The segments of the Haifa Urban Trail offer recognition with architectural wealth alongside urban nature that is close to home.
the trail sections
The Haifa Urban Trail offers 21 sections that are a route for walks between the different parts of the city. From Bat Galim, the German Colony, the Hadar Upper and Ramat Hadar neighborhoods to the Carmel neighborhoods in independent sections or those that are connected by staircases.
The project was initiated and established by Guy Shahar already in 2010 and since then has provided records and challenges for celebrities who came to experience a continuous walk of 70 km that the entire route offers.
Guy Shahar:
When I came up with the "Haifa Trail" idea in 2010, the goal was not only to connect the built and open parts of the city into one continuous path, but also to connect people to the views of the city. I did a comprehensive field survey, and debated with many travelers and field activists in Haifa about the route. In the end, a route of over 70 kilometers was created, divided into 21 sections, which is a treasure trove of the best sites in Haifa, natural and man-made. From the moment the trail "went live" with a detailed website, a digital map, and then a printed map produced by the Haifa Tourism Association, the trail took on a life of its own: people began to frequent the route alone or in groups, walking and running, in sections and in sequence, occasionally reporting to me how much they enjoyed it From discovering the special corners of the city.
Recently the trail was put on the map by the project "Beshivili Haifa", with a bi-weekly walk along the sections of the trail. I joined the walk in section 2, and was surprised by the large number of people interested. Dozens of men and women, in the streets of the Hadar neighborhood, thirsty for experiences and knowledge, which Tali Moav and Ehud Sabirsky skillfully and patiently conveyed. Thanks also to Inbal Chen Bargav, who promotes the activities on the Haifa routes with great love. Section 3 brought even more participants, the tour went out twice, and almost 400 people are already registered in the WhatsApp group of the walk. People vote with their feet, and that is my greatest satisfaction. This is a worthy sign for the Haifa Municipality: to renew the activity of marking the Haifa Trail in the field, as well as to implement the maintenance plan for the trails.
Bar Giora corner Ramban
In the Ramat Hadar neighborhood, we lingered over the Brutalist-style buildings on Leon Balon St. that were built in the 60s to provide a housing solution for new immigrants, we stopped at the commemorative birdhouse for the sailors who drowned in the merchant ships and went down the Donia Tovia steps from Wingate Blvd. to the Hadar neighborhood to discover shady and green courtyards hidden from the busy road.
At the intersection between the street named after the secret Jewish security organization that operated in the Land of Israel and sought to transfer the security of the Jewish colonies from Arab to Jewish hands, and a street named after one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all time, there are stairs that connect them - the stairs of Ehvat Zion, and this is already a point that makes the third section of The urban path is particularly interesting and relevant in the reality of our lives.
A local initiative
The residents of Haifa, members of the voluntary organization 'For Haifa', are conducting tours of the sections of the trail starting in June. The initiative meets the growing need to get out and get to know the city and enjoy it together with other travelers.
Twice every month, the volunteers take a tour to another section of the urban path after a preparatory tour they conduct there and to convey the information in the most interesting way to the audience of participants.
Details about the urban path tours as well as tours in the wadis and their tributaries are published in an up-to-date manner on the Facebook page 'For Haifa Trails'.
Miri Balinsky Iran, Romema neighborhood:
I have known the project of the sections of the urban path for seven years and the community of 'For Haifa' by chance I found on Facebook and was happy to discover that they lead tours of the sections of the urban path. I particularly enjoyed the personal, human stories of travelers who were with us in the group and who told how their mothers sat in a cafe in Gan Binyamin, and as toddlers they waded in the pool or where the school's dreadnought was in Masada St. This project connects and strengthens the first element in promoting health, which is Interpersonal Walking together in urban nature is really preventive medicine that promotes personal happiness.
Edna Birenbaum, a resident of Tirat Carmel:
Most of my life I lived in Haifa in the French Carmel. Haifa is a beautiful and special city and even when it is familiar, there is always something to discover or learn about it and I enjoy going back and traveling there. I like to travel with a company of people, so the tours of the trail sections in a group are very suitable for me. You also chose to do tours for the evening and it definitely suits me and working people. The idea that residents are tourists in their city is excellent.
Unfortunately, some sections of the Haifa trail were blocked, for example the descent from Mipa Nof, where there is a metal gate with a lock and a high fence, the section of two in November is also blocked. You should check before posting. It is also advisable to renew the markings.
Tel Aviv Friday afternoon the whole city is walking, strolling. No need for trails. There is a rail park, there are promenades, there are "just" streets with wide sidewalks, without blocking vehicles. No dirt and wild boars.
Avenues with trees and shade. Not parking lots in Tama 38 where they cut down all the trees and the street is hot.
Then come to the center of Carmel and Moriah. Two hours later.
There are no people on the streets. Empty sidewalks. The little Moria that exists is closed. The number of people who pass by in five minutes on a boulevard in Tel Aviv is seen in the center of Carmel in an entire hour. If you want a supermarket, there is one in the entire ridge. One amp. If you want a pharmacy, don't go down to Toran in Kiryat. Entering Panorama, the guard asks what we are looking for because everything is closed. This is his first sentence. So empty you can hear our echo.
Louis Promenade is not closed! Maybe there are all the people? Two cats, two couples with a child in a stroller and a wedding photographer folding equipment. The cafe is deserted. Even the signs outside the evacuee hotel ask to be hung in a place with a crowd. Food Truck is closed. Burnt library. Well, folding. We returned to the City nursing home.
I would like to receive information about tours and activities. I don't have Facebook, so I would be very grateful if you could email me the above details.
Greetings and thanks in advance - Leah Rosenfelder.
Kudos to Guy for the initiative and to the charming Enbal for tirelessly pushing the vision of Huadith and improving and protecting it for the common good and future generations.
May the current municipality, by preserving the city assets that deserve it.. the trees and buildings that bring us honor and are not always known with fascinating stories, will lead to the expansion and deepening of knowledge and will be able to preserve entire complexes that today are still subject to the bite of entrepreneurs.
How do you sign up for the WhatsApp group of the walk?
Is there a trail map?
Hi Doron
1. Regarding the urban Haifa trail devised by Guy Shahar - there is detailed information and maps of the sections on his website that bears the same name.
2. Regarding the walking trails in the wadis and their branches - unfortunately there are no updated maps or accessible information on all the dozens of trails offered in the city and we need the public to continue to demand a set of controlled and regulated walking trails in our wadis.
Resident initiatives. Where is the municipality? There is an association to promote tourism. The sidewalks are blocked. Broken staircases. Yards with dirt. Neglected buildings. Path of Shame.
And above all, a municipality that does nothing to promote domestic tourism. Israelis are not interested in Haifa. They wanted foreign tourism. What is the result?! There is neither foreign nor domestic tourism. In Tel Aviv there is no room in the restaurants and thousands of travelers on the streets, and anyone who dares to park on the sidewalk is immediately fined and towed
Empty streets in Haifa. Path of Shame.