Blue & Green City Tour
Netanya has eight kilometers of promenades. They are built on cliffs, at the end of the main street, overlooking the Mediterranean. Here you’ll find lovely out of the way spots, sea views, restaurants and playground facilities. During the summer months cultural events take place in the open at the amphitheater overlooking the sea. This tour takes you walking along the cliffs to points of interest along the promenades. We start at the north and proceed south, but feel free to go in the opposite direction.
Our tour begins at the new Niza Promenade and continues to Shaked Promenade, along Nitza Boulevard. We take you along the boulevard past the Onot Hotel. We go under the bridge and continue along to Art Square, the center of which is home to the city gallery, a special building where prominent artists hold exhibitions of their work. We also see some private galleries. After a short break to enjoy the art, we continue with the sea on our right, stoppin in front of the “Two Girls” statue where we come across a playground and rollerblade park. Not far from here is the amphitheater, a pleasant location where you can sit and gaze at the sea. This portion of the promenade is home to two restaurants, one with a pagoda roof and windows overlooking Herzl Beach and the other one is surrounded by water. Making our way along David Hameleh Street we leave the promenade and tour the surrounding avenues where we will see a memorial statue commemorating Netanya residents who fell in the line of duty.
We now enter Harishonim Promenade (parallel to Gad Mahnas Street) with its nine coverings in various styles, offering a true architectural experience. You may take a short break in one of the coffee houses along the promenade, and enjoy the lush gardens and the blue sea and its breeze. Don't miss the red and orange sunset later in the day. A small playground awaits you at the end of the promenade. You take the new seaside elevator down to the beach and continue on foot along Baruch Ram Street. Continue past Flower Square and the Carmel Hotel up to the Mazok Promenade. You can also ride to the Carmel Hotel and park there.
The Mazok Promenade is unique along Ben Ami Boulevard, with its breathtaking sea views,
isolated sitting areas, a playground, gravel cliffs and a launch site for gliding, sprinkled with dozens of gliders which add color to the sky and beaches (You may glide together with a guide.) One word of advice – you can either tour by foot or car, but if you have more than one vehicle you may want to park one vehicle at the first stop of the tour and the other one at the end.
In the summer you can end your tour at one of the city's charming beaches where you’ll find
the marine sports center, sports courts, cafes and restaurants.
In the winter, it is reccommended that you visit the Iris Reservation, the Winter Pond (Ben Gurion Boulevard) and the Poleg Reservation.
The Iris Reservation and Surrounding Areas
We begin at the gardens located at the gravel cliffs along the beach overlooking the open sea. We continue to the Iris Reservation in the south, where you’ll find hunderds of purple irises (which bloom in February and March.) Across the road is a winter pond surrounded by eucalyptus trees, where water foul spend the winter. The Winter Pond Park is made entirely of wood and includes entertainment and sports facilities for children.
From Ha’Azmaut Square to Harishonim Promenade
Our visit starts at Ha’Azmaut Square, facing the lily fountain – the symbol of Netanya. We continue along the memorial wall commemorating all those who died in the War of Independence, then past the Esther Cinema, Netanya's first house of culture (1936), which became a hiding place for illegal immigrants during the time of British Mandate. On our left is Rishonim Promenade which honors the pioneers of Netanya.
Um Haled Ruins and the Old Sycamore
to the east of the Hall of Culture (north of the Sela neighborhood) is the Sycamore Garden on Mitz Street. Here you will find a 1000 year old impressive sycamore tree with a circumference of 8 meters. Just north of here on Olei Hagardom Street you will find an archaeological site with remnants of a fort from the Mamluk-Arab period, a crusade farmhouse and a mosque.
Sergeant Grove (Oaks)
The Oak Grove is in the Neot Ganim (Vatikim) neighborhood in the east. The grove, which contains eucalyptus, oaks and pine trees, was planted by the National Jewish Fund.
The Well House
The Well House is a relic from the Pardes Hagdud farm which was established in 1927, two years before the city of Netanya's establishment. The farm was set up by five partners from Israel and abroad, all of them soldiers in Jewish battalions, who, as veterans of war, received permission from the High Commissioner to purchase the land.
The farm was built as a square courtyard, with the well house in the east, and the farm manager occupying the top floor. A few houses and housing units on the other side were earmarked for the workers. The well was in the center.
Orchards were planted in the middle (The pine trees which were used as wind breakers are still standing today.) A second well, a packaging facility, the owners residences, and a neighborhood were built nearby. The farm was an independent community with several families and even had its own school.
Until the creation of the State of Israel, the farm and the orchards were used as a base for the “Hagana.” At the end of 1940s, the farm became part of the Netanya municipality, and the orchards were sold for the purpose of building housing and the Netanya Diamond Exchange. The well house was restored with donations from the late Aliza Kremerman, who was a member of the Association for Site Preservation and with funding from Mekorot.
Restoration work was conducted by the Council for Site Preservation and the city of Netanya.
As part of the restoration work, the first well was recreated.
Here you will find a historic exhibition recounting the history of the farm. Workshops and seminars are also offered.
The Well House, end of Weizmann St., corner of Sokolove. To visit call: 09-8329940
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