olive trees are deeply seeded in the Jewish religion and in Israeli culture. In keeping with that, today, Israel produces thousands of tons of olive oil every year, mostly for domestic use. While you can sample many artisanal olive oils at restaurants throughout the country, it’s a worthy experience to see a press or visit a farm in person. During picking and pressing season (exact months vary) you can pick olives and watch them get pressed throughout the Galilee region. Out of season, many of the olive oil brands allow visitors to come see their presses, watch demonstrations, and partake in tastings. One of the most well-known is Galili Olive Oil. They offer 1.5-hour olive grove tours and olive oil tasting workshops (NIS 50), led by the owner, wherein you’ll learn about the olive oil extraction process, how to obtain maximum quality and health from of olive oil, experience a professional olive oil tasting to identify qualities and defects and learn to be a wise olive oil consumer, and taste a variety of olive oil dips and spreads, goat cheese and local wine. For those looking for a simple tasting with the owner, that can be done for NIS 12 and lasts 45 minutes.Bethlehem of Galilee, 052-615-4411,galilioliveoil.co.il, kosher FARMA CULTURAFarma Cultura is a pioneer in sustainable organic farming and it’s an amazing destination for small and large groups. They offer customizable farm-to-table events whereby you can pick, taste and then enjoy a veritable feast made using the farm-fresh produce in your midst along with breads from artisan bakers, honey from local beekeepers, cheese from nearby cheese makers and much more. They also have a farm shop stocking smoothies, the day’s local harvest and artisanal pantry staples. Every Thursday and Friday, farm-to-picnic baskets, which you can enjoy in their garden or take with you, are offered and they host spring brunches and various other events throughout the year.19 Hamanim St., Bnei Zion, (09) 768-8487,farmacultura.com
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