Church of the Nativity vs Church of Saint Catherine, Bethlehem
Two churches in Bethlehem. Church of the Nativity has 1 ticket or tour to book; 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.
Entry is free and no ticket exists; the queue for the grotto is the cost. Almost all visitors arrive on a tour from Jerusalem, because Bethlehem lies in the West Bank and crossing the checkpoint is easier with a Palestinian-registered vehicle and a guide who knows the procedure; those half-day trips cost a moderate amount and usually include Manger Square, the Milk Grotto and a souvenir workshop. Israeli hire cars are generally not insured to enter Area A, so driving yourself is inadvisable.
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;
