Fortified, wrecked and refortified by Muslims, Crusaders and Mamluks, old Akko is encircled by a sea wall to the west, south and southeast, and by ramparts (that you can walk on). A dry moat was dug to the north and northeast, mainly between 1750 and 1840.

In the old city's northeastern corner stands Burj Al Kommander, a bastion that affords great views over the skyline of Akko. From there, the Land Wall Promenade – accessible by stairways from the interior of the old city – heads south for 200m to the 12th-century Land Gate, once the city’s only terrestrial entrance. Until 1910, the only other way in or out was via the Sea Gate, which these days faces the marina and its colourful fishing boats.

The old city's northwestern corner is anchored by Burj Al Karim, also known as the English Fort. From here, the 12th-century sea wall (refaced in the 18th century by Al Jazzar with stones scavenged from the Crusader castle at Atlit) runs due south (paralleled by HaHagana St) to the black-and-white-striped lighthouse, and then east – with the strollable Sea Wall Promenade on top – to the marina.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Treasures in the Wall Museum

0.06 MILES

Stroll into the Galilee of a century ago at this museum of traditional crafts, wedged into the old city's far northeastern upper ramparts. The museum is…

2. Souq Al Abiad

0.14 MILES

The original Ottoman-era market on this spot was burned down within a year of being built; local legends blame a careless hookah smoker for the blaze. The…

3. Knights' Halls

0.17 MILES

Akko's crowning attractions are the stone-vaulted Knights' Halls. Wandering these echoing chambers gives captivating insights into the medieval knights…

4. Al Jazzar Mosque

0.17 MILES

The graceful silhouette of the green-domed Al Jazzar Mosque, with its slender, 124-stair minaret, dominates the northern end of Akko's old city. Al Jazzar…

5. Okashi Art Museum

0.17 MILES

Within the history-steeped walls of the Citadel, this moderately interesting art gallery is devoted to the works of Avshalom Okashi (1916–80), an…

6. Khan Ash Shawarda

0.19 MILES

This broad, square former caravanserai, built over a Crusader-era convent in the 18th century, has been beautifully restored and now shelters a number of…

7. Underground Prisoners Museum

0.2 MILES

Dedicated to Jewish armed resistance during the British Mandate, this museum occupies a massive structure built by the Turks in the late 18th century on…

8. Hammam Al Pasha

0.23 MILES

Built in 1780 by Al Jazzar and in use until the 1940s, this richly ornamented marble and tile hammam now plays host to a 30-minute multimedia show about…