3 Best Sights in Degania, Kinneret, and Yardenit, Lower Galilee

At Kibbutz Degania Bet, a short drive from Degania Alef, you can smell the chocolate long before you get to the farm. In addition to the "bar" serving hot and cold chocolate drinks, and a tempting gift shop, Galita has eight different chocolate-making workshops. Reservations can be made on the website; there are workshops in English.

Across the Jordan River from Degania, Kinneret was founded in 1911 as the country's second kibbutz, taking its name from the Hebrew word for the Sea of Galilee. The serene Kibbutz Kinneret Cemetery includes the grave of Rachel Bluwstein, better known as Rachel HaMeshoreret (Rachel the Poetess), a secular shrine for many Israelis. The pebbles left on her grave by visitors (a token of respect in the Jewish tradition) are a tribute to her renown and the romantic hold she has on the national imagination. Born in Russia in 1890, she became a poet of national stature in the Hebrew language; she died in 1931. The cemetery has a superb view of the lake, Golan Heights, and majestic Mount Hermon.

On a picturesque bend of the Jordan River, where huge eucalyptus trees droop into the quiet water, this spot was developed as a baptism site by Kibbutz Kinneret for Christian pilgrims. The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (John 1:28) is traditionally identified with the southern reaches of the Jordan River, near Jericho. But when the area became a hostile frontier between Israel and Jordan, pilgrims began to seek out accessible spots beyond the conflict zone. You often see groups of pilgrims being immersed in the river amid prayers and hymns and expressions of joy. The white robes required to enter the water become transparent when wet, so bring a bathing suit or large towel. Snacks and souvenirs are available.