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Israel Travel Guide—Jerusalem to Bethlehem Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinera

Jerusalem to Bethlehem 🔴 From Jerusalem’s Old City, take a bus near Damascus Gate to Bethlehem. Not wanting to wait too long, I chose to go straight to the Israeli-Palestinian border to see the separation wall and graffiti (you could also head to Bethlehem city center first). The border was quieter than expected, with soldiers on guard, but Arab taxi drivers were persistent in offering rides. 🖼 Since the graffiti is scattered, I opted for a taxi tour. The driver took us to see the most important murals on the wall, which express Palestinian and global peace activists’ calls for anti-war resistance and peace—such as a dove, the famous "Flower Thrower" by Banksy, and a soldier facing a little girl. 🏰 We then spontaneously decided to visit Herodium, a lesser-known but historically significant site. It’s one of the grand architectural creations of King Herod, who established Judea’s economic order and developed cities and agricultural projects. His greatest achievement was building the Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The fortress isn’t huge—after the taxi dropped us at the ticket office, a 10-minute climb led to the hilltop ruins. Standing on the barren desert hill, you could imagine the once-magnificent palace complex, surrounded by leisure halls, fountain-fed pools, and terraced gardens over 2,000 years ago. 🔴 After Herodium, the driver took us to Bethlehem’s city center, famous as the birthplace of Jesus Christ and King David. 💒 Manger Square holds the Church of the Nativity, where the Grotto of the Nativity (a 13m x 3m underground cave) marks Jesus’ birthplace. Pilgrims line up to see the site. Nearby is the Milk Grotto Chapel, where tradition says the Holy Family hid during their flight to Egypt. After lunch, we walked through Bethlehem’s market and took the bus back to Jerusalem (Bus #234 to Bethlehem, roughly #231 return). 🔴 The taxi tour cost 200 ILS (including Herodium); without Herodium, it’s around 100 ILS. Drivers might ask for a 20 ILS tip. To avoid disputes and ensure safety, we didn’t haggle aggressively—prices could possibly be lower. 🔴 In the afternoon, I took the tram to Yad Vashem (Holocaust Memorial Museum). Admission is free, and the exhibits—historical records, photographs, and personal testimonies—document the atrocities against Jews. The final hall features a circular archive two stories high, listing 2 million confirmed victims’ names, with space for 6 million pages—a haunting reminder that the work of identifying all victims continues. 🌃 At night, I wandered near Jaffa Street, where you can try shisha (waterpipe) for a local experience. 🏨 For these three nights, I stayed at Sweet Inn, an apartment-style hotel with a kitchen, balcony, spacious living room, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms—modern and affordable at under 500 RMB/person, ideal for groups. Three days in Jerusalem? Far from enough to truly absorb it all. #Israel #Jerusalem #TravelIsrael #JerusalemTravel #TravelGuide #Malaysia #MiddleEastTravel #MiddleEast #Travel #MyOverseasLife #Adventure #SoloTravel #BudgetTravel #Malaysia #Petra #PetraAncientCity

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Kimberley Page
Kimberley Page
6 months ago
Kimberley Page
Kimberley Page
6 months ago
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Israel Travel Guide—Jerusalem to Bethlehem Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinera

Jerusalem to Bethlehem 🔴 From Jerusalem’s Old City, take a bus near Damascus Gate to Bethlehem. Not wanting to wait too long, I chose to go straight to the Israeli-Palestinian border to see the separation wall and graffiti (you could also head to Bethlehem city center first). The border was quieter than expected, with soldiers on guard, but Arab taxi drivers were persistent in offering rides. 🖼 Since the graffiti is scattered, I opted for a taxi tour. The driver took us to see the most important murals on the wall, which express Palestinian and global peace activists’ calls for anti-war resistance and peace—such as a dove, the famous "Flower Thrower" by Banksy, and a soldier facing a little girl. 🏰 We then spontaneously decided to visit Herodium, a lesser-known but historically significant site. It’s one of the grand architectural creations of King Herod, who established Judea’s economic order and developed cities and agricultural projects. His greatest achievement was building the Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The fortress isn’t huge—after the taxi dropped us at the ticket office, a 10-minute climb led to the hilltop ruins. Standing on the barren desert hill, you could imagine the once-magnificent palace complex, surrounded by leisure halls, fountain-fed pools, and terraced gardens over 2,000 years ago. 🔴 After Herodium, the driver took us to Bethlehem’s city center, famous as the birthplace of Jesus Christ and King David. 💒 Manger Square holds the Church of the Nativity, where the Grotto of the Nativity (a 13m x 3m underground cave) marks Jesus’ birthplace. Pilgrims line up to see the site. Nearby is the Milk Grotto Chapel, where tradition says the Holy Family hid during their flight to Egypt. After lunch, we walked through Bethlehem’s market and took the bus back to Jerusalem (Bus #234 to Bethlehem, roughly #231 return). 🔴 The taxi tour cost 200 ILS (including Herodium); without Herodium, it’s around 100 ILS. Drivers might ask for a 20 ILS tip. To avoid disputes and ensure safety, we didn’t haggle aggressively—prices could possibly be lower. 🔴 In the afternoon, I took the tram to Yad Vashem (Holocaust Memorial Museum). Admission is free, and the exhibits—historical records, photographs, and personal testimonies—document the atrocities against Jews. The final hall features a circular archive two stories high, listing 2 million confirmed victims’ names, with space for 6 million pages—a haunting reminder that the work of identifying all victims continues. 🌃 At night, I wandered near Jaffa Street, where you can try shisha (waterpipe) for a local experience. 🏨 For these three nights, I stayed at Sweet Inn, an apartment-style hotel with a kitchen, balcony, spacious living room, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms—modern and affordable at under 500 RMB/person, ideal for groups. Three days in Jerusalem? Far from enough to truly absorb it all. #Israel #Jerusalem #TravelIsrael #JerusalemTravel #TravelGuide #Malaysia #MiddleEastTravel #MiddleEast #Travel #MyOverseasLife #Adventure #SoloTravel #BudgetTravel #Malaysia #Petra #PetraAncientCity

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Temple MountTemple Mount