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Ramallah
City in the West Bank, Palestine

Ramallah

Ramallah is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine.

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It serves as the administrative capital of Palestine, as well as capital of the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate. The city is situated on the Judaean Mountains, 10 km north of Jerusalem, at an average elevation of 872 meters (2,861 ft) above sea level, adjacent to al-Bireh.

Get in

Getting to Ramallah

Tourists with passports outside the Middle East have no problem entering or exiting Ramallah. Make sure to have your passport and visa stamp with you. Even though you will probably not need your passport to enter, you will be required to show your passport and stamp in order to re-enter Israel. Once through the checkpoint, it is a short drive to downtown Ramallah.

See

Worth seeing

The city is one of the most vibrant ones in the West Bank. In Ramallah, a few historic and religious sites are present. However, the downtown streets are a must see during the day, as the city is often really congested. Hisbeh produce market, see below.

  1. 01
    Old City

    While not resembling any 'Medina'-style old city, several churches and mosques can be found that may be of interest to visitors.

  2. 02
    The Friends Schools

    One of the oldest schools in the region, are also a must visit as there is one near the old city, and another in the entrance of the downtown coming from Jerusalem.

  3. 03
    Dar Zahran Heritage Building

    A protected and family-owned building and a Historical Museum.

  4. 04
    Jamal Abdel Nasser Mosque
  5. 05
    Church of Transfiguration

    Greek Orthodox church dating back to 1852.

  6. 06
    Holy Family Church
Do

Things to do

Tourism, in the traditional sense, is almost non-existent in Ramallah compared to other cities in the region. If you are visiting Ramallah, it is probable that you are doing so for political, business, and/or humanitarian reasons - expect to have lots of staring, curious (but always friendly) eyes looking at you as you walk through town.

  1. 01
    Ramallah Cultural Palace

    The main venue for performances and concerts within the city.

Eat

Where to eat

Eating should be no problem in Ramallah, regardless of the budget of visitors. The bakery on Al-Quds street where the buses emerge from the bus station is one of the best in town. The staple is 'kmaaj' or pitta bread. A bakery in the Old City (Ramallah Tahta) produces brown kmaaj and sliced bread.

  1. 01
    Cheese Steak
  2. 02
    Chicago Cheese Steak
How locals move

Getting around Ramallah the local way

  • Get inFrom Bethlehem take a shared taxi (Sherut/serviis) from the Bethlehem bus station at Manger St.
  • Get inFrom Jericho take a shared taxi (Sherut/serviis) from the central roundabout with the garden in the middle.
  • Get aroundAs the city center is relatively small, it is not hard to walk to most destinations downtown (including the old city.) Service shuttles (shared taxis) are also available from downtown to most suburbs and to the outskirts of the city at relatively low prices (₪2.5 inside the city and up to ₪6 to nearby towns and villages).

From Wikivoyage: Ramallah, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

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