The Sea of Galilee

Known in Hebrew as the Kinneret — from its violin-like shape — the Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth, lying approximately 215 metres below sea level. It measures 21 kilometres long and 13 kilometres wide, with a maximum depth of 43 metres and a circumference of 53 kilometres. For Christian pilgrims, the lake holds singular significance: the Gospels place the majority of Jesus's ministry on these shores, from the calling of the first disciples to the calming of storms.

Encircling the lake is a remarkable concentration of biblical sites. Capernaum, on the north-west shore, preserves a 4th-century basalt synagogue and an octagonal Byzantine church over the house of Peter. The Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha displays a celebrated 5th-century mosaic of loaves and fish. The Church of the Beatitudes crowns a hilltop above, while Magdala's recently excavated 1st-century synagogue contains stone carvings that pre-date the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.

The Sea of Galilee lies roughly 100 km north of Jerusalem and 130 km north-east of Tel Aviv; Tiberias on the western shore is the main accommodation hub. Spring and autumn offer ideal temperatures for lakeside walking; summer exceeds 35 °C but water activities remain popular. The lake pairs naturally with Nazareth (40 minutes west) and the Golan Heights on a northern Israel circuit.