3 Best Sights in Upper Galilee and the Golan, Israel

From the top of this volcanic cone, at an open-air lookout that was once a military outpost, you can see Mount Hermon rising majestically to the north and the Syrian side of the Golan stretching eastward. Opposite is the ruined town of Kuneitra, captured by Israel in 1967, lost and regained in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and returned to Syria in the subsequent disengagement agreement—it is now a demilitarized zone. Modern Kuneitra is in the distance. The cluster of white buildings south of old Kuneitra houses the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force. A pine-cabin shop serving coffees, herbal teas, and a nice selection of snacks is the perfect place to get out of the wind that often sweeps this peak. The lookout is near Kibbutz Merom Golan; signs along the rural roads point the way. It's open all the time.

The summit of Mount Hermon—famous as Israel's highest mountain, at 9,230 feet above sea level—is actually in Syrian territory. Its lower slopes attract winter visitors to the country's only ski resort, though summer is arguably the most interesting time on Hermon. After the winter snows melt, hikers can discover chasms and hidden valleys here, the long-term result of extremes in temperature. A powerful array of colors and scents emerges from the earth as the summer sun draws out cockscomb, chamomile, and scores of other flowers and wild herbs. Approaching from Nimrod's Fortress, you'll pass Moshav Neve Ativ, designed to look like a little piece of the Alps in the Middle East, complete with A-frame chalet-style houses, a handful of which have guest rooms. A detour through the old Druze village of Majdal Shams offers a number of good eateries. Ein Kiniya, another Druze village, appears across a valley on your left as you head east into the Golan on Route 99, is the most picturesque in the area. The houses are built from the black basalt typical of the Golan.

The most important site on lovely Mount Meron—and one of the holiest places in Israel—is the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, survivor of the Bar Kochba Revolt almost 2,000 years ago. The simple building that houses the tomb is a place for quiet reflection and prayer, though you may encounter a bar mitzvah or other festive event in the courtyard outside. Women and men have separate prayer areas, and all are expected to dress modestly (cover-ups are available for those who don't have them).

Signs point to the Tomb of Rashbi, which is the Hebrew acronym of the rabbi's name.

Bar Yochai is said to have fled from the Romans with his son Elazar after the fall of Jerusalem to a cave at Peki'in, not far from here, where he remained for 13 years. The faithful, beginning with the 16th-century mystics who settled in Tzfat, believe that from his cave-hideout Bar Yochai penned the Zohar (The Book of Splendor), his commentary on the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Others claim that the Zohar dates from 13th-century Spain. Nevertheless, the constant flow of visitors is evidence of the pilgrims' devotion to the great rabbi and rebel.

The pilgrimage is still celebrated en masse on Lag Ba'Omer, the festive 33rd day of the seven solemn weeks that begin with Passover. At this time Mount Meron comes alive as a grand procession arrives on foot from Tzfat, with many participants carrying Torah scrolls and singing fervently. Bonfires are lighted, with celebrations lasting days.

Mount Meron is the highest peak in Israel after Mount Hermon, and parts of it are a nature reserve (www.parks.org.il) with hiking trails.