Bethlehem, situated in a fertile valley of the Maluti Mountains on the N5 highway, is the largest commercial, industrial & educational centre in the eastern Free State & the northern terminus of the mountain route.

The original settlers found that wheat flourished in the valley & hence the town was named Bethlehem (house of bread). Bethlehem was founded by the Voortrekkers during the 1840's & is the setting for a number of historical sandstone buildings, many of which are now provincial heritage sites.

The town sports numerous Guesthouses & B&B’s & proudly presents many avenues of entertainment, ranging from live performance theatres to gambling facilities neighboring modern Hotels & a small airport in the heart of it all.

On the outskirts of Bethlehem lay various retreats offering many forms of tourist activity such as 4x4 trails, quad biking, mountaineering, fishing, game drives & hiking. Fouriesburg, situated very close, shares in the amusement of the district in that one can view many sandstone buildings marking the heritage of the place. Sotho mud huts are arranged around the perimeter & confess of generations of hand downs of its occupants. A beautiful dam presents a waterfront with an entertainment venue while friendly & cozy pubs welcome any ravished patron with happy conversation be it over a glass of your favorite brew, or even a meal fit for a king. Sandstone mountains of cliffs & large boulders have rock climbers spoilt for choice. The drive through the passes is breathtaking & the monumental aggression of the appearances of these weather-carved backdrops has one spelbound in the face of the Creation.
On the neighboring borders of town, one becomes drawn even closer to nature by simply parking the car & traveling around on horseback as was done when Bethlehem was founded. The town has a full spectrum of shops to choose from and even a center/mall able to provide all that is needed.