The north is the part of Israel that looks least like the postcards: hills, olive groves, vineyards and the only substantial freshwater lake in the country. It is also where much of both Jewish and Christian history is set.
The Sea of Galilee
Kinneret in Hebrew, 210 m below sea level and 21 km long, is the lowest freshwater lake on earth and supplies a large share of Israel drinking water. The Jesus Trail and the Gospel Trail circle parts of it. Capernaum has the remains of a synagogue and a house identified since the first century as Peter's; Tabgha marks the multiplication of loaves and fishes; the Mount of Beatitudes overlooks the lake from a hillside church of 1938.
Tiberias and the shore
Tiberias, founded in 20 CE and one of the four holy cities of Judaism, is the base for the lake, with hot springs and the tombs of Maimonides and other sages. Boat trips cross to Ein Gev. The lake is warm enough to swim in for most of the year.
Nazareth
The largest Arab city in Israel, with the Basilica of the Annunciation built in 1969 over earlier churches and the cave identified as the home of Mary. The old market and the food are the other reasons to come; Nazareth has become a serious restaurant town.
Safed
At 900 m, the highest city in Israel and the centre of Kabbalah since the sixteenth century, when Jewish scholars expelled from Spain settled here. The old synagogues, the artists quarter and the blue-painted doorways make it the most atmospheric small town in the country.
The Golan Heights
A basalt plateau captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981, a move not recognised by most of the world. It has the best wineries in Israel, hiking in the Yehudiya reserve with waterfalls and pools, the Banias springs and Roman ruins, and Mount Hermon, the only ski area in the country. Mount Bental, a volcanic cone with old bunkers, looks across to Syria. Minefields from earlier wars remain fenced and marked; do not cross the fences.
Practicalities
A car is needed. The region is two hours from Tel Aviv and one from Haifa. It is at its best in spring, when the hills are green and covered in wildflowers, and in autumn.
Wine
The Galilee and Golan are the best wine regions in Israel, with altitude, basalt soils and cool nights that the coastal plain cannot offer. Several dozen wineries welcome visitors, from large producers to boutique operations of a few thousand bottles, and most require nothing more than a phone call.