Located south of Haifa, in the heart of the Carmel National Park, are the two Druze villages, Isfiya and Daliyat al-Karmel, whose combined population numbers 20,500 people.
The Druze, a small ethnic group in the Middle East, follow a unique religion, which withdrew from Shiite Islam in the 11th century. They speak a unique dialect of Arabic, which is similar to those spoken in Syria. Almost all Druze are concentrated in Syria, Lebanon, and the north of Israel. They have tended to settle in mountainous areas, due to the continuous need to defend against other Islamists, who considered them traitors of Islam. Currently, the total number of Druze living in Israel is approximately 118,000; they are located on the Carmel, in the Upper Galilee and in the Golan Heights.
The two villages on the Carmel were founded approximately 400 years ago, in the days of the PrinceFakhr Eldeen Almani of Lebanon, who ruled in the northern part of Israel at the time. In the past, agriculture was the economic mainstay of the population; today however, the majority of the villagers either works for Israel Defense forces, are involved in commerce and entrepreneurship, or provide public community services. Only a small number still earn a livelihood from agriculture.
In addition to wandering through of the village alleyways, the main attraction here is the vibrant market in the center of Daliyat al-Karmel. Here you will find restaurants and bakeries featuring the best of the delicious Druze cuisine, as well as galleries and shops that sell typical Druze and Arab artifacts, including furniture, clothing, mementos and more.