Haifa, Israel

In ebullient Haifa, you’ll be dazzled by one of the most meticulously maintained parks in the world, the terraced Bahá’í Gardens, where each tree, flower and even blade of grass is lovingly tended by followers of the Bahá’í faith. This UNESCO World Heritage site, which is dotted with ornate buildings and fountains, lies at the base of Mount Carmel. For exceptional views of the city and the shimmering sea, ascend further up the holy mountain aboard a cable car, alighting at an ideal lookout near the Carmelite Monastery of Stella Maris.

Roam through the 12th-century underground headquarters of the Knights of Saint John in Acre, a UNESCO World Heritage site nearly 4,000 years old. In the vaulted Hospitaller Quarter, witness how medieval crusaders lived and received medical treatment. Above ground, the Ottoman influence is evident at the splendid Khan al-Umdan, a colonnaded gathering place for merchants. Travel to nearby Nazareth and visit the contemporary Basilica of the Annunciation, erected where Mary is said to have learned from the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to the son of God, and experience life 2,000 years ago at Nazareth Village, an interactive community populated with denizens enacting life in Jesus’ time.