Things to Do in Palestine in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Palestine
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
62°F (17°C)
High Temp
45°F (7°C)
Low Temp
0.2 inches (5 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Sudden cloudbursts flood wadis within minutes. Rural roads turn to chocolate. Plan buffer time.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December air in Palestine snaps clean and cold. Sunlight cuts sharper. Limestone walls in the Old City glow gold. Pine and charcoal drift from valley braziers.
- + Crowds stay thin until Christmas week. Footsteps echo in Bethlehem's Nativity grotto. Stillness finds you on the Dome of the Rock platform. No camera gridlock.
- + Slow food season. Steam rises from cumin-laced lentil soup in ancient Nablus cafés. Family kitchens dish out rich makloubeh. Vendors sell roasted chestnuts and syrup-soaked qatayef.
- + December light is a photographer's gift. Low sunbeams rake Ramallah's olive groves. Jerusalem alleys throw long, deep shadows. Summer glare is gone.
Considerations
- − The cold seeps. Thermometers claim 50°F (10°C), yet 70% humidity and stone walls suck heat from skin. Cafés move chairs indoors. Bring layers after dark.
- − December is the rain king. Showers hit hard, then vanish. A Hebron morning can flood staircases for an hour, then turn sunny. Flexibility rules.
- − After December 20, Christian pilgrims increase. Manger Square turns into guided chaos. Jerusalem and Bethlehem hotel rates jump. Come earlier for calm.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December air snaps sharp over Palestine's hills, a clean blade after the long summer bake. Midday sun still warms. But dusk drops fast. You will want a jacket once the sky bruises purple. Life slides indoors, into cafés where cardamom coffee steams against window glass. No big festivals are pinned to the calendar. Yet the city still hums with the low, anticipatory buzz of the coming holidays. Walk now and you get stone pathways cool under your boots, woodsmoke drifting from braziers, and views wiped clear of summer haze. Jerusalem turns into the star this month. Its lanes twist close enough to dodge a shower, and every wall feels older than the rain. Forget the coast; December is for culture chewed slowly. Spoon maqluba, rice and eggplant flipped onto a plate in a family diner, and let the city's centuries press against your shoulders.
Best seller! Jerusalem old city four quarters tour
guided_experienceYou will hear the call to prayer slap ancient stone, watch light stripe the vaulted souq, and feel chapels go hush after the market roar.
It gives a single, complete scaffold for the Old City's human maze.
Insider tip: Arrive early, while shopkeepers ratchet up shutters and spice pyramids still smell of night frost.
JERUSALEM private tour with ELAD VAZANA - Life in Israel & Palestine Then & Now
private_tourYou might sniff falafel sizzling at a stand he swears by, hear how the neighborhood has shifted, and feel Jerusalem's pulse thumping right beside its relics.
It is conversation, not commentary, on living here now.
Insider tip: Ask hard questions. The depth you get back equals the curiosity you feed in.
Full-Day Private and Guided Tour of the Jerusalem's Old City
day_tripInside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre the air is cool and still. Winter sun picks out every tile on the Islamic shrine.
Private means you linger where it matters and skip what does not.
Insider tip: Check dress codes and access for each sacred site. Waits vary and non-worshippers can be turned away.
Private Tour Jerusalem Old City
private_tourYou will bite warm ka'ek from a bakery tray, catch copper glints in dim shops, and layer bells, bargaining, and chanting in one echo.
Private guide plus classic stops, with room for detours.
Insider tip: Wear grippy shoes. Limestone paving slickens after even a quick December shower.
Magical Walking Tour in Old City of Jerusalem
walking_tourHunt Crusader crosses scratched above doorways, hear backgammon clack inside a hidden court, smell pickled turnips sharp from a barrel on the curb.
It shows the small textures hurried visitors march past.
Insider tip: Pick a guide who lives here. Longtime residents carry the best stories.
Explore Jerusalem's Old City
otherFeel the Arab souq press around you, watch sun spark the Dome's gold, hear prayers sink into the Western Wall stones.
Built for travelers who want structure without a shepherd.
Insider tip: Use the route as bones, then sit on a step and let Palestine stream by until the city's rhythm sticks to your skin.
Where to Stay in Palestine in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Throughout December, peaking December 24th-25th
Christmas Celebrations in Bethlehem
The city flips a switch. Manger Square blazes with lights, a 30-metre cedar lands like a flag, and the night vibrates with choirs, processions, drumbeats. Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity on 24 December is the global climax, televised live. Yet the weeks before belong to locals. Smaller concerts pop up in courtyards. Markets push olive-wood camels, honeyed sweets, hot qidra. Frankincense drifts from the basilica. Cardamom rises from street grills. Nowhere else smells like this.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Palestine Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Shoot Jerusalem's golden stone at dawn and dusk. December sun stays low. The glow lasts.
Caught in a late shower? Duck into a juice bar. December pomegranate is tart, ruby, perfect. One sip wakes you up.
Friday midday: many Muslim shops shut for prayers. Some reopen at three, some never. Shop Thursday.
Order sahlab. Hot milk thickened with orchid root, dusted with cinnamon and coconut. It's dessert you can drink.
Avoid These Mistakes
Thinking 45°F means light jacket? Wrong. Humidity bites after dark. Pack the puffer.
Self-driving across West Bank checkpoints without a guide? Don't. Routes change daily. Hire a local driver.
Base yourself only in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv? You will miss the beat. Sleep one night in Bethlehem or Ramallah. Dinners stretch. Streets calm. Conversations open.
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