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In this article, we are going to share 10 things to do in Bethlehem, Israel, in 2025. Visiting Bethlehem was genuinely one of the highlights of our Israel trip. Not only is this a historically, culturally, and religiously significant site, but visiting Bethlehem also allows you to see and experience a very beautiful area. You can connect with locals and genuinely engage with the culture.
However, it’s important to recognize that visiting Bethlehem does require some planning and preparation. A trip to Bethlehem involves crossing between Israel and Palestine, and it is important to be aware of all the restrictions and requirements. We have put together a dedicated article on traveling from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
The main attraction of Bethlehem is the iconic Church of the Nativity, which is thought to be the authentic birthplace of Jesus. However, there are some other epic things to do in the area. In this article, we’re going to list 10 things to do in Bethlehem to help inspire you and help you plan your own trip to Bethlehem.
Map of the best things to do in Bethlehem
How do you travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem?
1 Take a local bus
The most convenient and budget-friendly way to travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem is to use a local bus. Some local taxi drivers and tour guides may tell you that this is not possible; however, you can take a bus all the way from the Jerusalem Old City to Bethlehem and back again. The best journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour and only costs 5.5NIS per person each way. There is a short 20-minute walk at the end of the bus ride to get to the Church of the Nativity. Alternatively, you will be able to pick up a cheap taxi when you arrive in Bethlehem.
In brief: Go to the HaNevi’im Terminal near the Damascus Gate. Take the 231 bus from stand C (5.5.NIS per person). Ride the bus for around 45 minutes – 1 hour to Bethlehem. Get off at Hebron Road (near the junction of Al Makfufin street). Walk up Children Street and keep going
straight for around 20 minutes (1.3km).
2 Take a taxi
Another way to travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem is to take a local taxi. There are plenty of taxi drivers waiting around the Jerusalem Old City, especially near the city gates, and if you speak to a taxi driver about visiting Bethlehem, they will probably offer to take you. But the price is likely to be very high. It is important to barter and negotiate and be confident with your budget. If a driver is not willing to shift on a high price, just keep asking around.
If you are planning to visit Bethlehem by taxi, we recommend arranging a price for a two-way round trip and make sure you agree on the waiting time. We recommend allowing at least two or three hours to fully explore and engage with Bethlehem. Remember that you will need to spend quite a long time queuing to see the actual birthplace of Christ, especially during busy times, so you need to factor this into your time budget.
In brief: Expect to pay around £15 – £20 ($18 – $25) one way or £20 – £30 ($25 – $36) two ways.
3 Take a tour
Another way to experience Bethlehem is to pre-book a tour. You can either book Bethlehem tours online in advance or you can book tours through your hostel, guest house, or hotel in Jerusalem. The price will vary depending on where you book and exactly what is included. Some tours will include other attractions such as a visit to the Dead Sea, the baptism site of Jesus, or a visit to the Shepherd’s Field. Make sure you know what is included on your tour and check the timings. The advantage of taking a tour is that all of the thinking and planning are done for you, which makes it a relaxing and peaceful process. However, a disadvantage of taking a tour is that you have to go at the pace of your group and your tour guide.
Is it worth visiting Bethlehem?
Yes, in our opinion, it’s definitely worth visiting Bethlehem. This was genuinely one of our absolute highlights of our trip to Israel. We really enjoyed the entire experience, everything from seeing the birthplace of Christ, exploring the Church of the Nativity, and walking around the village, connecting with locals, trying food, and seeing some of the other attractions in the area. We visited Bethlehem with our kids – we have two boys and a baby girl, and all our children are six or under, and we found it to be a very memorable and enjoyable experience.
Top tips for visiting Bethlehem
Here are a few top tips for visiting Bethlehem to help you plan your trip and make sure that you have a smooth and enjoyable journey without any problems:
- Bring plenty of snacks and drinks. Although you can buy food in the area, we recommend traveling with snacks and drinks, especially if you are bringing kids to Bethlehem. You may not be able to find your preferred food and drinks in the area because options are relatively limited.
- Bring sun protection. Whether you prefer to use an umbrella for shade, a sun hat, or just sunscreen, we recommend that you bring very good sun protection, especially if you’re planning to visit Bethlehem during the summer months of June, July, and August.
- Make sure you bring your passport and all travel documents. Traveling from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, you do not need to show your passport; however, when you travel back from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, there is a security checkpoint, and they will want to see your passport. It is very important that you have it on you.
- Make sure you dress appropriately to visit a conservative religious site. The Church of the Nativity and the Milk Grotto both have conservative dress codes. You need to cover your shoulders and your knees. If you are wearing a tank top, you will also need a scarf to cover your shoulders. This applies to both men and women.
Packing list for visiting Bethlehem
Here are a few things that we recommend bringing with you if you’re planning to travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. This is not a comprehensive packing list but just a few ideas to get you started:
- Passports
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses, umbrella, or sun hat
- SunscreenAppropriate clothing (knees and shoulders covered)
- Cash and bank cards
- Phone with mobile data and offline maps
1 Visit the Church of the Nativity
One of the most prominent and significant things to do in Bethlehem is to visit the iconic Church of the Nativity. This is thought to be the authentic birthplace of Jesus, and it is a beautiful and fascinating historical attraction. The Church of Nativity is adorned with beautiful artwork and decorations, and you can explore the impressive history of the church as you walk around.
There are areas where the original floor has been excavated, and you can see fascinating features such as the door of humility, which is particularly low, meaning that you have to stoop down when you pass through the door. The original birthplace of Christ is situated in a small cave or Grotto toward the back of the church, and you need to queue up to enter the area and see this part of the church.
It is free of charge to visit the Church of Nativity, but you do need to dress conservatively. Do not expect it to be a peaceful, tranquil, and serene experience. This is a very popular attraction that draws pilgrims and visitors from around the world, and it can be quite chaotic and crowded, so it is important to keep your expectations in check.
Despite the intense crowds, we still found this to be an absolutely fascinating and enriching experience. If you’re planning to visit the Church of Nativity with young kids and you don’t want to take on the queues, you can speak to one of the tour guides outside the church and arrange a private tour of the birthplace of Christ, and they will actually get you in round the back without needing to wait for hours.
Church of the Nativity opening times
The Church of the Nativity is open daily from 7 am – 6 pm. We recommend visiting early to avoid the crowds and avoid the heat. If you do visit later in the day, it is likely that you will need to queue for quite a long time to get to the actual birthplace of Jesus. On some days, there is also a Mass service at 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, and the cave is closed for around 30 minutes.
2 Explore the Milk Grotto
If you’re planning to visit Bethlehem, we highly recommend that you also check out the fascinating Milk Grotto. This is one of the more peaceful things to do in Bethlehem. The Milk Grotto is a small church situated in a cave to the east of the Church of the Nativity. You don’t need very long to explore the Milk Grotto; it is a relatively small attraction, but it is well worth a look. The Milk Grotto is thought to be where Mary nursed Jesus. The Milk Grotto is a fairly humble and simple cave with a couple of altars and artwork depicting Mary nursing Jesus.
Many people visit the Milk Grotto to pay their respects to Mary and contemplate Jesus as a growing baby in the area. The Milk Grotto is only a 5-minute walk from the Church of the Nativity. Just head to the south side of Nativity Square and around the south of the Church of the Nativity, and you’ll find Milk Grotto Street. Walk East up the street for around 5 minutes. You’ll pass a few shops, and the Milk Grotto is on the right-hand side. It is free of charge to visit the Milk Grotto. We recommend allowing around 20 minutes in total.Milk Grotto opening hours: Monday – Saturday 8 am – 5 pm, Sunday 8 am – 11:45 am and 2 pm – 5 pm.
3 Grab a coffee
After experiencing the intensity of the Church of the Nativity, you may want to relax with a coffee. There are several cafes and coffee shops situated around the Nativity Square area. If you go to the west side of the Nativity Square, there’s a small local coffee shop called Golden Star Coffee, which serves surprisingly good coffee at local prices.
There are some nice seats to sit outside and enjoy watching the world go by. It only costs 10NIS for a wonderful latte – this is a very fair price for a popular tourist spot like this.
4 Buy some gifts
If you’re looking for fun things to do in Bethlehem, then we highly recommend dropping by some of the local markets and gift shops. There are plenty of small gift shops situated along Main Street and Milk Grotto Street selling a range of souvenirs and mementos. Whether you’re looking to buy a scarf, fridge magnet, nativity scene, or a Bethlehem postcard, there is a great variety in this area. We do recommend making sure that you barter to get a fair price, as a popular tourist destination, some of the starting prices can be pretty high.
5 Enjoy the views
If you’re planning to explore Bethlehem, make sure you take some time to enjoy the views. This is a beautiful hilly area, and the Church of the Nativity is situated on the hill overlooking the surrounding valleys. Take some time to walk around the local streets and enjoy the stunning scenery in the area.
6 Try some local food
If you’re looking for things to do in Bethlehem, then we highly recommend taking some time to experience local food. The food in this area is very fresh and relatively affordable. It is much cheaper to buy street food in this area than in Jerusalem. There are several cafes and restaurants around Nativity Square; these are slightly more expensive. However, if you walk down some of the small side streets in the area, you will see small cafes serving delicious local food for very reasonable prices.
We highly recommend that you try a local shawarma; the shawarmas in this area are very fresh and generally cost around 15NIS – 25NIS depending on the size and filling. Alternatively, you can find several small bakeries close to the Church of the Nativity. The bakeries in this area are very impressive, serving very affordable fresh bread. If you’re looking to sit down in a restaurant, check out Afteem Restaurant situated next to the Bethlehem Tourist information centre on the North side of Nativity square. They serve Falafel, humus, pitta and salads. Most dishes range from 20NIS – 40NIS (around £4 – £8 or $5 – $10)
7 Check out the Shepherds’ Field
If you’re planning to visit Bethlehem, you may also be interested in visiting the Shepherd’s Field. This is thought to be the location where the angels appeared to the shepherds in the field, guiding them to visit the birthplace of Christ. However, it is important to recognize that the Shepherd’s Field is not close to the center of Bethlehem or the Church of the Nativity. So, if you’re planning to visit Bethlehem by local bus or taxi, you will need to consider whether you want to include the Shepherd’s Field in your itinerary.
If you’re using a local taxi, you will need to arrange a higher price to include this in your itinerary. On the other hand, if you’re planning to visit by bus, you will need to get a taxi from Bethlehem to the Shepherd’s Field and back. If you are very keen to visit the Shepherd’s Field, we recommend that you book a tour that includes this as one of the destinations on the itinerary.
