Haifa is the main gate to Israel for tourists coming by the sea and the capital city of the north part of the country. The city is divided into three different areas, all built one above the other. The Lower City or the Old City with its oriental atmosphere and the harbor with the coast strip. The middle level or central area consists of the Hadar Hacarmel district, an older residential zone, lying at a height of 120m/395ft, with Haifa's main shopping and commercial center. The upper town, Central Carmel (250-300m/820-985ft) consists of modern neighborhoods, overlooking the sandy beaches , with the town's most beautiful residential district and a number of luxury hotels and restaurants. These different areas are connected by the Carmelite underground railway(built in 1959) which climbs from the lower station in Paris Square in the Hadar district for four stations to Gan Ha'em (alt. 280m/920ft), just above the Baha'i shrine. The view of Haifa up there is by far the prettiest and most impressive.
