Nazareth

Nazareth was a small farming village of a few hundred people in the Roman period, unremarkable enough that it is absent from earlier Jewish sources, and its importance comes entirely from the Gospels, which place Jesus's childhood there. Excavations in the city have found rock-cut tombs, cisterns, wine presses and the remains of first-century houses beneath the churches, and a Jewish village continued through the Roman and Byzantine centuries, when the first churches were built over the venerated sites.

Pilgrimage made the town. Byzantine and then Crusader churches rose over the grotto of the Annunciation; the Crusaders made Nazareth a bishopric, and after their defeat the churches were destroyed and Christian presence came and went for centuries. The Franciscans gained a permanent footing in the 17th century under Ottoman rule, and Daher al-Umar, the strongman of the Galilee, encouraged Christians to settle in the 18th century, which set the city's mixed character. Orthodox, Melkite, Maronite, Anglican and other communities built churches, and Nazareth grew into a regional market town.

In 1948 Nazareth was taken by Israeli forces but, unusually, its population was not displaced, and it absorbed refugees from surrounding villages, becoming the largest Arab city in the new state. Under military administration until 1966 it became a centre of Arab political life, long governed by Communist-led coalitions. Nazareth Illit, now Nof HaGalil, was founded on the hills above in 1957. The modern Basilica of the Annunciation, designed by Giovanni Muzio, was completed in 1969, and the city has since developed a strong food and cultural scene, with the Old City steadily restored.

Nazareth is the cultural capital of Arab citizens of Israel: its newspapers, theatre, bands and restaurants set trends followed in Arab towns across the country, and the city keeps a reputation for political argument and civic pride. The population is mostly Muslim with a large Christian minority, and the two communities share streets, schools, businesses and family celebrations, although relations have had tense moments, notably a dispute over building beside the basilica around the turn of the century.

Religious life is visible everywhere. Church bells and the call to prayer overlap; Christmas is a city-wide season of lights and services that draws visitors from across the country, and Easter is marked twice because the Western and Eastern calendars differ. Ramadan fills the lanes with late-night life, and pilgrimage groups move between the churches all year, so the streets mix residents with visitors from around the world.

Hospitality is a point of honour: coffee with cardamom is offered at once, meals are large and guests are pressed to eat more. Arabic is the everyday language, with Hebrew and enough English for visitors. Music runs from classical Arabic song to Palestinian hip hop, and the restored Ottoman houses now host galleries, cultural centres and small venues, while the city has become a weekend destination for Israelis coming for the food.

About 76,000 people live in Nazareth, making it the largest Arab city in Israel, and roughly 200,000 live in the wider built-up area with Nof HaGalil and the surrounding towns and villages. The city is packed onto steep slopes, with building land scarce and traffic heavy, and many residents commute to Haifa or work in the Jezreel Valley's industrial zones.

The economy runs on commerce, services, health care, education, a growing technology sector shared with Nof HaGalil, and tourism to the holy sites. Shops and workshops line the lower streets, and the market supplies a wide rural hinterland. Municipal budgets and infrastructure have long lagged behind Jewish cities of similar size, and housing shortages push families to neighbouring towns; organised crime and gun violence in Arab communities have become a leading public concern nationally.

Days begin early with school runs, market deliveries and the bakeries; the afternoon slows in the heat; and evenings bring families out to the cafés and restaurants. The weekend is staggered, with Friday important for Muslims, Sunday for Christians and Saturday closures in nearby Jewish areas. Visitor numbers have fallen sharply since 2023, hitting the guesthouses, restaurants and shops that depend on pilgrimage.

Nazareth has a strong claim to the best Arab cooking in the country. Meals begin with mezze: hummus and its variations, labneh with olive oil, mutabbal of smoked aubergine, tabbouleh, pickles and warm flatbread, followed by charcoal-grilled lamb and chicken skewers or slow-cooked dishes. Kubbeh — bulgur shells filled with spiced meat and pine nuts, fried or served raw as a paste — is a Galilean speciality, as are stuffed vine leaves and courgettes, and maqluba, rice, meat and vegetables turned out of the pot upside down.

Bread and pastry are everywhere: manakish flatbreads spread with za'atar or cheese, sfiha topped with spiced lamb, and the sesame rings sold from barrows. Freekeh, green wheat roasted while young and cooked with chicken, appears on better menus, and fattoush salads use sumac and toasted bread.

The sweet shops are the city's signature. Knafeh, shredded pastry over soft white cheese soaked in sugar syrup and scattered with pistachio, is cut from huge trays and eaten warm; baklava, halva, ma'amoul date biscuits and sugared almonds fill the windows, and boxes are bought as gifts. Coffee is Arabic, boiled with cardamom and served in small cups, tea comes with fresh mint or sage, and arak, the aniseed spirit that clouds with water, accompanies long mezze meals.