Menara: Views, Trails and Regional History

When looking for a hotel in Menara, you can plan your trip around the things that interest you most: views, a short trail or leisure activities. The area around the destination has several different places to visit at Menara Cliff. A particular focus is the commemoration of Sergeant Amir Karaa. The wider Northern District also offers archaeological sites that broaden your perspective beyond Menara.

Viewpoints and a trail at Menara Cliff

From the Amir Karaa viewpoint, you can see the Hula Valley, Kiryat Shmona, Mount Hermon and the northern Golan. A viewpoint on the History Stories Trail also offers views of Mount Hermon, Kiryat Shmona and the Hula Valley, specifically including the lake, as well as the Golan Mountains. The two viewpoints overlap in several of the landscapes they showcase; at the viewpoint on the trail, the lake in the Hula Valley is specifically part of the panorama.

The Woodland Trail at Menara Cliff adds a trail option to the viewpoints. It is about 500 meters long and has no significant elevation changes. If you are weighing different options for your trip, you can choose between views of the landscape and a specific trail route.

Leisure activities and access

Menara Cliff has 1.2-kilometer summer toboggan runs and a Bungee Dome trampoline. A cable car runs along a route with views of Lebanon. These activities are quite different from the viewpoints and the Woodland Trail, so you can plan your leisure time around the kind of activity that interests you. Check the current status of the activities before making specific plans.

Nearby, Via Ferrata (“iron path”) and HaMetzok HaShakran are extreme sports sites. At Via Ferrata, the activity is arranged through the climbing association. Access to HaMetzok HaShakran requires prior coordination with the climbing association. If you plan to visit this site, arrange access well in advance; it is also advisable to check the current status of the other leisure activities mentioned.

Beyond the ticket office, signs point to a viewpoint and to the “The Balcony” restaurant, which overlooks the landscape. If you would like to include the restaurant in your plans, check in advance whether a visit is currently possible.

Landscape and remembrance

The Amir Karaa viewpoint is dedicated to the memory of Sergeant Amir Karaa. He fell in Lebanon on May 15, 1995. The audio station at the viewpoint explains the landscape and the life of Sergeant Amir Karaa. Two themes come together here: views of the Hula Valley and the surrounding landscapes, and remembrance of a named individual. The audio station explores both themes, adding a personal story to the views.

Archaeological sites in the wider Northern District

In the wider destination of the Northern District, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo are another focus for cultural history. Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible; visits focus on the Upper City. Its archaeological features include Solomon’s Gate, dating to the 10th century BCE, with six chambers and two towers, and a Canaanite palace used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. The Late Bronze Age palace is considered the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant.

Tel Hazor’s underground water collection system also illustrates water storage as an engineering achievement adapted to its geographical setting. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep, with steps three meters wide carved into its vertical walls. Tel Hazor’s fortifications are considered the best example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev. Tel Hazor National Park can be reached from the north and south via Route 90 in the direction of Ayelet Hashahar. Check your route before setting out.

Tel Megiddo is also a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible. The Early Bronze Age temple complex stands out for the number of its temples, the continuity of religious activity and its documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan from the Iron Age has few parallels in the Levant. This regional context brings together different archaeological perspectives: the temple complex and city plan at Tel Megiddo, and the underground water system, palace and fortifications at Tel Hazor.

Discover more destinations: Ein Kinya, Bethlehem, Tzofar, Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Ma'ale Gamla, Nes Ammim, Shaar Hagolan, Rosh Pinna.

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