Palestine - Useful information for your trip

Palestine is a region in the Middle East of Asia, sorrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan river, the Dead Sea, the Red Sea and Egypt. Troubled by decades of wars with Israel, Palestine nowadays claims East Jerusalem as its capital city, while "de facto" the main city is Ramallah.

Palestine is crossed north by Jordan river which divides it in two parts, West Bank to the west and Transjordan to the east. The West Bank, being the largest and most fertile area, is home to the most important cities and is again subdivided into Galilee, Samaria and Judea. Palestine is situated in the subtropical region and its climate is characterized by two main seasons, winter or rainy seasons, lasting from November to March, and summer, or dry season, from April to October.

Vegetation varies from region to region; on the Mediterranean coasts and in Jordan valley it's typically Mediterranean, while the rest of the territory is made up of desert lands with an arid climate.

Palestinian economy is in poor condition, especially due to political instability. Agriculture is still practised with traditional methods and gives very scarce results. Nonetheless olive growing is strongly developed and Palestinians are considered as the main producers of olives in the world. Breeding is quite relevant, especially of sheep and goats. Heavy industry is practically non -existent and population is still devoted to handicraft, practised on a familiar basis. Finally, natural gas exploitation is banned by the Israeli government, while exploitation of the potassium salts of the Dead Sea finds it hard to thrive.

During a tour, a stay or holiday in Palestine, you cannot think you are going on a simple tourist holiday. The experience of this land is intense; just think of Jerusalem, the place where the three religions of the Book meet, or Bethlehem, believed to have been Jesus' birthplace and where the Church of the Nativity is to be found. Finally Ramallah, the actual capital city of the state, full of clubs, cinemas, concert halls, where nightlife will surely amaze you.