Bethlehem Tour from Jerusalem: The Half Day
The Bethlehem tour from Jerusalem: a 4-hour guided half day from the David Citadel Hotel, US$70 to US$75 per adult, the Church of the Nativity, the Grotto hours and the 10 km road.
If you are staying in Jerusalem, the Bethlehem tour from Jerusalem is a half day, not a full one: Elijah Tours & Travel’s guided tour leaves the David Citadel Hotel at 7:45 AM or 1:00 PM, spends about an hour in the Church of the Nativity, and is back in four hours. From Jerusalem: Half-Day Bethlehem Guided Tour is $70 per adult on 13 January and 24 March 2027 and US$75 on 1 and 24 December 2026, rated 4.8 from 623 reviews (checked November 2026).
The calendar above is that half-day tour. Both start times were on sale on every date checked in November 2026.
How far apart are Bethlehem and Jerusalem?
Close. By road it is about 10 km from the David Citadel Hotel, where the half-day tour starts, to the Church of the Nativity, and about 12 km from Jaffa Gate in the Old City (both routed). The tour allows half an hour by coach each way. This guide prints no walking figure between the two cities: the road passes a crossing, and none of the tours here walk it.
What the half day covers
The itinerary, with its own times:
- The Chapel of the Shepherds’ Field, 30 minutes, with the Chapel of the Angel.
- The Church of the Nativity, one hour, with St. Catherine’s Church and Manger Square.
- The Milk Grotto Church, 10 minutes.
- An olive-wood workshop in Beit Sahour, 30 minutes of shopping at a family-run Christian workshop.
A licensed local guide, an air-conditioned vehicle, the entry fees to the listed sites and one bottle of water per person are included; food, drinks and tips are not. Bring your passport and valid Israeli visa. Israeli passport holders are not permitted to join, and the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users.
The Grotto of the Nativity: hours and the catch
The Christian Information Centre announced that from 21 October 2026 the Grotto of the Nativity is open to pilgrims every day from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, and on Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On this tour, entry to the Birth Grotto and St. Jerome’s Grotto is not guaranteed “due to restoration work, queues and special Masses”, morning or afternoon.
Reviews bear that out. A guest on the 1:00 PM tour on 23 October 2026 found the star “was only open from 1 to 2 PM”, arrived at 1:54 PM and “had to rush”. A day-trip guest on 1 November 2026 found the Grotto closed for restoration. If seeing the Grotto matters most, pick the 1:00 PM start and expect it to be tight.
The same tour on Viator, and the full day from Tel Aviv
Elijah Tours & Travel also sells the half day on Viator as Travel to Bethlehem Half Day Guided Tour from Jerusalem: from US$70 per person, three to five hours, pickup and drop-off at the David Citadel Hotel, lunch not included. If you are staying in Tel Aviv instead, the full day covers both cities.
Pick the version that fits where you sleep:
Half-Day Bethlehem Tour
US$70 in January and March 2027, US$75 on the December dates; 7:45 AM or 1:00 PM from the David Citadel Hotel.
Check dates →The Same Half Day on Viator
The same operator, three to five hours, with pickup and drop-off at the David Citadel Hotel.
See on Viator →Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Trip
Ten hours from a Tel Aviv hotel at 7:15 AM: the Old City of Jerusalem, then Bethlehem with a Palestinian guide.
See the day trip →Each price is per adult or per person as shown. Prices, ratings and review counts checked November 2026, not a quote.
Before you go
Modest dress is required for the church visits: covered shoulders and knees. Expect walking and standing, so wear comfortable shoes. The UK, US and Australian travel advice for Bethlehem is quoted, dated, on can you visit Bethlehem now.
The Half-Day Bethlehem Tour from Jerusalem
Four hours with a licensed local guide: the Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field, from the David Citadel Hotel at 7:45 AM or 1:00 PM. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates