Sights near Nazareth

Kfar Kanna, a village to the north of Nazareth, is said to be the site of Jesus’ miraculous transformation of water into wine at the wedding feast (John 2:1-11). A Franciscan church (tel. 51 71 11) was built here in 1881 to commemorate the event. - (Open Mon.-Fri. 8:30-11:45am and 2-5:45pm, Sun. and feasts 2-5:45pm.) Buses leave for Kfar Kanna every 45 minutes from near Mary’s Well in Nazareth, or you can take bus #431 to Tiberias (NIS4.5) and ask to be let off at Kfar Kanna. Bus #431 leaves every 20-30 minutes from the central bus station.

Mount Tabor (Har Tavor in Hebrew) is 588m high and located 33km from Nazareth. Shared by Franciscan and Greek Orthodox monks, inside the fortifications are a number of sights. The Basilica of the Transfiguration, built in 1924, sits atop a 6th-century AD Byzantine church marking the spot where Jesus spoke with Elijah and Moses and was transfigured in the presence of apostles Peter, James, and John (Luke 9:28-36). Nearby, the Church of Elijah is built atop the Cave of Melchizedek, which can be entered from the outside through a small, iron door. The limestone fortifications, once an Arab fortress called Al-Adil, date from 1211.