Two distinct interests take center stage in Kafr Kanna: the churches and ancient traces of the town, and the crafts and olive oil at the Sindyanna of Galilee visitor center. When choosing accommodation, you can consider which topic you would like to spend more time on. The activities at the visitor center also differ in duration, helping you plan your stay around your own priorities.

Churches and ancient traces in Kafr Kanna

The main churches in Kafr Kanna include an Orthodox church and a Catholic church. The remains of an ancient synagogue lie beneath the Catholic church. This spatial relationship brings together two distinct aspects of the town’s history: the churches as important religious buildings and the ancient evidence beneath the Catholic church. Visitors interested in culture and history will find a specific starting point here, without conflating the different remains.

Basket weaving and olive oil at the visitor center

At the Sindyanna of Galilee visitor center, Arab women from Kafr Kanna and neighboring villages learn basket weaving. They weave in traditional and modern styles using palm fronds, olive branches and willow rods. The center also offers basket-weaving workshops using palm fronds and willow rods. They last 60 minutes; special workshops can last up to three hours and are suitable for family and corporate events.

Visitors can taste olive oil made from different olive varieties at the center and learn about traditional olive cultivation and oil production. This activity takes 20 to 30 minutes. The same visitor center therefore offers two distinct topics: a shorter tasting with insights into cultivation and production, and basket-weaving workshops that take longer. If you are planning a specific activity, check dates and availability in advance.

Archaeological themes in the wider destination of the Northern District

In the wider destination of the Northern District, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo form a distinct archaeological area of interest. Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with biblical accounts; the visit focuses on the Upper City. Tel Hazor includes Solomon’s Gate, with six chambers and two towers dating from the 10th century BCE. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. It is considered the most elaborate palace in Israel and one of the most important in the Levant.

Tel Hazor’s water supply and fortifications are also archaeological highlights. The underground water-collection system is an elaborate engineering achievement, adapted to the geography to store water. Steps three meters wide are cut into the walls of the vertical shaft; the excavated shaft is 45 meters deep. The fortifications are considered the finest example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.

Tel Megiddo is also a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with biblical accounts. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional in terms of the number of its temples, the continuity of religious activity and the documented ritual practices. Another prominent feature is the orthogonal city plan from the Iron Age, which has few parallels in the Levant. These archaeological themes complement Kafr Kanna’s local focus on churches, crafts and olive oil with an explicitly regional perspective.

Discover more destinations

Nazareth Iliit, Tirat Ẕevi, Shavei Zion, Gilon, Kiryat Shmona, Julis, Shibli, Harashim

Back to the wider travel overview: Northern District.