The Bahá’í Gardens

The Bahá’í Gardens, also called the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, are the can’t-miss attraction of Haifa. Literally. The botanical park is so prominent in this northern Israeli city that there’s no way you could miss it. Running almost a kilometer down one of Mount Carmel’s slopes, the grounds look other-worldly in their manicured perfection, their carpet of bright green grass stepping down oh-so-symmetrically to balustrades of white marble bearing pots of red geraniums. Part of the headquarters of the Bahá’í faith, whose chief prophet is buried here, the gardens were opened in 2001 after almost fifteen years of design and construction. They can be seen quickly—forty-five minute group tours run everyday except Wednesday—but the memory of the garden and breathtaking coastal view last a lifetime.