Visiting Capernaum – The Town of Jesus
How to Get to Capernaum - The Town of Jesus
The best way to visit Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, is to either rent a car or take a tour. Capernaum is about 150 kilometers from Tel Aviv and 190 kilometers from Jerusalem. By car, the trip to Capernaum will take an hour and a half from Tel Aviv and two hours from Jerusalem. Public transportation is also available from most of Israel’s major cities, but expect the transportation time to double.
I chose to visit Capernaum as part of a tour. The other stops on my tour were Nazareth and the Yardenit Baptism Site. This page will only focus on visiting Capernaum, the Town of Jesus. You can learn more about the other stops on this tour by clicking on the links above.
Capernaum is an Israeli National Park and is free to visit. The gates to Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, are open from 8 am to 4 pm, except Saturday, when the park is closed.
Visiting Capernaum - The Town of Jesus - Table of Contents
- How to Get to Capernaum
- Walking Around Capernaum – The Town of Jesus
- The Relics of Capernaum
- The Synagogue at Capernaum
- The Memorial Church of St. Peter
- The Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
- My Thoughts – Is it Worth Visiting Capernaum?
- Tours that Visit Capernaum
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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Walking Around Capernaum - The Town of Jesus
Capernaum is known as the town of Jesus. It is mentioned in the New Testament as the place where Jesus lived, taught, and performed many miracles. Jesus chose Capernaum as the location of his ministry. Here, he preached at the synagogue and healed the sick. For Christians, visiting Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, allows them to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Near the entrance gate to Capernaum, visitors will see a statue of “Homeless Jesus.” The purpose of this statue is to remind visitors that one of Jesus’ missions was to help the poor and that Jesus himself was at one time homeless. This statue was created in 2016 by Canadian Artist Timothy Schmalz.
Capernaum was a thriving town from around 2nd Century BC to 11th Century AD. The city of Capernaum was abandoned around the time of the First Crusade and buried under sand. It was rediscovered in the 19th Century, and excavations have been ongoing.
When walking around Capernaum, visitors will see the ruins of the Byzantine Village. These structures were built in the same location as the Roman Village, which were during the time of Jesus.
The Relics of Capernaum
On display near the entrance to Capernaum are stone relics from the 1st Century AD. According to our guide, many of these relics came from the Synagogue dating back to the 4th Century and were not from the time of Jesus Christ. The most interesting of the relics is a wheeled transport that is pictured below. Some people believe that this may be a carving of the Ark of the Covenant, which Christians believe housed God’s 10 Commandments. Our guide explained that although it is possible that this carving is of the Ark of the Covenant, it is more likely that it is of a cart used to transport a copy of the Torah.
Some of the other well-preserved carvings at Capernaum include a menorah and the Star of David.
The Synagogue at Capernaum
The Synagogue at Capernaum dates back to the 4th Century AD. If you look in the photo below, you can see a change in the stones. Archeologists believe that the 4th Century Synagogue was built on top of a 1st Century Synagogue. The smaller, darker colored stones below are from the 1st Century Synagogue where Jesus Christ likely preached.
Visitors can walk into the interior of the Synagogue at Capernaum. The Synagogue has gone through multiple restorations with the most recent being in 1976.
Behind the Synagogue at Capernaum are the ruins of the ancient Byzantine village. The Byzantine village was built in the exact same location as the Roman village where Jesus Christ began his ministry and performed miracles.
The Memorial Church of St. Peter
After visiting the 4th Century Synagogue at Capernaum, our next stop was the Memorial Church of St. Peter. Archeologists believe that this church may have been built on top of the home of the Apostle Peter.
The current church was built in the 1990s and replaced an ancient church from the 5th Century AD. It is believed that the 5th Century Church was built on top of a church dating back to the 1st Century AD, which may have been the first Christian Church.
Below the Memorial Church of St. Peter is the Grotto of St. Peter. It is possible that these remains are that of the house of Peter. The Grotto is visible both from the outside of the church and through a glass floor inside the church’s interior.
The Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
Our last stop at Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, was the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. During the time of Jesus, Capernaum’s proximity to the Sea of Galilee allowed it to become a fishing village.
We only spent a few minutes taking in the amazing views of the Sea of Galilee. Our guide explained that on the other side of the sea are Golan Heights and the country of Syria. He also told explained a few key stories from the Bible about Jesus and the Sea of Galilee. These stories included Jesus walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee and calming a violent storm.
My Thoughts - Is it Worth Visiting Capernaum?
One of the things I have been asked is, “Is Capernaum worth visiting?” I would say that Capernaum is definitely worth visiting. Tourists interested in history, or religion, have the chance to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and see the same views that Jesus once saw.
For me, a visit to Capernaum was perfectly paired with visiting Nazareth, the home of Jesus Christ, and the Yardinet Baptism Site on the Jordan River. I highly recommend a visit to Capernaum and wish I would have had more time to appreciate the unique history of this ancient city.
Tours that Visit Capernaum
One of the best ways to visit Capernaum is to take a tour. Tours typically visit other sites such as Nazareth, Tiberias, and the Jordan River. Below are two tour options that include Capernaum as part of the itinerary. 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.
 Capernaum, Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee Day Trip from Jerusalem - $122.00 Biblical Highlights of Nazareth, Tiberias, and the Sea of Galilee |
 Sea of Galilee, Capernaum and Nazareth Day Trip from Tel Aviv - $126.00 Biblical Highlights of Sea of Galilee, Tiberias, Nazareth, Day Trip from Tel Aviv |
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