I’ve visited theBahá’í Gardens in Haifamany times. But until recently I didn’t know the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre. When I asked friends, they weren’t aware that there are Bahá’í gardens in Acre too. True, they don’t have the impressive terraced setting of the Bahá’í Gardens in Haifa, and they have no sea view. Even so, they’re really worth a visit.
An interesting fact few people know: the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre (Bahjí) are the holiest place in the Bahá’í Faith, even more so than the gardens in Haifa, because they surround the shrine where Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet and founder of the Bahá’í Faith, was laid to rest.
Bahai Gardens Acre
The Bahá’í Gardens in Acre were built around the Mansion of Bahjí, the summer house where Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, lived until his death in 1892. He was buried in a shrine next to the mansion.
The whole area of the gardens, the shrine and the mansion is called Al-Bahjá (the place of delight).
The mansion, the shrine and the surrounding gardens are among the holiest places on earth for Bahá’ís and are Bahá’í pilgrimage sites.
Getting there?
By car: Take Route 4 toward Akko North junction (Akko Tzafon). From there, drive south toward the city center, turn left at the first turn about 400 m after the junction, and continue to the end of the road. In Waze or Google Maps: “Bahá’í Gardens Akko”.
There’s free parking at the entrance to the site.
By public transport: Bus line 271, which connects Haifa, Acre and Nahariya, stops at the Bustan HaGalil junction stop (Mas’ef Bustan HaGalil), a 5-minute walk from the gardens.
Guidelines for visitors to the Bahá’í Gardens:
The Bahá’í Gardens are holy sites open to the public free of charge.
There are a few guidelines for visitors to the gardens:
- Modest dress: visitors are asked to wear clothes that cover the shoulders and reach the knees.
- You may take photos throughout the gardens, but photography is not allowed inside the shrine.
- Drinking anything other than water, eating, chewing gum and smoking are not allowed in the gardens.
- Animals are not allowed in the gardens.
- Weapons are not allowed in the gardens.
- Shoes must be removed before entering the inner part of the shrine.
When to come? Opening hours of the Bahá'í Gardens in Acre.
The outer gardens of the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre are open to visitors every day from 9:00 to 16:00, seven days a week, except on Bahá’í holy days and Yom Kippur.
On Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, from 9:00 to 12:00 noon, the inner gardens also open, and you can enter the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh.
Entry to the gardens is free, and there’s no need to book your visit in advance.
A tour of the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre:
You can join a guided tour of the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre. The tour runs on Saturday mornings at10:30 and at12:00 and is held in Hebrew only. The tour starts at the main entrance to the gardens and lasts about an hour and 15 minutes.
Note that the tour is free, on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to availability (you can’t book a place in advance).
Visitor registration starts 15 minutes before the tour begins.
More attractions in Acre:
Acre has been changing in recent years and is starting to realize its huge tourism potential.
New places to stay at every level keep opening, from hostels such as the Akko Knights Youth Hostel to indulgent boutique hotels such as Akotika Boutique.
There are local fast-food places for hummus and falafel, alongside upscale restaurants serving great food from the best cuisines.
Tel Akko
Tel Akko is in the east of Acre and rises to a height of 30 meters.
From ancient times until the 2nd century BC, the city of Acre stood on the tel, at times abandoned and at times fortified.
On a visit to the tel you can’t see remains of any ancient settlement.
On top of the tel stands a large iron statue of Napoleon on horseback. In 1799 Napoleon besieged Acre as part of his campaign against the Ottoman Empire, and during the siege he placed his cannons on Tel Akko, which is why it got the nickname “Napoleon’s Hill”.
Old Acre
Set out to explore one of the oldest port cities in the world. Old Acre.
In 2001 Acre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Old Acre is surrounded by walls on all sides, with a huge historical and cultural wealth inside them. You can visit churches, synagogues, mosques, markets, restaurants and many other historic buildings from different periods in the city’s history. You can walk through the tunnels underneath, or walk along the top of the old city walls.
Click here to read about everything Old Acre has to offer.
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Happy travels,
Shir-Yam
