1. Prioritize Comfort

If you’re planning to walk in the “footsteps of Jesus”, then be prepared to walk a lot! On a trip to the Holy Land, there are many places to go see and most of them involve a decent amount of walking especially if your itinerary includes Jerusalem or the Judean Desert.  Pack a pair of good walking shoes or sneakers. If you’re interested to explore some hiking trails, the country has spectacular landscape in the springtime. You can also choose a stylish pair of comfortable sandals for beach days. Most importantly, bring what you’ll feel best in.

2. Dress Modestly

Basically, the clothing style in the Holy Land is slightly more conservative, but it depends on which places you’ll be visiting. For example, avoid short skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops if you’re visiting religious sites such as churches, mosques or places like the Western Wall. There are some sites that require women to cover their head and shoulders or wear long skirts. If you’re visiting Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth or other religious attractions, be mindful to bring a scarf along with you. As for men, consider wearing bottoms that cover the knees and shirts that cover the shoulders. In some Jewish religious sites, men should also cover their heads with a kippah.

3. Prepare for the Sun

No matter what season you fly to the Holy Land, there is sunshine almost all year round! Many find it really hot and humid in the summertime with the temperatures as high as 32˚ but cooler in the evenings. However, if you’re visiting Jericho or Masada, it can be extremely hot during the months of July and August. Even in the winter, be sure to bring with you sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat so you can explore the country without getting sunburned. And, don’t forget your swimsuit either! You don’t want to miss swimming in the Mediterranean or floating in the Dead Sea.

4. Stay Connected

Stay connected with your family and friends at home while you travel overseas. If you are coming from the United States, you will need to bring a plug adaptor for your electronic devices. The Holy Land uses 220V at 50Hz. The standard plug is Type H which can accommodate Type C as well. If you travel with an electronic device that does not accept 220 Volts at 50 Hertz, you would actually need to buy a voltage converter to get that device to work. Check online to see if your country uses the same electrical and plug system. As for the Wi-Fi connection, it is also widespread in the country. Chances are you’ll be able to connect on the bus or at your accommodation for free. However, if you’re using a local SIM Card during the day, we encourage you to turn off your data and simply enjoy the journey.

5. Travel Light

When you plan a trip, perhaps the most things you consider is packing as light as possible so that nothing will hinder your movement. We definitely encourage you to pack the absolute essentials and keep room in your bag for the gifts! But, traveling light does not necessary means traveling with less stuff. Visiting the Holy Land is an experience unlike any other. It’s a journey of faith; an opportunity to let go of the past, forgive others and be inspired. Don’t travel alone to the Holy Land. By traveling with a group, you bear one another’s burdens, share joys and lighten the load of your journey. Bring your Bible with you if you want. When you replicate the walk of Jesus at the Way of the Cross or when you visit the spot of His crucifixion, you are quickly reminded of the scriptures. It brings it all to life. You’ll be able to see and touch the places you’ve read about for a long time. You will feel blessed.

History & Culture

Though less than half an hour away from the city of Jerusalem, this small town has its own character. Being very much influenced by the Roman culture, today you can witness that when you visit the Basilica of the Nativity built by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great after his mother Helena’s visit to Bethlehem in 325. Built on the site of the birthplace of Jesus, the Basilica is considered the oldest church in the Holy Land as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bethlehem is also home to Christian iconography, the only project of its kind in the Middle East. This mystical art of Byzantine liturgy came to birth in the Holy Land over 1,500 years ago. It’s hard to miss when you visit churches across the Holy Land. Start exploring the famous Manger Square surrounded by local souvenir shops, olive wood factories and award-winning restaurants.

Walking & Hiking

Just outside of Bethlehem, nature lovers have plenty to keep them satisfied with different kinds of trails nearby. To the west of Bethlehem, Battir village, known as land of olives and vines, is famous for its cultural landscape and unique irrigation system that utilizes man-made stone terraces. A Roman-era network is still in use, fed by seven springs which have provided fresh water for 2,000 years. Being one of the few places left in the region where such traditional method of agriculture remains, Battir is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While to the east of Bethlehem, you will be hiking in the Judean Desert around the desolate and amazingly looking Saint Saba’s Monastery. This Greek Orthodox Monastery, built in 483 AD, is considered one of the oldest continuously active Christian monasteries in the world. Once you get your fill of the great outdoors, relax and taste a local “Wise Men” beer!

Food & Wine

In a little town like Bethlehem, hospitality is very important. The welcoming nature of the locals will not make you feel like a tourist, but more like at home. Everywhere you walk, people will invite you for tea or coffee or even for a meal. Bethlehem is home to numerous bed-and-breakfast accommodations, hotels and homestays that can accommodate any budget. You will have a stronger chance to connect with the local people. Plus, you better come hungry! You will be experiencing delicious, home-cooked and quite simply the world’s healthiest food. Also, just a five minutes’ drive away in Bethlehem are cellars of Cremisan, a 7^th century Byzantine Monastery producing various types of red and white wine where only local grapes are used in the process. Every year, a wine festival takes place to introduce international visitors to its fine wine.

Arts & Festivals  

Bethlehem is famous for its local art galleries, street art by international artists such as Banksy, the British artist and graffiti master, and folk dance- Dabkeh.  This traditional dance is about community, national identity, preserving heritage and celebrating life. It is widely performed at weddings and festive occasions. With a population under 30,000, many of the residents know one another and festivals come as a great excuse to come together. This little town has blossomed into the Arab Capital of Culture in 2020, with amazing arts and music festivals each summer. This town does not only embrace all these qualities, but it will be unveiling a new gospel music festival that make visiting in 2021 particularly special.

Every year, Bethlehem welcomes around 3 million tourists coming from all over the world. Far away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, a small town can be great for a change. Bethlehem might be a small place but it offers a big experience. You will have an authentic, high-quality experience that you will remember for a long time. This little town in the Holy Land might not have made it onto your bucket list yet, but it absolutely deserves a spot!

When, while the lovely valley teems with

vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of blist.

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquis

I throw myself down among the tall grass

I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now. When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and

Text, that where it came from it

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Littl

• Far far away, behind the word mountain
• When she reached the first hills
• A small river named Duden flows
• A small river named Duden flows by their plat.
• Far far away, behind the word mountain

Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their plate.

When, while the lovely valley teems with

vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of blist.

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquis

I throw myself down among the tall grass

I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now. When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and

Text, that where it came from it

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Littl

• Far far away, behind the word mountain
• When she reached the first hills
• A small river named Duden flows
• A small river named Duden flows by their plat.
• Far far away, behind the word mountain

Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their plate.

When, while the lovely valley teems with

vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of blist.

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which

I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquis

I throw myself down among the tall grass

I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now. When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and

Text, that where it came from it

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Littl

• Far far away, behind the word mountain
• When she reached the first hills
• A small river named Duden flows
• A small river named Duden flows by their plat.
• Far far away, behind the word mountain

Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their plate.