Bethlehem West Bank Palestine Travel Guide

This travel guide provides tips on how to plan your visit in Bethlehem, the cradle of Christianity. It’s home to the holiest sites in Christianity and one of the oldest churches in the world. It’s famous for being the biblical birthplace of Jesus, the town where Mary and Joseph went for a census and returned with a son. This sacred spot is mentioned in the several Christmas carols and the numerous nativity plays. Bethlehem is where the pilgrims from all over the world come for the spiritual reasons and in search of the purpose.

In Hebrew, this tiny city is often called Bet Lehem, the ‘House of Bread’ and in Arabic Bet Lahm, ‘House of Meat’. Both terms refer to the city’s fertility and the good soil. Being named the city of King David with the Tomb of biblical Rachel, it’s revered by the Christians, Jews and Muslims. Despite the history of people struggling to establish their own state, Palestine is the country worth exploring at least once in the lifetime.

What to Visit in Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a small Palestinian town in the Judean Mountains. It’s located in the West Bank (Area A) and governed by the Palestinian Authority. This biblical city lies about 10 km south of Jerusalem, 80 km away from Tel Aviv (Gordon Beach at the Mediterranean Sea) and within 123 km from the Dead Sea (Ein Bokek). Bethlehem covers the area of 10,611 square km with the population of approximately 32,000 inhabitants.

In Bethlehem there are over 5,000 people living inside the three refugee camps of the Aida, Dheisheh and ‘Azza on the edges of town. The Aida Refugee Camp is the Bethlehem’s main asylum whereas ‘Azza is the smallest of all the 59 Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. The truth is, the city was founded around 1,400 BC while being inhabited by the Canaanites, who named the city Beit Lahama. They built the temple to worship the god Lahama exactly on the same mount where the Church of Nativity stands these days.

Bethlehem is equally important to the world’s oldest religions, the Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It’s one of the holiest Christian sites in the world, since it’s the place where Jesus was born. The Nativity Church and the Milk Grotto Chapel are the magnets for pilgrims around the globe, especially around Easter and Christmas. For Jews, Bethlehem is the burial place of the matriarch Rachel and the birthplace of King David.

According to the Bible, Jacob’s wife, Rachel, who had been unable to conceive for a long time, died while giving birth to her son, Benjamin. She is the only Matriarch not buried in Hebron. The Rachel’s Tomb, located at the northern entrance of Bethlehem is mentioned in the Christian Old Testament, Jewish Tanakh (Hebrew Bible of Old Testament) and Muslim literature. Therefore it’s holy to all three of Abrahamic religions.

It’s said that Bethlehem is called the city of David, who is famously known for his Psalms and killing the Goliath. Not only was David born in Bethlehem, he was also crowned there to be the King of Israel and Judah. In the past the city of Bethlehem was the part of Israel and Jesus was believed to be the descendant of David. The king himself was considered the biblical prophet of God for the Christians, Jews and Muslims.

At the times of Jesus and David, Bethlehem was the Israeli town where the Jewish community lived. These days, the city belongs to Palestine, where the Palestinian Arabs occupy the area. Although Bethlehem is the cradle of Christianity, only 16% of the town’s population are Christians (mostly Arab ones) and the majority are Muslims.

Don’t leave Bethlehem without seeing:

1. Church of the Nativity
2. Grotto of the Nativity
3. Milk Grotto Chapel
4. Franciscan Church of St Catherine
5. Rachel’s Tomb
6. King David’s Wells
7. Mosque of Omar
8. Old City
9. Israeli West Bank Barrier
10. Banksy Graffiti
11. Old Bethlehem Museum
12. Palestinian Heritage Centre
13. Shepherds’ Fields
14. Orthodox Shepherds’ Fields
15. Catholic (Latin) Shepherds’ Fields
16. Solomon’s Pools
17. King David’s Wells
18. Latin Patriarchate Church
19. Virgin Mary Church
20. Monastery of St. George
21. Herodion National Park
22. St Elias Monastery
23. Mar Saba Monastery
24. Monastery of St. Theodosius
25. Saint George’s Monastery
26. Artas Valley
27. Aida Palestinian Refugee Camp

Daily Excursions from Bethlehem

• Solomon’s Pools
• Herodium National Park
• St Elias Monastery
• Monastery of Mar Saba
• Monastery of St. Theodosius
• Saint George’s Monastery
• Artas Valley
• Dead Sea

Hiking in Bethlehem

If you love walking, there are plenty of paths around the Bethlehem you can easily stroll. Although the city itself is pretty safe, the treks outside should rather be done with the tour guides. In short, the best hiking trails in Bethlehem are found near the Mar Elias Monastery (an ancient Orthodox Christian monastery), which is located to the East of Bethlehem and accessible via taxi, but also the Solomon’s Pools and the Artas Valley. If you want to get the real taste of what Bethlehem is like, you should also book the Donkey Tour in the city of Sebastia and head to the Shepherd’s Field, where it’s believed the angel came down to the sheepmen announcing the birth of Jesus.

Other famous walking routes in Bethlehem include the Abraham’s Path from Rummana to Hebron (part of the Masar Ibrahim, walked by the Prophet Abraham 4,000 years ago, stretching from Erbil in Iraq, through Southern Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and ending in Mecca), The Nativity Trail from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the Makhrour Valley (Wadi Makhrour) from Battir to Beit Jala, the Qelt Valley (Wadi Qelt) from Ain Fawar to St George’s Monastery, Jahir Valley (Wadi Jahir) from Ain Jahir to Ain Fusail, the The Samaritan Walk from Mount Gerizim to Mar Saba Monastery.

Viewpoints in Bethlehem

If you want to see Bethlehem from above, it’s best to visit the rooftop that belongs to the olive wood shop just before the Milk Chapel. You will see it’s being advertised on the streets and there’s a charge of $1 (£0.70) to get up. When you buy something from the shop, the entrance normally is free.

Beaches in Bethlehem

Although Bethlehem has no direct access to the beach, you can visit the ones located in the Dead Sea (Ein Bokek) or the Mediterranean Sea (Tel Aviv). Those are 123 km and 80 km away respectively. If you rent a car or take the public bus, you can arrange the daily trips to both. When you choose the Dead Sea (Israel or Palestine), you can stay at the Kalia, Biankini, Neve Midbar, Ein Gedi, Ein Bokek, Zohar and the Segregated Beach. The first four are on the northern shores (mineral mud and murky waters) and the other three are in the south (salt and crystal clear sea). The most popular beach among the tourists is the Ein Bokek one. If, however, you want bath in the Mediterranean Sea, head to Tel Aviv and visit the Gordon, Frishman or Banana Beaches.

Where to Stay in Bethlehem

Generally, most people visit Bethlehem on the daily trip from Jerusalem (Israel) or from Egypt, while staying in Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab or Taba seaside resorts. If, however, you wish to spend a few nights is Bethlehem, you should book a hotel somewhere around the Manger Square, where the Church of Nativity and the Mosque of Omar are located. The Old Town and the Souks (Market), where you probably find yourself walking a lot, stretch up the hill from the Manger Square. In summary, the city of Bethlehem is a small town and everything is located within the walking distance.

The most charming part of Bethlehem is its centre, the old city. It’s formed of seven quarters, which are laid out in the mosaic style all around the Manger Square. The quarters include six Christian, one Muslim and the Syriac situated outside of the old city. The squares are the residential areas where families have lived for ages and developed the cultural heritage the city represents now. The Christian Al-Najajreh is the oldest of the town quarters, located west of Manger Square. Most Christian squares are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans (Arab Christians) who settled there. They inlcude the Al-Najajreh, Al-Farahya, Al-Anatreh, Al-Tarajmeh, Al-Qawawsa, Al-Hreizat. There’s only Muslim quarter called Harat Al-Fawaghreh.

Most recommended hotels in Bethlehem:

• Bunksurfing Hostel
• Al Salam Hotel
• The Walled Off Hotel (Banksy)
• Sabrina Apartments
• Dar Sitti Aziza
• innova8ion
• Herodion Guesthouse
• Star Street Inn
• Nativity House
• Jacir Palace Hotel

What to Eat in Bethlehem

It’s no surprise when people struggling to establish their own state consider the traditional food such an important part of national heritage. Their cuisine resembles the flavours of the Middle East countries with hummus, falafels, lentils, grilled meat and plenty of couscous dishes. That’s exactly what you find when you visit Bethlehem in the West Bank. This city definitely offers heavier meals compared to the Galilee, which is famous for its olives, pomegranates and fresh fish and Gaza district known for its seafood, spices and chilli peppers. Anyway, don’t leave Bethlehem without tasting:

• Hummus – creamy dip made from chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste), garlic and olive oil.
• Falafel – dip fried fritter (or ball) made from chickpeas, fava beans or both.
• Fatta – dishes with lots of breadcrumbs.
• Palestinian Salad – made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, parsley
• Kousa Mahshi – rice and meat stuffed inside zucchinis.
• Ari’ih – pumpkins stuffed with rice and meat.
• Waraq al-‘anib – grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat.
• Malfuf – cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and meat.
• Maftul – large couscous balls, garbanzo beans and chicken pieces cooked in chicken broth
• Shawarma – thin slices of meat served with vegetable and pita.
• Mujaddara – lentil and bulgur casserole.
• Fasoulya Beyda – white beans soup cooked in the tomato sauce with rice.
• Fasoulya Khadra – same as Fasoulya Beyda but with green beans.
• Kafta B’thine – kofta (meatballs) cooked with thine sauce, served with rice.
• Kafta Harra – kofta meatballs cooked in tomato sauce and served with potatoes.
• Mahshi Lift – turnips stuffed with rice, meat and spices and cooked in Tamarind sauce.
• Ruz ma Lahma (Mandi) – meat, rice and veggies made in the Taboon (clay oven).
• Mansaf – lamb cooked in the fermented dried yoghurt, served with rice.
• Musakhan – batoon bread topped with sumac, onion and pepper.
• Zarb – similar to Mandi but made under high pressure

How to Get Around Bethlehem

Because Bethlehem is a small town and the public transport is not developed as such, everything you wish to visit can easily be done on foot. Alternatively, you can use the taxi, which costs 20 Shekels (£5) around the city or 30 Shekels (£6.50) within its outskirts. The cabs most definitely come in handy if you want to go to the more remote places such as the Herodium National Park, St Elias Monastery, Monastery of Mar Saba or Solomon’s Pools. To visit them, hire the taxi for the whole day. Firstly make the plan what places you wish to see and negotiate the price. The taxi drivers usually charge around 30 Shekels per hour (£6.50) or 3 Shekels (£0.65) per kilometre. Plus, there’s the minimum charge of 12.50 Shekels to start.

How to get from Jerusalem to Bethlehem?

There are no active airports or trains in the State of Palestine and nearly all travellers enter Bethlehem via Jerusalem, from the Israeli side. Although, the two cities are just 10 kilometres apart, travelling from one to the other takes some planning. Because Bethlehem is under the Palestinian control and Israelis are not permitted to enter, there are border crossings along the separation wall.

The good thing is that the international tourists are free to go back and forth as many times as they wish with no restrictions. You don’t need a separate visa to go to Palestine, but you must carry your passport at all times (with the Israeli stamp and Israeli visa slip or the little printed document obtained when entering Israel to avoid the Israeli stamp in the passport).

The Border Security Checks between Jerusalem and Bethlehem

When crossing the border between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, the security checks are conducted by the Israeli Military once you reach the checkpoint. There are two you are most likely to use, the Rachel’s Tomb Crossing and the Highway 60. The Rachel’s Tomb Crossing (Checkpoint 300/Bethlehem Road) is the most popular one because of the Banksy’s murals painted along the wall. It’s located on Hebron Road (31°43’32.5″N 35°12’14.8″E), where you need to pass the security control. The other checkpoint is on the Highway 60 (31°42’20.1″N 35°10’08.2″E). It has no borders or guards so you just drive through (public Arab bus 231) without needing to stop anywhere.

When you choose the Rachel’s Tomb Crossing (Checkpoint 300/Bethlehem Road), it’s quite common for the soldier to board to the bus and check the passengers’ identity documents. If you go on the daily trip booked from Jerusalem, your tour bus is most likely to use exactly this one. Depending whether you go with the Arab Israeli guide or the Jewish Israeli, you can either stay on the bus the whole time or leave to cross the border on foot. In case you take the public Israeli bus (234), which only travels as far as the Gilo 300 Checkpoint, you also have to march through it on foot.

Overall, the whole process of crossing the border is quick and easy, much like any other airport. After placing your bags into an x-ray machine and going through the metal detector, you arrive in Palestine. To continue your trip on the other side you either meet your Israeli guide and board the bus again or walk 3 kilometres if travelling independently. Whoever doesn’t fancy strolling can go for the taxi ride instead. It’s best to walk a bit further away from the border and hail the one from there. The Palestinian drivers you see when you go through the checkpoint are overpriced and often quite aggressive when you refuse them.

Public Buses from Jerusalem to Bethlehem

• 231 (sometimes displayed as 21) from Jerusalem (Arab Ha-Nevi’im bus station (Bab el-‘Amoud) near Damascus Gate, located to the left as you come out of the gate) to Bethlehem (Bab El-Zakak/Beit Jala Road bus stop). At the Arab bus station take the buses with blue writing and avoid any buses with green writing as they’ll be heading north. The Arab bus 231 goes through the Highway 60 checkpoint (31°42’20.1″N 35°10’08.2″E), there are no borders so you don’t have to stop anywhere. The journey takes 40 min and costs 7 Shekels (£1.50) one way (the Arab buses run during the Shabbat). Once you arrive at Bethlehem bus station, you can either walk along the Pope Paul VI Street and through the old part of the city (15 min) or take the taxi (20 Shekels, £5) to the Manger Square (the Church of the Nativity). It’s always best to a go few meters after the drop-off and flag down a cab from there.
• 234 from Jerusalem (Ha-Nevi’im bus station near Damascus Gate, called Bab el-‘Amoud) to Rachel’s Tomb Crossing (Gilo 300 Crossing) only. This Israeli bus takes 25 min to reach the Palestinian border, costs 5 ISL (£1) one way and doesn’t run during Shabbat. After passing the security check, you can walk (3 km, 20 min) or take the local taxi (20 Shekels) to reach the centre of Bethlehem (Manger Square). If going by taxi, you’d better walk a bit further and hail it from there (the taxi drivers near the border are often overpriced and when declined, they turn aggressive).
• Egged Bus 163 (egged.co.il) runs from Jerusalem Central Station (HaNeviim) near Damascus Gate (Bab el-‘Amoud) all the way to the the Rachel’s Tomb (near Checkpoint 300). The Rachel’s Tomb is still on the Israeli side of the wall. To see it you don’t need to cross the checkpoint. The 163 Egged bus and Israeli bus, dark green in colour and doesn’t run during Shabbat.

Jerusalem to Bethlehem by Car

In short, you cannot take the car you rented in Israel into Bethlehem. It’s because the Israeli rental agreement doesn’t cover the Palestinian area and you might get into a lot of trouble if breaking the rules. If, however, you’re really keen to explore Bethlehem while driving your own wheels, you should look for the car rental companies located in the East Jerusalem. The West Jerusalem is strict in terms of hiring their vehicles, claiming they must remain and only be used on the Israeli soil.

Jerusalem to Bethlehem by Taxi

If you want to take the cab from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, you should either go for the shared taxis (sherut/servees) or the private ones leaving from the Arab bus station nearby Damascus Gate (East Jerusalem). The private Arab taxi must have a yellow license plate and the driver should be able to enter the Area A in Bethlehem. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Bethlehem, where the driver waits for you to explore the city sites. The trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem with the Arab taxi driver costs about 400 Shekels (£90) all together.

Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Foot

If you’re really determined, you can walk 10 kilometres from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. The truth is, the most devoted pilgrims are able to do it within 2 hours. The thing to remember is that the road often goes up and down and the weather, especially in summer, can be a real obstacle.

Bethlehem Travel Guide – Cost and Budget

If you book the half day trip to Bethlehem from Jerusalem, it normally costs around $70 (£50). The daily trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem (including Jerusalem and the Dead Sea) costs $89 (£65). If, however you book the daily trip to Bethlehem (plus Jerusalem and the Dead Sea) from Egypt (eg. while staying in Sharm, Taba or Dahab), you shouldn’t pay more than $150 – $200 (£110 – £150). Generally, the trips booked from Egypt include the transport, one meal (usually dinner), the guide and Israeli visa fee.

• Half Day Bethlehem Trip from Jerusalem – $70 (£50).
• Full Day Bethlehem (Jerusalem, Dead Sea) Trip from Jerusalem – $90 (£65)
• Bethlehem (Jerusalem, Dead Sea) Trip from Egypt – $150 – $200 (£110 – £150)

If, however you want to stay a few nights in Bethlehem, how much you’re going to spend really depends on your budget preferences. The good thing about Bethlehem is that the entrance to the main sites, which are actually the Christian churches, doesn’t cost anything. If you want to taxi, it shouldn’t cost you more that 20 Shekels (£5) anywhere around the city and no more than 30 Shekels (£6.50) to go out of town.

All things considered, the backpackers usually spend around £15 a day. That’s pretty much enough to cover the hostel accommodation, the basic food and the free walking tours. If you want to visit Bethlehem on the mid range budget, you shouldn’t pay more than £70 a day. Within this budget, you are able to stay in the nice hotel room or even rent the whole apartment, dine in local restaurants and take to taxi more often. The luxury in Bethlehem costs around £120 daily.

	Accommodation	Food	Transport	Attractions	Avg Daily Cost
Backpacker	£10	£5	£0	£0	£15
Mid-range	£50	£15	£5	£0	£70
Luxury	£80	£30	£10	£0	£120

Bethlehem Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit

Generally, the best time to visit Bethlehem is from April to October during the dry season. The spring, summer and autumn provide the best weather for sightseeing the area. It’s because Bethlehem has a Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers and cold and rainy winters.

In short, both spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) bring the pleasant temperatures between 16°C and 26°C. It doesn’t normally rain a lot during these months but when it does, it’s light and brief. Spring is also when tourists visit the city the most as they come to celebrate Easter holidays.

The summer (June to August) is definitely the hottest and the driest time in Bethlehem. That’s when you experience the temperatures up to 30°C and no rain whatsoever. Whoever doesn’t mind the heat, should travel then.

If you want to visit Bethlehem in winter (December to February), you must consider some heavy downpours of rain and even some snowfall. In general, it feels wet and cold with maximum of 15°C during the day. Christmas is a very special time in Bethlehem because that’s when the Christian pilgrims come from all around the globe. The city gets really busy as everyone wants to visit the Church of Nativity and attend the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass. Additionally, the Greek Orthodox mark their Christmas on January 6 and the Armenian on January 19.

Bethlehem Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures

Basically, Bethlehem is pretty warm all the time, although it’s the hottest in summer, from June to September. Those months bring the boiling temperatures between 28°C and 30°C, with August being the hottest. In contrast, Bethlehem is the coldest in winter, from December to February. That’s when the temperatures vary from 12°C and 14°C, with January being the coldest.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp (°C)	12	13	16	22	26	28	29	30	28	26	20	14
Low Temp (°C)	5	5	7	10	14	17	18	19	17	15	11	7

Bethlehem Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation

Generally, Bethlehem is the wettest in winter, between November and March. In fact, January is the month when it rains the most with up to 56 mm and 12 days of showers. In contrast, Bethlehem is the driest between June and September and that’s when the rain is hardly ever seen.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	56	41	18	3	0.5	0	0	0	0	5	15	46
Rainfall (days)	12	11	9	4	2	0	0	0	0	3	7	11
Snowfall (days)	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Bethlehem Travel Guide – Practical Information