Haifa is Israel's third largest city (after Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem), its major port and its industrial centre. It is situated on the slopes of Mount Carmel, spreading down to the Mediteranean
shore. Haifa is the world center of the Baha'i faith because it's where the Shrine of the Bab is located. The Bab is the man who
announced the coming of Bahu'allah, the Baha'i prophet. The Shrine of the Bab's golden dome dominates Haifa's skyline, and is its most
recognizable landmark. Haifa is also notable for its relatively large Arabic minority.
The Biblical story of Elijah's contest with the 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 17) took place on Mount Carmel in the vicinity of Haifa,
though Haifa itself did not yet exist at that time. Haifa's recorded history goes back to the 3rd century CE, when Jewish Talmudic scholars lived there. Haifa was an active town during the Arab
and Crusader periods, but it was destroyed during the defeat of the Crusaders. Haifa remained a small village until the 20th century,
when the railway from the Hejaz (in Saudi Arabia) was 
finished there and increased numbers of Jewish immigrants began arriving.
Haifa was the first city to be captured by the Jewish forces after the State of Israel was declared in 1948. There is very little in present day Haifa to show for its long history, but it is a great city nonetheless.
Haifa has a real Mediterranean ambience, with its Ottoman architecture and mountain views, it has great beaches, cheap and plentiful
street food, the Baha'i shrine and the Cave of Elijah (where he is thought to have hidden when King Ahab was after him).
Since there are relatively few tourist sites in Haifa, most
travellers only drop through briefly so there is little budget accomodation. The 2 main choices are Bethel Hostel and Lev Haifa, both
charging around $13 US. There is also the Carmel Youth Hostel, but like most HI hostels it's overpriced and it's way the hell out in the middle
of nowhere.
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