How to Visit Nazareth – The Home of Jesus Christ
How to Get to Nazareth from Tel Aviv
Nazareth, the home of Jesus Christ, was one of the top destinations I wanted to visit during my trip to Israel. Before visiting, the first thing I needed to figure out was how to get to Nazareth from Tel Aviv, where my hotel was located. Nazareth is about 105 kilometers from Tel Aviv, which takes about an hour and fifteen minutes with normal traffic.
After doing some research, I learned the best ways to travel from Tel Aviv to Nazareth are either by renting a car or taking a tour. A third option would be public transportation, although it doubles the travel time to two hours and thirty minutes.
I chose to take a tour of Nazareth with the company BeinHarim. The tour cost just over $100 and visited the important sights in Nazareth, including the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. After spending some time in Nazareth, the tour also would visit the Church of the Multiplication in Tabgha, Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, and the Yardenit Baptism Site.
This page is only going to focus on the Nazareth portion of the tour. To learn about the other sites, click on the links above.
Video Highlights of My Trip to Nazareth
How to Visit Nazareth - The Home of Jesus Christ- Table of Contents
- How to Get to Nazareth from Tel Aviv
- Video Highlights of My Trip to Nazareth
- The Importance of the Basilica of the Annunciation
- Visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation
- The Importance Church of St. Joseph
- Visiting the Church of St. Joseph
- The Byzantine Village in Nazareth
- My Thoughts on Visiting Nazareth
- Nazareth Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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The Importance of the Basilica of the Annunciation
The first stop on our tour of Nazareth was the Basilica of the Annunciation. The Basilica of the Annunciation is important to Christians because it is believed to be the site of the Angel Gabriel’s annunciation to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. The original Basilica of the Annunciation was built in the 4th century AD, with the current structure dating back to the 1960s.
It is important to note that not all Christians believe that this is the site of the Annunciation. Some Christians believe the Annunciation took place in other locations such as Bethlehem or Ephesus. There is no archaeological evidence to support any of these claims, so the exact location of the Annunciation remains a mystery.
Visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation
On our way to the Basilica of the Annunciation, there was a traffic accident just outside of the entrance to the town of Nazareth. Our tour bus was able to exit the main road and take an alternative route. As a result of the traffic, we were the first tour group to arrive at the Basilica of the Annunciation and had the entire church to ourselves.
As stated above, the current Basilica of the Annunciation was built in the 1960s. This modern Basilica features windows that resemble the letter “M” for Mary. There are six biblical figures carved into the brick walls of the church. At the top are Gabriel and Mary, and then below are Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Door of the Basilica of the Annunciation
Before we entered the Basilica of the Annunciation, our guide spent a few minutes showing us the door. The door to the Basilica of the Annunciation is made of bronze and was created by the Italian artist Arnaldo Pomodoro. The door depicts important events from the life of Jesus Christ. To the left of the door is another bronze relief that shows events from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
The photos below show examples both from the door of the Chruch of the Annunciation and the bronze relief to the left of the door.
Above the entrance to the Basilica of the Annunciation is a beautiful Byzantine-style mosaic ceiling.
The Grotto of the Annunciation
Upon entering the Basilica of the Annunciation, visitors first have a chance to see the Grotto of the Annunciation. Most Christians believe that this is the exact location where the Angel Gabriel explained to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus Christ.
As stated before, we were extremely lucky to be able to visit the Grotto of the Annunciation before the other tour buses arrived. Our guide explained that typically, the Grotto is crowded, and visitors have to wait for their turn to view the Grotto of the Annunciation up close.
The Grotto of the Annunciation is a small cave that the Basilica of the Annunciation is built around. In the photo below, you can see a worker carefully restoring the walls of the cave.
Inside the Basilica of the Annunciation
After visiting the Grotto, we walked up the stairs to the Basilica of the Annunciation. The Basilica of the Annunciation is a church that was built over the location of the Grotto of the Annunciation. As stated earlier, the current Basilica of the Annunciation was built in the the 1960s.
In the middle of the Basilica of the Annunciation is an opening on the floor that looks down towards the Grotto of the Annunciation. The opening allows worshippers to see the cave from the Basilica.
The Dome of the Basilica of the Annunciation is decorated with a Byzantine-style mosaic. The mosaic is made up of thousands of pieces of colored glass and stone and can be seen through the opening on the floor from the Grotto.
Main Mural - The Basilica of the Annunciation
Behind the main altar of the Basilica of the Annunciation is a large mural. This mural is divided into three sections, with the top section depicting the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The middle section depicts the Virgin Mary and the Apostles, and the bottom section represents the Christian Church by displaying a variety of people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Mary Mosaics - Basilica of the Annunciation
In addition to the main mural displayed above, there are hundreds of smaller mosaics of Mary that have been donated by the countries of the world. Each mosaic depicts Mary differently, as the mosaic is influenced by the unique culture and religious traditions of the artists’ country. These mosaics are on display inside the Basilica of the Annunciation and throughout the Basilica’s grounds.
In total, our tour group spent about 45 minutes touring the Basilica of the Annunciation. After exiting the Basilica, we walked a very short distance to the Church of St. Joseph, which honors Joseph, the father of Jesus Christ.
The Importance Church of St. Joseph
Our second stop during our tour of Nazareth, Israel, was the Church of St. Joseph. The Church of St. Joseph is important to Christians because it was built over the location where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus lived. Next to the Holy Family’s home, there is also a location that is believed to be the workshop of Joseph, the father of Jesus.
Like the Basilica on the Annunciation, there is no consensus that this is the actual home and workshop of Joseph, father of Jesus. Some religious scholars believe that it is unlikely that Joseph’s workshop was located so close to his home.
The current Church of St. Joseph was built in 1914 and replaced the original 12th-century church.
Visiting the Church of St. Joseph
The Church of St. Joseph is a much simpler structure than the Basilica of the Annunciation. Above the main altar is a photo of Mary, Joseph, and a young Jesus. During our visit, there was a group of worshippers actively praying. To give them privacy, I did not take many photos inside the Chruch of St. Joseph.
The Grotto of St. Joseph
Located below the Church of St. Joseph is a small cave that Christians believe served as the home of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.
Above the Grotto of St. Joseph is a mosaic showing Mary, Joseph. and Jesus.
Joseph's Workshop
Many Christians believe that Joseph’s workshop was adjacent to the home of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Visitors to the Church of St. Joseph can look at the entrance to Joseph’s workshop, but cannot go inside the workshop. The exact location of Joseph’s workshop is open for debate. Some scholars believed that it was likely Joseph’s workshop was closer to the Grotto of the Annunciation.
The Byzantine Village in Nazareth
As we walked back to our bus, our guide took us past the ruins of a Byzantine Village in Nazareth. Our guide explained that this village dates back to around the 4th Century AD.
He continued to explain that we know these ruins do not date back to the time of Jesus because, during the 1st Century AD, people in Nazareth were still living in caves.
There are two Byzantine Mosaics on display. Both of these mosaics used to be on the ground but have been hung on the walls for easier viewing.
My Thoughts on Visiting Nazareth
For a Global Studies teacher who teaches the religions of the world, a trip to Nazareth was incredibly interesting. Even though the exact locations of the Annunciation and the home of Mary and Joseph are open for debate, it was surreal to see the locations where Jesus Christ may have stood.
I highly recommend visiting these holy sites with a guide. If I had not had a local expert leading me around, I would have missed out on a lot of knowledge.
In the section below, I will link a few tours that visit the holy sites of Nazareth, Israel.
Nazareth Tours and Packages
Listed below are a variety of tours that stop in Nazareth. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a tour using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Nazareth, Tiberias, and Sea of Galilee Day Tour - Small Group - $120.00 Biblical Highlights of Nazareth, Tiberias, and the Sea of Galilee |
 Jordan River, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee Day Trip from Tel Aviv - $126.00 Biblical Highlights of the Galilee |
 Private Tour to Nazareth & Sea of Galilee & Jordan River Yardenit - Exclusive - $280.00 We guarantee this will be the best day you spend in Israel, Holy Land. |
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