Tour Israel Blog

Resources for Explorer Tourists
Underground row boating in land-locked Ramle? Too strange to be true. Yet, there was the sign beckoning us on: Boating Under the Arches. Our companions for the day were two adorable almost 13-year-olds: a post-Bat Mitzvah girl, and a pre-Bar Mitzvah boy — the perfect cover to “gone rowing” in the middle of the day.

We passed through the center of Ramle — a town with a mixed Christian, Muslim and Jewish population — that lies between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as we followed the signs.

We were led down the steep stairs into the underground pools where the rowboats awaited us. As the two navigators oared among the spiring 8th century arches, the feeling was of Disneyland — but no, this was the real thing: underground, under arches, built during the rule of Harun al-Rashid in the 8th century. The Unayziyya Cistern, also known as the pool of St. Helena, served as reservoirs for this once strategic town and the surrounding area.

Today the reservoir is a tourist site where visitors are invited to learn about the ancient water collection system as they row between the arches.

In addition to the reservoirs, do not miss the Square Tower, built in 1318 by the Mameluk Sultan, Klaun Zelach. The tower, which stands 30 meters high, was built with a dual purpose: both for the muezzin to call the community to prayer and as a watchtower. Adjacent to the tower is the White Mosque dating back to the 8th century.

From the tower looking to the east one can see the bell tower of the Franciscan church, Nesher Concrete Factory, the hills of the Shefelah (lowlands) region, Ben Shemen forest, and as far as the Judean hills and Samaria. Gazing west, the new water tower in the Ben Gurion neighborhood of Ramle and the Tel Aviv skyline can be seen. The city of Rehovot, home to the Weizmann Institute and the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University is visible.

Today as in the past, this multi-cultural city welcomes new immigrants to the region: the most recent influx of immigrants is from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.

Hours for Boating Under the Arches:
8:00-14:00 Sun-Thurs, open until noon on Fridays and holiday eves; open until 15:30 on Saturday and holidays.
Tel: 08.977.1484

Drive-Israel.com for Explorer Tourists

In 1983, the 40th anniversary of Kibbutz Revivim in the Negev, the hilltop was turned into an outdoor museum. The original buildings were restored and visitors can walk through the site where the first settlers lived, and later fought during the War of Independence. Here you can learn about the beginnings of Zionist settlement in the Negev. A visit to Mitzpe Revivim allows us to imagine what it was like to walk from Rishon LeZion in the center of the country, with only a backpack, to the stark desert. Water, food and shelter south of Be’er Sheva were hard to find, yet the pioneers succeeded. With foresight and courage, they built the fort-like compound.

As you tour the hilltop, be sure to check out the long range views from on top of the highest building. First look north and imagine what they saw in every direction and then turn around and see the kibbutz they established. The furniture, books, pictures and letters tell an important first-hand account of how the pioneers relaxed in their spare time.

Where: Route 40 to the Tlalim Junction
Reservations advised: 08.656.2570