Palestinian Territories
Split between the West Bank, with its sun-baked hills, chaotic cities and ancient biblical sites, and Gaza, a war-ravaged strip of coastal land sealed on three sides by Israel and Egypt, the Palestinian Territories has long been an unorthodox stop on a Middle East itinerary.
But while the West Bank often hits the headlines for the wrong reasons, it is a truly welcoming place. Bethlehem, as the birthplace of Christ, has always been a draw for religious pilgrims, but is nowadays home to a lively arts scene and excellent restaurants. Visitors can get lost in the addictive bustle of Nablus and Ramallah, or among the myriad historical sites of Jericho, before dropping in at one of the West Bank’s two hillside breweries.
Gaza, for the time being, remains totally off limits to tourists.
Latest Stories from Palestinian Territories
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Palestinian Territories.
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Mar Saba Monastery
A must-see on any journey through the Holy Land is Mar Saba Monastery, a bleak and beautiful 20km drive east of Bethlehem (beyond Beit Sahour). Women must view the phenomenal cliff-clinging copper-domed hermitage, founded in 439 CE, from the opposite slope, but men are permitted inside, where tours are available with one of the 15 monks in residence. Also residing here (rather more eternally) are the remains of 5th-century ascetic St Saba, whose body lies in the church’s second chapel, and the skulls of some 120 monks massacred here in 614 CE. If you're driving, the monastery is well signposted from Beit Sahour. Otherwise, you’ll need to take a private taxi out to Mar Saba from Bethlehem; plan on around a three-hour journey, costing 120NIS to 150NIS. Be aware that the monastery closes between noon and 1pm for the monks to have lunch.
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Yasser Arafat Museum
Next to the ornate tomb of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is a new museum that bears his name. Divided into two parts, the first half traces Arafat's life alongside that of his Fatah movement and other Palestinian factions. Those less interested in Palestinian politics may prefer the second section, where Arafat spent his final years under Israeli siege from 2001 to 2004. The restored facility includes his bedroom, where khaki green uniforms still hang in the wardrobe. A final exhibit shows the various toxicology reports that claim that Arafat may have been poisoned before he died in a Paris hospital in 2004, reminding visitors of the role he still plays in Palestinian politics even after his death. On the way into the museum lies Arafat's mausoleum, cast in Jerusalem stone and guarded by two stern-looking Palestinian soldiers (who nonetheless do not object to photos). The Muqata'a complex is a government building, so security is tight: expect to be trailed by museum ‘staff’ and bring ID or you won’t be allowed in. It is around 1km from Al Manara on the road to Birzeit and Nablus, an easy walk from downtown.
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Hisham’s Palace
A short drive north of Tel Al Sultan, this is a spot not to be missed. The sprawling winter hunting retreat of Caliph Hisham Ibn Abd al Malik must have been magnificent on its creation in the 8th century, with its baths, mosaic floors and pillars – so much so that archaeologists have labelled it the ‘Versailles of the Middle East’. It was not fated to last, however – it was destroyed by an earthquake soon after its creation. The caretaker will direct you to a cinema, where you will be shown a 20-minute video on the history of the site, which gives much-needed perspective for a walk around the ruins. A high point is an amazingly well-preserved ‘tree of life’ mosaic in the entertaining room of the bathhouse. On one side of the tree, two deer graze peacefully, while on the other a deer is attacked by a lion. There are various interpretations of the mosaic, including the struggle between good and evil, peace and war, and good versus bad governance.
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Freedom Theatre
Set in Jenin's refugee camp, the Freedom Theatre has persevered in the face of unimaginable odds, including the assassination of its founder, Juliano Mar Khamis, by masked gunmen in 2011. Palestinian filmmakers, actors and directors who worked in the theatre since it was established have also had to put up with significant Israeli restrictions on movement. Despite this, the theatre holds regular performances and visitors are always warmly received. Drop them an email to let them know you are coming. As well as performances, which are publicised on the website, the theatre holds photography exhibitions and filmmaking workshops. Plans are afoot to launch a theatre school for Palestinian children in 2018. They are often looking for volunteers. The Freedom Theatre, Jenin's main 'sight' since the demolition of the Jenin Cinema, is a 25-minute walk south of Jerusalem Sq.
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Church of the Nativity
For the millions of pilgrims who descend on the Holy Land every year, the Church of the Nativity is the main reason for visiting Bethlehem. The church, believed to be built on the spot where Jesus was born, was originally commissioned in 326 CE by Emperor Constantine and has seen innumerable transformations since. A restoration project is underway to preserve the building. To really get the most out of a visit, negotiate a price from one of the handful of tour guides you’ll find milling about outside. You'll have to duck to get through the tiny Ottoman-era door into the church, aptly named the Door of Humility. Originally the entrance was much larger, but the Crusaders reduced its size to prevent attackers from riding in on horseback. Later, either during the Mamluk or Ottoman periods, it was made even smaller, and you can still see the outline of the original 6th-century doorway and, within it, the Crusader-era arch. Walking from the door towards the nave, it is possible to look through wooden trapdoors at Constantine’s original 4th-century mosaic floor, rediscovered in 1934. In the 6th century, the church was rebuilt almost entirely by Emperor Justinian, after the majority of it was destroyed in a Samaritan revolt. The mammoth red-and-white limestone columns that still grace the nave are probably the only surviving remnants of the original structure. Some of them are decorated with frescoes of saints, painted by Crusaders in the 12th century. To the right of the Door of Humility, a doorway leads to the Armenian Monastery, these days housing just six monks to service the needs of Bethlehem’s 300-strong Armenian congregation. The Armenians flourished during the 1600s, when they were noted for their transcribed and illuminated versions of the Bible. At the front of the nave, descend the stairs to enter the Grotto of the Nativity. It’s popular with tour groups, but if you time your visit over lunchtime midweek, you’ll likely have the grotto entirely to yourself (on a weekend you may have to stand in line for an hour or more). There is a rather zealous security guard who has been known to physically remove pilgrims whom he thinks are staying too long. Atmospherically lantern-lit and redolent with mystery, a 14-pointed silver star marks the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. The Chapel of the Manger (‘the Crib’) to one side of the grotto represents the scene of the nativity, while the chapel facing it houses the Altar of the Adoration of the Magi, which commemorates the visit of Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior. The Persians spared the church and grotto when they sacked Palestine in 614 CE, ostensibly because they saw a depiction of the magi in their own native costume. Though all might seem serene down here, conflict has actually rocked this cradle for ages. The 14-pointed star was stolen in 1847, each of the three Christian communities in residence (Greek Orthodox, Armenians and Catholics, who have bitterly and ceaselessly fought for custodianship of the grotto) blaming the others. A copy was subsequently supplied to replace it, but the fights didn’t end there, and administrative domination of the church changed hands repeatedly between the Orthodox and Catholics. To this day, management of the church is divvied up metre by metre between the Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian clerics (this system of management for holy places is known as the ‘status quo’). Take the grotto lanterns, for example: six belong to the Greek Orthodox, five to the Armenians and four to the Catholics.
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Samaritan Ruins
The ancient site of the Samaritan Temple is a 10-minute walk uphill from the village, via a locked gate: ring the intercom and a guard will let you through. Once you pay at the desk, you are free to wander around the site at your leisure. You’ll see the lowered floor that Samaritans say was the foundation of their temple, which was built in the 5th century BCE and only survived 200 years before being destroyed by the Maccabees (a Jewish rebel army) in 128 BCE. Also on the site is the rock that Samaritans believe was where Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and dozens of temple buildings connected via shaded wooden pathways. The remains of a church, first constructed in 475 CE, have also been found on the mountain. You can rent binoculars for an extra 10NIS. From the centre of Nablus, Mt Gerizim can be reached by taxi in around 10 minutes. It’s a 50NIS to 70NIS journey including wait time. If driving from Ramallah, turn left at Tapuah Junction to avoid driving through Nablus; the site is well signposted. Taxis have to wait outside the village at a military checkpoint, so be prepared to pay your driver in advance.
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Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs
The focal point of Hebron for most visitors is the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Cave of Machpelah), known to Muslims as Ibrahimi Mosque (Ibrahim is the Muslim name for Abraham). The site is sacred to both Muslims and Jews – be aware of the strict security and separate prayer spaces for each. When coming from the Old City, you will need to pass through an Israeli checkpoint and show your passport. Looking rather like decorated tents, the mostly Mamluk-era cenotaphs commemorate the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their wives, but it’s the cave below that both Jews and Muslims believe was chosen by Abraham as the actual final resting place of his family. You can peer into the cave through a metal grate in the corner of the mosque. As you walk into the room that allows viewing of the cenotaph of Abraham, note the small niche near the door where you can see a footprint. The Muslims believe this to be Muhammad's footprint, while Jews believe it was created by Adam. Built by Herod (notice the Herodian stones at the base of the walls), the complex was altered by the Byzantines in the 6th century – they added a church, beside which a synagogue was built. When the Arabs conquered the area in the following century, the church was converted to a mosque, but the synagogue remained intact. After the Crusaders left the scene, the Mamluks built another mosque. When entering the mosque, you will be asked to remove your shoes, and women will be handed a head covering. When entering the synagogue, men will be offered kippas and women a scarf to cover their shoulders.
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Sebastia
Sebastia is a collection of ruins above a village of the same name that is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the West Bank. A prominent settlement during Hellenistic and Roman eras, Christians and Muslims believe Sebastia to be the burial site of St John the Baptist. Situated on a hill with panoramic views across the West Bank, the site includes an amphitheatre (which once held 7000 people) and the remains of a Byzantine church. St John's grave was desecrated in the mid-4th century and his bones partly burned, with surviving portions taken to Jerusalem and later to Alexandria, Egypt, where they were interred at a Coptic monastery. A mosque complex in the village of Sebastia contains a shrine to St John and a small museum (8am to 3pm Sunday to Thursday). Despite obvious neglect (many of the ruins are strewn with trash and some are daubed with graffiti), Sebastia is an essential stop on a West Bank itinerary for history buffs. For the less archaeologically inclined, it is a peaceful place to walk among the olive groves and take in sensational views. Sebastia is 11km from Nablus; a taxi with waiting time will cost around 150NIS. Alternatively, take a shared taxi from Nablus.
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Qasr Al Yahud
At an isolated spot on the Jordan River, on the border between Jordan and the West Bank, stands the reputed spot of Jesus’s baptism by John, which began his ministry. John is said to have chosen the site because it was an important crossroads for passing traders and soldiers, but the same cannot be said today. Guarded by an Israeli checkpoint, the access road passes through minefields before reaching a car park, from which it is a short walk to the river. At the river, expect to see dozens of pilgrims, most in white T-shirts or smocks, taking turns walking to the water and submerging themselves. On the Israeli side, the edge of the caged-off area denotes the border and prevents over-excited pilgrims from wading into Jordan. Just metres away, armed Jordanian soldiers loll on a bench, facing their Israeli counterparts. Whether you are religious or not, it is a beautiful and fascinating spot, and the site has been fully renovated with changing facilities, a gift shop, a food and drink outlet and shaded areas where you can sit and admire the view.