Israel has so many incredible places to visit that people just don't know about. I've never been able to figure out why one tourist attraction succeeds while a second, very similar one, doesn't. This is exactly what has happened in the Megiddo Regional Council, located adjacent to the thriving Jezreel Valley. In an effort to attract visitors to the beautiful Ramot Menashe Biosphere Reserve, the council decided to hold a Sounds of Nature music festival. This is a great time of year to hold the festival, as the ground is covered with thousands of cyclamen, primrose and lupine flowers. Dozens of activities for the whole family will take place – most of them free – in this huge nature reserve located just one hour from Tel Aviv, which recently received UNESCO recognition. A biosphere reserve is a global ecological system in which people and nature coexist, in which it is forbidden to build anything. There is an extensive oak forest and numerous running streams in Ramot Menashe, making for an absolutely lovely setting. During the festival, there will be free Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund guided tours, as well as artisan fairs and farmers markets. Visitors are welcome to ride on the new bike paths, book an overnight stay in one of the bedand- breakfasts, go horseback riding or take a gander at one of the farms or historical sites. One option that stands out among the rest is the Yokne'am Open House Festival, where dozens of local artists and musicians will welcome visitors into their studios and sing for them in public spaces from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, storytellers will regale guests with tall tales in nearby Kibbutz Ein Hashofet from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Nature lovers can also take a free guided tour of the nearby Ochberg Lookout (on Road 6954); from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a group will leave every hour on the hour from the information booth near the Ein Hashofet performance hall. Palmah Cave If you end up making it to the region during the Sounds of Nature festival, or any time of year, I highly recommend taking the time to visit the Palmah Cave on Kibbutz Mishmar Ha'emek. The cave lies in the heart of the forest and is where the first six units of Palmah fighters trained, two of which were completely secret – including the “German” unit, whose fighters fought against the Nazis; and an undercover unit that fought in Arab areas. Once in the cave, guests can look at the actual weapons fighters used, watch a short film about how the Palmah was created, and take part in a tour of the “volcano” and the Defense Ministry memorial. During the intermediate days of Passover, April 5-6, on-site festivities will commemorate the courageous undercover fighters, with storytelling and a “trail of riddles.” Price per person: NIS 40 Preregistration required: 052-447-1109 Sprouting farm If your kids have never visited a farm, I highly recommend making time to visit Carmel Yevulim on Moshav Yogev. Fifty energetic people work on the farm growing asparagus, a variety of lettuce, snow peas and other sprouts. During a guided tour (which you need to preregister for), you will learn about all the stages of the sprouting process; whether you participate in the tour or not, visitors are welcome to purchase fresh produce in the farm store. Details: (04) 989-1858 Circus, circus If you're already at Moshav Yogev, it would be a shame not to see the agricultural circus, one of the area's best attractions. The circus is directed by Natalie and Hillel Peretz, a couple who found a way to combine their two passions: acrobatics and agriculture; after the 40-minute performance, guests are invited to pick their own vegetables. Moreover, upon entering the farm, everyone is handed a riddle written in a secret code, which you can try to solve from hints receives at different stations. Price: NIS 43 to NIS 48 Hours: Every Saturday at 12 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to arrive by 10 or 11 a.m. Preregistration not necessary on Saturdays and holidays. Prayer wheels In addition to enjoying the breathtaking scenery – which most guests remember fondly – Megiddo offers the opportunity for heartwarming interaction with residents, who live far from the country's bustling Center. They include people like Micha and Ayelet, Buddhists who reside on Kibbutz Ein Hashofet and opened a studio called Mahny Wheel, where they make Tibetan prayer wheels. Receiving numerous requests, they decided to make wheels featuring “Shema Yisrael” and “Ana Bekoah”; they will be offering them at the kibbutz during the festival. Eat up If you're in the mood for gourmet food I recommend Shelo Baya'ar, a charming little restaurant housed in an old building that used to belong to prominent Second Aliya figure Alexander Zaid. The owners, Roni and Kfir Galico, fell in love with and bought the restaurant in 2008, practically living there since. The impressive building, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery, features an old fireplace that blends in perfectly with the French design; inside, the Galicos prepare French-Italian cuisine with an Israeli twist. Business meal: Four courses, including bread; Monday- Thursday; NIS 155. Restaurant hours: Daily from 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 12 noon to 6 p.m. Accommodation There is not an abundance of overnight accommodation in the area, so when I found Zohar Badeshe at Kibbutz Daliya, I was thrilled. The perfect spot for families, it offers wide-open grassy areas and a tranquil feeling of being in nature. There are wooden bungalows as well as smaller single rooms, and the breakfast is quite tasty. Nearby is an amphitheater that was abandoned in the 1950s and is now completely covered with wildflowers, near a sheep pen where you can watch the sheep being milked; there's also a boutique winery and horses. Price per room: NIS 500/couple Details: (04) 989-7777 Translated by Hannah Hochner. Loca tion: Megiddo Regional Council Da tes of Sounds of Na ture music fes tival: Marc h 27-28 Type of outing: An easy day trip with the possibility of staying overnight Details : www.teva-megido.co.il
