We went on a group trip to the ancient port city of Caesarea, about an hour north of Tel Aviv by bus. It was built by King Herod around 13BCE to improve relations with the Roman Empire. The original structures were mostly destroyed during the many different times the city was captured. It saw many different periods, from Byzantine rule to the Crusader period to Ottoman rule, among others. Though most of the ancient city is gone, we were still able to see the amphitheater and what used to be the hippodrome, as well as the walls made of layered debris from each time the city was besieged.
This slab above was once the seat of Pontius Pilate whenever he visited Caesarea and attended the amphitheater. (His name is engraved on it).
Today the city has been rejuvenated and is slowly growing in size, but is still mostly a tourist destination. The theater is still used today for large concerts and performances. Its said that if an Israeli musician hasn’t played at Caesarea’s ampitheater then they haven’t made it big. There is also a beautiful beach where you can rent catamarans and go parasailing, as well as amazing restaurants.
Outside of the old city there is now also an impressive art museum that holds a large Dali collection, among other artists. I had seen some Dali paintings before, but this museum specialized in his sculptures. As expected they were just as strange as his paintings and very entertaining.
\\
Like most of our trips it was incredibly hot but definitely worth it.