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SITES IN PALESTINE

Guidebooks, Guides & Travel Agencies

• Alternative Tourism Group, Beit Sahour
• Guiding Star Ltd.
• The Ramallah Online Travel Guide
• Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange (PACE)
• Tour Guide: Aladin Siyam
• United Travel of Jerusalem
• Visit Palestine
  
  
  Hotels
  
• Alcazar, Jerusalem
• American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem
• Capitolina Hotel, Jerusalem
• City Inn Hotel, Jerusalem
• Commodore Hotel, Jerusalem
• Grand Park Hotel, Ramallah
• Jerusalem Hotel, Jerusalem
• The Hotels of Palestine
• Mount of Olives Hotel, Jerusalem
• Mount Scopus Hotel, Jerusalem
  
  
  Restaurants
  
• Angelo's Restaurant, Ramallah
• Askadinya Restaurant, Jerusalem
• Al-Bardouni Restaurant, Ramallah
• Flamingo's Restaurant, Ramallah
• Lambada Restuarant & Coffee Shop, Al-Ram
  
  
  Sites of interest
  
• Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Rotunda Inauguration Commemorative Website
• Why not also check the Arts & Culture section of this guide for information about organisations that hold events?

RECOMMENDED SITES OUTSIDE PALESTINE


• Qalqilya Homepage

Guides & Agencies

Alternative Tourism Group, Beit Sahour: http://www.patg.org/ - The Alternative Tourism Group "specialises in organising and supervising trips to Palestine" and will "take you deep into this uand supervising trips to Palestine" and will "take you deep into this unique land far from the well-trodden tourist trails and long queues to see the famous landmarks. Traveling with the ATG is intended to give insight into how people in the Holy Land think, work and live." The ATG can arrange meetings with scientific, poltical, religious and social organisations, from Palestinian and Israeli backgrounds. Info about student, tourist and volunteer trips is available with sample itineraries, a list of Palestinian organisations and associations, a collection of photos for the alternative tourist, and a Roots section, under construction, offering "discover your roots" tours to various agegroups of Diaspora Palestinian youth and reactions from people who have been on the tours. Added to Complete Guide: 6 January 1998. Top of page.


Birzeit University, Around Birzeit: The Ramallah Online Travel Guide: http://www.birzeit.edu/ramallah - Happily adopted by Birzeit University as part of its own website, this online travel guide researched, written and HTMLed by 1995/96 Birzeit Palestine and Arabic Studies student Ann Snow offers the most up-to-date travel information on what to do in the region around Birzeit University. The villages of Birzeit, Jiffna, Ein Kenya and Taybeh, as well as the more central cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh get a mention. More detail than any existing travel guide book, Lonely Planet and other book guides would be wise to beat a path to her door and ask for permission to use her material. Judging by their coverage of the West Bank, ranging from "we didn't think it was safe to send people there so we haven't written anything for 5 years" to the tiresome "Israel built Birzeit University" garbage, it is a matter of utmost international urgency. The guide includes information about museums, art galleries and cultural centres, hotels, shops and restaurants, going as far in some cases as to include complete menus! Unlikely to be supplanted by anything else in the near future, that's a cert. A definite Golden Olive. To be updated in early 1998. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Guiding Star Ltd: http://www.guidingstarltd.com Guiding Star is "a Christian family-owned tour company and operates in the Holyland, Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. The company is specialised in Christian pilgrimage and multi-country regional tours for groups or individuals." A nice looking site with good information for anyone planning to visit the region and wanting to know details about border crossings, maps, holiday times and places to see. Also has a section with letters from Guiding Star staff which give a personal feel to the places they can help you visit. Added to Complete Guide: 8 April 1999. Top of page.


Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange (PACE): http://www.planet.edu/~pace - PACE is a registered Palestinian non-governmental, non-profit organization that exists to establish and maintain cultural contacts between the Palestinian people and the peoples of the world. Its main goals are to "promote awareness of the importance of the Palestinian cultural heritage, and help protect it; and promote cultural tourism in Palestine, local and international, through scientific research, public education and awareness programs, and through organizing guided tours to tourist and cultural attraction sites in Palestine." A simple, brochure website with information about this Al-Bireh-based association. After English, there are Arabic, French and German options, with only the German option currently available. Added to Complete Guide: 5 February 1997. Review last updated: 16 December 1997. Top of page.


Tour Guide: Aladin Siyam: http://www.palnet.com/users/alasiyam/ - This one-page 'brochure' website offers contact information for Aladin Siyam, a Palestinian tour guide from Jerusalem. He says that he is "specialized with American tourists". I guess you'd have to be. On my Pentium 200 processor, the revolving world was going so fast I had to bail out of the page quickly. Added to Complete Guide: 7 May 1997. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


United Travel of Jerusalem: http://www.accessone.com/unitedtravel - 30 years after it began operating, United Travel launches on the Web. You will find very useful links to facts about climate, currencies, holidays, clothing and food, descriptions and photos of the holy and other sites, and coming 1998 tours. The latter includes two imaginative pilgrimages, "A Woman's Journey with Jesus" and "An Apostle's Journey with Jesus". The concept of each tour, itinerary and questions and answers you might have are all available, including a FAQ about your safety concerns. Yes, you'll be safe. Thanks to this webmaster for adding relevant links to other travel sites. A nice job and a site to watch for information on the coming Bethlehem 2000 celebrations. Good work! Added 6 January 1997. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Visit Palestine: http://www.visit-palestine.com/ - This website from the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities was designed by the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem. It offers town by town listings of sites, hotels, restaurants, souvenier stores, cultural centres and tour operators in Hebron, Bethlehem, Jericho, Jerusalem, Nablus, Gaza and Ramallah, along with general information about travel, annual events and a map. Simple and attractive. Added 24 January 1998. Top of page.

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Hotels

Alcazar Hotel: http://www.jrscazar.com/index.htm "The Alcazar is situated in Wadi El Joz, within easy walking distance of the major and historical sites of the city." Added to Complete Guide: 15 September 1998. Top of page.


American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem: http://www.aquarelles.com/amcol/ - Perhaps as the website boasts, the Colony is indeed "the most beautiful of all hotels in Jerusalem". Rich in history as well as tasteful colonial grandeur, this East Jerusalem hotel is the favourite of journalists and official visitors to Palestinian Jerusalem. Lawrence of Arabia and Jimmy Carter are amongst its previous guests. The website could have been implemented in a much better way to reflect the character of this hotel. Added to Complete Guide: 13 May 1998. Top of page.


Capitolina Hotel, Jerusalem: http://www.planet.edu/~ymcarp/hotel/capmain.htm - Part of the YMCA building in East Jerusalem, it has nice rooms, a roof with a good view, and a central location. Added to Complete Guide: 13 May 1998. Top of page.


The City Inn Hotel: http://www.cityinn-hotel.com/ A simple website for this hotel in Jerusalem.Added to Complete Guide: 15 September 1998. Top of page.


The Commodore Hotel: http://www.compunet-jer.com/commodore This hotel is situated on the foot of the Mt of Olives, a short walking distance from the Old City of Jerusalem. The hotel is a four story building with 45 simply and newly furnished rooms, fully air-conditioned rooms and facilities. Facilities include large multipurpose Banqueting facilities and a beautifully designed and decorated Arabic like tent hall "Al- Khaiam" with live music three days a week.Added to Complete Guide: 3 March 1999. Top of page.


Grand Park Hotel, Ramallah: http://www.ramallahgrandpark.com - A new hotel in Ramallah, it is big and plush, with a swimming pool, 36 rooms, and two royal suites with jacuzzis. A map helps you to get there. Added to Complete Guide: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Jerusalem Hotel, Jerusalem: http://www.jrshotel.com - An old favourite of those coming to visit contacts in the West Bank but wanting the convenience of being located in Jerusalem. A small but cosy hotel, with a variety of traditional and alternative tours arranged each week. Usual information about pricing and rooms with reservations possible by e-mail. Added to Complete Guide: 2 February 1998. Top of page.


The Hotels of Palestine: http://www.palestinehotels.com - On this website from the Arab Hotel Association, you will currently find links to information about hotels in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Gaza, Nablus, Jerisho, Ramallah. Links from the brief information to hotel homepages are present but incomplete. Added to Complete Guide: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Mount of Olives Hotel, Jerusalem: http://www.mtolives.com - This simple olive coloured website offers practical information about this famous Jerusalem hotel, costs and how to book, its history, and an excellent page with links to websites with information about olives. A bizzare homepage link to a presumably famous "Simon Davies at the Mount of Olives Hotel, Jerusalem, 05 December 1997" goes to a lobby photo of a portly, red-faced, potential heart attack victim in a jogging suit, holding a phone in one hand and a 3/4 empty bottle of red-label Johnny Walker. Oh dear. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Mount Scopus Hotel, Jerusalem: http://tor-pw1.netcom.ca/ ~makishek/mtscopus.html - A simple website offering booking information about this four star Jerusalem Hotel. Added to Complete Guide: 13 January 1997. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.

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Restaurants

Angelo's Restaurant, Ramallah: http://www.birzeit.edu/ramallah/angelos.html - A simple website for this Ramallah-based pizza place, including menu (with slightly out-of-date prices). Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Askadinya Restaurant, Jerusalem: http://www.bailasan.com/askadinya/ - A nice website for this Jerusalem gourmet restaurant, including map and menu (without prices). Added to Complete Guide: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Al-Bardauni Restaurant, Ramallah: http://www.albardauni.com/ - Website for this traditional, garden restaurant, including menu (without prices). Apparently, actor Robert De Niro, and the former American trade minister Ron Brown have eaten in Al-Bardauni. The restaurant is described without irony as "one of Ramallah’s tourist sites". Added to Complete Guide: 21 December 1997. Top of page.


Flamingo's Restaurant, Ramallah: http://www.birzeit.edu/ramallah/flamin.html - A simple website for this Ramallah-based restaurant specializing in Mexican food, including partial menu (with slightly out-of-date prices). Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.

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Sites of interest

Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Rotunda Inauguration Commemorative Website: http://www.birzeit.edu/palnews/sepulchre - Two years ago the three heads of the Christian communities looking after the Holy Sepulchre got together and agreed on a renovation and decoration plan for the dome above the tomb of Christ, ending 16 years of scaffolding with a flourish on 2 January 1997. History of the Sepulchre, photos from the renovation process and photos of the really stunning new dome. Added to Complete Guide: 6 January 1997. Review last updated: 21 December 1997. Top of page.

RECOMMENDED SITES OUTSIDE PALESTINE

Qalqilya Homepage: http://www.qalqilya.com/ - Qalqilia is a northern West Bank town that forms part of the Palestinian autonomous areas, with a population of 45,000. This excellent English, Arabic, and French website was made by Mudar Nofal, a Qalqilyian studying Industrial Technology in Grenoble, France. You will find an introduction to the town, information about its infrastructure, over 43 photos, and a clickable map of the town. Other maps showing the location of Qalqilya, include one of the West Bank, one of Israel/Palestine and even a world map! Qalqilya has the distinction of being the only place in the West Bank or Gaza Strip with a zoo, although no information is available about it yet. Would you want to visit Qalqilya? If you are the sort of tourist who wants to see Palestine as it is, why not! Added to Complete Guide: 21 December 1997. Top of page.