Bethlehem half day tour

This half day tour begins with a walk through the Judean hills which would have been the route taken by Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem. In Bethlehem, our first stop is the Manger Square where the Church of Nativity located. The Church was erected over the Holy grotto which marks the site where Jesus was born. The grotto is the oldest historic site used as a place of worship in Christianity, and many Christians gather here every Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Christ. The fascinating aspect of this tour is the fact that we get to the Silver Star which signifies the exact spot in the Manger where Jesus’ first cries rang out.

We continue to the Church of St. Catherine and get to roam the caves beneath the church. We see the chapel of the Innocent and St. Joseph’s chapel. We also see the cave room used as a study by St. Jerome when he was translating the Bible into Latin from Hebrew and Greek. The tour moves from the Church of St. Catherine to the Grotto of our Lady (the Milk Grotto). This is the site where Mary nursed and fed baby Jesus. A drop of milk dropped while Mary fed Jesus and this turned the caves white.

The Bethlehem half-day tour ends with a walk through the field of Shepherds where the birth of Christ was first announced and also a drive through the field of Ruth where Ruth met Boaz. The tour ends at approximately 13:00 and there is no return to the hotel.