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Bethlehem
City in the West Bank, Palestine

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, located about ten kilometres south of Jerusalem, and the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate.

Plan a trip to Bethlehem→From Tel Aviv

It had a population of 28,591 people, as of 2017. The city's economy is strongly linked to tourism, especially during the Christmas period, when Christians embark on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Nativity, which is revered as the location of the birth of Jesus.

Get in

Getting to Bethlehem

Most travellers arrive via Jerusalem. Since Bethlehem is administered by the Palestinian Authority, there are security checks conducted by the Israeli military on access roads. When coming via the highway there are no barriers when going to Bethlehem, however on the other side there is 1 highway 60 checkpoint on the road to Jerusalem.

Do

Things to do

  1. 01
    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.

Eat

Where to eat

The Peace Center, Manger Square - excellent value and good food and local 'Canaan' wine. Clean and airy with inside and outside seating. Shepherds Valley Village - The Tent Restaurant, Beit Sahour. Nearby the Shepherd's Field.,. Good local cuisine in an outdoor setting or tent in winter. Good views across the valley.

  1. 01
    Mundo Restaurant

    Manger Street (on the Main Road, not far from Nativity Square),.

How locals move

Getting around Bethlehem the local way

  • Get inAlso, shared taxis (sherut/servees) leave from nearby Damascus Gate and manage the trip in 20 min.
  • Get inFrom Ramallah many shared taxis (sherut/servees) leave for Bethlehem.
  • Get inThe trip from Hebron with the final stop at the very bottom floor of the (only shared taxis (sherut)) will deliver you for less than ₪10.
  • Get inFrom Jericho take a shared taxis (sherut/servees) for ₪12 to , a town/junction east of Jerusalem, identified with Bethany from the New Testament.
  • Get inFrom the junction take another shared taxis to Bethlehem bus station (₪5-10).
  • Go nextMost major Palestinian cities are served through the Bethlehem Bus station for shared taxis (sherut) in the center at Manger Street.

From Wikivoyage: Bethlehem, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-07.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.