Jerusalem

ancient city in the Judean Mountains

7.9km

Ramallah

Palestinian city in the West Bank

18km

Hebron

city in the West Bank, Palestinian territories

19km

Jericho

city in the Palestinian Territories and is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank

31km

Dead Sea (Israel and the West Bank)

The Dead Sea (Hebrew: ים המלח, Hebrew transliteration:Yam HaMelach; Arabic: البحر الميت, Arabic transliteration: al-Bahir al-Mayyit) has its western coast in Israel and the West Bank. It is the lowest point in the world at 394.6 m (1269 ft) below sea level. 25 km of Dead Sea coastline lie within Palestinian Authority territory, including Qumran and Ein Feshka.

48km

Nablus

city in Nablus Governorate, Palestinian Authority

49km

Beit Shean Valley

The Beit She'an Valley is an area in the Jordan Valley of northern Israel. It consists of the town of Beit She'an (also spelled Beit/Bet/Beth Shean/She'an/Shan), as well as a number of kibbutzim and other small agricultural communities.

80km

Nazareth

capital of and largest city in the North District of Israel; predominantly inhabited by Arab citizens of Israel; a center of Christian pilgrimage as the childhood home of Jesus

94km

Gaza Strip

– the largest city in the Palestinian Territories, with 450,000 people, Gaza city is a coastal city and the administrative capital of the Gaza Governorate, but it has been heavily damaged in several wars between Israel and Hamas and, due to border closures by Israel and Egypt, you probably can't get in

99km

Mosque of Omar (Bethlehem)

A mosque built in 1860 in active use. Rather plain and uninteresting on the inside but somewhat pretty on the outside.

1.1km

Bethlehem University

Gives the visitors to get in contact with the Palestinian students to get an insight of the life on the campus and in Bethlehem. There are tours in German and probably English available.

1.2km

Church of the Nativity

Undoubtedly the top attraction in Bethlehem, a veritable citadel built fortress-like on top of the cave where Jesus was born to Mary. It is one of the oldest churches in the world, and has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The first incarnation of the building was erected on the orders of the Roman Emperor Constantine I (the Great) in 330 CE. While the layout largely corresponds to Emperor Justinian's plans from 540 CE (the first building having been destroyed in a 536 riot), the church was first heavily fortified by the Crusaders and then degraded (mostly through neglect) under Mamluk rule. An earthquake in 1834 and a fire in 1869 didn't help. Today, the structure is mostly sound but somewhat dark and gloomy in appearance, only the adjoining Franciscan Church of St Catherine (dated 1881 and the site of the yearly December 24 midnight mass broadcast around the world) being in excellent shape. The alleged site of Jesus' birth is actually in an cave in the church (the original Manger where Jesus was born was a cave, not a shed, as popularly depicted). There is a star marking the exact location of Jesus' birth in the cave. The original Manger with the star marking Jesus' birth site is called the Grotto of the Nativity, and is accessible from inside the church. (The tomb of famed theologian and Bethlehem resident St. Jerome, who spent his life translating the Bible, is also in the cave with the Grotto.) Entrance to the entire complex is free, but in the high season (and especially on Jan 6th) be prepared for massive crowds and hour-long waits for entry into the Grotto. There are usually accredited but dodgy tour-guides waiting at the entrance or inside of the church who offer to give tours to groups/individuals, sometimes allowing you to skip the crowds. Makes sure to agree on a price before taking the tour, and if the promise was to skip the crowds and get into the crotto directly but not possible sometimes, lower the price by at least half. Otherwise do not support them, as it is unfair to the other visitors waiting.

1.3km

Chapel of the Milk Grotto

Where Mary supposedly spilled a few drops of breast milk while feeding Jesus as she hid before the Holy Family's escape to Egypt, turning the cavern milky white. It is open all day. The white powder scrapped from the cave is also sold as a fertility medicine inside the chapel.

1.5km

David's Tomb

architectural structure

7.5km

Tower of David

building

7.8km

Mosque of Omar (Jerusalem)

8.0km

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

church in Jerusalem

8.1km

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Mosque in Jerusalem

8.2km

Dome of the Rock

Islamic sanctuary in Jerusalem

8.4km

Judaean Desert

11km

Mar Saba

monastery

15km

Wadi Qelt

river in Palestinian territories

27km

El-Jazzar Mosque

Built in 1781, it is one of the largest mosques in Israel. Jezzar Pasha and his successor Suleiman Pasha are buried in a small graveyard adjacent to the mosque. In a shrine on the second level of the mosque, a single hair from the prophet Mohammed's beard is kept and shown on special ceremonial occasions.

115km