Palestine sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

One of the youngest countries in the world, Palestine officially appeared on the world map only in 1994. That being said, many signature landmarks of the country have attracted travelers from all over the world for centuries. Jerusalem is the heart of modern Palestine. This is one of the oldest cities in the world and the sacred city for three world religions. Bethlehem is also an important center of religious tourism. Guests of Palestine can also enjoy ecological and sports tourism.

When and where to 'hang out' in Palestine - festivals and celebrations

The West Bank, a Palestinian territory, is home to Arab Palestinians. Approximately half of them are Christians, the latter are Muslims. Holidays of …
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Three thousand years BC, the ancient Canaan civilization was located on the site of modern Palestine. Canaan’s typical lifestyle was destroyed in the 13th century BC when Mediterranean conquerors entered its territory. In the 11th century BC, the Kingdom of Israel appeared on the ashes of the destroyed civilization. However, this kingdom also stopped existing 200 years later. During the antiquity period, the territory of modern Palestine was often a battlefield until it finally became a part of Persia at the beginning of the 7th century.

The middle of the 7th century marks the start of the Arab reign for Palestine. This period lasted until the end of the 11th century. For more than 400 years, the country was a part of the Ottoman Empire. Only in 1994, several regions of the country united and formed the State of Palestine. The country was officially added to the world map. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

For active traveler - national parks, landscapes and nature of Palestine

The territory of Palestine is not big. Urbanites and residents of big megalopolises might feel that everything is so small here. Nevertheless, there …
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If you like exploring historic sites, don’t forget to include a visit to Hebron to your vacation plan. This is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has a well-preserved historic district with labyrinths of narrow streets. Al-Haram is recognized as the main landmark of the city. This is an unusual and marvelous temple that is reminiscent of an old fortress. The temple was built above the Cave of Machpelah, the hall of which is now a popular prayer site.

Besides Jerusalem and Bethlehem with their legendary religious sites, Palestine has many other interesting landmarks that are worth visiting. In the nearest suburbs of these great cities, travelers can find one more important shrine – the Mar Elias Monastery. Founded in the 6th century, this monastery is reminiscent of an old castle. Nowadays, this Greek monastery is open for everyone. Its large territory offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings. Some observation decks offer stunning views of the iconic landmarks and major religious centers of the country.

National cuisine of Palestine - specialties, recipes and restaurants

Palestine is a country with a hot climate, but local winters are quite cool. The temperature can fall to +5°C - +8°C. The country grows enough food …
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The beautiful Herodium or Herodion Fortress is one more unique historic landmark. It was built on top of a hill by the order of King Herod. While walking along the impenetrable walls of the fortress, visitors can admire truly spectacular views of the Dead Sea. The fortress is incredibly interesting inside. There are still many ancient buildings, beautiful fountains, and even gardens.

When you want to make a pause between excursions to ancient cities and relax, it is the right time to visit Solomon's Pools. There are many interesting legends connected with these water reservoirs. According to one of them, King Solomon himself gave the order to build these artificial water reservoirs. However, there is no scientific proof of that fact. According to archaeologists, these giant pools with the storage basin of 160,000 cubic meters were built much earlier. The pools were made to collect rainwater that was then pumped to the nearby towns. Solomon’s Pools are, without a doubt, one of the oldest hydro-technical constructions in the world.

National traditions and mentality of people in Palestine

Palestine is an Arab country in the Middle East that is a de jure sovereign state. It is partially independent and partially officially recognized by …
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Jericho is one of the most marvelous cities in Palestine. It is interesting to visit it all year round. The territory of the city is almost completely covered with citrus gardens. Tourists will see large groves of banana trees, date palms, lemon, orange, and mandarin orange trees. Besides picturesque fruit oases, visitors can explore an old monastery that dates back to the 6th century. It is built on a high rock. In the outskirts of Jericho, there is one more notable architectural landmark - Hisham's Palace that is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of the 8th century. For more than a thousand years, this palace has been amazing generations of visitors with its gorgeous look.

There are no active airports in the country, so the easiest way to reach Palestine is to enter it from Israel. One more inland route connects the country with Egypt. These countries have regular buses to Palestine. It is important to mention that buses from Israel only go until the border with Palestine. Passengers need to walk through special checkpoints and then take a new bus to the city of their destination. Taking into consideration that there are roughly 15 checkpoints at Palestine’s border, it is relatively fast to enter the country and suitable even for budget travelers.

This article about iconic landmarks and sights of Palestine is protected by the copyright law. You can re-use the content, but only under the condition of placement of an active link to www.orangesmile.com.

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Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Palestine

Famous and uniques places in Palestine from our review series

Jericho

From the series “The Oldest Inhabited Cities on the Planet”

The oldest inhabited city in the world is Jericho. According to scientists, the first fortifications in its place were built about 6800 BC. However, the age of some archaeological artifacts found in exploring the modern city are more than 11,000 years old, which means that the territory of modern Jericho began to attract people much earlier. Currently, the city is the capital of the eponymous province; it’s home to about 20,000 people.

Amazing Biblical city has a wealth of ancient sites. The oldest historic district is located in the western part. Here you can see the ruins of ancient buildings, including ancient burial and the surviving part of fortification walls, which were built during the Bronze Age. Scientists were able to detect an impressive age of the city quite recently, less … Read all

Sightseeing in popular cities of Palestine

Bethlehem

The history of Bethlehem started in the 17th – 16th century BC. Caanites were the first settlers in this territory. Later, Romans, who were pagans, established their authority over the region. There was even a period when Muslims were the dominating force in Bethlehem. However, Pope Urban II was not satisfied with that fact. The Crusaders invaded the region and captured the territory briefly. Bethlehem ended up a part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and remained there until 1291. The … Read more

Nablus

It is a well-known fact that this settlement is very old, and the region is often mentioned in the Bible. The name of the city sounds as Shechem in Hebrew, and this is the term that the Bible uses to describe this region. According to the sacred book, this was an ancient Canaanite and then Hivite city, but sons of Jacob Simeon and Levi destroyed the Hivite settlement because the prince of this land raped their sister. In the Shechem area, the Jewish people met God and recorded the Book of the … Read more

Jericho

First settlers on the land of Palestinian Jericho came here more than ten thousand years ago. However, first mentions of this place date back to 15 BC. This is what we can learn from the Bible. No one clearly knows the exact translation or meaning of the name “Jericho”. There are three major versions – “fragrant”, “moon”, and “the city of palm trees”. The Holy Scripture uses the last variant. Joshua was the first leader who captured the city. In his book, he described the … Read more

Palestine sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Palestine

Famous and uniques places in Palestine from our review series

Jericho

Sightseeing in popular cities of Palestine

Map of travel guides to Palestine cities