Rosh Pina doorway. Photo by Itamar Grinberg, courtesy Israeli Ministry of Tourism and Creative Commons

Driving to the town of Rosh Pina, your car climbs straight up a cypress-lined road, passing charming homes and bed and breakfasts in weathered stone buildings with terracotta roofs, windows overflowing with pink geraniums and bright orange bougainvillea. The combination of old stone and brilliant flowers may bring to mind the hills of Provence.

Rosh Pina is roughshod in the most enchanting way.

Rosh Pina is roughshod in the most enchanting way—its cobbled streets are punctuated with artists’ studios and workshops. Among the stones is the beautiful Pina Barosh inn, which overlooks the richly colorful expanse of the nearby Hula Valley.

It is not at all hard to fall in love with Rosh Pina—which translates to “cornerstone.” Clearly, this place is a foundational point, a creative homeplace, a cornerstone of Israel.