Palestine - A Trip into the Holy Land

Palestine is not a state but it consists of two independent areas. One of them is the Gaza Strip at the coast, which cannot be travelled because it is in a state of war. It is different with the second part, the West Bank. This area borders on Jordan and Israel and lies at the Dead Sea. A trip into this region is possible with a bit of preparation.

Palestine is not usually mentioned as a natural travel destination in the media because of the wartime events in the Gaza Strip. Those who look beyond that, however, will discover an impressive landscape here. Natural features are the great Judaean Desert, Mount Gerizim near Nablus, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.

Palestine accommodates several of the oldest cities of humanity. Some of them are world-famous and definitely worth a visit. Two examples are Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and Jericho, a city of a biblical age. Both cities are important pilgrimage destinations but due to the unstable political situation, they are not accessible for everyone. One of the country's oldest churches is the Church of Nativity, Jesus' traditional birthplace. St. George's Monastery, also called "Al-Khader", was built into the rock of the Judaean Mountains. It was first built in 1600 and rebuilt in 1912.

Palestine is not a travel region for package tourists. Although the region has several worthwhile sites and historical buildings, travellers who visit the Holy Land are usually culture enthusiasts, travellers on language trips and individual tourists. If you set off to the West Bank, you should not miss out on the cities of Bethlehem and Jericho. Visitor should, however, always pay attention to the safety instructions.

A trip to Palestine in only possible in the West Bank. Travellers normally arrive via Tel Aviv in Israel or Amman in Jordan. A trip to the Gaza Strip is not possible at the moment. If you are visiting Palestine, you should always pay attention to current safety information and arrange enough time for planning and preparing your trip.