A Guide to Tzipori National Park, Israel
Tzipori National Park (Zippori or Sepphoris) has the best mosaics in Israel, a rich history, and it's a place you shouldn't miss. Our travel guide includes tips on what to see and do, when to go, entrance fee, how to get, or opening hours.
If you ask anyone where to find the most beautiful mosaics in Israel, the chances are that you will get the same answer, Tzipori National Park, aka the Mosaic City.
It's not that you won't find mosaics in other places such as Beit Shean or Caesarea, but only Tzipori has so many of them in such a good condition.
Plus, they're absolutely gorgeous, and the combination of nature, history, and ruins are breathtaking.
By the way, the most famous mosaic is dubbed the Mona Lisa of the Galilee, which means that we're not exaggerating here.
Sometimes spelled Sepphoris or Zippori, this national park is one of our favorite places in Israel, and we believe that this fantastic site should be on every Israel itinerary.
If you're traveling to Nazareth or the Lower Galilee - see Sea of Galilee - area in general, the ancient city that has colonnaded streets, bathhouses, a theater, synagogue, residential houses, and rich mosaics should not escape your attention.
Once a lively and cosmopolitan city, Josephus called Sepphoris "The Jewel of Galilee" for a reason.
So, here's everything you need to know about Tzipori National Park before you go.
History
Tzipori was an important Roman and Byzantine city in the heart of Lower Galilee, and it also played an important part in Jewish history.
The history of Tzipori stretches from the Hasmonean period to the Crusader period, so there's a lot to take in if you want to dig deeper into the periods and events that shaped the settlement.
In the meantime, the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 363 CE but rebuilt later on and flourished during the Byzantine era.
The city was first mentioned during the Alexander Janaeus reign in 103 BCE, but some excavations revealed evidence from the First Temple period.
It became the capital city of Galilee during the Roman period and later witnessed several Jewish revolts against the Romans.
The last important events occurred here in the 18th century when the Arab village of Saffuriyyeh was fortified, and the fortress was restored.
However, probably the most important event from the Jewish point of view happened at the beginning of the third century CE when Rabbi Judah Hanasi moved to Zippori together with the Hight Court of Jewish Law (Sanhedrin).
It's quite strange after reading so much about the history that Tzipori was left mostly unnoticed until the 1980s when the first serious excavations were carried out there.
One of the most important things to know about Israel is that you will find fascinating history in every corner of the country, and Tzipori is no exception.
Things to Know Before You Go
Before we dive into our own travel experience, we share some useful bits to know about Tzipori before you go.
Name
"Why is it called Zippori? Because it's perched on top of the mountain like a bird." (Babylonian Talmud, Megilah, 6a). Despite the Talmudic tradition, it's still unclear how Tzipori got its name.
What's certain is that Romans called the settlement Diocaeserea, which means the city of Zeus and Caesar.
And as mentioned above, you can find many spelling variations, such as Tzipori, Zippori, Tzippori, or Sepphoris.
Accessibility
Tzipori National Park is wheelchair accessible, so it's a great alternative to places such as Nimrod Fortress, which are quite hard to visit for people with disabilities or families with strollers.
How Much Time Do You Need for Tzipori
Allow yourself at least two hours for Tzipori National Park, though we would recommend adding at least another hour (or two) to have enough time to enjoy the site without rushing too much.
I believe it took us just a bit over three hours to see pretty much everything in the national park, but it's quite individual.
It's not uncommon to spend even four to five hours in major Israeli archaeological sites such as Tzipori to get the most of each area.
However, it all depends on your preferences and travel itinerary, as not everyone can allow this much time for every site.
And not everyone can concentrate for such a long period.
What to See and Do in Tzipori
Walking through the centuries that shaped Tzipori gives us a chance to see the cobbled streets, Roman villas, synagogue, theater, bathhouse, aqueduct, or Crusader fort.
If you're looking for some history, that's what exactly you find here in Tzipori National Park.
How to Visit Tzipori National Park
Arriving from the Mount Tabor direction, we wanted to avoid Nazareth's infamous traffic situation, so we headed to the north parking lot.
At least, that is what we had thought.
By quickly looking at the map, it seemed that we could reach the site by driving through the Hoshaya settlement.
It turned out to be a mistake as a yellow gate stopped us at some point.
Nevertheless, we returned to Highway 77, drove toward the west, and then turned left onto Highway 79, leading us to the correct junction.
Here we turned left once again and finally reached Zippori National Park.
Some travel mistakes are simply inevitable. Fortunately, this one was not that bad and cost us only a bit of time and a few shekels worth of gas.
The parking lot was quite busy, but we could find an empty space without a problem.
We left the car at the second parking lot, but if you want to enjoy the Ancient Reservoir first, then you might want to leave it at the first one.
The Ancient Reservoir
One of the most remarkable structures in Tzipori National Park is the Ancient Reservoir and the Aqueduct.
The best part about the aqueduct is that you can walk through part of it.
It's marked as the first stop on the brochure we got when we purchased the ticket, but we missed it and headed directly to the Entry Pavilion, so we had to come back.
It reminded us a bit of the main underground cistern in Tel Hazor National Park in terms of uniqueness, so make sure you don't miss it.
And as it's better to see it as the first thing in Tzipori, we've put it at the beginning of this section.
The Entry Pavilion
We left the car at the parking lot in front of the Entry Pavilion, which you can say is the main entrance with a cafe, picnic area, restrooms, free drinking station, or a souvenir store.
This area was pretty busy, so we quickly left it behind and continued on a well-maintained trail parallel to the narrow road.
Streets
While most of the city was destroyed by the earthquake, the two main streets survived this natural disaster relatively well.
The layout of the two central colonnaded streets is typical for Roman cities.
The columns were not restored to their original state, so the most exciting thing you can see here is the ruts in the hard limestone made by the repeated passage of the wagons.
They're still clearly visible even after all those centuries by the naked eye, and it's impossible to miss them.
The Nile House
We took a left turn at Decumanus and Cardo junction and walked to the end of the road where we found the Nile House.
While there's not much left of the house today, we've soon found out why Zippori is so popular.
The house floor is covered by some of the most beautiful mosaics we've ever seen. And the Nile House quickly became our favorite stop in the entire complex.
Conveniently, the informative signs will explain a bit of the meaning of the mosaics and even the technique of how they were created.
Dionysus House
Home to the iconic Mona Lisa of the Galilee, Dionysus House is, for many visitors, the best stop in the Zippori National Park.
When we walked in for the first time, the whole hall was completely packed with kids on a school trip getting a history lesson from a teacher wearing a loud microphone.
It was like entering a hive, and it was impossible to get any decent look at any of the mosaics, so we decided to come back later.
When we returned to the scene, we stumbled upon another massive bus tour, but this time we could make our way through to see the stunning mosaics.
A big earthquake destroyed the mansion in 363 CE, and the mosaic is incomplete.
Our eyes needed some time to adjust to the lack of light, as the room is quite dark, and the light concentrates on the mosaics that consist of 28 different colors.
Fun fact, the most iconic mosaic of the Mona Lisa of the Galilee is relatively tiny in reality, so it took us a while before we found it.
Spoiler alert. It's right in front of you when looking from the lower platform.
Nevertheless, the portrait of the woman is very vivid, almost life-like, and it's not difficult to comprehend why it became the symbol of Zippori National Park.
The Crusader Castle
If you're interested in Crusader history, then you've probably already seen the Hospitaller Fortress in Akko, which is the place that can give you a perfect insight into this period.
Crusader Fortress in Tzipori is not as impressive as the fortress on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, but it's one of the best stops here within the complex.
The Crusader Tower that dominates the hill offers a wonderful view of the Tzipori National Park and the surrounding Galilee region.
As the name suggests, the tower was built during the Crusader era and served as a watchtower.
In 1187, they used it as a camp before marching to the Battle of Hattin (sometimes known as the Battle of the Horns of Hattin), where they lost against the Ayyubid forces led by the Saladin.
The Jewish Quarter
Not soon longer, we reached the far end of Zippori National Park via a boarded walk.
The results of the excavations in the dwellings from the period of the Second Temple indicate a vibrant Jewish life in this area. Today, there is not much to see, though.
The Theater
We followed the suggested itinerary from the brochure with the Tzipori map, so the first-century CE theater was one of the last stops on our visit.
Similar to the theaters we've seen in Caesarea or Beit Shean National Park, with about 4500 stone seats, this one is pretty huge as well.
The theater had five entrances connected by an arched corridor and was used until the Byzantine period.
The Synagogue
Then we passed the Byzantine House on the way to the fifth-century CE Synagogue, which had a mosaic with more than 20 Greek and Aramaic inscriptions.
Similar to Beit Alfa Synagogue, the central section features a Zodiac depicting four seasons; this one also has a Helios driving his chariot.
The ancient synagogue in Tzipori is air-conditioned and a great place to find shelter on summer's hot days. Today, it's also a popular place for Bar-Mitzvahs.
According to the ancient sources, there were plenty of synagogues in Zippori, but this is the only one that has been discovered so far.
For example, the Talmud mentions that Zippori had 18 synagogues.
From here, we returned back to the Dionysus House to try our luck for the second time, but you can take a bit more direct trail that will take you back to the parking lot.
If you've missed the Ancient Reservoir, now would be an excellent time to explore it.
Nazareth
When we finished roaming the trails in Tzipori National Park, we headed to Nazareth, where we could finally get a plate of hummus with falafel after another super long day in Israel.
There are plenty of things to see and do in Nazareth, so don't forget to check out this blog post.
Opening Hours
Zippori National Park is open from 8 AM to 5 PM from Sunday to Saturday in the summer (Fridays and holidays 8 AM to 4 PM).
In winter, Zippori is open from 8 AM to 4 PM from Sunday to Saturday (Fridays and holidays 8 AM to 3 PM).
Also, try to avoid major Jewish holidays as they affect the opening hours as well.
Entrance Fee
The entrance fee to Tzipori National Park is 28 NIS ($9) per adult. Of course, you can use here your Israel Pass to enter the site for free.
Technically it's not free but more like a discounted price as you still need to pay for the pass, but it's totally worth it to get one.
If you want to find more information on this topic, read our guide on Israel Pass, where we highlight the pros and cons.
How to Get There
Tzipori National Park is located less than 20 kilometers north of Nazareth, and the easiest way to get there is by car.
Driving in Israel is easy, but be prepared that the traffic in Nazareth can be bad during the rush hours.
Car
Getting to Tzipori National Park from Nazareth by car is very easy.
GPS navigation uses live traffic data to calculate the best route for you to get to Tzipori, so it makes sense to follow the fastest way.
Be prepared that driving in Nazareth can be a bit overwhelming for first-time visitors.
The narrow and busy streets reminded us of Amman, which we visited last year, but this experience was a lot less chaotic.
You can choose at least three routes when driving to Tzipori National Park from Haifa.
Still, we believe that the longest via Highway 75, 70, 77, and eventually 79 is the most interesting one, as you can also stop at Beit Shearim National Park.
Akko lies only 40 kilometers northwest of Zippori.
Tel Aviv is 115 kilometers southwest of Tzipori, and you can drive there in about two hours.
Jerusalem is about 180 kilometers south of Tzipori via Highway 6, and it takes about three hours to get there.
Here you can find the best deals on rental cars in Israel.
Bus
Bus 343 runs between Nazareth and Ahihud stops at Tzipori Junction, but from there, it's almost 5 kilometers to the park entrance.
We don't believe that getting to Tzipori National Park this way is a good idea, but it can be done as a last resort.
Here you will find more information on how to get around Israel.
Tours
As usual, tours heading to Tzipori National Park from all different corners of Israel usually include the best of Galilee.
When searching for the tour, make sure that it includes places you want to visit.
Taking a guided tour is not needed, but it's a great alternative for those who don't want to arrange their own transport or enjoy hearing about the history from knowledgeable local guides.
For example, this Galilee Tour from Haifa includes both Zippori and Beit Shearim.
Where to Stay
Nazareth is the closest city to Tzippori National Park that offers the best selection of hotels.
While Nazareth sometimes gets a bad reputation for the terrible traffic, it's still a place you should not miss as you can find there some important tourist sites.
And while you're there, it might make sense to base yourself there before or after visiting Zippori.
Moreover, you can find some small family-owned accommodations in the countryside, which are a great alternative to busy hotels in Nazareth, but they usually have limited capacity.
These accommodations typically have only a room or two, so they are often sold out, especially in the peak season.
So, here is our choice of the best hotels in Nazareth.
Budget | Fauzi Azar by Abraham Hostels - Set in a charming 200-year old Arab Mansion in the city center, Fauzi Azar is one of the best hostels in Nazareth. The hostel features both dormitories and private rooms so that you can choose the right accommodation type according to your preferences and budget. Buffet breakfast is included.
Budget | Rosana Guest House - A lovely guesthouse located in the Old City, Rosana Guest House is one of those little accommodations that will make you feel like you're at home. The owner is very helpful and friendly, and the view from the terrace is superb.
Mid-range | Ramada Olivie Nazareth - One of the most popular hotels in the city, Ramada Olivie Nazareth is a great place to stay overnight while in the area. Rooms are clean and modern, the restaurant has a rooftop bar on a terrace with superb views of the city, and the hotel also has many facilities such as a heated pool, spa, or exercise room. The central location and free parking are just icing on the cake.
Staying Safe
Zippori National Park is a top tourist destination and a very safe place to visit. While staying safe in Israel is not that difficult, it requires some additional steps.
For starters, make sure to follow the latest news to stay in the picture. You can also read our guide on staying safe in Israel.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
When to Go
You can visit Zippori National Park year-round but be prepared that the summers in the Lower Galilee are pretty hot.
So the best time to visit Zippori National Park would be arguably spring or autumn when the daily temperatures drop to more bearable levels.
Moreover, spring or autumn is the best period to visit other scorching destinations such as the Dead Sea or the Negev Desert.
Winter can be an interesting alternative as well, but make sure to add an extra warm layer (or two), as some days can be colder than you would expect.
For more information on this topic, make sure to read our guide on the best time to visit Israel.
The best time of the day to visit Tzipori is probably early in the morning to avoid the crowds, but the afternoon was quite lovely too.
What to Pack
Walking and standing for an extended period on a hot day can be exhausting, so make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Bring a reusable water bottle as you can fill it up at the drinking stations scattered around the complex.
Having easy access to tap water was one of those little practical things we loved so much about Israel, as it makes this part of traveling very easy and convenient.
And it doesn't matter whether you go to Rosh Hanikra, Banias Falls, or Ein Gedi; you can find the water stations pretty much everywhere.
Also, wear comfortable runners as the trail is uneven at times. We would bring a small compact daypack, sunscreen, and a travel camera.
You can wear your regular tourist outfit here, unlike places such as the Dome of the Rock or the Church of the Sepulchre that has more strict clothing rules.
Is Tzipori National Park Worth Visiting?
So when it comes to the top mosaics in Israel that will leave you in awe, Tzipori National Park has only a little competition.
But it would be pretty unfair to say that the national parks are only about mosaics as it offers so much more.
As plenty of the trails is paved and without steps, Tzipori National Park is also stroller/wheelchair accessible.
That's a huge plus for families with kids and people with disabilities looking for top attractions to visit while in Israel.
While Tzipori National Park is well-known among the locals, international travelers having limited time for Israel still prefer the famous national parks and leave this site for some other time.
And yes, we know that you want to visit Masada in the Dead Sea area as it's the most iconic site outside the cities.
But Tzipori has its charms as well, and we believe that it has a lot to offer. So why not give it a try?
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
