Points of interest

Ibrahimi Mosque

The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron is the presumed burial place of Abraham. The Ibrahimi Mosque overlays it. For Jews it's a highly revered site and to Muslims, its importance in the region is second only to that of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock.

The cave was purchased by Abraham when, according to tradition, he learned through divine inspiration that Adam and Eve were buried here. Later, he, his wife, his sons and their wives (except Ruth) were buried here. Sometime around 20BC, Herod the Great sealed off the cave and built an enclosure around it. A Byzantine church was later built here, but turned into a mosque in the 7th century. Palestinians currently control one half of the mosque while Israelis controls the other.

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Church of the Nativity

Christians worldwide dream of someday visiting the Church of the Nativity, the legendary birthplace of Jesus Christ. The original 4th century church was commissioned by Emperor Constantine and altered around 530AD by Emperor Justinian.

On 6 June 1099, the Crusaders captured the church. They crowned their kings here and between 1165 and 1169 embarked on a major restoration program, renewing the interior decoration and replacing the roof.

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St George's Monastery

Looking like something out of an Indiana Jones film, St George's monastery is a magnificent edifice perched halfway up the cliff in Wadi Qelt. The monastery is named after St George of Koziba and was first built in the late fifth century. Numerous cave-dwelling hermits lived here and would attend Divine Liturgy on Saturday and Sunday.

The monastery was more or less abandoned after the Persians swept through the valley and massacred the 14 monks. The Crusaders made some attempts at restoration in 1179; significant reconstruction was completed by the Greek Orthodox Church in 1901. The traditions attached to the monastery include a visit by St Elijah en route to Sinai, and St Joachim, whose wife Anne was infertile, weeping here when an angel announced to him the news of the Virgin Mary's conception. The monastery makes a great stopping point on a hike through Wadi Qelt, on the way to Jericho.

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Attractions

Nablus

Beautifully situated between the scenic mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, Nablus is the largest of the West Bank towns. It's a typical, bustling Arab town with an enchanting old quarter. The Nablus skyline is punctuated by 30 minarets - one of the most impressive belongs to the An-Nasir Mosque.

A few doors up from the mosque you will find Touqan Castle, an old Turkish mansion. Although it's privately owned, you should be allowed to have a look at the garden and the exterior architecture. East of the mosque is the oldest working Turkish bath in the country.

Built around 1480, the lovingly restored bath has a hot room, a massage room and a central hall, where you can recline on cushions while you sip black coffee or mint tea. Bathing hours are sex segregated. You can get to Nablus by bus or share taxi from East Jerusalem.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a cynic's delight, with Manger Square, Manger St, Star St, Shepherds' St, two Shepherds' Fields and an unheavenly host of 'Christmases'. If you've got even the remotest Christian background, you'll likely end up here. Bethlehem is built around Manger Square and the town carpark.

The Church of the Nativity is the raison d'être of this holy town, and is one of the world's oldest working churches. Built over the spot where Jesus is said to have been born, it's a suitably august and venerable piece of architecture.

If kitsch is more to your taste, take a look at Milk Grotto Chapel, a shrine to the Virgin Mary's lactations. Rachel's Tomb, on the edge of town, is one of Judaism's most sacred shrines, and is also revered by Muslims and Christians. There's not much accommodation in Bethlehem, but it's only a 40-minute bus ride from Jerusalem if there's no room at the inn.

Jerusalem

They don't come any holier than this. Jews, Muslims, Christians: all three hold Jerusalem sacred. Of course, most people come to Jerusalem to immerse themselves in the people and places of its holy history, but try to remember that Jerusalem is also a modern city, full of living, breathing people.

The city is divided into three parts: the walled Old City, where most of the sights are; the predominantly Arab East Jerusalem; and the rapidly expanding new city, known as West Jerusalem. The Old City is also divided, into Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim quarters.

To get an idea of the Old City, it's worth strolling around the city walls. Rising over the city is the Haram-ash Sharif/Temple Mount. Mohammed rose to heaven here and God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son. The magnificent Dome of the Rock mosque dominates the Mount, with the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic Museum a little to its south.

The Western Wall is the most accessible of the four walls, making it a popular place for Jewish worship. To complete the holy sites trilogy, try the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter. It's built over the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Get here via the Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus took as he carried his cross.