Visited Countries Map

Palestine, for traveler-planning purposes, usually means parts of the West Bank and Gaza, though access, administration, and safety conditions are highly complex and can change without warning. The official Visit Palestine site presents major cultural and religious destinations such as Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron/Al-Khalil, Nablus, Ramallah, Battir, Sebastia, monasteries, markets, olive landscapes, and walking routes. In normal conditions, Bethlehem is the most common first visit because it can be reached from Jerusalem and includes the Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, nearby Beit Sahour, and monasteries or countryside around the Bethlehem governorate.

UNESCO lists Palestinian World Heritage properties including the Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem, Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines - Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir, Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town, Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan, and Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer in Gaza. These sites show the range of significance: Christian pilgrimage in Bethlehem, ancient urban settlement at Jericho, terraced agricultural landscapes and water systems at Battir, and multi-faith heritage in Hebron. Many sites require local guides, checkpoint awareness, modest dress at religious places, and sensitivity around photography, politics, and private life.

Current security guidance must control any itinerary. The U.S. State Department advisory for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, dated February 27, 2026, says to reconsider travel to the West Bank due to terrorism and civil unrest and not to travel to Gaza due to terrorism and armed conflict. It notes that U.S. government employees are currently restricted from all personal travel to the West Bank except Routes 1, 90, and 443 and daylight travel to Jericho and Bethlehem, and that Gaza crossings have been closed to the general public. U.S. citizens entering Israel or the West Bank for tourism need an approved ETA-IL as of January 1, 2025, and travelers may face immigration questioning, checkpoint closures, curfews, demonstrations, or route changes.

Visitor Tip: Do not plan Palestine travel from old guidebooks; check the latest embassy alerts, crossing status, and local guide advice immediately before each movement, and avoid Gaza entirely under current U.S. guidance.

• Access, safety, and administrative rules for the West Bank and Gaza are unusually changeable; current official alerts and local conditions should be verified immediately before travel.