Metulla can be explored from two perspectives: the Mitzpe Adi–Metula Scenic Road offers views of the north, while historic sites in the destination itself provide insights into different chapters of history. When choosing what to see, it makes a difference whether landscapes or historic sites are the main focus. You can plan around both by visiting specific places and exploring particular themes.
Scenic Road and Sweeping Views
The approximately eight-kilometer-long Mitzpe Adi–Metula Scenic Road is accessible by private car. In Metulla, it ends at the roundabout at the intersection of HaGolan and Ma'ale Dado streets. Views along the route include Mount Hermon, the northern part of the Golan Heights, the Hula Valley and Lebanese villages. As road conditions can change, it is a good idea to check them before setting out.
Mitzpe Dado offers a different perspective. This viewpoint is at a high elevation in the area around Metulla, west of the town. From there, the panoramic view stretches across the Upper Galilee, the Hula Valley, the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon. Information panels around the viewpoint identify the visible places. The views along the road therefore differ from those at a fixed location, where the panels help you understand the landscape in context.
Nature in the Surrounding Area
Near Metulla, a short route in the Nahal Iyyon Nature Reserve includes a paved circular path, the Gafni viewpoint and a viewing terrace with an unobstructed view of Tanur Waterfall.
The season also shapes one aspect of nature around Metulla. In autumn, magnificent sea squills bloom on the slope west of the Nahal Iyyon Gorge, near Metulla Cemetery. The seasonal bloom and the viewpoints described as year-round features represent different ways of experiencing the landscape: one through a clearly defined autumn display, the other through views of the surrounding regions.
Historic Sites in Metulla
The abandoned historic police station stands beside the corner of Rishonim and HaArazim streets. The building was constructed in the style of a Tegart fort and served as a British police station until the end of the Mandate in 1948. Here, the architecture and historic use can be considered together: the fort-like design characterizes the building, while the date places its use by the British police in context.
The memorial to the fallen soldiers of the South Lebanon Army offers another way to explore history. It includes a memorial plaza with an eternal flame, a memorial path and a viewpoint. Information displays focus on the history of the South Lebanon Army’s fighters and commanders. The site thus centers on both the design of the memorial plaza and the historical context of the people it commemorates.
Archaeological Sites in the Northern District
In the broader destination of the Northern District, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo offer distinct archaeological themes. Tel Hazor is a biblical tell with significant remains of a city associated with the Bible; visits focus on the upper city. One feature is Solomon’s Gate, with six chambers and two towers dating to the 10th century BCE. In the water system, steps three meters wide are carved into the walls of a vertical shaft; an excavated shaft at Tel Hazor is 45 meters deep.
The history of construction at Tel Hazor can also be seen in specific examples. The Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. The Late Bronze Age palace is considered the most elaborate in Israel and one of the most significant in the Levant. Tel Hazor’s fortifications are considered the best example of their kind in the area from southern Turkey to the northern Negev.
Tel Megiddo is one of three tells that preserve significant remains of cities associated with the Bible and are closely linked to biblical events. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional for the number of its temples, the continuity of its cultic activity and its documented ritual practices. The orthogonal city plan dates to the Iron Age and has few parallels in the Levant. The archaeological highlights therefore differ: at Tel Hazor, the focus includes the upper city, gate, water system and fortifications; Tel Megiddo stands out for its temple complex and city plan.
Discover more destinations: Caesarea, Giv'at Yo'av, Kerem Ben Zimra, Mizra‘, Manot, Sitria, Ramot Naftali, Ein Ya'akov
View the broader travel guide: Israel.
