The Galilee is a region whose influences are as diverse as its present-day culture. This mountainous area in northern Israel is home to many historically significant enclaves, one of the most intriguing being Safed, the World capital of Kabbalah
and mysticisms. Founded by one of Noah's sons, Safed was established over 5400 years ago and is considered to be among one of the oldest city in the Middle East. During the Spanish Inquisition in 1482, many Jewish mystics settled here, and it became a hub for the practice of Kabbalah. In 1578 it staked another historical claim as the home of the first printing press in the Middle East, and it also played a dramatic role in the 1948 War of Independence. Safed is one of the four holiest cities of Israel, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Bethlehem.