Tips

Haifa on one page
Archeologically Haifa dates to 4000 BC, Bronze Age, pre-Canaan times. It is first mentioned as Efa by Romans in 3rd century. The word "haifa" in Arabic means "nearby". Perhaps, it had this meaning and similar sound also in Canaan and Phoenician times. Both these languages are of Semitic family, as well as Hebrew and Arabic. In Hebrew it sounds rather Heifa.
Haifa's population is about 400 000 - Jews, Arabs (Christians and Moslems), Druze, Achmedis and Bahai. Druze and Achmedis separated from Islam in 9th and 19th centuries, respectively.
Israelis speak Hebrew (80%), English (60%), Arabic (40%), Russian (25%), French (20%) and over 100 other languages.
Haifa is located on and around Mount Carmel. Carmel is place where prophet Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijas for Moslems, Elijah for Christians) prayed and lived in cave. There is Carmelite monastery in Haifa. Originally (12th century) the monks lived around in caves, following example of Eliyahu.
Main attractions of Haifa are Bahai gardens and German Colony (Ben Gurion Boulevard). A visitor will encounter many other interesting and pleasant places and views.
Bahai gardens and mausoleum are run by Bahai. The famous golden capped shrine is situated amidst the flowering gardens like "a diamond inlaid in a golden ring" (quote from the designer of the gardens). The Bahai religion dates 150 years back to Persia. Bahai respect all prophets, call for beauty and moral values. They recognize equal rights for women, and support science.
German Colony has been founded 140 years back by Templars (Templar Society, a Christian sect). The colony is an island of old white stone buildings and little gardens within rather dull recent structures. Original German population of the Colony today is highly diluted and spread well beyond the city.
Kababir neighbourhood is the middle eastern center of the Achmedia muslim sect, which originated in west India in 1899. The sect rejects the notion of Jihad as a violent fight against non-believers, and instead calls for an "inner Jihad" which is the struggle of each person to achieve an inner state of peace, tranquility and divinity within his own soul.
University of Haifa is situated at the border line of the city and the vast green forests of Mount Carmel, which are declared biospheric nature reserve. Many small trails run through the beautiful scenery of hills and valleys, ancient oak groves and towering pine trees.
Technion is highly reputed center of technological education, home of two Nobel Prize Laureates (A. Ciechanover and A. Hershko).

Map of Haifa:

Dine-n-walk
Suggestion I: Hotel Shulamit is located next to the vibrant main street running along Mount Carmel and changing names - Hanassi-Moria-Horev-Aba Hushi. From the hotel entrance turn right, walk 3 min, hit the fountain, and you are on Moria blvd. On your right (Moria 105) you'll find Bar Cafe Toot. Next to it Bar Cafe Greg (24 hrs). They serve snacks and meals. On the other side of the street (Moria 110) - Pasto restaurant, and further on (Moria 115) - Cafe Gourmet Mandarin (somehow it is not Chinese). Here you get full meals (100-150 shekel). All open Fridays and Saturdays which is not typical of Israeli cities. And all are within 5 min from the hotel. You may explore plenty of other small feeding places and shops along the main street, increasing numbers, all the way to Horev Center (about 400 m).
Some places do not have English menu, but waiters all speak sufficient English.
As an after-dinner walk we would recommend going opposite direction, passing Greg place. In 10-15 min you are at Carmel Center with the tower of Dan hotel. Behind the tower you'll find a very pleasant panorama promenade with the view on the Haifa bay and lower downtown. It starts at Chinese non-kosher place. Walk to the left. After another Chinese (kosher) restaurant on your left take upper deck and continue all the way to Bahai Garden Terraces.
Suggestion II:
Take bus No. 37 (or taxi) to lower downtown (opposite to University direction), and exit at Ben-Gurion Boulevard.
The boulevard is marvellous promenade with plenty of small and big restaurants, primarily Arabic, where you get authentic Middle-Eastern food. Don't go to the port area, it is too industrial.
Bit more complicated but recommended way to get there is to walk first towards the Dan Towers, find there entrance to Haifa Metro (it is steep-slope Metro, like in Lauzanne), and go all the way down, few stops. Then keep the Mount Carmel on your left and walk, 10 min or so, until you get to the bottom of the Ben-Gurion Boulevard, that will go uphill, continuing at some point into Bahai terraces. They are a very pleasant view, under lights as well.
Glimpse of Akko
First, you promise to come here again.
One would need at least two days to get the full taste of it.
This time you just random walk around and stare, and listen.
Hercules cured here his wounds... Other names amalgamated into Akko include:
Pharaoh Thutmose III (15 century BC),
King David (10th century BC),
Ptolemy II (2nd century BC),
Richard Lion Heart (1191),
Marco Polo (1272),
Salah ad-Din (1291),
Al Jazzaar (The Butcher), 1775-1804,
Napoleon (1799) (could not take Akko)...
Don't miss Al Jazzar Mosque, Bazaar, ... Underground Crusader city, if you find the entrance (ask local people).
Enjoy other things as you bump in them.
At 19-00 start moving towards Fishing Harbour (Marina), to the restaurant "Namal-a-Pisani" (Pisan Port).
Keep an Israeli companion with you, it helps not to get lost.
The old city is only about one-two square kilometers, but narrow zig-zag streets are thoroughly non-orthogonal, and sense of direction is totally lost after two-three corners.

Map of Akko:

Safety
Be patient and nice to security officers (frequently these are pretty girls).
Their job is to suspect everybody, for our safety sake.
Likewise - surrender things to entrance guards for search, get checked by magnetic loops. This is routine in our country.
Don't be scared seeing people with weapons. They are protecting us all.
Taxis are safe. Interiors of public buildings are safe. Private apartments are safe. Walking in the streets is safe.
On paranoic side - avoid crowds, don't drive routes you are not familiar with.
Report suspicious unattended packages to police, guards, driver. Keep away from entrances.
(Politically incorrect suggestion deleted).
On sober side - statistics of terror in Haifa is no worse than in - you name it.
For visitors of our country being tense is more psychological than practical.
We are proud of you for overcoming that barrier.
Safety of different kinds:
When you outside - carry water with you.
Inside you may drink tap-water which is safe everywhere in Israel.
Drinking water is important not just because of heat, but because of zero humidity condition occasionally happening in this corner of the world.
No drinking during 2-3 hours may cause long lasting headache. Stay in shadow.
If you get to Mediterranean Sea - swim only in watched areas.
Watch towers are spacious dachas on legs.
This sea is treacherous for having circular currents that could easily carry one far away.
If you get to Dead Sea - don't let the water to your eyes or to skin cuts you may have.
(This water is not really dead, halobacteria live in it, and over 50 species of salt-resistant yeast).
Sweet water showers are in all public sites of the Dead Sea.