One Day In Nablus, Palestine: A Day Trip From Ramallah

I knew during my adventures around the West Bank that I wanted to make it to the city of Nablus, Palestine. Famous for its olive oil production and regarded by many as the originator of knafeh (the greatest dessert ever), I made a point to visit this bustling, Palestinian metropolis during my week traveling solo in the West Bank. I’m very glad that I had the opportunity to spend the day in Nablus, which makes for a wonderful day trip during a visit to Palestine. Here is everything you need to know about visiting Nablus, Palestine, including how to get there from Ramallah, things to see and do around the city, and more!

Getting to Nablus from Ramallah

I visited Nablus as a day trip from Ramallah. I went on my own, without a tour group. This was very straightforward and an easy option for travelers who prefer to move independently of groups, though a tour group is also a great option for folks who don’t want to plan a day trip, or who would like more background and information about the places they are visiting.

To get to Nablus from Ramallah, you can take one of two buses: there are small Service buses, or larger coach buses. The Service buses were recommended to me because they are faster and more direct, though they are slightly more expensive (the Service bus costs 16 shekels, and the coach bus costs about 7 shekels). The Service buses leave from a parking garage just a few blocks away from the Ramallah Terminal in the city center. Note that you will need to wait for the Service buses to fill up before they leave. The coach buses leave directly from the Ramallah Terminal. Travel between Ramallah and Nablus takes about one hour.

Also, as with travel anywhere in the West Bank, make sure to always carry your passport and Israeli visa with you, even for a day trip. There are checkpoints on the road between Ramallah and Nablus, and “pop up” checkpoints may also appear.

Things to do in Nablus, Palestine

There is plenty to do in Nablus, though personally I found that a day trip was a sufficient amount of time in the city. The main tourist attraction is the old city, which contains a large souq (سوق, Arabic for marketplace) where you can find everything from vegetables, to fresh bread, to furniture, to clothing, and more. Markets in the Arab world are a must-see for visitors, so take your time wandering through the area (and stock up on provisions if you can!). Also in the old city is the famous Manara Clocktower, located next to Al-Nasr Mosque.

In the old souq is the famous bakery Al-Aqsa Sweets. Make sure to try the knafeh there, which in and of itself is worth the visit to Nablus. Knafeh is one of the most famous desserts in the Arab world, a hot, cheese-based dish that’s topped with nuts and a sugary syrup. One of the most well-known types of knafeh comes from Nablus, and in fact is called كنافة نابلسية, or Nabulsi knafeh. Al-Aqsa Sweets is renowned by Palestinians for having the best knafeh. Personally speaking, it did not disappoint!

Palestine is famous for its olive production, and the vast majority of the olive tree groves in the West Bank are located near Nablus. Within the old city of Nablus are a number of historic soap factories, where soap was (and in some cases, still is!) made from the locally harvested olive oil. I would definitely recommend taking a tour of one of the soap factories in the city. I visited Abualrous Soap Factory, just a few blocks from Al-Aqsa Sweets, where I was given a free tour from one of the employees and had the opportunity to learn all about the process of producing olive oil soap and the cultural importance of this practice for the people of Nablus. Definitely recommended! Also, be sure to support whichever factory you visit by buying some olive oil soap. It makes a great gift for friends back home, or for yourself. If you’ve never tried it, it’s actually very lovely to use – it smells great and it’s super hydrating!

To wrap up my day in Nablus, I went looking for a view. The city itself is set in a valley, nestled between two mountains. Once I had finished wandering around the old city, I went just north of the main road and started climbing stairs… and kept climbing until I turned around to see a stunning view of the city sprawling up the mountainside.

Other activities in and around Nablus

Otherwise, there are plenty of things to do in Nablus that I simply didn’t have time for, but that are feasible during a longer visit to Nablus. If you want an even better view than the one I haphazardly found by climbing stairs, keep going up (or take a taxi) to Sama Nablus Park. I hear it’s particularly nice at sunset. You can also visit Jacob’s Well and the Orthodox church built around it, located slightly southeast of the city center (it would be best to take a taxi from the center of Nablus to arrive here). This is an important religious site for the Samaritan, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faiths.

For some pampering, why not visit a hammam, or Turkish Bath? Hammam Alshifaa in the old city of Nablus is the most famous. At the hammam, you can get a scrubdown to remove dead skin cells, a facial, a massage… Note that Hammam Alshifaa is only open to women two days per week (Sundays and Tuesdays), and the rest of the week is only open to men.

Otherwise, if you feel like venturing slightly outside of Nablus, you can visit Mount Jirzim (also called Mount Gerizim) just south of Nablus. There is a small community of Samaritans who live on the mountain, and travelers can visit the archaeological park and museum, as well as enjoy some pretty incredible views of Nablus and the surrounding landscape.

Nablus: to day-trip or not?

Because I visited Nablus as a day-trip from Ramallah, my experiences in the city are limited, so take this guide as an introduction to Nablus, not an authority on Nablus! Originally when I was planning out my travels in the West Bank, I had anticipated spending a night or two in Nablus, not going as a day trip. However, as my trip materialized and plans changed, I realized that I didn’t have the time to go overnight, so a day trip it would have to be.

Personally, I’m glad that I went as a day trip, because I didn’t feel the same sense of wonder and contentment in Nablus that I felt in Ramallah or Bethlehem. Don’t get me wrong, I feel like Nablus has a lot to offer. However, I didn’t interact on real levels with many people during my stint in the city (in contrast with the interactions I found myself having in the same amount of time in Ramallah, or less). In Nablus, people generally left me alone. At times I felt slightly aimless while wandering around Nablus, though I think that was largely due to poor planning on my part. I didn’t have a lot of time to get to the sites outside of the city center, such as Jacob’s Well or Mount Gerizim, and a few hours felt like more than enough for just the city center.

I think that Nablus is a fine day trip for a solo traveler, and as a sola woman I felt perfectly safe there. However, I do think that you would likely get more out of your time if you go with a (preferably Palestinian!) friend who knows the city well, or with a tour guide who could offer more insight as to the history and culture of the city and its surroundings. Otherwise, going and spending a night or two is also a good way to get to know the city on a deeper level. But for solo travelers, I recommend Ramallah or Bethlehem over Nablus as a base. After my day trip to Nablus, I was very happy to return to Ramallah.

Practical tips for a day trip to Nablus

If you’re looking to wander the old city, eat lunch and knafeh, and visit a soap factory as your day trip, then a few hours in Nablus is more than sufficient. (Nablus is one of the largest cities in the West Bank, but the city center is still easily navigable on foot.) However, if you’re looking to venture out of the city, to the parks or the ruins, I would allot more time, or consider doing an overnight trip. Also note that Nablus is along the way to other notable cities in the northern West Bank, such as Sebastia and Jenin, so if you’re looking to spend more time in northern Palestine, you may want to consider making Nablus your base.

Google Maps doesn’t recognize Palestine, so even the offline, cached maps have very limited functionality in Nablus and throughout the West Bank. But if you’re concerned about getting lost in Nablus, be sure to download the MAPS.ME app. This app is so helpful for travel in Palestine, as you can download detailed maps to your phone for offline use. I found this particularly helpful in Nablus since I went on my own, and thus didn’t have a map provided by my hotel or hostel for use in the city. (Though also note that you can always head into a local hotel or hostel and ask for a map!).

Also a note on language: Nablus, like most places in the West Bank, is primarily Arabic-speaking. Tourists will likely encounter some people who speak English, though the level of English varies from person to person. I recommend learning a bit of basic Arabic (greetings, how to order in a restaurant, simple questions) to get the most out of your visit.

All in all, Nablus is a great place to spend the day (or longer, if you can!). I definitely recommend it as a day trip, and it’s an easy journey from Ramallah. If I could do it again I would definitely take advantage of visiting some of the surrounding sites and attractions… Perfect for the next trip to Palestine!

If you like this post, be sure to check out my guide to solo (female) travel throughout the West Bank, my post on Bethlehem, Palestine and the separation wall, and my narrative about the joy I found while hiking in Palestine.

When you travel, do you enjoy taking day trips, or do you prefer overnight stays or longer visits in a place? Is Nablus on your bucket list? Have you tried Nabulsi knafeh? (If so, how do you find it compares to knafeh elsewhere?) What has been your favorite day trip that you’ve taken while traveling? Let me know in the comments below!

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