Caesarea

The breathtaking and remarkably well preserved remains of the ingenious Roman harbour at Caesarea lie less than an hour north of Tel Aviv.

Herod the Great built the harbour, the city around it and his private palaces with all the pomp he was known for. Its streets were filled with a cacophony of languages, baskets of oriental goods and fabrics, and the smell of exotic spices. A city of luxury, it offered its capricious residents Roman baths, theatre and other entertainment within the walls of its amphitheatre.

The meticulous urban planning and the magnificent mosaics of Herod's palaces still captivate visitors two thousand years later. After Herod's death the city and harbour fell into disrepair — yet Caesarea remains one of the largest archaeological sites in Israel. Several restaurants inside the national park look out over what was once a great harbour.

What we will see

• Caesarea — Herod's harbour — An artificial harbour that Herod the Great had built in the open sea.
• The Caesarea aqueduct — A Roman aqueduct on the beach — the most photographed spot on the site.
• The Roman amphitheatre — Concerts are still held here. The acoustics still work after two thousand years.