affa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world, famous for its association with the biblical story of the Prophet Jonah. Modern Jaffa has a heterogeneous population of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Old Jaffa has remained a compound containing houses, alleys, Jaffa port and a newly restored boardwalk by the sea.
Houses in the area were especially allocated for development of an artist colony. The ancient, winding alleyways have been renovated and given names of the zodiac signs. The central lane in Old Jaffa is called Netiv Hamazalot (‘the Zodiac path’) and this is where you will find the Casa Nova complex, which today includes galleries, theaters, houses of artisans, the Sea Mosque, and St. Peter’s Church. The hotel is located at the northern entrance to the port and is entered from Netiv Hamazalot.