Palestine, State of

Palestine, especially the cities of Jerusalem (East), Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Jericho, combines deep history with everyday urban life. Before you start planning, check the latest travel advisories and entry requirements, as regulations and security conditions can change quickly. You’ll usually enter via Ben Gurion Airport in Israel or overland from Jordan through the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, then continue into the West Bank.

Use Hello’s trip planning tools to map out your route between key cities and sights, factoring in extra time for checkpoints and road closures. It’s wise to keep plans flexible: organize a core itinerary, then add optional stops like Hebron’s Old City, the Banksy Walled Off Hotel area in Bethlehem, or hikes near Wadi Qelt.

Stay connected with a Hello eSIM you activate before landing, so you can receive local updates, message guides, and access maps without relying on hotel Wi‑Fi or paying roaming fees. Save emergency contacts, your accommodation details, and important documents in the app. Given how rapidly conditions can change, having live data and a well-organized itinerary will make travel here more manageable and less stressful.

Most visitors move around the West Bank using shared minivans called "service" taxis, private taxis, or pre-arranged tours. Services connect major hubs like Ramallah–Jerusalem, Bethlehem–Hebron, and Jericho–Ramallah. They usually depart when full from central stations; ask locals or your guesthouse for the latest departure points and approximate fares. Carry small bills of Israeli shekels for fares.

Expect checkpoints and roadblocks; keep your passport and entry card accessible, and allow buffer time between cities. Avoid photographing security infrastructure and follow instructions from officers calmly and clearly. When renting a car, confirm with the agency where you’re allowed to drive, and ask whether the vehicle can enter both Palestinian-controlled areas and Israeli ones, as restrictions can apply.

Download offline maps and keep mobile data active through a Hello eSIM, so you can reroute on the fly if a road is closed. Use Hello’s trip planning feature to log exact addresses of stations and key landmarks, making it easier to show drivers where you’re heading. When sharing taxis or group tours, Hello’s expense splitting keeps everyone’s contributions clear, especially for multi-leg journeys where costs can quickly add up.

Palestinian cuisine is a highlight of any visit. In cities like Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Nablus, you’ll find casual spots selling falafel, shawarma, and fresh hummus, alongside bakeries offering mana’eesh (flatbread with za’atar or cheese) and the iconic Nablusi knafeh, a sweet cheese and semolina dessert soaked in syrup. Don’t miss hearty dishes like maqluba (rice, vegetables, and meat flipped upside down) or musakhan (sumac chicken with onions on taboon bread).

Coffee culture is strong here. Start your day at a café in Ramallah’s Al-Manara area or near Manger Square in Bethlehem with Arabic coffee or espresso and people-watch. Many restaurants do not serve alcohol, so look out for excellent fresh juices and mint lemonade. Typical street-food meals range around 20–40 ILS (roughly 5–10 USD) depending on the location.

Track your spending in Hello’s budget tracking tool to see how much you’re dedicating to food and drink, especially if you plan a mix of street eats and sit-down meals. When you’re dining with others and sharing several mezzes—tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, labneh—use expense splitting to handle the bill fairly without awkward calculations at the table.

Daily life in Palestinian cities runs on cash, primarily Israeli shekels (ILS), though you may occasionally encounter prices in Jordanian dinars (JOD) or US dollars (USD) for tours or larger services. ATMs are common in bigger cities like Ramallah and Bethlehem, but can be less reliable in smaller towns, so withdraw extra when you pass through major hubs. Keep a mix of small notes for taxis, snacks, and tips.

Mobile connectivity is crucial for navigating changing conditions, locating checkpoints, and contacting hosts. Activate a Hello eSIM before you arrive to avoid roaming charges and enjoy consistent data access from your first step off the plane. With steady internet, you can check live news, coordinate with guides, and keep your Hello trip planning itinerary synced across devices.

Use budget tracking to monitor costs for accommodation, transport, and activities in ILS, with notes if something is quoted in another currency. This helps you stay on top of spending in a place where prices can vary sharply between simple guesthouses, boutique hotels, and organized tours. In markets and small shops, many transactions are cash-only, so log these manually in the app at the end of each day to keep your budget accurate.