Sea of Galilee Lake

Address: Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret), Northern District, Israel

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.

The Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) is ringed by Highway 90; the main access town on the western shore is Tiberias. Drive via Highway 90 to one of the shore towns or beach areas (Tiberias has multiple parking areas and a central bus station with regional bus connections). Numerous regional buses serve Tiberias from Haifa, Nazareth and other northern cities; from Tiberias shore access points are typically a short walk from the bus stops or parking.

• For calm water and good light for photos, take a morning or late-afternoon boat trip from Tiberias harbour-local operators run short cruises that show the lake and shoreline sites before midday crowds.
• Use established archaeological access points: Capernaum and Tabgha on the northwest shore both have parking and visitor facilities, and the Yigal Allon Museum at Kibbutz Ginosar (near the lake edge) displays the ancient 'Jesus Boat' that many day-trippers miss.
• If you plan to visit multiple lakeside sites, plan a circular route (Tiberias → Capernaum → Tabgha → Ginosar) to avoid backtracking along single narrow roads and to hit each site during its quieter times.