People come to Palestine for various reasons, such as a religious pilgrimage, tourism, or the pursuit of education.
This article will give you a brief overview of places that you might visit depending on the purpose of your visit to Palestine. If you are coming to Palestine for tourism, relaxation and pleasure, we recommend a sojourn in Jericho where there are number of resorts, such as Jericho Resort Village, or the Dead Sea which borders Jericho. It is a great place to visit and enjoying sunning and swimming. At the Dead Sea you can also take advantage of the famous mud that is beneficial for your skin due to high concentration of Dead Sea minerals that upgrade the skin’s natural processes.
If you are hankering to experience the renowned Turkish Bath, the Old City of Nablus is the place to head! Nablus has six hamaams (Turkish baths). Two of the oldest Turkish baths in Palestine are located in Nablus’ Old City. One is the Al-Shifa Hamaam that was built in 1624, and the other is Al Hana hamaam which is located in the Yasmina Quarter of the Old City. Al Hana was built in the 19th century. If you are coming on a religious pilgrimage, and are eager to perform religious acts and devotions, then Bethlehem is a place to be if you are Christian.
In Bethlehem you can visit the Church of the Nativity where Christ was born. The annual Christmas Midnight Mass and other religious celebrations are well-worth your visit. Bands from countries around the world come to celebrate this special occasion every year.
A visit to Jerusalem is a must if your purpose is religious devotion. The Church of the Holy Sepuchre is built over Golgotha, the place of the crucifixion of Jesus. The chapel on the site of the Cross is administered by the Greek Orthodox Church.
Here you are able to crawl under the altar table and reach down into a hole in order to touch the actual historical rock of Golgotha. Nearby is a large boulder, preserved under plate glass, that bears a giant crack in the stone; it is thought to be a result of the earthquake that occurred during the crucifixion of Jesus. Not far from the Church is the Via Dolorosa, and it is on this street that Jesus carried his cross up to Golgotha. At Easter Christian pilgrims follow this tiny street to shadow Jesus’ journey.The village of Burkin is about four kilometers to the southwest of the northern city of Jenin. The village is the site of one of the oldest churches on earth, and it is an interesting sidetripMuslims will wish to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque, “the Farthest Mosque”, which is located in the Old City of Jerusalem in addition to the Dome of the Rock. These are the two of the most holy sites for Muslims.
The Abraham Mosque, Ibrahimi Mosque, is also considered to be an important religious site for Muslims. Its importance lies in the Cave of Machpelah which is found below the mosque. Here it is believed that Abraham, Sarah, and their sons and wives are buried (except Rachel whose tomb is in Bethlehem). Besides being the oldest mosque in the city of Hebron, the Abraham Mosque is of religious significance to all three religions “of the book”.
If your interest lies in history and archaeology, Palestine is the place for you. Jericho, for example, is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities on earth. The city includes Hisham’s Palace which not only includes a palace, but also an ornate bath complex, and an agricultural estate.
Hebron’s Old City contains buildings dating back to the Mameluke era, as well as buildings from the Ottoman Empire. The Old City of Nablus has important sites hearkening back to the 1st to 15th centuries.
If you are eager to volunteer with an organization that reaches out to help and aid the local Palestinian population, we recommend that you check the website of the Excellence Center.
The Palestinian Center offers opportunities for volunteer teaching and participating in the community activities organized by the Center for the community of Hebron.
