The name Tiberias offers a clue to the first masters of this great city in the east: The Romans; It was named in honor of the Eternal City's second emperor. However, the roots of the city are distinctly Herodian, and the town's heritage is distinctly Jewish. From the 2^nd century AD onwards, the town was perhaps the most famous center of Semitic study and learning in the world, earning it a spot as one of the four holy cities of Judaism. Great luminaries of this Jewish past can still be seen in the Old Cemetery, while there's a trio of synagogues in the centre, and a revered pilgrimage shrine at the Tomb of Meir Ba'al Hanes. Juxtaposed with the city’s holy status is its long spa history, best experienced in the Hammat section of the city where Sulphur pools and bubbling hot springs have soothed tired muscles for centuries. Tiberias tour guides are also quick to champion further explorations out from the pretty Sea of Galilee, to Nazareth, the Golan Heights and Safed.