Ein Gev combines a varied range of harbor activities with insights into fishing history on the Sea of Galilee. The House of Anchors Fishing Museum focuses on ancient fishing artifacts from around the lake and the history of its fishers over the past 3,000 years. Nearby, Susita National Park preserves the remains of the ancient city of Hippos. This gives you a choice of different themes for your stay: harbor experiences, history, and archaeology.
Harbor Life and Fishing History
The House of Anchors Fishing Museum focuses both on artifacts and on the people whose stories it tells. The collection includes ancient fishing artifacts found in the area around the Sea of Galilee; the exhibition spans 3,000 years of fishing on the lake. Those interested in the history of the place can get a tangible sense of it through the lives of its fishers.
Other activities are also available at the harbor: at Grampa Saba Yossi's workshop, you can work with wood, while the “-200 art gallery” adds to the cultural offerings. For a meal break, consider Ein Gev Fish Restaurant or the House of Fruit kiosk. Before your visit, check whether these offerings are currently available or open; you should also check in advance whether the woodworking workshop is available.
The Ein Gev Harbor Festival takes place every year during Passover week. If you want to plan your trip around it, check the dates for the relevant year. A family-oriented spot at the harbor is The House at the Harbor, which has a wooden play area and creative activities for the whole family. These offerings provide a different focus from the museum and gallery and may factor into your choice of activities.
Ancient Sites Nearby
Susita National Park lies opposite Kibbutz Ein Gev. It preserves the remains of Hippos, an ancient city known in Hebrew as Susita. This gives the surrounding area a distinct archaeological focus alongside its harbor activities. Plan your route separately: a route description by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority dated May 11, 2022, ends at the Kibbutz Ein Gev cemetery and recommends arranging vehicles for the return journey. Since this route information reflects conditions in 2022, check current access conditions before planning your visit.
Archaeological Highlights in the Northern District
In the broader Northern District travel region, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo are two distinct archaeological highlights. At Tel Hazor, the visit focuses on the upper city. Notable structures include Solomon's Gate, dating to the 10th century BCE, with six chambers and two towers. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep, with three-meter-wide steps carved into its vertical walls. An underground water-collection system also survives; it is described as an engineering achievement adapted to the geography for water storage.
Other remains at Tel Hazor date to the Late Bronze Age: the Canaanite palace was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE. It is described as the most elaborate palace in Israel from this period and one of the most significant in the Levant. Together, the shaft, water system, and palace reveal different aspects of the archaeological site.
Tel Megiddo offers a different perspective on early urban history. The biblical tell preserves significant remains of a city with biblical associations. Its Early Bronze Age temple complex stands out for the number of its temples, the continuity of cultic activity, and documented ritual practices. An orthogonal city plan dating to the Iron Age has few parallels in the Levant. Visitors choosing archaeological sites by theme can thus distinguish the particular highlights of Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo.
Discover more destinations: Avnei Eitan, Maagan, Shoresh, Eli Ad, Mizra‘, Kerem Maharal, Nimrod, Hazon.
Go to the broader travel overview: Israel.
