Bet Shean National Park

One of the holy land's largest and most exciting archaeological sites, Beit Shean National Park is home to several outstanding medieval ruins that are still in amazing shape.

It is situated in the northern Israeli area of Galilee and provides you and your loved ones with a unique look into Israel’s past via the archaeological relics from each historical era. This is by far the biggest and most exciting archaeological site in Israel, with a ton of amazing medieval ruins that are still in amazing shape. You’ll love touring the gladiator amphitheater, colonnaded streets, and the 7,000-seat Roman theater’s rebuilt remains, among many other things.

National park

The Bible mentions the Beit She’an valley, south of the Sea of Galilee, where King Saul suffered a crushing defeat on adjacent Mount Gilboa some 6,000 years ago.

The city was reestablished as a Hellenistic city 2,300 years ago. It became well-known throughout the Roman and Byzantine eras but was destroyed in 749 AD when an earthquake struck the area.

At the base of Tel Beit, the ruins of this spectacular city, including its streets, stunning baths, theater, and temples, have been reconstructed. She’s a National Park from the Bible.

She’an Nights is a singular multisensory, multimedia event that you should not miss.

About this place

Beit Shean, one of Israel’s oldest cities, is situated in northern Israel, 27 kilometers south of the Sea of Galilee. It is also known as Scythopolis, Nysa, and, in Hebrew, “the House of Tranquility.” It is a very rich region and one of the hottest locations on earth to live, nestled between the Jezreel and Jordan Valleys.

Inhabited for 6,000 years

It is currently one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in Israel. It was first settled 6,000 years ago and has been continuously occupied since. The pre-Egyptian, Israelite, Philistine, and Byzantine civilizations, among others, left remnants there.

King Saul and his sons were slain by the Philistines in Beit Shean, according to the Hebrew Bible, and their remains were afterwards hanged from the city wall.

Ancient Roman City

A Roman basilica that was formerly a courtroom, public baths with swimming pools and heated rooms, tiny shops, and artisans’ studios are among the archaeological relics. There is a 6,000-seat amphitheater that was formerly used to host gladiatorial fights to amuse Roman soldiers, as well as some well-preserved mosaics, one of which features Tyche, the Roman goddess of fortune, clutching a horn of plenty.

Directions

It will take around 1.5 hours to go from Tel Aviv to Beit Shean utilizing toll road #6. (117 km). You may go there without utilizing Road #6 as well (using only non-toll roads). It will then take around 1 hour and 40 minutes (116 km).

The distance between Haifa and Beit Shean is shorter, and the normal driving time is one hour (70 km). There are two basic ways to go from Jerusalem to Beit Shean. The shorter route will take you along roads #1 and #90 and will take you 2.5 hours and 131 kilometres. You can take Highway #1 into the center and then use, for instance, Toll Road #6 north if you don’t want to go past the Green line (around Jericho, for example).

It will take a little bit longer to drive (2.5 hours and 159 km). Of course, these times are only estimates and subject to change with traffic.

If you want to use public transportation to move about, you have two choices. To go to Beit Shean, use the train. then take a bus, a cab, or go on a stroll (the distance from the train station to the national park is 3 km). Or you can travel by bus. Numerous websites include bus schedules for all businesses. Among them is Moovit. Additionally, they have a smartphone app. The endpoint is already configured on Moovit, which is accessible via this URL. You may receive the most recent instructions by entering your starting location.

Opening Hours

Sunday – Thursday and Saturday: 8:00 – 17:00 (16:00 in winter).
Friday: 8:00 – 16:00 (15:00 in winter).
On holidays eves usually 8:00 – 13:00.

Note: since the pandemic, Israel Nature and Parks Authority has started to limit the number of people in each park. Thus, reservations are recommended through the official site (you can find the link below).

Proceed Booking