The Holy Land Blog

Stories, guides, and local knowledge from Elijah Tours — written by people who live here

The Mount of Olives Jerusalem Guide 2026: What to See, When to Go, and How to Do It Right
The Mount of Olives Jerusalem Guide 2026: What to See, When to Go, and How to Do It RightThe Mount of Olives is a ridge just east of Jerusalem's Old City, across the Kidron Valley. Read more
The Holy Land in Autumn 2026: Why Fall Is the Best-Kept Secret Season for Christian Pilgrims
The Holy Land in Autumn 2026: Why Fall Is the Best-Kept Secret Season for Christian PilgrimsAutumn (late September to November) is the best-kept-secret season for a Holy Land pilgrimage: mild weather... Read more
The Complete Nazareth Guide 2026: The Town Where Jesus Grew Up
The Complete Nazareth Guide 2026: The Town Where Jesus Grew UpNazareth is the town in the Lower Galilee where Jesus grew up. Pilgrims come for the Basilica of the Annunc... Read more
Jericho Holy Land Guide 2026: The World's Oldest City for Christian Pilgrims
Jericho Holy Land Guide 2026: The World's Oldest City for Christian PilgrimsJericho is honestly the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth. It sits 250 meters below sea level in ... Read more
The Qasr el-Yahud Baptism Site: Where Jesus Was Baptized and How to Visit in 2026
The Qasr el-Yahud Baptism Site: Where Jesus Was Baptized and How to Visit in 2026Qasr el-Yahud is the baptism site on the western bank of the Jordan River, about 10 kilometers east of Jeri... Read more
What to Pack for a Holy Land Pilgrimage in 2026: A Bethlehem Guide's Honest Packing List
What to Pack for a Holy Land Pilgrimage in 2026: A Bethlehem Guide's Honest Packing ListPack one broken-in pair of closed-toe walking shoes, modest layered clothing with a scarf, $200 in small US... Read more
The Complete Jericho Guide 2026: Walking the World's Oldest City as a Christian Pilgrim
The Complete Jericho Guide 2026: Walking the World's Oldest City as a Christian PilgrimJericho is the world's oldest continuously inhabited city — about 10,000 years old — and sits 258 meters be... Read more
The Milk Grotto in Bethlehem 2026: The Sacred Site Most Pilgrims Almost Miss (A Local Guide)
The Milk Grotto in Bethlehem 2026: The Sacred Site Most Pilgrims Almost Miss (A Local Guide)The Milk Grotto is honestly a small chalk-white cave chapel about 200 meters southeast of Manger Square in ... Read more
What to Eat in Bethlehem in 2026: A Local Guide to Palestinian Food and Where to Find It
What to Eat in Bethlehem in 2026: A Local Guide to Palestinian Food and Where to Find ItBethlehem food is Palestinian food at its most honest — musakhan from a clay oven, taboon bread still warm,... Read more
Bethlehem's Living Christian Community in 2026: The Story No Tour Brochure Tells You
Bethlehem's Living Christian Community in 2026: The Story No Tour Brochure Tells YouAbout 28,000 Christians live in the Bethlehem governorate today — the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and... Read more
The Complete Church of the Nativity Guide 2026: History, Logistics, and What Your Tour Won't Tell You
The Complete Church of the Nativity Guide 2026: History, Logistics, and What Your Tour Won't Tell YouThe Church of the Nativity sits on the spot Christians have marked as the birthplace of Jesus since the yea... Read more
Private Holy Land Tour vs Group Tour in 2026: An Honest Comparison From a Bethlehem Guide
Private Holy Land Tour vs Group Tour in 2026: An Honest Comparison From a Bethlehem GuideSo you want to come to the Holy Land in 2026 and you're stuck on the same question every other pilgrim asks... Read more