Here is a simple guide on a day trip to Bethlehem. We didn’t make it to every biblical attraction, and we didn’t see every piece of graffiti art, but we did have a full and rewarding day which left us with plenty to think about and remember. Hopefully, what we discovered along the way the way makes your trip even better.
For our visit, we decided to focus on The Church of Nativity, the Field of Shepherds, Banksy art and walking along the West Bank Wall.
1. Getting There
There are plenty of ways to get from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Here are a few websites that outline some good options:
Tourist Israel (A highly recommended resources for travel in Israel)
Go Bethlehem
The Travel Brief
We opted to take the local Palestinian-run bus, number 21, from the HaNevi’im Bus Station located here, between the New Gate and the Damascus Gate. These buses are blue and white on the outside and often referred to as the “Arab buses”.
There are staff there to help direct wayward travelers; one of them also helped us.
The journey took about 45 minutes weaving through the dry, hilly, scenic landscape that surrounds the area.
The bus let us off here, about a 15 to 20-minute walk from the Church of Nativity. There are plenty of taxi drivers looking to get a fare if you want to save your legs, but it really isn’t far, and due to the heavy traffic in the area, walking may actually be faster on some days.
2. Getting around Bethlehem
We walked quite a bit on our visit and had no issues getting around or with safety. We also used a couple of taxis to hasten longer distances and had no problems with pricing or communication. All in all, it was quite easy to get from place to place. We would strongly recommend a mix of walking and using a taxi.
3. The Church of the Nativity
This is the biggest attraction in Bethlehem, the purported site of the birth of Jesus Christ. The location of a church that was originally built by Constantine in the 4th century CE, it is now maintained by the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic Churches under the aged “Status Quo” agreements (Wikipedia).
It is worth seeing for its significance and history. But do not necessarily expect a serene, spiritual moment. The din of clamoring tourists and push of crowds trying to get in line to see the Grotto of the Nativity is nearly constant, but is to be expected.
For a slightly quieter experience, head through the ancient door on the left, (flanked by two stout columns and topped by a mosaic inscription in Latin) and you’ll emerge into a colonnaded courtyard where you can take a moment to sit away from the crowds in the Chapel of Saint Catherine.
Unless you plan to wait in line to see the Grotto of the Nativity (the line can often be one to two-hour wait), you will likely only need 30 minutes to see it all.
4. See the Banksy Art
A 20 to 30-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride away from the Church of the Nativity, is one of the most famous pieces of Banksy art in the world.
There are several websites giving directions there. Here is an article from another blogger that we highly recommend on specific directions to each of the Banksy art locations.
And here is a link to the exact location of the iconic work.
When we approached the car wash / gas station where the work is painted, the staff there, kindly motioned us over to the correct location. We saw them do the same for a couple other groups of travelers. The locals near the station were incredibly friendly and no one hassled or bothered us, which was surprising given the fact that anyone could easily take advantage of this openly accessed street art and start commercializing it more. Instead we just had us and Banksy. For 15 minutes, we were able to take it all in and revel in being alone to do it.
We also managed to see the famous Armoured Dove work by Banksy which is located here, right outside the Palestinian Heritage Center.
It is quite easy to find, and close to the beginning of your walk along the West Bank Wall, but more on that later.
5. Catch a Moment of Solitude
Our favorite part of Bethlehem was the Shepherds’ Field Church and the surrounding area.
There are two “Shepherds’ Field” locations in Bethlehem, where it is said that angels told a group of shepherds of the birth of Jesus. The locations are here and here.
We opted to go to the North one, where the Chapel of the Shepherds’ Field is located, and we are happy we did.
It was a short 5-minute walk from the Flower Thrower and we thought it offered more landscape views that would have more closely resembled what the area looked like at the time of Christ.
There are a couple chapels and an ongoing archeological dig that you can check out, as well. But the most rewarding part was climbing down to a secluded rock to eat our packed lunches and taking awhile to soak in the moment and the area around us.
Even for those who are not particularly religious, it is a unique experience listening to the wind whistle though the valley, looking out over the olive groves and rolling hills with the buildings of Bethlehem and suburban Jerusalem rising nearby. Seeing the new creeping up on the old and the line of grey concrete clashing with the brown dirt of this ancient place; this was the type of thoughtful interlude we were seeking.
6. Walk the West Bank Wall
The West Bank Wall is something that we constantly hear about in the news. It is emblematic of many of the issues in the region and no matter your political position, it is a sight to behold and trip worth making.
The graffiti art along this stretch of wall has created an entirely different atmosphere. It’s a concrete canvas covered in colorful political statements, jokes, satires, protests and art with incredible detail, creativity and more variety in message than you’d expect. It’s a surreal experience.
Begin your walk here, at the intersection of Hebron Rd and Manger St, a short walk from the Armoured Dove and Palestinian Heritage Center. You can walk for 800 meters (0.5 miles) along the wall seeing all of the graffiti art along the way.
Be sure to stop in at the Graffiti Souvenir & Tours shop located here to hear local tales, pick up some cool souvenirs, and enjoy a coffee while looking up at something you hear about all the time but may have never thought you’d see in person.
The walk, without stopping, can take just 10-15 minutes, but plan to stop and behold everything along the way. We took about 45 – 60 minutes to slowly walk past the copious artistic content.
The walk along the wall will eventually come to an end here, where you will find yourself back on Hebron Rd after weaving around and following the winding path of the barrier. With no more wall to walk along, you just need to go 400 meters (0.25 miles) further to the pedestrian border crossing at Checkpoint 300, where, on the other side, you can catch a bus for a few shekels to get back to downtown Jerusalem.
7. Bring Your Passport!!
Apparently, people often forget about this. DO NOT FORGET.
At Checkpoint 300 or any other crossing you use, you will need to show your passport to get back to Israel. Luckily, if you wave the distinctive blue and eagle U.S. passport, it seems like it was a Line-Skip Speed Pass at an amusement park. Maybe not a fact that many would appreciate, but it was mighty convenient when we were stuck in line.
In conclusion, if you are visiting Jerusalem and have an extra day or two, Bethlehem is an extremely worthwhile and affordable destination to visit, as well. A backpacker traveling on a tight budget can see and do just as much here as anyone else. You’ll certainly discover enough to keep you thinking for long after you depart.
West Road Adventures 