Sataf located just outside Jerusalem and is famed for its hiking trails and natural beauty.
It was first settled around 6,000 years ago during the Chalcolithic Period.
Then, 1,500 years later, the inhabitants began terracing the steep slopes of the hills to create terraces.
Ancient Israelites, irrigated vegetable gardens grow alongside vineyards, olive groves, and almond orchards that need no artificial irrigation and color the countryside green all year round.
The site was at it’s peak during the Second Temple and Byzantine periods.
Later, in Crusader and Ottoman times, Sataf experienced variable fortunes.
in the 19th century, a very small Arabs was created on the site and abandoned it in 1949.
Then, Moshav Bikura was established here by North African Jews after Israeli independence.
However, a short while later, a retaining walls collapsed and an earthslide covered the two collection pools and the aqueduct that brought them water from springs.
So, the residents were obliged to abandon the moshav and throughout the 1950s, the site was used as a training area by Israel Defense Forces’ paratroopers and Unit 101.
In the early 1980s, reconstruct Sataf’s agricultural terraces and restore the two collection pools serving each of the two local springs, Ein Sataf and Ein Bikura.
The irrigation channels were re-dug to the agricultural plots on the re-terraced land.
Thanks to these efforts, today you can observe hillside agriculture as it was practiced in Biblical times.
Walking trails were also created.
There are in total, five hiking trails at Sataf which provide visitors with various options or a circular walk starting from the main entrance.
Today Sataf is a popular spot with hikers, runners, and families cookouts.