At the end of the steps, on Abbas Street, you’ll find the Sisters of Nazareth Convent. The street is named after Abbas Effendi, aka Abdul Baha, the son of the founder of the Baha’i religion. After his father's death, he worked to spread the new religion around the world and built the Baha’i temple on Mt. Carmel. He died in Haifa in 1921 and was buried alongside Bab. Only later was the golden dome erected over their tomb.
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.