When people think of the North, a few places come to mind: Haifa, the Sea of Galilee, Caesarea and the Golan. Situated between two of those – Haifa and Caesarea – is the charming seaside village of Nahsholim, with arguably the best view in the country.
We had the pleasure of staying at Nahsholim Seaside Resort, a staple of the area that has recently undergone extensive renovations and additions. Among these are 40 seafront villas, some of which have a private pool, in two brand-new buildings.
We stayed in one such villa, with a large bed, a nice bathroom and a spacious balcony overlooking the tranquil shoreline. The hotel, which boasts two kosher restaurants on its premises, has a total of 150 rooms that can cater to families, couples or individuals looking for a retreat.
The beautiful location of the villa
It is conveniently located within view of the Carmel mountain range, with easy access to nearby towns and villages such as the Ein Hod artists’ village, Bat Shlomo and Zichron Ya’acov, the former of which we visited on our trip. Adjacent to the property is the Mizgaga museum, a former glass wine bottle factory founded by Baron Rothschild and operated by Meir Dizengoff, which now houses archeological finds and artifacts from nearby Tel Dor – home to biblical and modern history.
We were treated to a sunset walking tour of the archeological site led by one of its leading archeologists, concluding with a breathtaking view accompanied by wine and cheese from one of famed cheesemonger Basher’s nearby outposts.
The two dining options at the resort are the property’s new banquet hall – which has been used for a number of events, including wellness retreats, weddings and religious gatherings – and the Rosemary restaurant. Both feature a buffet typical of Israeli hotels, for both breakfast and dinner. Among our favorite dishes were the roasted branzino, gnocchi, the wide assortment of cheeses, salads and pasta.
The Nahsholim hotel is within the eponymous kibbutz, which has a coffee shop that doubles as a ceramics house, as well as a synagogue.
One of the resort’s key attractions is its extensive variety of sports and water activities, which include kayaking, windsurfing, surfing, mountain biking, horseback riding, paddle boarding and boating. Given its location, the beach is not crowded like those one might find in Tel Aviv, allowing for a peaceful vacation.
We were able to take a boat around the area, seeing some of the many historical and archeological sites that litter the shoreline and spotting artifacts left behind by Napoleon’s army during its retreat from Acre.
The resort also offers musical healing sessions and wine tastings, both of which we did. The musical sessions feature Tibetan singing bowls and the wine we tasted came from Teperberg, which has a nearby vineyard.
Given that the resort is kosher, it has options for Passover and other holidays. Some of the hotel’s family rooms include full kitchens, allowing families to cook on more extended stays. The “bungalow”-style rooms are ideal for weekend trips with friends. There are also larger home-like accommodations available on the kibbutz.
In the spring and summer, the area is full of food trucks and local festivals, all of which are within close driving or even walking distance. It is approximately one hour from Tel Aviv and two hours from Jerusalem and there is plenty of parking on the premises.
The current renovations are part of a bigger plan to build more luxury seaside villas in the coming years. Rooms currently run from around NIS 750 to NIS 2,000 per night.
If this is within your budget, it is definitely worth a multi-day or Shabbat getaway to the North.
The writer was a guest of the hotel.