There are plenty of day trip possibilities from the city of Jerusalem. That’s why it’s such a pleasant place to stay for more than three to four days. I will write more about the other trips you could take from Jerusalem in a future post, because this one will focus on an accidental find. The little village of Ein Karem.
Ein Karem
I visited Israel in April, which coincides with the country’s Independence Day. Most of the sights would be closed, and that’s when I was advised to visit the town of Ein Karem. A small town with extensive history near Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. This ancient hillside village is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of Jerusalem.
It’s famed for its centuries-old holy sites. I visited some of these sights, but my main goal was to walk around the small town in order to take in the atmosphere. There are galleries and shops, plus quaint cafes and stylish restaurants dotted around the village’s narrow streets.
Church of the Visitation
One of these aforementioned ancient sights is the Church of Visitation, also known as Abbey Church of St. John in the Woods. It’s a bit of a hike up to this church and unfortunately we found its doors firmly shut, but that’s due to the timing of our visit.
This church lends its name from the fact that this is John the Baptist’s parental house. It’s a Catholic church which honours the visit paid by the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
Church of St. John the Baptist
I could easily link the next two sights of this tiny town to the previous story, but I’ll start at the place where John the Baptist was said to be born.
I don’t want to be funny, but I feel that I really got to know John the Baptist during this trip, because I found the place where he was born and were he used to work. Let’s not forgot to mention the fact that I have now also seen his parent’s summer house on the other side of the village.
Mary’s Spring
The other sight I could’ve linked to the first story is Mary’s Spring. This is where the Virgin Mary sipped from the waters. Therefore, they are considered holy by Catholic and Orthodox Christian pilgrims who visit the site and fill their bottles.
However, what looks like a spring is actually the end of an ancient aqueduct. The former Arab inhabitants built a mosque and school on the site, of which the minaret still remains.
How to get there
The best way to reach Ein Karem is by bus. There is an Egged bus line, the 28/28A, which runs directly from to the town. However, this bus doesn’t leave from the city centre of Jerusalem so it’s best to combine this trip with a visit to Yad Vashem, this where the bus departs.
Conclusion
Sometimes you stumble upon places you’ve never thought about before and they’re actually really worth a visit. I do a lot of travel research. Travel research is basically my status quo. I still like to be surprised with new sights and towns during my travels though. Ein Karem was such a village. An accidental find, but a good one at that.
