Northern District, Lower Galilee · Israel
The hillside town where Christian tradition places the Annunciation and Jesus's childhood, and today the largest Arab city in Israel.
Photo: Oren Rozen · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nazareth appears in the Gospels as the hometown of Mary and Joseph, where, according to the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear a son, and where Jesus grew up. It was a small village in the time of Jesus, and archaeological finds suggest a farming community of a few hundred people. Over the centuries Christian pilgrims built churches on the traditional sites.
Today Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, with a population of about 80,000 that is roughly two-thirds Muslim and one-third Christian. It is a working town rather than a museum piece, with a busy market, a strong food culture and a thriving Arab arts and business scene. The pilgrimage sites are close together in the old quarter, and the surrounding hills of the Lower Galilee offer day trips.
Nazareth can feel overlooked, squeezed between the Sea of Galilee and the coast. It rewards visitors who stay for a meal and an evening, and gives a picture of Arab life in Israel that is rarely seen in a tourist itinerary.
Why visit
Nazareth is one of the most important sites in Christianity, and it offers much more than the church.
The largest Christian church in the Middle East, completed in 1969 over the traditional site of Mary's house, with a lower church that preserves the grotto and mosaics from many countries in the upper church.
Nazareth is an Arab city, and visiting it gives a view of Palestinian-Arab culture, cuisine and daily life inside Israel.
The old souk, with its spices, sweets and street food, is one of the best in the north.
Arab restaurants here serve Galilean dishes that are hard to find elsewhere, and many are excellent value.
The Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor, Cana and Sepphoris are all within half an hour.
Main attractions
The main sites are within a few minutes' walk of each other in the old quarter. A full day covers them and the market.
A large modern church built in the 1960s over earlier Byzantine and Crusader churches. The lower level has the Grotto of the Annunciation, and the upper church has huge mosaics of Mary from Catholic communities around the world.
Tip Dress modestly, and expect crowds around midday. Mass times are posted.
A Franciscan church next to the Basilica, built over a site traditionally identified with Joseph's carpentry workshop. The lower level has caves and cisterns that date from the time of Jesus.
Tip It is quieter than the Basilica, and combine the two.
A network of stone alleys near the Basilica with spice merchants, sweet shops, textile stalls and cafés. It is lively in the morning and late afternoon.
Tip Taste the sweets and buy spices. Most shops close on Sunday.
A spring in a nearby church that Orthodox Christians hold to be where Mary received the annunciation while drawing water. It is an atmospheric church with icons and painted walls.
Tip Check opening hours, which are limited.
An Ottoman-era mosque with a green-and-white minaret in the old town, one of the town's main Muslim landmarks. It sits in the centre of the market.
Tip Respect the dress code and prayer times.
A living-history site that recreates a first-century farming village, with costumed guides, terraces, a synagogue and a carpenter's workshop. It shows how ordinary people lived in Jesus's time.
Tip Book a guided visit, and allow about two hours.
A cliff on the edge of the city, identified by tradition as the place where the townspeople tried to throw Jesus off a hill. It has a fine view across the Jezreel Valley to Mount Tabor.
Tip Go in the late afternoon for the view.
Things to do
Nazareth is best on foot and best with an appetite.
The Basilica is quiet in the first hour, and the grotto is much more atmospheric without a crowd.
Tip Check opening hours and Mass times.
Explore the stone alleys, taste sweets, and pick up spices. The souk is a good place to see everyday life.
Tip Go in the morning, and dress modestly.
Nazareth has some of the best Palestinian-Arab food in Israel, with dozens of restaurants serving mezze, grills and Galilean specialities.
Tip Ask about the day's specials.
A guided walk through a reconstructed first-century village, useful for context on Jesus's life and the landscape.
Tip Book ahead for a guided tour.
Sepphoris (Tzippori) has Roman mosaics, including the famous 'Mona Lisa of the Galilee', Cana is the traditional site of the wedding miracle, and Mount Tabor is the traditional site of the Transfiguration.
Tip A car or a taxi is essential.
The Jezreel Valley spreads out beneath you, and Mount Tabor rises in the distance.
Tip Go late in the afternoon in clear weather.
Local food
Nazareth is a food destination in its own right, and one of the best places in Israel to eat Palestinian-Arab cooking.
Dozens of small dishes, from hummus and baba ghanoush to stuffed vine leaves, salads and cheeses, served at the start of a meal.
Where to try it Family restaurants in the old town.
Kebabs, lamb chops and shishlik grilled over charcoal and served with salads and bread.
Where to try it Grill restaurants on the main streets.
A hot cheese pastry with syrup, and Nazareth's speciality. Locals eat it for breakfast or dessert.
Where to try it Sweet shops in the old town.
Roasted chicken with sumac, caramelised onions and olive oil on taboon bread, a dish from the West Bank and Galilee.
Where to try it Traditional restaurants.
Bakeries make bread, pastries and sfiha, and open early.
Where to try it Bakeries near the market.
Strong cardamom coffee and sweet tea, served in cafés and shops.
Where to try it Cafés in the old town.
Accommodation
Most visitors visit Nazareth as a day trip, but staying overnight gives you a quiet evening and a proper meal. Options range from pilgrim guesthouses to boutique hotels.
Transport
Nazareth is about 100 km from Tel Aviv and 150 km from Jerusalem, and most visitors arrive by car or bus.
The old town is walkable, and the hills are steep.
When to go
Nazareth sits in the hills of the Lower Galilee and has a Mediterranean climate. It is pleasant for much of the year, hot in summer and wet in winter.
Green hills and warm, clear weather. Easter is very busy.
Hot, typically around 30°C, but milder than the coast. Go early and late.
Warm, quiet and clear, with good light.
Cool, wet and occasionally cold. Christmas brings a festive atmosphere and pilgrims.
Worth planning around: Sunday mornings, when many shops are closed, and Easter and Christmas weeks if you want quiet.
Itinerary
The churches and the market in the morning, a long lunch and a trip to Sepphoris or Mount Precipice in the afternoon. Assumes a car or taxi.
The pilgrimage sites and the town's food.
Travel tips
Nazareth is friendly and easy, and these tips help.
FAQ
Yes, for its significance to Christianity and for its living Arab culture and food. It is a good addition to a Galilee trip, and one day is enough to see the main sites.
It is the traditional site of the Annunciation and the hometown of Jesus in the Gospels. The Basilica of the Annunciation is one of the most important Christian pilgrimage sites.
Nazareth is generally regarded as safe for visitors, and it is a popular stop for pilgrims and tourists. Check current advice for the north, and follow local guidance.
On foot in the old town, and by car or taxi for day trips to Cana, Sepphoris and Mount Tabor. A guided tour can help with the history.
Yes. It is the largest Arab city in Israel, with a majority Muslim and a large Christian population. Arabic is the main language, and Hebrew and English are widely understood.
Yes, though it is a long day. Staying overnight and combining it with the Sea of Galilee is much more relaxed.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Nazareth, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Northern District, Lower Galilee, Israel
Israel's largest freshwater lake, with Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes on its north shore, hot springs and Tiberias to the west, and swimming and boats all year.
Don't miss Capernaum, where the ruins of a 4th-century synagogue stand beside the traditional house of Peter on the water's edge.
Explore Destination — The Sea of GalileeHaifa District, Mount Carmel, Israel
Israel's third-largest city and a model of mixed communities, home to the Baháʼí World Centre, a UNESCO-listed garden and shrine complex, the German Colony and a strong food scene.
Don't miss The Baháʼí Gardens' terraces, and the view from the top of Mount Carmel across the bay to Acre.
Explore Destination — Haifa & the Baháʼí GardensNorthern District, Jezreel and Beit She'an valleys, Israel
Two of the country's best archaeological sites, both close to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee: a UNESCO-listed tell of biblical significance, and one of the great Roman cities of the Decapolis.
Don't miss Beit She'an's Cardo, a Roman colonnaded street that runs uphill to a temple, with an intact theatre beside it.
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