EL AL | Atmosphere

Lifestyle | Hotels and Resorts

A guest experience like no other

Ranked by TripAdvisor as one of the top ten tourist sites in the Middle East for 2023, the Magdala archeological site, located next to the Magdala Hotel on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, has long been a favorite among travelers and tourists of every kind. The hotel offers not only an exceptional resort experience, but it is also a fascinating junction between ancient history, natural beauty, and culture / By Nava Marton

the 1 st century Magdala marketplace fish-salting pond adorns the hotel lobby, and as you walk up to your room, you are met with views of the remains of the ancient synagogue and beautiful frescoes representing the fauna and flora typical of Lake Tiberias. The hotel’s interior design follows a distinct minimalistic line with warm tones of terracotta reds and browns and turquoise blues. The rooms are pamperingly equipped with all the modern-day indulgences, including giant beds, plush seating, a mini-bar, espresso machine, vast bathrooms, etc.

As you walk into the Magdala Hotel, situated on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, you are immediately overtaken by a sense of peace and tranquility. Friendly and obliging staff welcome you in from the 40°C heat, gorgeous open views of the lake outside envelop you from every angle, and a fascinating background hum made up of a myriad different languages that aren’t Hebrew, beguile the ear. The hotel opened in 2019, 7 years later than first intended due to the exceptional archeological findings discovered here as it was being built. Indeed the remains of an ancient

synagogue, and of the 1 st century fishermen’s village of Magdala, were uncovered by the archeologists involved in the intricate hotel construction. The Magdala visitors’ center (see insert) presents all these findings and is now an internationally recognized site of both Jewish and Christian significance. Ancient history and modern-day facilities The hotel’s structure and design beautifully blend in with the spectacular beauty of the Galilean landscape. An identical model of

34 ATMOSPHERE OCTOBER 2023