Middle East
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Bethlehem
Things to Do in Bethlehem
Church of the Nativity
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Church of the Nativity

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Church of the Nativity
4.5
2,380 reviews
#4 of 25 things to do in Bethlehem
Historic Sites • Religious Sites
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5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
Built over the Grotto of the Nativity by Constantine in 325 A.D.To view top of the Nativity church we recommend you visit the Blessings gift shop and The olive wood factory just 2 minutes walk next door to milk grotto church.Destroyed and rebuilt in the 6th century and renovated in the 11th century by the crusaders, this is the oldest Church in the Holy Land that is still in use.$20 fee to skip The Line With Guide for whole group.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,380 reviews
Excellent
1,397
Very good
587
Average
268
Poor
90
Terrible
38
Tracey
Forster, Australia345 contributions
Touring
Jun 2023 • Couples
A must unfortunately we were apart of an organised tour only 7 people but it was such a rush as our guide from Israel is not allowed into Palestine we changed cars on the boarder the guide and driver for Palestine were so fast driving- walking and speaking the whole tour we were done within an hour - I couldn’t get answer to why ? Because of the unrest between the two.
Even so the church of nativity was amazing to see. I believe it would be better if they can time people so they didn’t push each other and hog religious points of interest
Written 5 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MoreTravel278
Melbourne, Australia121 contributions
Go early!
May 2023 • Couples
This is likely to be your experience.: You will line up for quite some time in the Basilica of the Nativity with a very large number of other people as you inch slowly closer to a series of narrow, steep steps down to the grotto.

In the grotto you will experience a stuffy atmosphere in a small confine with everybody jostling to experience a few seconds under the curtain at the main alter before being directed out. It will not be a peaceful experience.

That was our experience but we were fortunate enough to be staying nearby and went again the next morning at 5:30am and experienced the grotto with only a few others (and no line to get in) and were delighted to be part of a mass in the grotto with an Italian group of about 20. A very peaceful, contemplative experience.

My tip: go early!
Written 25 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brenda S
Auckland Central, New Zealand38 contributions
Pack a wind breaker and some kindness to share with fellow travellers.
Mar 2023 • Couples
Arriving early in the morning we were able to avoid large crowds and have a moment of contemplation in the historical church which sits over a place of huge spiritual significance for many. However expect to cue to get down to the grotto and cave where Jesus was born. Unfortunately people will push and there are some steep little stairs to go down so this is not a suitable endeavour if you have mobility issues. There is no personal space down in the cave and each person only gets a moment in front of the shrine before they are moved on. It is stuffy and the air close. Take a water proof wind breaker for this time of year- although Bethlehem is not cold there can be winds and rain.
Written 3 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Super duper 123
Kolkata (Calcutta), India184 contributions
Universal place of worship.
Feb 2023 • Friends
The Church of Nativity is a place of worship for Christians, Judaism, and Islam. If one comes to Bethlehem, one has to visit this place. It is always crowded, so you have to be patient and wait for your turn it is worth the wait. The best advice is to have an early start in the morning.
Written 29 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ScenicSights
Wauwatosa, WI755 contributions
Crowded.
Mar 2023
We visted on a Saturday afternoon. It was crowded. The church is beautiful and there's quite a lot to see though we didn't stay that long.
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SmartTraveler
Muar, Malaysia657 contributions
The Holy Birthplace
Sep 2022 • Couples
The Nativity scene of contemporary Christmas happened in Bethlehem. There is a baby in a manger, Mary and Joseph,  stable animals, the 3 Magi, and a shining star. We are in The Church of Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus, 2000 years ago.

Helena, the mother of Constantine built a Byzantine church over it. The Persians invaded but spared its destruction. They saw the robes of one of the 3 Magi, similar to their Kings. Crusaders restored and magnified it. The Ottomans neglected it to decay. An earthquake devastated it. The Church of Nativity is ministered by the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Armenians, today.

We entered a small and narrow passage into the Grotto of Nativity. On a marble floor is a fourteen-point silver star marking the birth spot with Latin inscriptions.

It says, "Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary”

Written 14 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JrnyJunkie
Cleveland, OH936 contributions
Well worth visiting.
Feb 2023
Getting here is a bit sketchy...but seeing the actual grotto is impressive although, once again idiots taking selfies at a religious site...this time a huge group of Asians on tour. Since Bethlehem is in the West Bank you must have a Palestinian guide...our guide did a lot of wheeling & dealing to get us into the site while avoiding a never-ending mass of people. Fortunately he did not try to rip us off and he was true to his word.
Written 10 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StotheN
Stockholm, Sweden527 contributions
Very good
Feb 2023
I came here on a tour from Tel Aviv. The guide changed here to a Palestinian one. The church with its mosiacs and gold frescoes were good. It is shared by three christian denominations. I got to go down stairs to the see the birth place. It was all good.
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brun066
Florence, Italy11,893 contributions
A memorable moment of our trip to Palestine
Aug 2022
Unlike in Nazareth (where the most relevant trace of the cult attributed to the events narrated in the Gospels, i.e. the Basilica of the Annunciation, is a modern creation), in Bethlehem the cult of the Basilica of the Nativity is very ancient and solid. This church was born shortly after the Edict of Milan (313AD) by which Constantine granted freedom of worship to Christians, and although it has undergone many renovations, the restoration at least by Justinian is clearly visible in it: we are still in a very ancient era ( 525-567AD).
Justinian's main legacy is the part of the Church seeming to me most majestic, and that best testifies to former Roman greatness: the majestic colonnade that borders the central nave on both sides, with monolithic pillars, worthy of a truly imperial church.
In singular contrast to this majesty, the rooms leading to the believed grotto of the Nativity are narrow, almost claustrophobic, as befits a cave.
Noteworthy is the observation of our guide, a wise and cultured theologian, that the cave is so narrow that it would not have allowed the presence - in addition to the baby Jesus - of an ox and a donkey.
The presence of these animals - not mentioned by the four evangelists, but only by the so-called apocryphal gospel of the "Pseudo-Matthew" - is an allegory, which can hide different meanings. For example, according to one interpretation, their presence would be that of entities who - according to a passage from the prophet Isaiah - "know who their master is", as opposed to many who will not recognize the Messiah when he comes.
Overall, visiting this basilica was one of the memorable moments of our trip to Palestine.
Written 2 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wai Lam
Houston, TX3 contributions
Palestinian Tour Guide
Feb 2023
The place is worth seeing since there is so much history involved. However I will say look out for those ruthless Palestinian tour guide. The one we encountered gave us very bad experience. He first posted as some Palestinian authority to have him as our tour guide, upon learning that its not mandatory, he tried everything to harass, coerce us into it. He first asked for 40 shekels for his fees, but after finishing he changed it to US$40. In addition, he sold us a trip to Herodian National Park and two other churches, asking price $140 total. After finishing the trip, he demanded $20 more claiming that he needs to compensate for exchange rate loss. We almost broke out in a fist fight, but had to avoid it since we were in Palestinian territory
Written 1 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Frequently Asked Questions about Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity is open:
  • Sun - Sat 5:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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We recommend booking Church of the Nativity tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 111 Church of the Nativity tours on Tripadvisor