Which one to choose in Bethlehem
Two churches in Bethlehem. Chapel of the Milk Grotto has no online ticket listed; Church of Saint Catherine, Bethlehem has no online ticket listed. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Bethlehem, Palestine
The grotto is five minutes on foot from the Church of the Nativity, down a lane at the eastern edge of the old town of Bethlehem, and entry is free. Almost every pilgrimage tour of Bethlehem includes it after the basilica, and that order makes sense because the contrast is the point: one is a crowded fourth-century church under three competing denominations, the other a small quiet chapel run by Franciscans where visitors sit.
Bethlehem, Palestine
The Church of Saint Catherine stands in Bethlehem, directly adjoining the Church of the Nativity on Manger Square, and entry is free. It is the Roman Catholic parish church of Bethlehem, run by the Franciscans, while the Church of the Nativity is shared by Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic communities. Almost all tours of Bethlehem visit both churches, often with the Milk Grotto and Shepherds' Field, usually on a half-day trip from Jerusalem;
| Chapel of the Milk Grotto | Church of Saint Catherine, Bethlehem | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Chapel | Church |
| Opened | 1872 | 1882 |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | none listed | none listed |
| Official website | yes | — |