Citadel of Acre
Citadel of Acre
4.5
About
The Hospitallers, the Order of the Knights of St. John, built this impressive fortress more than 700 years ago.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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4.5
955 reviews
Excellent
620
Very good
265
Average
55
Poor
13
Terrible
2
704charles
Dubai, United Arab Emirates38 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
The Citadel is a must see in Akko to understand the history of the city. Whilst the building has been well restored the layout of the visit is a bit of a jumble. This is a shame as the layers of history within the building are fascinating. A proper map would have been helpful. If the funds are there frôm the local tourism board a serious upgrade in terms of content and presentation is needed
Written 29 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FredPurdue
Seattle, WA2,268 contributions
Nov 2019
As an amateur photographer much of the tour of the Citadel was interesting. Many architectural features like arches and walls. The variety presents issues of lighting, but my DSLR with a zoom lens and range of ISOs did the job. Some quarters are tight, so travel light. Our tour finished by walking on the wall to a location on the water. We expected more on the Crusaders, so that was a disappointment.
Written 11 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,591 contributions
Oct 2022
The Citadel of Acre is 700 years' old castle, though it doesn't look it. The Citadel was constructed by the Knights Hospitalier during the Crusades. The Hospitallers are also known as the Knights of St John. The Citadel is magnificent structure, one can't help but be impressed by the care that went into its construction. These days, local people call Acre "Akko" or "Akka."
Written 18 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anon
21,760 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
I had been here ten years ago and was very impressed by the amount excavated since and by the dramatic improvement of the audio-visual equipment. Very well kept. A unique piece of history which should prove entertaining even to pre teens.
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
geo3
Calgary, Canada1,893 contributions
June 2023 • Solo
Very interesting. We were on a guided tour from a cruise ship, which was unfortunate as the guide only alloted about 45 minutes here. I could easily have spent two hours here. There are many ages of history represented here, and some of the stonework dates back to the 11th century. The history of the middle ages in this part of the world is not generally well-known, and this citadel gave a good introduction to it. Plus - it is impressive!
There are quite a few informative displays, with much of the information in English as well as other languages.
Restoration is ongoing, and much has been done within only the last twenty years, so a lot has been accomplished.
There are quite a few informative displays, with much of the information in English as well as other languages.
Restoration is ongoing, and much has been done within only the last twenty years, so a lot has been accomplished.
Written 28 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David F
Msida, Malta45 contributions
Dec 2019
Acre is a must-visit place especially if you like old towns and history. The Citadel was unforgettable and I believe we visited it for about three hours. Very good shape and good explanations were given by the audio guide. If you do not care for history and are not interested in the Crusades, you may be forgiven for not visiting this highly important site.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
betteskid
Boston, MA1,327 contributions
Oct 2022
We visited here when we were in Acre and we were just amazed at this place. The restoration that had gone on really brought this huge area to life and you could almost imagine yourself back in Crusader times as you walked through. The history of its discovery was also fascinating. I would definitely visit if you are in Acre.
Written 15 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
aroundthenextcorner4
Ottawa, Canada120 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
Before visiting Akko, I would have wondered how anybody could give a “1” rating to a major historical site. In this case, it is because of the reasons listed below in a letter I sent to UNESCO. In addition to those reasons, the audio guide had major technical issues and the large number of ticket combinations was confusing at best.
“While we were impressed with the old town as a whole, the Citadel was very disappointing. The clearly ambitious and well-intentioned attempt to bring the citadel to life for visitors is a failure and degrades the historical importance of the site. To put it bluntly, it appears to be a badly done "theme park" version of history that diminishes the site's importance and makes it more difficult to understand why it would have been named a world heritage site.
The disjointed audio guide seems aimed at children and the wall and floor projections are poorly executed, childish, and seem to have little point beyond being technically possible.
The directional symbols on the floor are virtually impossible to follow.
The relationship of the other signage to the guide is confusing at best.
The sounds broadcast in some areas are distracting and of unclear relevance.
The fixed wall illustrations and occasional banners are amateurish and seem randomly placed.
The combination of all of the above made our visit to the Citadel a major disappointment. We couldn't believe that we were at a major UNESCO world heritage site.
I would very much like to know the objectives of the approach taken at the Citadel and what evaluation will be done to assess the success in reaching those objectives. Will the approach be encouraged/approved for other sites?”
“While we were impressed with the old town as a whole, the Citadel was very disappointing. The clearly ambitious and well-intentioned attempt to bring the citadel to life for visitors is a failure and degrades the historical importance of the site. To put it bluntly, it appears to be a badly done "theme park" version of history that diminishes the site's importance and makes it more difficult to understand why it would have been named a world heritage site.
The disjointed audio guide seems aimed at children and the wall and floor projections are poorly executed, childish, and seem to have little point beyond being technically possible.
The directional symbols on the floor are virtually impossible to follow.
The relationship of the other signage to the guide is confusing at best.
The sounds broadcast in some areas are distracting and of unclear relevance.
The fixed wall illustrations and occasional banners are amateurish and seem randomly placed.
The combination of all of the above made our visit to the Citadel a major disappointment. We couldn't believe that we were at a major UNESCO world heritage site.
I would very much like to know the objectives of the approach taken at the Citadel and what evaluation will be done to assess the success in reaching those objectives. Will the approach be encouraged/approved for other sites?”
Written 5 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mistergone72
Ottawa, Canada64 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
The Knights Halls is an interesting attraction if you’re a history buff. The self-guided audio tour offers a lot of good information that’s easy to understand, although the technology can be a little finicky and the audio tracks often skip, depending on where you stand in the museum. It’s not for everyone, and personally I found it didn’t feel particularly authentic - like it has been cleaned up too much or something. But if it’s something you want to do, I wouldn’t dissuade you. I’d simply recommend you give yourself ample time. If you try to rush, you’ll stop listening and might lose interest in the tour. And without the audio guide, it all starts to blur together.
The other thing I’d recommend is that you buy the pass at the ticket booth near the entrance to the Citadel/knights halls. If you buy a pass from one of the other crusader sites in Akko, you might wind up paying more than you need to. If you want to see ALL the crusader sites then you can buy your pass anywhere. But if you JUST want to see the Knights Halls, the only place to buy the cheapest pass (which includes a combined ticket of the Knights Halls and the Tunnel Walk) is at the entrance to the Citadel. That’s a useful piece of information that you might not hear if you try buying your admission from, say, the Hammam Museum. There, they only sell the more expensive combined ticket that includes ALL crusader sites.
The other thing I’d recommend is that you buy the pass at the ticket booth near the entrance to the Citadel/knights halls. If you buy a pass from one of the other crusader sites in Akko, you might wind up paying more than you need to. If you want to see ALL the crusader sites then you can buy your pass anywhere. But if you JUST want to see the Knights Halls, the only place to buy the cheapest pass (which includes a combined ticket of the Knights Halls and the Tunnel Walk) is at the entrance to the Citadel. That’s a useful piece of information that you might not hear if you try buying your admission from, say, the Hammam Museum. There, they only sell the more expensive combined ticket that includes ALL crusader sites.
Written 27 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jake23
New Jersey6,846 contributions
June 2018 • Couples
It was very interesting seeing the crusader fortress. Worth a stop if you want to learn more about the checkered history of Acre.
Written 24 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, please, how much is the ticket for the citadel/tunnel? Thanks
Written 31 January 2019
Acredito que seja em torno de 20 dólares. Está incluso um guia de fone de ouvido para dar as orientações durante o trajeto.
Written 1 February 2019
צריך להתקשר למקום -אנחנו הבאנו איתנו מדריך (עבדו) כך שזה לא העסיק אותנו.
Written 1 November 2018
How long should we allow for a visit? Is knights hall inside crusader fortress? Is there 1 ticket for fortress,halls, and tunnel?
thanks,
mike b
Written 5 March 2018
One ticket is all you need. Follow arrows on the floor. You should allow two hours, but it could also get to be twice the time if you really get into it.
Written 6 March 2018
We will be traveling with a 9 month old. Is this place stroller friendly or would it be better to take her in a carrier?
Written 13 August 2017
Strongly suggest a carrier if you plan on touring the Templar tunnels and walking the fortress walls. There are numerous steps and uneven walkways, some from cobblestone so pushing a stroller would be problematic.
Enjoy
Written 13 August 2017
Hi what are the options to do a day trip from Jerusalem? Please anyone.
Written 28 October 2016
By public transportation:
You can get to Acre either by bus or by train. If you choose the bus option, you take a bus to Haifa (960 egged, about 2 hour ride) and then a bus to Acre (bus 271 by nativ express company ~30 min). If you choose the train option, you can take the train from Jerusalem (Scenic but very slow), switch trains in Tel Aviv and take a train to Acre. (This will take you about 3.5 hours total). Quicker way is to take a bus to Tel Aviv (480 egged, 1 hour) and take train from there to Acre (Takes about 1.5 hours).
All in all, possible as a day trip with early start, but you will spent at least 5 hours of the day in transit.
(I assume little to moderate traffic with the bus times estimates.)
If you happen to rent a car, the one way will take about 2-2.5 hours.
There might be tours to Acre, but I am no expert on them, and can not give an educated suggestion.
Written 28 October 2016
На карте достопримечательность находится в Тиверии, это так?
Written 26 June 2016
No. The crusader fortress is in Acre, not Tiberias.
Russian: Нет. Крепость темплиеров находится в Акко, а не в Тверии.
Written 29 October 2016
Ron do you remember admission price?
Written 21 June 2016
The website for the castle has the prices. I can't post the website name here (TripAdvisor rules) but search for Akko crusader museum and follow the links.
The Okashi museum is essentially an art gallery - well worth it and the The 'Treasures in the Walls' Ethnographic Museum is a short walk away from the centre of the city; quirky but quite fun.
Written 22 June 2016
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