Karmiel

Karmiel, or Carmiel, is a city in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel.

Founded in 1964 as a development town, it is in the Beit HaKerem Valley, the dividing feature between the Lower and Upper Galilee. It is 250 meters above sea level and surrounded by scenic hills.

About 45,000 people live in Karmiel; together with the surrounding villages, the population of the area is around 70,000. It has absorbed many waves of immigration, and about 30% of the residents are immigrants from the former USSR.

Understand

Get in

By rail

🌍 Karmiel railway station. As this station (opened 2017) is the end of the line coming from the West for the time being, it serves as a convenient starting off point for hikes into the region. (updated Sep 2018)

By bus

There are bus routes to and from Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. They begin or end at the train station, and often have additional stops within Karmiel.

Get around

There is a system of internal bus routes.

See

Synagogue on Eshkolot St - lined with Jerusalem stone, and its windows are stained glass with colored patterns.
In Ramat Rabin area, there are unusual looking high rise buildings, recalling La Defense district in the Paris region.
A fountain at the intersection of KKL and HaIrisim streets
🌍 Ramat Rabin park. Includes ancient ruins

Do

🌍 Park HaGalil.
🌍 Park HaMishpacha. Has mini-golf, bowling, a bush maze, large-sized chess, and more. Free for Karmiel residents, 20sh for others.

Events

🌍 Karmiel Dance Festival. Three day long dance festival. Usually held every July; however, in 2025 the dates are 8-10 Oct.

Buy

🌍 Merkaz Big (Big Center). Outdoor shopping center in the industrial zone.
🌍 Lev Karmiel shopping center.
🌍 KKL street. Shops and restaurants
🌍 Kikar HaIr mall. Located close to the train and bus stations. It has become less popular as additional malls have opened.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

As of 2025, there are no commercial hotels in the city of Karmiel itself, although plans to build one are said to be in the works. There are Airbnb listings in town, and also some accommodation options in the outlying villages. The closest cities with large selections of hotels are Akko and Haifa.

Learn

🌍 ORT Braude College of Engineering. (updated Sep 2018)