Things to Do in Galilee

Lake Kineret, more famously known as the Sea of Galilee, is Israel’s largest freshwater lake. The waters of the Jordan River flow into the lake near the ancient ruins of Bethsaida and out toward the Dead Sea at the lake’s southernmost tip. At 689 feet (210 meters) below sea level, the lake and the lands surrounding it are warm in winter and oppressively hot in summer, making the bathtub-like waters a popular and refreshing swimming spot for visitors.

The lake’s significance stretches back into Biblical times, when Jesus walked on its waters and fed crowds on its shores by multiplying bread and fish. He stood overlooking the lake while delivering the Sermon on the Mount. Today, the same types of fish caught by the disciples – mullet, catfish, sardine and combfish – still inhabit the waters and supply modern fishermen.