3 Best Sights in Abu Gosh, Around Jerusalem and the Dead Sea

This vineyard consistently produces some of the country's best wines. The small winery, with its exquisite cellar, runs tours and tastings of wine and cheese. Coordinate your visit in advance, and note that the minimum age to enter is 18.

Built in 1924, this church is said to be on the site where the Ark of the Covenant remained for 20 years in the ancient town of Kiryat Yearim. A statue of Mary holding Jesus in her arms towers above the structure and can be seen across the village. The Byzantines built a church on the same site in the 5th century, and pieces of floor mosaic and other telltale leftovers give this sanctuary a patina far richer than its age. The church is on the property of the Notre Dame Arche D'Alliance monastery and is surrounded by gardens offering views of the village below. The church is closed for renovations through October 2023, but during this period, visitors are still allowed to tour the grounds and stay overnight in the 30-room guesthouse. 

The Crusaders believed that Abu Gosh was the site where Jesus revealed himself after his resurrection, and, in the 12th century, they built this Benedictine monastery to commemorate the event. Parts of it still stand today, showcasing some of the best-preserved Crusader architecture in the country. Magnificent frescoes cover the walls, and a small stream bubbles from an underground crypt. There is still a religious community here: try to visit during prayers, which are recited in Gregorian chant. There is a small guesthouse that takes reservations via email.