Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee, also called Lake Kinneret, is a freshwater lake in northeastern Israel that serves as the country’s largest freshwater reservoir. It lies about 210 metres below sea level and covers roughly 166 square kilometres.

The lake’s shores host towns, archaeological sites and pilgrimage locations, including Tiberias on the western shore and the ancient sites of Capernaum and Tabgha along the northern and northwestern coasts. Boat trips and fishing are common visitor activities.

The lake is fed and drained by the Jordan River, has an elongated shape of about 21 kilometres by 13 kilometres, and has been an important agricultural and religious landscape since antiquity. It sits in a rift valley surrounded by the Galilean hills and, to the east, the Golan Heights.

• Size and elevation: Also known as Lake Kinneret, the lake covers about 166 square kilometres and lies roughly 210 metres below sea level.
• Dimensions and hydrology: The lake is elongated - approximately 21 kilometres long and 13 kilometres wide at its widest point - and is fed and drained by the Jordan River.

What to See #

• Tiberias: Tiberias, the main city and service hub on the lake's western shore offering promenades, boat services and historical sites.
• Capernaum: Capernaum, an archaeological village on the northern shore with remains of a 1st-century synagogue and early Christian sites.
• Tabgha / Mount of Beatitudes: Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes, locations on the lake's northwestern shore associated with early Christian traditions and mosaics.