Akko is old town

The Khan al-Umdan (Khan of the Columns) gained its name because of the granite and porphyry columns that Ahmed el-Jazzar brought from Caesarea to build this khan.

Built on the site of the Crusader's Dominican monastery, the khan provided traveling merchants with accommodation while trading in the city.

Set around a large rectangular courtyard, the ground floor rooms would have been used for storage and stables, while the upstairs would have been sleeping quarters for the merchants.

Underneath Ahmed Al-Jazzar's citadel is the highlight of a citadel visit. The Crusader City historic site comprises a fascinating series of gothic vaulted halls, which were once headquarters for the Knights Hospitaller.

There are six connected vaulted halls, as well as a dungeon to explore, with the Knights Hall and Dining Hall the best examples of the grand, soaring Gothic architecture of the medieval Crusader period.

The non-claustrophobic can navigate their way through a narrow subterranean tunnel to the crypt after they've finished visiting the halls.

The grand bulk of Ahmed Al-Jazzar's 18th-century citadel sits just inside the old city walls and is one of Akko's major points of interest.

The current Ottoman-era building is sited atop an earlier citadel structure that was built by the Crusaders.

During the British Mandate period, the citadel building was used as a prison by the British and today, houses the Museum of Underground Prisoners.

This museum commemorates the Jewish fighters who were imprisoned or executed here by the British authorities during the Mandate era, with a collection of black and white photographs and original documents from that time.

Occupying the site of the Crusader cathedral, the Ahmed Al-Jazzar Mosque was built in 1781 on the model of an Ottoman domed mosque.

The courtyard is entered by a flight of steps, on the right of which is a small Rococo-style kiosk.

Surrounding the arcaded courtyard are rooms, which once provided accommodation for pilgrims and Islamic scholars. On the east side of the arcaded gallery, steps lead down to a cistern dating from the Crusader era, which provided a water supply for Akko's population when the town was under siege.

A small, plain domed building to the right of the prayer hall entrance contains the mausoleum of Ahmed Al-Jazzar, who died in 1804, and of his successor, Suleiman Pasha.

The mosque itself, with its tall slender minaret, is a fine example of Turkish Rococo architecture, with a mammoth interior decorated in ornate blue, brown, and white.

Akko's incredible surviving walls, which wrap around the old city, are the town's most distinctive feature. For panoramic skyline views across Akko, walking along these ancient defensive barriers can't be beaten.

The fortifications were given their present form by Ahmed el-Jazzar in the 18th century.

From Weizmann Street, you can climb up onto the ramparts and walk to the northeast corner, dominated by the massive tower known as the Burj el-Kummander. It stands on the foundations of the "Accursed Tower," from which Richard the Lionheart hauled down the Duke of Austria's banner in 1191.

A little further south from here, sited in the walls, is the Treasures in the Wall Museum, which has an ethnographic collection of artifacts from early Zionist settlers in the area.

Steeped in medieval Crusader history, Akko is an atmospheric old town surrounded by lofty fortifications.

For history fans, Akko is one of the best places to visit in the country thanks to the preservation of its stone architecture. There are plentiful historic tourist attractions and things to do amid its squiggle of narrow alleyways with khans (caravanserais), fortifications, and Crusader-era monuments to explore.

Plan your visit with our list of the top-rated tourist attractions in Akko.