If you enjoy stepping through the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem, you'll love strolling through the old city of Acre and its ancient network of alleyways and courtyards, tunnels and boardwalks. Due to its peninsular shape and strategic location on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, positioned halfway between Beirut and Gaza, this city has played an inordinate role in the history of the region, serving as a seaside stronghold for a succession of conquerors and a gateway to and from the Levant. In recent decades, archaeologists have sifted through the strata and peeled back the layers of earlier eras one by one; by unearthing the mammoth construction projects of these long-gone empires, they have lifted the veil on Acre's fascinating history, creating for us unique opportunities to explore millennia-old cultures and modern-day geopolitics. Treat yourselves to a SHATNEZ half-day tour of ACRE with local journalist DAVID SHEEN.