Church of St. Joseph

The basics

The Church of St. Joseph is situated just across from the 2-story Basilica of the Annunciation, making it easy to get lost in the bigger structure’s shadow. Inside the modest church, you’ll find paintings depicting episodes from the life and death of Joseph. Down in the grotto, there are archaeological exhibits. You can visit the church independently or as part of a Nazareth tour, which typically also stop at other New Testament sites and the Sea of Galilee.

Things to know before you go

• When visiting churches in Nazareth, dress modestly and slip a shawl over bare shoulders in summer. Men should remove their hats when entering the church and you should refrain from speaking in loud voices.

• Many pilgrims toss spare coins into the ancient cistern in the church’s crypt as a blessing. To learn more about these traditions, consider visiting with a guide as part of a shared or private tour.

• The Church of St. Joseph is known by other names as well, including the Church of the Nutrition and the Church of Joseph’s Carpentry. The site is significant for Christians not only because they believe that Joseph’s home stood here, but because that dwelling would have been where Jesus spent his childhood.

How to get there

Many visitors arrive in Nazareth as part of a day trip from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. From the capital, Nazareth is around two hours by private car; there are also direct Egged buses available from the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. From Jerusalem, the trip takes slightly longer. Many guided tours include transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off. Independent travelers will also find plenty of inter-city buses throughout Nazareth as well as private taxis.

When to get there

Spring or autumn are the ideal times to visit Israel’s Galilee region. That’s when you’ll find the fewest crowds and the mildest temperatures. June, July, and August can get uncomfortably hot, making sightseeing on foot an arduous adventure. Winter can dip to surprisingly frigid daily averages, although Christmas is a festive time to be in Israel’s Christian neighborhoods.

Visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation

Because it’s right beside the Church of St. Joseph, many travelers tag on the Basilica of the Annunciation to their visit to Church of St. Joseph. Boasting a giant cupola, the lavish structure is one of the largest churches in the Middle East. Christians believe it’s where the annunciation took place (when the archangel Gabriel tells Mary she’ll give birth to a divine son). This feat of modern architecture is also home to an ancient grotto.