Ever since I played Assassin’s Creed that was set in Akko I have wanted to visit this ancient port city in northern Israel. Running on the pale yellow walls of the city, leaping off roofs, climbing clock towers, stealthily ambushing enemies, all while receiving a crash course on the Crusades; I had to relive my fondest memories of virtual Akko in real Akko.

And so I was off on a 90 minute train ride along the Mediterranean Sea to Akko. Oh yes, the train ride was damn exciting for me simply because the train actually follows the coast line all the way to Akko. To Israelis this is not a feature of their national railways but a major flaw as the rail line cuts off entire cities from the beaches. I have to agree, if I had to cross a rail line to reach my local beach, I would be furious too.

Akko is one of the few cities in Israel where the Arab population is non-negligible. Christian, Muslim, and Druze Arabs  make up nearly 30% of the city’s population; almost all of the old city’s residents are Arab. On the streets it is far more common to see Arabs than religious Jews; which was quite a pleasant change from what I see in cities like Tel Aviv, Herziliya, Netanya, Rehovot and Jerusalem.

For all the history that has been preserved in Akko, the city has hardly benefited from its rich past. With a population of just about 47,000, the city that spans 13 sqkms is not a notable Israeli city. Schools are not the best here, there is no major university and tourism is not as bountiful as in other Israeli cities.

The mainstay of Akko’s economy is sea trade. Considering that Haifa (to the south of Akko) is Israel main maritime gateway, Akko is a small player in sea trade. The city also does not have an exciting vibe, I found it to be quite dull. Israeli comedians captured the Akko conundrum in a comic sketch wherein a support group is created for the residents of Akko to overcome their misery. There is nothing I can say to describe the plight of Akko better.

But the walled Old City of Akko has a very different vibe!

The Old City has its own character and lived up to my expectations of being a vibrant quarter with old worldly charm. The walled Old City is about 300 years old, dating back to the Ottoman period. The city from the Crusader era, dating back to the early 1000 AD, mostly lies buried beneath the Old City. Akko became the main port city and the citadel of the Crusaders after they besieged the city. This was also when the name of the city was completely mangled.

I wondered for the longest time as to why the name of the city though pronounced Akko and written as Akko in both Hebrew and Arabic is spelt Acre in English. Turns out that when the Crusaders arrived in Akko, they believed that they had reached the biblical city of Ekron. And that confusion resulted in Akko being known as Acre a thousand years ago. I would have appreciated it if someone rectified this simple inaccuracy. But the name has stuck on and Akko is officially spelt Acre in English. Gaah!

Akko’s main points of interest are the Knights’ Halls (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Templar’s Tunnel, the Al-Jazzar Mosque and the Akko port. I found the Knights’ Halls to be the most fascinating of them all. The entire archaeological site has been infused with life giving visitors a unique experience. As you enter the courtyard of the Knights’ Halls, you hear a faint sound of bells jingling and horses trotting around. In the dining hall men whisper among themselves; it felt like I was intruding upon private conversations among knights. In the crypt, a laser show depicts a funeral procession carrying the body of a dead man. The light in the room flickers, mimicking fire. I highly recommend a visit to the Knights’ Hall.

Akko’s old city has the same charm of Jerusalem and Nablus’ old cities. In the Old City, aged walls are falling apart, courtyards are abandoned, alleyways are so narrow that they seem just wide enough for cars to crawl around, all other crumbling buildings lean on each other. Yet, the Old City give you the experience of walking through a live museum. Inside this city that seems to be outwardly decaying, life thrives. Locals shop for spices, fresh vegetables, fish, fruits and nuts. The atmosphere in the Old City is one of a small neighborhood where children are safe and the shoppers are familiar with the shopkeepers. Children here ride bicycles and generally run around the winding lanes of the Old City, while shopkeepers enjoy their breaks from work with a long drag from their hookah. If the urban city outside was dull, then the old city is quite its opposite. It is energetic and bustling with activity.

The only stark difference is the oppressive odour of fish that hangs in the alleyways.I am willing to overlook that for a taste of the famed north Israeli hummus. Hummus Said, the highly recommended hummus joint inside the Old City, is where I lunched. The texture of the hummus here is what I liked the most. The hummus here is less zesty than what I prefer, so I did not return a fan of Akko hummus. It was very tasty though and filling. I regretted not eating the knaffeh before lunch because I was so full after a plate of hummus and half a pita bread.

I hope to return to Akko and go further north to Rosh HaNikra’s grottos from there sometime.