scenic viewpoint
Mount Arbel
A cliff dropping 380m to the Sea of Galilee, with fortified caves cut into its face by Jewish rebels and a lookout taking in the whole lake to the Golan. Israel's only base-jumping mountain.
31 km · about 35 min drive
AsiaIsraelNorthern District
Afula
Northern District, Israel · Asia
About Afula
Afula sits on the route: 10 minutes from Sūlam, 37km from Sea of Galilee.
Afula is in Northern District, Israel, with about 45,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Sūlam, about 4 km away.
Afula (Hebrew: עפולה) is a city in the Northern District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley" due to its strategic location in the Jezreel Valley. In 2024 the city had a population of 64,452.
Afula's ancient tell (settlement mound) suggests habitation from the Late Chalcolithic to the Ayyubid period.Read more
A fortress was built at the site during the Crusader or Mamluk period.
A small Arab Palestinian village during the Ottoman period, it was sold in 1872 along with the entire Jezreel Valley to the Lebanese Sursock family. In 1925, the same area was acquired by the American Zionist Commonwealth as part of the Sursock Purchase. The majority Muslim and Christian population were removed by the family, and Jewish immigrants, marking the foundation of modern Afula. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Afula was settled by Jewish immigrants from Iraq, Yemen and Romania. In 1972, it gained the status of a city. The 1990s saw Jewish immigration from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union contribute to the growth of the city. Since 1995, the city has almost doubled its population.
Where to Stay in Afula
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Afula.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Afula.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Afula?
Within an hour or so of Afula: Mount Arbel (31 km), Sea of Galilee (37 km), Caesarea Maritima (39 km), Akko (Acre) (40 km).
Where is Afula?
Afula is in Northern District, Israel, about 4 km from Sūlam.
Road trip
Drive to Afula
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Afula. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 44,930
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Israel
- Region
- Northern District
- Timezone
- Asia/Jerusalem
- Coordinates
- 32.6091, 35.2892
Tags
Worth the detour from Afula
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Sea of Galilee
The largest freshwater lake in Israel, central to Christian scripture and surrounded by important biblical sites including Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes.
37 km · about 40 min drive
ancient ruins
Caesarea Maritima
A spectacular Roman-era port city with a grand amphitheater, aqueducts, and crusader fortifications on the Mediterranean coast.
39 km · about 45 min drive
ancient ruins
Akko (Acre)
A UNESCO-listed Crusader city with remarkably preserved underground knights' halls, Ottoman bazaars, and fortifications on the Mediterranean coast.
40 km · about 45 min drive
castle
Ajloun Castle
A 12th-century Ayyubid castle built by Saladin's general on a hilltop to control the Jordan Valley iron mines and counter Crusader expansion.
52 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Rosh HaNikra Grottoes
Sea-carved tunnels running 200m through white chalk cliffs on the Lebanese border, reached by a cable car advertised as the world's steepest at a 60-degree gradient. The water inside glows electric blue.
57 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Afula
- 31 kmMount ArbelA cliff dropping 380m to the Sea of Galilee, with fortified caves cut into its face by Jewish rebels and a lookout taking in the whole lake to the Golan. Israel's only base-jumping mountain.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Afula.
Plan a trip around Afula
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Afula.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.