Mentioned only in John 6:23 (compare 6:1; 21:1), Tiberias is a city located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee encompassing today what was in ancient times two separate cities, Tiberias and Hammath, each surrounded by its own wall. Once a mile apart (Palestinian Talmud, Megillah 2.2), they were combined into a single city, apparently in the first century after Christ (Tosefta, 'Erubin 7.2, 146). At this time, about A.D. 18, Herod Antipas (Luke 3:1) built the larger city on a major trade route connecting Egypt with Syria, to replace Sepphoris as the capital of Galilee (Josephus, Antiquities 18.36). It remained the capital until A.D. 61 when it was given to Agrippa II by Nero (Antiquities 20.159). It was paganized by Hadrian after the second Jewish revolt in A.D. 132-135, but became the center of Jewish learning after A.D. 200. The Mishnah, which was compiled in Sepphoris by Judah haNasi, took its final shape in Tiberias as did the Talmud and the Massoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible.

Excavations by N. Slouschz in 1921 and M. Dothan in 1961 at Hammath-Tiberias, near the warm baths, revealed several superimposed synagogues dating from about 300 to 800, some having beautiful mosaic floors. In 1973 and 1974 G. Foerster, digging just south of this area, found the southern gate of the city, having two round towers and dating to the founding of Tiberias before A.D. 100.

St. Peter's Church, owned by the Franciscans and commonly called Terra Sancta, was built in the 12^th century by the Crusaders. The Muslims changed it into a mosque and you can make out an area of uneven stone on the southern wall filling in the hole where a mihrab (prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca) was carved. Later, the Turks used the building as a caravanserai before it changed back into a church. In 1870 it was reconstructed, in 1903 enlarged and in 1944 restored. Its two prime points of interest are the boat-shaped nave (St. Peter was a fisherman) and the courtyard constructed by the Polish soldiers stationed here during World War 2. It's open daily from 8 to 11:45 am and 2 to 5 pm. Admission is free. The church entrance is on the promenade adjacent to the Galei Gil restaurant.

The Church and Monastery of the Apostles is located by the water's edge and to the south of the Moriah Plaza Hotel. This Greek Orthodox complex is on the site of a Byzantine monastery that was annihilated by the Persians in the 7^th century. Since then the complex has been rebuilt and destroyed numerous times; the buildings standing today date from the late 19^th century, however they've been restored as recently as 1975.

Three monks reside here and they'll usually welcome visitors who ring the bell. Four chapels are beyond the pleasantly walled courtyard. One chapel is dedicated to St. Peter, one to the disciples, one to Mary Magdalene and the one in the ancient round tower has been dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Partial excavations of some 4^th century Roman baths can be found half a kilometer south of the Galei Kinneret Hotel, opposite Sironit Beach. The archaeologists have found fragments of mosaics that depict elephants, panthers, fish and geometric designs. Non-claustrophobic people can crawl through a hole near the palm tree into a tight, low-ceilinged underground chamber.

To locate and visit the site of the remnants, cross the unsurfaced car park on the west side of the road and walk about 100 meters south to the roofed enclosure on the right.

The word Tiberias can be found in the book of John. It was penned three times by John. Twice it was referring to the Lake of Tiberias. Besides these references, Tiberias is not mentioned in the Bible by name.