Like the rest of the country, the Mediterranean Coast combines the old and the new in a uniquely Israeli way. Neon and chrome shopping malls and golden beaches exist side by side with biblical, Roman, and Crusader sites. The vast archaeological ruins of Caesarea, washed by Mediterranean waves and dotted with wonderful places to dine, is probably the most romantic ancient site in Israel. Further north, Haifa (Israel's third major metropolis) provides a smart base from which to explore the northern coast and the Western Galilee. Just north of Haifa, the medieval walled seaport of Akko (Acre, pictured above), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Israel's hidden treasures.