August 12, 2017: Akko (Acre)

August 12, 2017: Akko (Acre)

Between Haifa and the Lebanon border lies Akko, or Acre in some guidebooks. It is an Arab village with a lot of history and a rockin' souk.

Akko is most famous for having an underground city built by the Knights Templar.  They created smuggling tunnels during the Crusades.

The interesting thing about this place is, I am betting that my great-great-great-great-many-times-great was one of the knights that fought here.  The family story is, Richard the Lionheart of England hired a French knight (my ancestor) to go to Lebanon with him.  Well guess who led one of the battles of Akko? Yep, Richie and his French knights.  It makes sense that Great-Grandpa Whoever would have gone to this important port city before he went to the hills north of Beirut, as I don't think much was happening there...  Except that he met my great-great-great-great-many-times-great grandmother.  :)

For being a very antique site, the underground city of Akko is very modern in its use of sensor-based, locative media audio tours and virtual reality.  I skipped the VR history game there, though, because it was like an extra $20.  I thought I could find it online, and use my Google Cardboard, but no luck.

In any case, it's the sort of place one could spend YEARS researching. For a start, see this site, complete with quirky video:

http://www.akko.org.il/en/