Akko Old Town
Akko Old Town
4.5
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Top ways to experience Akko Old Town
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Restaurants
90 within 5 kms
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35 within 10 kms
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- MarcusHurleyCalne, United Kingdom9,520 contributionsGreat place to exploreThis is a fascinating place to walk around and it really does give the feel of being hundreds of years old. There are plenty of alleys and narrow walkways and steps but it's s mall place so even if you get lost the walls are always nearby for navigation. It is run down and if it was in the UK it'd probably all count as listed buildings but then it would stop evolving too. Definitely worth a wander.Visited December 2022Written 13 December 2022
- Jeffry bEssendon, Australia13,782 contributionsIntriguing heart of the Holy LandThe Akka Old Town is a marvelous remnant of times past. The Old Town dates from the Crusader period, the faithful restoration of the Old Town is wonderful, you feel like you are in the heart of an ancient kingdom. Feel free to wander around and take in the atmosphere of times past. The Akko Old Town and the Crusader kingdom is part of the history of the Holy Land, and it intrigues visitors to this day.Visited October 2022Written 27 December 2022
- sueWailea, Hawaii37 contributionsDay trip by train from Tel Aviv, we did instead of HaifaVery nice old fort town to explore. Well maintened and some cafes, stores and museums within the old walls. An easy train ride from Tel Aviv. Free to enter and explore. One reasonable ticket price for many of the museums, bath houses, templar tunnels and other things within the walls. A nice break from the bustle of Tel Aviv for a day. The train runs along the ocean and through Haifa as well. Only warning, museums etc. are not open until 5 as stated, they close around 4 so don't count on them being open as long as they say.Visited February 2023Written 10 February 2023
- TravelibrarianIstanbul, Türkiye185 contributionsHistoric and atmospheric.The old city is a little touristy with nice shops and cafes, but there is still a large population living within the walls, so it doesn't feel inauthentic. The markets are full of local produce and things that locals would buy in their daily lives. Very enjoyable to wander and small enough that if you get lost, (which you will), you find your way again very easily.Visited March 2023Written 24 March 2023
- SilverOrlovTel Aviv, Israel1,819 contributionsA few hours in an authentic placeMy wife and I spent about 5 hours here in total. We walked up and down all the places that could interest us and that I wanted to photograph. Interesting and very authentic place with several cafeterias, several restaurants and lots of small souvenir shops. Almost all of them sell absolutely the same thing, but I want to highlight one store, that is located on one long shopping street. Clean and with a large assortment: Paul Elias. A visit to this place is included in one of the excursions in the northern part of the country, but you can come here and walk on your own.Visited March 2023Written 9 April 2023
- Alan & JulesRoyal Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom38 contributionsAkko Old TownWhat an amazing place, well worth a visit with the key historical sites - Citadel (The Hospitaller Fortress), Al-Basha Bath House, Templars Tunnel etc. - close at hand and easily visited during a day. Yes, the area is a bit touristy in parts but this does not detract from the wider appeal of the Old Town where the local population live in juxtaposition with centuries old tradition. We visited off a cruise stopping in Haifa and took the train to Akko (Acre) which was straightforward, quick and reasonably priced. Far cheaper and more convenient than an organised excursion.Visited April 2023Written 1 May 2023
- lktnzGolden Bay, New Zealand41 contributionsVery interesting history for this strategically placed old townWe really enjoyed our visit to the Old Town. We purchased the ticket 'package deal' to get into 6 sights. We weren't sure it would be worthwhile but it was excellent. We had an audio guide for the Citadel, (over 40 stations) and audio guide and videos at the Bathhouse, a wander through the tunnel and a real live person guide to the Synagogue and information centre. There were two sights we didn't get to! Topped off with delic hummus for lunch! The train from Haifa is easy with a 20 min walk to Land Gate.Visited June 2023Written 19 June 2023
- Jeffry bEssendon, Australia13,782 contributionsCrusader fort is beautifully restoredAkko is a medieval city that is best-known for its Crusader fort, which dates from the 12th Century. Acre has been beautifully restored and is open for visitors. The rest of the Akko Old Town has a great selection of outdoor restaurants. Acco sits on a natural harbor, it's not far from Haifa. It's easy to wander around the Akko Old Town, there's lots to see.Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 3 November 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,782 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
Akko is a medieval city that is best-known for its Crusader fort, which dates from the 12th Century. Acre has been beautifully restored and is open for visitors. The rest of the Akko Old Town has a great selection of outdoor restaurants. Acco sits on a natural harbor, it's not far from Haifa. It's easy to wander around the Akko Old Town, there's lots to see.
Written 3 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ned S
Jerusalem, Israel217 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Really worthwhile place to visit. There is incredible history to explore and discover. Fascinating sites and stories to see and learn about.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lktnz
Golden Bay, New Zealand41 contributions
Jun 2023
We really enjoyed our visit to the Old Town. We purchased the ticket 'package deal' to get into 6 sights. We weren't sure it would be worthwhile but it was excellent. We had an audio guide for the Citadel, (over 40 stations) and audio guide and videos at the Bathhouse, a wander through the tunnel and a real live person guide to the Synagogue and information centre. There were two sights we didn't get to! Topped off with delic hummus for lunch! The train from Haifa is easy with a 20 min walk to Land Gate.
Written 19 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah H
Cremorne, Australia4 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
This is a wonderful site, very interesting. With a fabulous feel. It is a good way to spend a couple of hours after a beautiful lunch at Ari Buri!
Written 28 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan & Jules
Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK38 contributions
Apr 2023
What an amazing place, well worth a visit with the key historical sites - Citadel (The Hospitaller Fortress), Al-Basha Bath House, Templars Tunnel etc. - close at hand and easily visited during a day. Yes, the area is a bit touristy in parts but this does not detract from the wider appeal of the Old Town where the local population live in juxtaposition with centuries old tradition. We visited off a cruise stopping in Haifa and took the train to Akko (Acre) which was straightforward, quick and reasonably priced. Far cheaper and more convenient than an organised excursion.
Written 1 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SilverOrlov
Tel Aviv, Israel1,819 contributions
Mar 2023
My wife and I spent about 5 hours here in total. We walked up and down all the places that could interest us and that I wanted to photograph. Interesting and very authentic place with several cafeterias, several restaurants and lots of small souvenir shops. Almost all of them sell absolutely the same thing, but I want to highlight one store, that is located on one long shopping street. Clean and with a large assortment: Paul Elias.
A visit to this place is included in one of the excursions in the northern part of the country, but you can come here and walk on your own.
A visit to this place is included in one of the excursions in the northern part of the country, but you can come here and walk on your own.
Written 9 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelibrarian
Istanbul, Türkiye185 contributions
Mar 2023
The old city is a little touristy with nice shops and cafes, but there is still a large population living within the walls, so it doesn't feel inauthentic. The markets are full of local produce and things that locals would buy in their daily lives. Very enjoyable to wander and small enough that if you get lost, (which you will), you find your way again very easily.
Written 24 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary
Tucson, AZ35 contributions
Feb 2023
I took an NCL excursion including Akko. I don't know the company which provided the tour. This was one of my most memorable excursions. The site is well organized with a center, excellent signage and explanations. Some descriptions have made it out to be challenging. I have bad knees and had no trouble including the tunnel. (If you are claustrophobic or afraid of dark, you should pass on this section.) It made pieces of history, movies, novels all come to life and make more sense. Our guide took us into unscheduled parts like the Bath House -- each section has its own uniqueness. Don't pass on anything unless physically necessary. We also wandered through the back streets and saw modern Accre (Akko) and on down to the port. It was a day well spent.
Written 11 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StotheN
Stockholm, Sweden547 contributions
Feb 2023
Good food in the market and cheap prices. Bought some copper plates here. The people are authentic and going about their lives as usual.
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brun066
Florence, Italy12,220 contributions
Aug 2022
Since 1191 (when, during the III Crusade or "crusade of the three emperors") the King of England Richard the Lionheart takes the city back from Saladin - who had conquered it four years earlier - until 1291, when it's definitively conquered by the Islamic armies of the Mamluk dynasty, exactly a century passes. This is the century in which Akko boasts the title of capital of the "Kingdom of Jerusalem". A kingdom which, however, was deprived of Jerusalem itself, reconquered by Saladin in 1187.
The century 1191-1291 is therefore the one in which the city of Akko has the greatest importance. Although in fact its documented history begins from the fourteenth century BC, and although already in the period 1099-1191 the port of Akko had the role of maritime gateway between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Europe, the greatest building legacies of Crusader imprint date back to the century following 1191.
After the conquest in 1291, the Mamluks destroyed and then deliberately neglected the port and the city, to prevent it from being conquered again by the Crusaders and becoming their stronghold once it had become efficient again. A fortiori, therefore, what we see today of the old city (often reduced to the subsoil: the Knights' Halls, the Templars' tunnel), largely dates back to the 13th century, and in any case speaks to us above all of that prosperous and dramatic era . The walls and above all the port are an exception, partially rebuilt at the end of the 18th century by the Ottoman governor Ahmed Pasha Al Jazzar.
Today the old city presents itself as a valuable historic center, rich in environmental values, with venerable military, civil and religious buildings, many of which are absolutely not to be missed.
The Islamic population, although a minority in the whole of Akko after the Israeli-Arab partition of Palestine in 1948, is however concentrated right in the historical centre, as anyone who walks through its alleys or bazaar will be able to ascertain. In singular contrast, part of the new toponymy recalls the Crusader past: King Louis IX st., Philippe Auguste st., Baldwin st., Bet Lusignan, but also Pisan Port, and squares named after Venice, Genoa and Amalfi.
The century 1191-1291 is therefore the one in which the city of Akko has the greatest importance. Although in fact its documented history begins from the fourteenth century BC, and although already in the period 1099-1191 the port of Akko had the role of maritime gateway between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Europe, the greatest building legacies of Crusader imprint date back to the century following 1191.
After the conquest in 1291, the Mamluks destroyed and then deliberately neglected the port and the city, to prevent it from being conquered again by the Crusaders and becoming their stronghold once it had become efficient again. A fortiori, therefore, what we see today of the old city (often reduced to the subsoil: the Knights' Halls, the Templars' tunnel), largely dates back to the 13th century, and in any case speaks to us above all of that prosperous and dramatic era . The walls and above all the port are an exception, partially rebuilt at the end of the 18th century by the Ottoman governor Ahmed Pasha Al Jazzar.
Today the old city presents itself as a valuable historic center, rich in environmental values, with venerable military, civil and religious buildings, many of which are absolutely not to be missed.
The Islamic population, although a minority in the whole of Akko after the Israeli-Arab partition of Palestine in 1948, is however concentrated right in the historical centre, as anyone who walks through its alleys or bazaar will be able to ascertain. In singular contrast, part of the new toponymy recalls the Crusader past: King Louis IX st., Philippe Auguste st., Baldwin st., Bet Lusignan, but also Pisan Port, and squares named after Venice, Genoa and Amalfi.
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irene Macahis
Davao City, Philippines6 contributions
We're going to Haifa in November and would like to see Acre for a day tour. Is there a need to hire a tour guide or are there guided tours available on site? Also, are the sites accessible for motorized wheelchair?
Brittany_11_10
Los Angeles, CA1,709 contributions
I'd say it depends on a few factors. We didn't hire a guide and had relatively little issue getting ourselves around to the sites we wanted to check out (they have maps at the visitor centers that are quite helpful). We also availed ourselves of the audio tours (via handheld players/headsets) at the Citadel (and underground Crusader City), which was great. I forget if we paid extra for that or if it was included in the cost of admission.
If you want more history as you're walking between the sites, and then at some of the sites that don't have, say, audio guides, I'm sure it'd be good to have a guide. Or if you want to be able to get around without any problems at all (i.e., getting "lost"), having a guide would be useful. If you're keen to do things on your own and don't mind looking up some info on your own before or after visiting, I would say you'd be find without a guide.
As for the sites being wheelchair accessible, I'm afraid I can't help you there as I don't remember. Good luck, and enjoy Akko!
puppyon
Herzliya, Israel19 contributions
האם בימי ראשון משהו סגור בעכו?
shtorres10
Ra'anana, Israel58 contributions
לא סגור כלום, להיפך יום ראשון הוא יום מאד רגוע ,אין הרבה טיילים יחסית
DenHaagRosaria60
den haag21 contributions
zijn er nog overblijfselen uit de tijd van de kruisvaarders ?
Joke G
Rijswijk, The Netherlands56 contributions
Jazeker, vooral het museum (citadel) met ondergrondse gangen etc. is zeer de moeite waard om te bezoeken.
Elisheva H
Jerusalem, Israel12 contributions
We will be traveling with a 9 month old. Is this place stroller friendly or would it be better to take her in a carrier?
Sonya P
Grimsby, UK497 contributions
It is old and the pavements are not good. I would advise a carrier.
sheridan l
Molalla, OR13 contributions
Is there a day tour to Acre from Haifa with transportation ? I am staying at Haifa Bay Club, would love a tour with drop-off/pick-up. Prices for a tour and time duration ? Thanks
mickknap
North Yorkshire, UK6,019 contributions
I would think that there are plenty of tours available, look on trip advisor. It's not far from Haifa, you can get a bus or sherut from Haifa bus station.Do go though,it's got a lot of history and some nice walks along the walls.
zztip
Big Igloo41 contributions
We will be arriving in Haifa via cruise ship on Saturday April 23rd and would like to visit Akko that day. A few questions:
1. Transport:
Where would we catch a Sherut in Haifa which will take us to Akko? What is the cost per person?
2.
MiriMargaret
Israel121 contributions
All the sites are open on Saturday as are the markets and restaurants. The taxis costs between 60 and 100 shekels depending on who you get as taxis don't normally run on Saturdays during the day only in the evenings. Transportation is difficult to find on Saturdays. Could you maybe arrange to rent a car for the day? It'll make life easier and then you could go to Rosh Hanikra too. It is on the Lebanese border and you could take the cable car down to the Grottos.
zztip
Big Igloo41 contributions
We will be arriving in Haifa via cruise ship on Saturday April 23rd and would like to visit Akko that day. A few questions:
1. Transport:
Where would we catch a Sherut in Haifa which will take us to Akko? What is the cost per person?
2.
david y
haifa67 contributions
There is a Sherut Taxi service just outside the port on Aatzmaut Street that goes to Akko, the cost is about 15 shekel, one way. The duration of the trip is about 20-30 minutes depending the traffic. Get off at the stop near the District court and its a 5 minutes walk to enter from the entrance near the sea via Yehoshafat street.
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Claim your listingAkko Old Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Akko Old Town
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Akko Old Town:
- Walking Tour of Akko (Half-day) (From HK$2,501.99)
- 8-Night Israel Tour from Tel Aviv: Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Northern Israel and Petra (From HK$18,090.70)
- Classic Israel Tour 7 Day Best of The holy Lands (From HK$24,941.93)
- Haifa Acre and Rosh Ha-Nikra Private Tour from Tel Aviv (From HK$9,353.15)
- Private Tour to Israel's Coastline - Caesarea, Haifa & Acre (From HK$11,029.01)
- Hotels near Akko Old Town:
- (0.17 km) Akkotel
- (0.24 km) Arabesque
- (0.15 km) HI Akko - Knights Youth Hostel
- (0.27 km) Efendi Hotel
- (0.11 km) The German House
- Restaurants near Akko Old Town:
- (0.05 km) Mercato by Omri Shahar
- (0.05 km) Falafel Arafe
- (0.12 km) Feluka
- (0.14 km) Maadali local kitchen
- (0.19 km) Hummus Said
- Attractions near Akko Old Town:
- (0.03 km) Duck You Akko
- (0.03 km) JNF Western Galilee Tourist Information Center
- (0.03 km) Nelly Jewelries
- (0.06 km) Valuta
- (0.13 km) Travel with Andrew - Tour Guide