The 6 Best Springs Near Tiberias (2026)

Updated July 2026 · 6 picks

The best springs near Tiberias in 2026 are Hamat Gader, Hamat Tiberias and Gan HaShlosha (the Sachne). The Sea of Galilee sits on a geological fault, which is why the area has hot mineral springs the Romans were already using — plus warm freshwater pools that stay swimmable all year. Below are six, with the distinction between them.

1. Hamat Gader — Yarmouk Valley, south-east of the Sea of Galilee

Roman thermal baths, hot mineral pools and an alligator farm, in one valley.

₪₪₪ UpmarketBest for Families · Couples · Groups

Hamat Gader sits in the Yarmouk Valley south-east of the Sea of Galilee, on a site the Romans developed into one of the largest bath complexes in the empire — the excavated Roman baths are still there alongside the modern pools.

The thermal water emerges at around 50°C and is cooled into a series of pools, and the site has grown into a full day out with a large alligator and crocodile farm, gardens and restaurants attached.

It is around forty minutes from Tiberias and close to the Jordanian border. Bring the day rather than the hour.

Good to know: The Roman bath ruins are free to walk and most visitors miss them entirely — they are the best thing on the site.

Google Maps Website

2. Gan HaShlosha (Sachne) — Beit She'an Valley, about 40 minutes south

Warm turquoise pools at a constant 28°C — the best natural swimming in Israel.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Groups · Couples

Gan HaShlosha, known universally as the Sachne, is a national park in the Beit She'an valley where a spring feeds a chain of wide natural pools that hold a constant temperature of around 28°C all year.

The water is clear and turquoise, the pools are linked by small waterfalls, and the surrounding lawns and palms make it one of the most popular family destinations in the country — regularly named among the world's most beautiful natural pools.

It is about forty minutes south of Tiberias and it gets extremely busy at weekends and holidays. Weekday mornings are transformative.

Good to know: Go on a weekday morning if you possibly can — at weekends it is a different and much more crowded place.

Google Maps Website

3. Hamat Tiberias National Park — Southern edge of Tiberias

Seventeen hot springs the Romans built on, plus an extraordinary synagogue mosaic.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Couples · Families

Hamat Tiberias sits on the southern edge of the town, where seventeen hot mineral springs emerge, and it has been used since antiquity — the name of the town itself comes from the Roman settlement built around them.

The national park contains the remains of an ancient synagogue with a remarkable fourth-century mosaic floor, including a zodiac wheel, which is one of the finest of its kind in Israel and reason enough to visit.

The modern spa facilities adjacent use the same water. The park and the spa are separate visits.

Good to know: Go for the synagogue mosaic as much as the springs — the zodiac floor is exceptional.

Google Maps Website

4. Ein Nun — North-western shore, near Tabgha

A quiet spring pool on the northern shore, known to locals rather than tour buses.

₪ BudgetBest for Couples · Families

Ein Nun is one of the springs on the north-western side of the Sea of Galilee near Tabgha, feeding a small pool set back from the lakeshore road.

It is the kind of place Israelis stop at on a drive around the Kinneret rather than a ticketed attraction, and it is correspondingly quiet outside weekends.

Facilities are minimal to non-existent. Bring what you need and take it away again.

Good to know: No facilities — this is a stop on a drive round the lake rather than a day out.

Google Maps Website

5. Tabgha springs and shoreline — North-western shore

Warm springs feeding into the lake, beside the loaves-and-fishes churches.

₪ BudgetBest for Couples · Families · Groups

Tabgha, on the north-western shore, takes its name from the Greek for 'seven springs', and warm springs still feed into the lake along this stretch of shoreline.

The springs historically drew fish to the warm water, which is why this shoreline is associated with the Gospel accounts of fishing and the feeding of the multitude, and why the Church of the Multiplication and the Church of the Primacy of St Peter stand here.

It combines a swim, a walk along the shore and two of the most significant Christian sites on the lake.

Good to know: Combine the shoreline with the two churches — modest dress is required inside them.

Google Maps Website

6. Ein Gev shoreline springs — Eastern shore

The quieter eastern shore, with springs, a beach and the Golan behind.

₪₪ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Couples

Ein Gev sits on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee below the Golan escarpment, with springs feeding the shoreline and a long-established kibbutz beach and holiday village.

The eastern shore is markedly quieter than the western, and the view back across the water to Tiberias with the Galilee hills behind is the best on the lake.

Ein Gev is also known for its lakeside fish restaurant, which has been serving St Peter's fish for decades.

Good to know: Stay for the fish restaurant — it has been doing the same thing well for a very long time.

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the hot springs and the swimming springs?

The hot springs — Hamat Gader and Hamat Tiberias — are mineral-rich thermal water in the high thirties or low forties Celsius, used therapeutically and taken in short sessions. The swimming springs, like the Sachne, are warm freshwater pools at a steady mid-twenties, which you swim in for as long as you like.

Are the springs open year-round?

The thermal springs are, and winter is arguably the best time to use them. The freshwater swimming springs stay at a constant temperature year-round, which makes them one of the few places in Israel where an outdoor swim in January is pleasant. Hours are shorter in winter.

Are the springs suitable for children?

The freshwater springs, yes — the Sachne in particular is a classic Israeli family day out. The thermal springs are hotter than is comfortable or advisable for small children, and most sites set minimum ages or time limits for the hottest pools.

How long can you stay in a thermal pool?

Around twenty minutes at a time is the standard guidance, with a break between sessions. The water at Hamat Gader is genuinely hot and the mineral content is high; overdoing it leaves people lightheaded. Drink water between sessions.

Do the springs get crowded?

Very, on Saturdays, during school holidays and over chol hamoed — these are among the most popular family destinations in the north. Weekday mornings are a different experience entirely, and worth arranging if you can.

1. Hamat Gader — Yarmouk Valley, south-east of the Sea of Galilee

2. Gan HaShlosha (Sachne) — Beit She'an Valley, about 40 minutes south

3. Hamat Tiberias National Park — Southern edge of Tiberias

4. Ein Nun — North-western shore, near Tabgha

5. Tabgha springs and shoreline — North-western shore

6. Ein Gev shoreline springs — Eastern shore

Frequently asked questions

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