"An Artists' City in Northern Israel The multifaceted mountaintop townof Safed, located almost 3,000 feet above sea level in Upper Galilee, boasts magnificent views of the Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee, and Lebanon. The city first became prominent when the Crusaders built a fortress on the site.Jews first arrived in considerable numbers after expulsion from Spain in 1492, and Safed became a spiritual centerwhenKabbalah flourished under rabbis Yitzhak Luria and JosephCaro. Safed has a thrivingartists' quarter, with studios and galleries filling the narrow alleys, and it hosts anannual klezmer festival.It also maintains a strong religious presence as one of Israel's four holiest cities."