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Voykit pocket guide · Israel
Tiberias
טבריה
Give Tiberias one full day and two nights: tombs and the old town on foot, then Hammat Tiberias and a lake swim. Skip it as a base if you want nightlife.
Tiberias is a small resort city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, one of the four Jewish holy cities and the place where the Jerusalem Talmud was compiled. Almost everything a visitor wants sits within a 2 km strip between the central bus station and the water, so it works as a one-day stop or a two-night base for the lake and the hot springs.
- Country
- Israel
- Local name
- טבריה
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jewish holidays when prices spike
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ILS
- Money
- Cards work nearly everywhere; see Insurance & payments above for the insurance point that matters more.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₪180–300 excl. bed · Mid ₪350–600 excl. bed · High ₪700+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Ambulance (MDA) 101 · Fire 102 · Home Front Command 104
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Falafel or shawarma in pita | ₪20–35 |
| Plate of hummus, falafel and salad | ₪25–45 |
| Fresh fish from the lake, main course | ₪70–120 |
| Coffee | ₪10–16 |
| Beer, bar or shop | ₪25–35 / ₪8–12 |
| Local bus ride | ₪6–10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₪30–60 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TLV · Ben Gurion
- About 2 h by car or bus via Tel Aviv or Afula; no direct rail link to Tiberias.
Typical fares
- Bus Tel Aviv → Tiberias
- about ₪50, 2.5–3 h
- Taxi, centre → south-shore hotels
- ₪40–60
- Hammat Tiberias entry
- ₪14 adult, ₪12 student, ₪7 child
Get around
The centre is walkable. Local buses 5 and 15 link the bus station, hotels and Big Fashion Danilof Mall; bus 6 climbs to the upper neighbourhood and the Tomb of Rabbi Akiva about every 20 min. Buses 37 and 39 run south to Poriya Hospital. Taxis wait at the station; agree the fare first.
See and do
Known for
- Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) shoreline
- Tomb of Maimonides (Rambam)
- Hammat Tiberias synagogue mosaic
- Hot springs and lakeside promenade
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hammat Tiberias National Park | Local bus south along the shore, or a 30–40 min walk from the centre | About 30–45 min |
| Capernaum and the churches of the north shore | Bus or car north along Route 90, about 12 kmBus or car north along Route 90, about 7.5 mi | About 30 min |
| Arbel cliff | Car or taxi northwest, then a steep walk down | About 30–45 min |
| Kinneret circuit by bike | Rent a bicycle in town and ride the roughly 55 km loopRent a bicycle in town and ride the roughly 34 mi loop | A full day |
Sleep
- Old town and promenade
- Walk to the tombs, the Khan, the castle and the water; most hotels and the fish market are here.
- Rabin Square / Hayarden Street
- Budget hostels and the central bus station, 5 min downhill to the lake.
- South shore (Ganei Menorah)
- Big resort hotels, free public beach, 2 km from the centre; bus or taxi to town.Big resort hotels, free public beach, 1.2 mi from the centre; bus or taxi to town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Peace | שלוםshalom |
| Thank you | תודהtoda |
| How much is it? | כמה זה עולה?kama ze ole? |
| Where is the beach? | איפה החוף?eifo ha-chof? |
| Can I pay by card? | אפשר לשלם בכרטיס?efshar leshalem be-kartis? |
| Water, please | מים, בבקשהmayim, bevakasha |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Shabbat: from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening most shops, restaurants and buses in the Jewish parts of town stop; Arab-run shops near the old town usually stay open.
- Swim only at marked beaches; the lake has sudden drop-offs and no lifeguard cover off-season.
- Hammat Tiberias National Park closes earlier than posted on holidays; check before you go.
- Aqua Kef, the floating water park at Ganim beach, is seasonal and may be closed in winter: check that it is open.
- Unofficial hot springs south of the lake are unmarked and unsupervised; go with a guide or not at all.
Tiberias itself is calm and walkable, and the main risks are heat, deep water and unlit springs. Check your own government's travel advice for the north before you book, and keep your plans flexible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tiberias yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) shoreline
- Tomb of Maimonides (Rambam)
- Hammat Tiberias synagogue mosaic
- Hot springs and lakeside promenade
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Tiberias, revision 5309998 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5309998
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tiberiasטבריה
לכתובת הזאת, בבקשה
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Tel Aviv; the US embassy is in Jerusalem. Consular help for the north usually means a trip to Tel Aviv — check your embassy's page first.
Shabbat runs Friday afternoon to Saturday evening: buses and most Jewish-owned shops stop. Arab-run shops near the old town usually stay open.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tiberias). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.