Palestine
Phone Code
+970
Capital
East Jerusalem
Population
5 Million
Native Name
فلسطين
Region
Asia
Western Asia
Timezones
Eastern European Time
UTC+02:00
+1 more
On This Page
The Palestinian territories — the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip — sit at the geographical heart of the Holy Land's layered religious and archaeological heritage, with about five million people across the territories and Ramallah as the Palestinian Authority's administrative centre. Four UNESCO World Heritage sites concentrate the region's cultural footprint, and the Jordan Valley around Jericho is the lowest inhabited place on Earth. There is no separate Palestinian tourist visa — entry is governed by Israeli border control, with most visitors arriving via Israel or crossing the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge from Jordan.
Entry to the Palestinian Territories
There is no separate Palestinian tourist visa. Entry to the West Bank is governed by Israeli border control: eligible visa-exempt travellers use the applicable Israeli visitor permission, while visa-required nationalities must obtain a visa in advance. Israel's current official table marks Saudi national passports as visa-required; ETA-IL is for visa-exempt travellers and does not replace that visa. Visitors usually arrive via Ben Gurion Airport or use the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge from Jordan, where the Israeli-controlled side applies the same entry decision. Access between Israeli-administered and Palestinian Authority-administered areas typically passes through Israeli checkpoints, where wait times vary. Access to the Gaza Strip is highly restricted by Israeli and Egyptian authorities and is not feasible for ordinary tourism. Travellers should verify the visa, permitted crossing and current advisory before booking and confirm the local situation with their operator or hotel shortly before travel.
Common Visa Types
Israeli Tourist Entry (Standard Route)
The default route for visiting the West Bank — Bethlehem, Jericho, Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, Sebastia.
Allenby / King Hussein Bridge from Jordan
Land crossing from Amman direct into the West Bank, useful for combined Jordan + Palestinian-territories itineraries.
Gaza Strip Access (Highly Restricted)
Access to Gaza is not available for ordinary tourism.
Essential Palestine Travel Information
Palestinian travel concentrates a remarkable density of heritage and natural sites within a small area — Bethlehem's Christian pilgrim circuit, Jericho's ancient archaeology, Hebron's old city, Nablus's craft traditions, and the Dead Sea and Judean Desert landscapes around Mar Saba and Battir. Cuisine is unmistakably Levantine, and contemporary cultural life in Ramallah, Bethlehem and Birzeit runs alongside a living tradition of craft, music and dance.
Discover Palestine
Bethlehem's Christmas Eve services are the pilgrimage circuit's single busiest event, with separate Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian celebrations held on their respective calendar dates and Manger Square filling with an evening procession before midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity. Space inside the basilica for the main services is limited and tickets or advance coordination through a parish or pilgrimage group are generally needed well ahead of the date, while the Grotto of the Nativity beneath the church — the site traditionally marking the birthplace itself — stays open to visitors on a more flexible basis outside the Christmas season. The Milk Grotto nearby, a short walk from the basilica, is associated with a distinct devotional tradition and draws a steady stream of pilgrims independent of the Christmas calendar.
Ways to Experience This Destination
The four-day pilgrim circuit linking Bethlehem (Church of the Nativity, Milk Grotto, Shepherds' Field), Jerusalem's Mount of Olives (including the Garden of Gethsemane) and Old City, Jericho's Mount of Temptation Monastery and Qasr al-Yahud baptism site, and Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs is among the most concentrated religious-heritage itineraries in the world. Christmas (Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian dates differ) and Easter draw the largest crowds; spring and autumn shoulder months offer milder weather and quieter sites. Many Christian denominations operate guesthouses and hospices in Bethlehem and Jerusalem (Casa Nova, Notre Dame, Casa Santa Marta and others) which can be booked directly.
Tel es-Sultan in Jericho exposes Neolithic walls and round towers from c.9000 BCE, among the earliest urban architecture anywhere. Hisham's Palace preserves a vast star-mosaic floor and an ornate audience hall from the Umayyad period. Sebastia near Nablus layers Iron Age, Hellenistic, Roman and Crusader remains on a single hilltop. Hebron's covered souk and Mamluk-era domestic architecture form a continuous old-city fabric, and Battir's terraced landscape preserves Roman irrigation channels still in use. Excellent local guides operate in each city; many speak English and several European languages.
Knafeh Nabulsi (Nablus's signature semolina-and-cheese sweet served warm), musakhan (sumac-roasted chicken on taboon bread), maqluba (the upside-down rice and meat casserole), mansaf (lamb in a fermented dried-yoghurt sauce over rice), za'atar with olive oil and fresh taboon bread, and the strong cardamom coffee of the West Bank define the everyday food culture. Hebron glass and Nablus soap remain working crafts; tatreez embroidery in cross-stitched red and black is a UNESCO-listed intangible heritage. Ramallah's restaurant and cafe scene, a growing Palestinian cinema and gallery scene, Birzeit University's cultural calendar and the Palestinian Museum at Birzeit anchor contemporary cultural life.
Walking the Wadi Qelt gorge between Jerusalem and Jericho, hiking sections of the Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil (Path of Abraham, a long-distance trail running the West Bank from Rummana in the north to the Hebron Hills in the south), visiting the Mar Saba Monastery cliff complex above the Kidron Valley, and bathing in the Dead Sea at Kalia Beach are the staples of the outdoor circuit. Spring olive blossom (April) and the autumn olive harvest (October) are particularly atmospheric in the terraced landscapes around Battir, Bethlehem and Nablus.
Money & Currency
Israeli Shekel (ILS) / Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
Currency code: ILS
Practical Money Tips
Israeli New Shekel (ILS/NIS) is the primary currency in the West Bank — Jordanian Dinar (JOD) also widely accepted in some areas; USD accepted at many hotels and tourist services; exchange EUR, GBP, and USD at Arab Bank, Bank of Palestine, Cairo Amman Bank branches in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, Hebron; no exchange in rural areas
The Israeli New Shekel (ILS, also called NIS) is the primary currency used in the West Bank for everyday transactions. The Jordanian Dinar (JOD) is accepted in many areas, particularly near the Jordan River crossings and in Jericho. USD is accepted at major hotels, guesthouses, and some tour operators. EUR can be exchanged at bank branches in Ramallah (Al-Manara Square area), Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, and Hebron. Arab Bank, Bank of Palestine, Cairo Amman Bank, and Palestine Islamic Bank are the main banking institutions. No exchange facilities in rural villages or small towns — carry ILS for everyday use.
ATMs available in main West Bank cities — Arab Bank, Bank of Palestine, Cairo Amman Bank ATMs in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, Hebron; accept Visa and Mastercard; limited ATMs in smaller towns and villages; no banking in remote rural areas; withdraw ILS or JOD in city centres before heading to rural sites
ATMs are available in the main cities and towns of the West Bank. Arab Bank, Bank of Palestine, Cairo Amman Bank, and Palestine Investment Bank have ATM networks in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, and Hebron. Most ATMs dispense ILS; some in Jericho also dispense JOD. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Smaller towns (Sebastia, Battir, Bireh) and rural areas have very limited or no ATM access. Withdraw sufficient ILS in the city before visiting rural archaeological sites, nature reserves, or small villages.
Card acceptance good in Ramallah and tourist areas — Visa and Mastercard at Ramallah hotels and restaurants, Bethlehem tourist shops, Jericho resorts; Apple Pay: limited; Google Pay: limited; cash strongly preferred in markets, local restaurants, taxis, and smaller towns
Card acceptance is reasonable in Ramallah (the main business centre), Bethlehem tourist shops and hotels, and Jericho resort hotels. Visa and Mastercard are the most accepted. Apple Pay and Google Pay have limited support — only available at a small number of modern establishments. Cash (ILS or JOD) is strongly preferred or required at local markets (Hebron market, Nablus Old City), local restaurants, shared taxis (service taxis), private car hires, smaller guesthouses, and any rural or village accommodation. Keep ILS or USD for practical everyday use.
Affordable destination — guesthouse or small hotel in Bethlehem ILS 150–350/night (EUR 40–93); Ramallah mid-range hotel ILS 300–600/night; restaurant meal ILS 40–100 (EUR 11–27); shared taxi Ramallah–Bethlehem ILS 5–10; Jericho cable car ticket in ILS; tipping ILS 5–15 at restaurants appreciated; carry ILS for daily use
The West Bank is an affordable destination by regional standards. Guesthouse or small hotel in Bethlehem (e.g., Jacir Palace area, Beit Sahour): ILS 150–350/night (EUR 40–93). Ramallah mid-range hotel: ILS 300–600/night (EUR 80–160). Restaurant meal at a local Ramallah or Bethlehem restaurant: ILS 40–100 (EUR 11–27). Hummus and falafel at a local stall: ILS 10–20. Shared taxi (service): ILS 5–15 per journey. Jericho cable car to Mount of Temptation Monastery: ILS 60. Bethlehem Christmas market entry: free. Tipping: ILS 5–15 at restaurants is appreciated; USD 1–2 per person for tour guides is common.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
Palestine — Embassies worldwide
Popular Destinations
Top destinations with verified missions
Yes for the main basilica services — space is limited and tickets or coordination through a parish or pilgrimage group are generally needed well in advance, though the Grotto of the Nativity itself is accessible more flexibly outside the Christmas period.
Yes, by a wide margin — its earliest fortification walls date to roughly 9000 BCE, several thousand years before the pyramids of Giza, making it one of the oldest known examples of large-scale urban architecture anywhere.
Look for one of the city's long-established dedicated knafeh shops rather than a general bakery or restaurant — locals typically have a favourite, and asking a guide or hotel for a current recommendation gets better results than picking at random.
This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.