From October 15th to October 24th,many adventures await tourists coming to Haifa, as Haifa celebrates the Sukkot holiday with the rest of Israel.
On October 15th, festivities will start with the opening of the 32nd Annual Haifa Film Festival.The festival will feature over 200 films from all around the world, from various genres. Many films will be projected free of charge on large screens in Haifa’s public parks, under Israel’s night skies. The festival will also include artisan fairs featuring some of Haifa’s most original artists, and food and drink stalls. Alongside the film festival, this year’s festivities will also boast a special event, presenting a collection of caricatures from all over the world. To get to the film festival quickly and easily, public transportation will take you from anywhere in the city to the festival complex, in MerkazHacarmel. Take bus lines 37, 28, 24, and other lines to get as close as possible to the action. Buses from all over Haifa will depart every 20 minutes.
If you want a break from the marathon of high quality films, go to Haifa’s downtown area, where bars and restaurant are open till late, offering food and drink at great prices prices, some even feature live music. Remember! If you’re coming as a guest of the Port of Haifa, you can enjoy discounts in almost all of Haifa’s bars.
On October 20th, Haifa will host the annual Israeli Strongman/woman competition. Over 30 athletes will compete for the title, and you can come cheer them on for free! Take and Metronit line, or any bus line to Lev Hamifratz, and get off at the Checkpost station, where the competition will take place.

If guided tours are your thing, join tasting tours in the market, culinary guided tours from WadiNisnas all the way to downtown Haifa, go on a treasure hunt, or participate in other fun experiences. There are 7 guided tours a day, starting October 18th-22nd. For more information, contact the Haifa Tourism Association: Tel. +9728535606, line 100/101.

From October 20th-22nd, Haifa’s Bat Galim neighborhood will host the 7th Open House festival. Bat Galim residents will open their homes to tourists, and offer private tours and displays of works of art, some of them even for sale. In several locations, authors and poets will read from their works and you can even take tours to historical landmarks in the area. The festival is free of charge, and you can get the Bat Galim neighborhood via bus or Metronit. Any line that goes to Bat Galim will bring you there, such as bus lines 17 and 18 from the Port of Haifa.

Haifa also offers many fascinating museums. Some are free, some aren’t, but all offer different and intriguing exhibitions. One of these museums – the Navy Museum, hosts an exhibition showcasing pirate ships and weapons, and some fun workshops. The museum visit costs 28 nis. Getting to the Navy Museum is very easy, via Metronit to bound for Hof Hacarmel or buses headed for Alenbi.

Another great museum is the Haifa Tikotin Museum, devoted to Japanese art. Now, you can come see exhibitions of ceramic works from Japan, and even a cosplay and kimono exhibition. If you like a more “hands-on” approach, you can join either the manga or suhadama-origami workshops, to experience Japanese culture up close and personal.

Haifa offers many other fascinating experiences this coming Sukot. Make sure to check them out before you continue your Israeli experience.