After descending another set of steps, you’ll reach Germanim and Hagefen streets. These were the streets where Haifa’s Muslims and Christian elite once lived; HaCramim and HaGefen streets commemorate the vineyards planted by the Templers on the slopes. Here we can see large, elegant stone houses surrounded by wide courts. Turning left on Hagefen, we’ll notice the difference between Templer houses and houses built later by Christian Arabs.
If there’s something frustrating about Haifa (and Jerusalem too, for that matter), it is the issue of bicycles. The bicycle, which in Tel Aviv is considered an efficient means of transportation, simply doesn’t work in a city with all slopes and hills. As for those who claim: “nonsense, a little fitness is good for you,” ask them to pedal up Freud Road. That may be why Haifa’s staircases are such an attraction. Dozens connect upper and lower Haifa, helping residents manoeuvre the city. Ironically, the city began developing from the bottom up, starting with Downtown and the German Colony, via Hadar Hacarmel and the neighbourhoods above it to Central Carmel. The staircases offer scenic vantage points, colourful lanes and hidden spots. Instead of wearing yourself out climbing the stairs, proceed from the top and make your way downtown.