Milk Grotto
Milk Grotto
4.5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Milk Grotto is Behind the Nativity Church and Next door to Blessings Gift Shop and the Olive Wood Factory. Holy Family found refuge during the Massacre of the Innocents, before they could flee to Egypt. A "drop of milk" of the Virgin Mary fell on the floor of the cave and changed its color to white. Must See.Milk Powder $2 per packet
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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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
456 reviews
Excellent
226
Very good
159
Average
61
Poor
8
Terrible
2
Brenda S
Auckland Central, New Zealand38 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We view this location after visiting manger square and the cave where Jesus was born. The Milk grotto is a much calmer place and allows personal space to contemplate the historical events and the meaning of them for a Christian life. I did find the behaviour of some a bit ridiculous though: scraping off the modern plaster of the cave as if it had some magical properties. A large display of babies were on display in the Friary next door which was heart warming but as per usual there was no display of the wonderful things done by women for whom God had a plan other than motherhood. Just saying it's time the silence was addressed.
Written 5 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.
jeneuser
Danbury, CT17 contributions
Nov 2022
We visited the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem. The site kind of interesting. What was really interesting is that it is in the Palestinian Territory. Our guide was Palestinian. You pass through a secure wall with armed guards to get into the city. Pickup your guide, do the tour and leave him at the gate. As a Palestinian he can NOT leave. See the grotto, experience the vibe and the oppression. It was definitely an education and an eye opener.
Written 3 December 2022
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.
Lostandhungry
Quincy, IL343 contributions
Aug 2022
Wow, what a great little Church so beautiful and well kept. We are so please we got to visit this site.
Written 17 September 2022
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.
Regis F
37 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
Catholic church inside a cave / grotto, not far from the Church of the Nativity. Supposedly hosted Mary while she was breastfeeding the baby Jesus. Not a must-do, but a why-not.
Written 19 August 2022
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.
smvNYC
New York City, NY284 contributions
Jun 2022
A short stop for us, yet a nice place to visit for few minutes as part of the Bethlehem itinerary. Could skip if in a time crunch.
Written 8 August 2022
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.
Lucie M
9 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
We were lucky, because during our visit, we were the only one in the whole grotto and church. So we really enjoyed its calm atmosphere, sat for a while and had time to go through in our own pace.
There is no entry fee. I recommend to go through the whole place, even the chappel with ever-present sister and modernà church.
Near the church there is terrace with panorama view over the city. But you go up through the souvenir shop & oh men, they will try to sell you everything. This I don’t recommend - there are other normal viewpoints in the city.
There is no entry fee. I recommend to go through the whole place, even the chappel with ever-present sister and modernà church.
Near the church there is terrace with panorama view over the city. But you go up through the souvenir shop & oh men, they will try to sell you everything. This I don’t recommend - there are other normal viewpoints in the city.
Written 6 July 2022
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.
Palestine tours
Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories17 contributions
Mar 2022 • Business
The church of milk grotto stands in Bethlehem near Nativity church, is the place where Mary and Joseph stopped before fleeing to Egypt
.. Meeting tourists at bus station 231 in Bethlehem and then go in my private car to visit the area
.. Meeting tourists at bus station 231 in Bethlehem and then go in my private car to visit the area
Written 6 April 2022
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.
Shareef Jibreen Palestine guide
Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories54 contributions
Mar 2022 • Business
Milk grotto church is the place where Joseph and Mary stopped before fleeing to Egypt..why they called it like that? Easy visit.. Meeting you in 231 bus station in Bethlehem, i take you to visit in my car with interesting stories and facts about the site and the old city of Bethlehem
Written 29 March 2022
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.
B T
London, UK1,140 contributions
Mar 2022
It's just a bit of a cave/grotto with a newer modern church built on the side. The grotto was quite small and I was disappointed because it is not really that white or milky, it is grey like a normal cave
Written 17 March 2022
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.
Teoso
Brooklyn, NY270 contributions
Jan 2020
Honestly one of the least memorable sites in the West Bank. There's just not much to see. If you are short on time, this would be something to skip.
Written 10 December 2020
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.
mrssuchismitamitra
Kolkata (Calcutta), India4 contributions
What are the opening times of the Church of Nativity, Milk grotto, Church of St. Catherine and Mar Saba Monastry.
Brittany_11_10
Los Angeles, CA1,631 contributions
The opening hours are different per place and per season. What time of year are you looking at? I know the milk grotto is closed Sunday mornings. And when I was there, in October, the Church of the Nativity was open from either 5:30 or 6am until 5pm.
A simple Google search will get you all the info you need :)
MILK GROTTO (Bethlehem) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Milk Grotto
- Milk Grotto is open:
- Sun - Sat 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- We recommend booking Milk Grotto 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 36 Milk Grotto tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Milk Grotto:
- Travel to Bethlehem Half Day Guided Tour from Jerusalem & TelAviv (From ₱1,401.97)
- Travel From Jerusalem To Bethlehem and Dead Sea - Daily Group West Bank Tour (From ₱3,813.37)
- Bethlehem Half Day Private Tour - Pick up from Jerusalem/Tel Aviv/Ashdod (From ₱17,945.27)
- Tour From Jerusalem & Tel Aviv: Half Day Travel to Bethlehem (From ₱2,803.95)
- Mount of Temptation, Saint George Monestary, Saint Saba & Bethlehem One Day Tour (From ₱5,607.90)
- Hotels near Milk Grotto:
- (0.02 km) Star Street Inn
- (0.20 km) Dar Sitti Aziza
- (0.13 km) Pilgrim Residence
- (0.15 km) Shukran Natalie
- (0.23 km) Casa Nova Hospice Bethlehem
- Restaurants near Milk Grotto:
- (0.29 km) Afteem
- (0.34 km) Al Sufara Restaurant
- (0.27 km) The Square Restaurant & Coffee Shop
- (0.23 km) Wijalamar
- (0.26 km) Astoria Cocktail Room