Sights and Entertainment As with all the older cities of Israel, the tangled pedestrian streets of Tzfat are sparingly labeled. You’re here to wander happily around, anyway. The meager ruins of a 12th-century Crusader fortress that once controlled the main route to Damascus grace Gan haMetzuda, a cool, wooded park and an ideal spot for a picnic. At the summit stands a monument commemorating the Israelis who died here during the 1948 war. The entrance near GTIO is across from the Davidka Monument, memorializing a makesliift weapon used in the War of Independence, effective simply due to a frightening noise it made.

The Israel Bible Museum (tel. 97 34 72), just north of the park up the steep stone stairway, displays the work of Phillip Rattier, a modern American artist whose work is in permanent collections at the Statue of liberty, the White House, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Sculptures, lithographs, graphics, and paintings vividly depict biblical scenes and personalities. Pick up a list of works from the front desk. (March-Sept, open Sun.-Thurs. 10am-6pm, Sat. 10am-2pm; Oct.-Nov. Sat.-Thurs. 10am-2pm; °ec. and Feb. Sun.-Thurs. 10am-2pm. Closed Jan. Free.) The Shem v’Ever Cave, °ie of several sacred caves in the region, is believed to be where Noah’s son and Srandson, Shem and Ever respectively, were buried.