Mystical, charming, artistic, funky, relaxed, fun, historic, scenic, natural, mountains, hiking, galleries, crafts, cobblestone alleyways…

If any of the above interests you, arise and take yourself to Safed, a precious gem of a town in Northern Israel. Pronounced Tzfat in Hebrew, Safed has a population of 27,000, with magnificent views of the Kinneret and the Jordan River from 3,200 feet above sea level.

Founded circa 70, Safed flourished in the 16th century with the confluence of famous scholars, mystics and merchants who fled there from the Spanish Inquisition and established Safed as an important trade and spiritual center. Among its noted sages was Rabbi Joseph Karo whose "Shulchan Aruch" Code defines Jewish Law to this day, and the great Kabbala master Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the “Arizal.’

The first printing press on the Asian continent published the first Hebrew book in Safed in 1578. Safed suffered in subsequent years from plagues and Arab attacks, and the liberation of Safed was a crucial event of the 1948 War of Liberation.

Safed ranks among Israel’s four holy cities, the others being Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias. Old Safed features artists' galleries, medieval synagogues and quaint homes. Just a half hour's walk from the Old City introduces you to a virtual paradise, resplendent with fruit trees, water pools and olive groves.

Old Safed is a picturesque neighborhood of narrow cobblestone alleys with 16th century synagogues still in use. Clinging to the side of a steep mountain, its streets are connected by stone staircases, charming paths punctuated by breathtaking views of Mount Meron and the rolling hills of the Galilee.

Safed's enchanted atmosphere, history and mystique provide a natural ambience for the Artists' Quarter that draws thousands of tourists. Over fifty artists exhibit in an ancient building in the heart of the city. The Artists’ Colony is now home to new immigrant artists and craftsmen from Russia, Ethiopia and English speaking countries.

Safed inspires more than only visual art. Late summer, a week long Klezmer Festival fills the air, as thousands flock to enjoy the joyful music and ambiance.

So you’ve been bitten and smitten, Safed enchants you too. “But I barely speak Hebrew! How can I access the spiritual treasures, and also attend to my earthly needs; where will I eat and sleep?”

Conveniently located on the edge of the Old City, Ascent of Safed assists the intrepid traveler seeking an authentic taste of Safed. ASCENT features an 85 bed hotel, dining room, three levels of porches, a synagogue, library and multi-media center with programs for English, Hebrew and Russian speakers.

A combination recreation center, youth hostel and religious retreat, Ascent offers everything from hikes through a scenic, fruit-tree lined wadi (dry riverbed) in the Galilee to the spiritual heights of a Chassidic Shabbat dinner.

Last year, nearly 7,000 visitors and residents passed through ASCENT. At any given time, you may join two dozen students from Hebrew University, kibbutz volunteers mixed in with a family tour group from Texas, plus a newlywed couple from Brazil and a lone searcher from Prague.

ASCENT also offers special seminars on holidays or topics of interest. They may teach you to craft your own Chanukah menorah and fill it with olive oil from local olive trees, bake Passover shmurah matzah, or delve into Kabbalistic study from original materials.

ASCENT offers free walking tours of the picturesque and historic Old Safed, and famous tombsites in the ancient cemetery. Ascent guided hikes include a walk down the river valley Nahal Amud, where grapes, figs, raspberries and roses grow wild in the summer and a cross country walk to the ancient town of Meron, gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar. It will also take you through the Biriya forest to the Amuka tomb of the Talmudic Rabbi Yonason ben Uziel who is reputed to help those who pray sincerely at his gravesite find their true mate.

ASCENT also arranges tours throughout the Galilee and Golan Heights including tours of the Golan Heights rafting and inner tubing on the Jordan, cruising the Kinneret, horseback riding, jeep tours, nature preserves, and archeological sites with architecture from King Solomon times, the Roman Empire, and a restored Talmudic era village.

If you yearn for a fresh breath of mountain air, don’t just aspire to the Alps or the Rockies. Rise to much higher elevations of beautiful Safed.