Tel Aviv is one of the most visited cities globally, and even National Geographic fell in love with Tel Aviv seashore. In many magazines, such as Conde Nast Traveler, the unique city of Tel Aviv is stands out among other cities because of its many peculiarities like the Bauhaus architecture, the White City, Neve Tzedek, Florentin, the seaside promenade with the numerous beaches, and so on. Tel Aviv is also well-known for the beach esplanades, the green parks, the shopping centres, the nightclubs, the museums and the open-air marketplaces. There are many cool things to do in Tel Aviv, especially in the places depicted in this blog post.
Things To Do in Tel Aviv
Coffee
There are so many things to do in Tel Aviv, and starting the day with a good coffee is always a good idea; in Tel Aviv, there are so many cafes where it is enjoyable to sit down and savour a delicious fresh coffee. And it is the occasion to taste a Cafe Hafuch, the Israeli upside-down coffee, with a shot of espresso on top of steamed milk. Additionally, it is a pleasure to taste an iced coffee in the sea breeze in the summertime!
Breakfast in Tel Aviv
Israeli breakfast is renowned for its variety of tasty food such as many sauces and spreads, together with salads, eggs, bread and of course coffee and fresh juices. The most famous Israeli breakfast is the shakshuka, which is a dish based on poached eggs in tomato sauce, peppers, onion, garlic and spices. After breakfast, it is a good idea to have a walk in the city centre of Tel Aviv and check the many cloth shops and boutiques.
Lunch
As lunch, it is recommendable to taste the typical Israeli street food such as pita with falafel or shawarma, and the many fresh salads. And of course, the Israeli ice cream is delicious and one of the best in the world. There is also dairy-free or vegan ice cream and excellent frozen yoghurts.
The Markets In Tel Aviv
A tour in the markets of Tel Aviv and Jaffa is one of the main steps during a visit to Israel. The best five markets in the area are the HaCarmel Market, the Levinsky Market, the Tel Aviv Port Market, the Sarona Market and the Flea Market in Jaffa.
Museums And Art
Furthermore, Tel Aviv is a city full of art and architecture styles; hence, it is unmissable to tour this beautiful city’s many museums and art galleries. The most prominent artistic locations to visit are the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Center for Contemporary Art, and the Tel Aviv’s Steinhardt Museum of Natural History.
Promenades
Walking in Tel Aviv is an absolute pleasure at every hour of the day and evening. There are many pedestrian areas, starting from Neve Tzedek, the oldest and beautiful neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, where flowers and enchanting walkways make this place magical.
Close to Neve Tzedek, there is the majestic Rothschild Boulevard with its Bauhaus white buildings, and ending up in the stunning plaza Habima Square with its Habima Theatre. Boulevard Rothschild offers many entertainments at once, full of green areas where it is a pleasure to relax, read and admire the beautiful trees, and maybe enjoy a coffee or a drink in one of the boulevard’s kiosks.
Exploring The Tel Aviv
Another pastime in Tel Aviv and general in Israel is to go to the beach. The long Mediterranean seashore of Tel Aviv stretches over 14 kilometres, and it includes several beaches from the north to the south of Tel Aviv. And in the southern area of Tel Aviv, there is Florentin neighbourhood, the artist district with many graffiti, street art and art galleries. In addition, Tel Aviv has many green spaces and parks such as Hayarkon Park, a beautiful big park in the city centre.
Evening Relax
After a long day of exploration and tourism, there is nothing better than relaxing in one of the several bars and restaurants and enjoy a delicious dinner with a drink. Especially in the summer, there are many places to have a good time close to the sea.
Unique Places To Visit In Tel Aviv
The Beaches
Tel Aviv Mediterranean seaside stretches over 13 km with various beaches, so this city is called “Miami Beach on the Med”. Among the several beaches in Tel Aviv, the main ones are:
- Gordon Beach is the most famous beach in Tel Aviv that allures many visitors such as tourists and locals. People can go jogging and playing volleyball; in the summertime, swimming is a pleasure besides relaxing for a tan.
- Banana Beach is close to Jaffa, and it is a place where people meet to sing and dance on Friday evenings, besides crowding bars and restaurants.
- Metzizim Beach is a relaxing place also family-friendly because of the children’s playground, and it offers the occasion to play different games for adults such as paddleball.
The Sea Promenade Between Tel Aviv and Jaffa
The sea promenade between the Old North of Tel Aviv and the southern Old Jaffa is crowded. Nevertheless, it is a fantastic place to admire the sunset at the beach, enjoying a drink in the bars and cafés. In addition, of course, the numerous restaurants of the Tel Aviv seaside offer a vast choice of delicious fresh food, and live music never goes missing in the city that never sleeps.
The Port City Of Old Jaffa
The Port of Old Jaffa is the oldest harbour in the world. As a result, old Jaffa is one of the most tourist places in Israel, and it is one of the world’s oldest cities.
Moreover, this magical place hosts many artists’ galleries and designers’ boutiques, besides the many gastronomic places where all kind of Middle Eastern food is prepared with fresh ingredients. Indeed, Jaffa is profuse of tasty food.
In Jaffa, there is the Clock Tower and the flea market that make famous this city. Among the art galleries, museums, and designer’s shops, a special place is the NaLaga’at Center, an artistic centre managed by the Muslim-Christian-Jewish deaf and blind community.
The Tel Aviv Port
The port of Tel Aviv is one of the most lively and entertaining areas of the city. Indeed, many trendy boutiques, bars, cafés, clubs, restaurants and a well-known farmers’ market. The characteristic wooden deck promenade on the sea allows being in close contact with the sea whilst enjoying sunsets and the lively atmosphere of the place. This area is pretty crowded during the weekends, and street musicians and artists are entertaining the peoples. Additionally, in the port of Tel Aviv, there are always many outdoor festivals.
Hayarkon Park
Hayarkon Park is the largest park in Tel Aviv and one of Israel’s most extensive green areas. Its total surface is almost 4 square kilometres, and it includes many promenades, bike paths, children playgrounds, botanical oases, extensive gardens, sporting equipment, small zoos and artificial lakes. Additionally, there are many entertainments in the park such as an aviary, an aquatic park, climbing walls, pabble boats, trains for children, and much more.
The Carmel Market
The Carmel Market is the biggest market in Tel Aviv and one of the largest in Israel. It is in the city centre of Tel Aviv, and there are many colourful food stalls besides many low-cost clothing shops. In this market, like in every Israeli market, there are many spices, dried fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, etc. Inside the market, there are many trendy cafés, traditional Middle Eastern restaurants, and gourmand street food stands, besides the numerous souvenir shops and local artists’ boutiques. The Carmel Market starts at the corner of King George and Allenby streets. It is open from Sundays to Thursdays, beginning from 7 in the morning until evening; on Fridays, it closes one hour before the beginning of Shabbat.
The Levinsky Market
The Levinsky Market is well-known as the spice market where all kind of spices, dried fruits, traditional baked goods, local cheeses, meat cold cuts and salted fish are sold. In particular, on Fridays, the market is crowded. The Levinsky Market is in the Florentin neighbourhood, Tel Aviv’s SoHo, Tel Aviv area, where traditionally artists and working-class lived and still live. This neighbourhood is featured by graffiti and street art, and of course, it deserves a visit.
Nahalat Binyamin Street
Every Tuesday and Friday around Nahalat Binyamin Street, an Arts & Craft Fair occurs in the pedestrian area. At this fair, more than 200 Israeli artists and artisans exhibit and sell their artworks in stands. Moreover, during the fair, street performers and artists entertain the visitors. Starting from 10 am, the fair is open until evening.
The Neighbourhood Of Neve Tzedek
Neve Tzedek is the oldest neighbourhood of Tel Aviv and one of the most beautiful areas in the city centre. Neve Tzedek was the first Jewish neighbourhood edified outside Jaffa, and it is a very romantic and exquisite area of Tel Aviv. Indeed, the characteristic narrow streets and alleyways with the magnificently restored buildings make this place a magic area.
Among the several places to visit, the Suzanne Dellal Center deserves attention because this dance and theatre complex is one of the most renowned in the world. In addition, Neve Tzedek hosts many cafés and restaurants besides trendy and exclusive designer boutiques, boutique hotels and artists’ shops. In the southern area of the neighbourhood, there is the historic train station, which is well-known as Tachana, a cultural and shopping centre.
The Bauhaus architectural style in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv houses a unique architectural style that is the Bauhaus. Indeed, Tel Aviv is also known under the name White City because of the numerous white Bauhaus buildings. UNESCO recognised Tel Aviv’s White City as a World Cultural Heritage site. In particular, most of Bauhaus buildings is in Rothschild Boulevard, Dizengoff Street, Bialik Street and Neve Tzedek.
Habima Square
Habima Square is at the end of Rothschild Boulevard, and it hosts the Habima National Theater and the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art. This stunning square has different green areas such as flower gardens, water fountains, and an artificial lake. The Helena Rubinstein Pavillion exhibitions show contemporary Israeli and international artworks.
Dizengoff Street
Dizengoff Street is one of the central and most prominent streets in Tel Aviv. In this famous street adorned with trees, there are many shops, boutiques, benches, and the Fire & Water Fountain in Dizengoff Square.
Sarona And Its Market
Sarona originally arose as a German Templer Colony. The old buildings are displayed among the numerous elegant boutiques, cafés and restaurants inside this complex at Tel Aviv business district centre. Sarona restored architecture is one of the most beautiful in the city.
Azrieli Towers
The Azrieli Center consists of three skyscrapers that are well-known as towers. And at the base of each tower, there is a big shopping mall. The Azrieli Towers extend over a surface of almost 25 square kilometres. The tallest building is the Azrieli Center Circular Tower, with a height of 187 metres and 49 floors, and it is the tallest building in Tel Aviv after the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan. On the last floor of the Azrieli Center Circular Tower, there is an indoor observation deck where there is an outstanding panoramic view of Tel Aviv.
Moreover, on the same floor, there is an upscale restaurant. Another skyscraper is the Triangular Tower extends up to 169 metres, it has 46 levels, and its primary resident is the telecommunication company Bezeq. Its name is because the cross-section of this tower is an equilateral triangle. The Azrieli Center Square Tower is built on 42 floors, and it is 154 metres high. It is the shortest tower among the three, and on the 13th floor, there is a Crowne Plaza hotel. The Azrieli Center Mall is one of the biggest in Israel, with 30 restaurants, fast-foods, cafés, food stands, boutiques of every sort, an extensive fitness club, and a children’s park.
Rabin Square
Rabin Square is one of the largest plazas in Tel Aviv, and it hosts the City Hall. It is named after the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who had been murdered on 4th November 1995 during a peace demonstration. Nowadays, there is a basalt stone monument dedicated to Rabin in the place where he was assassinated.
The Ben-Gurion House
The Ben-Gurion House is a small historic house museum at 17 Ben-Gurion Boulevard, and it was one of the residences of the first prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion. In the house museum, there is Ben-Gurion’s library, the bedroom and his study space.
The summary of my recommendations:
Hence in Tel Aviv, you will have so many things to do since this fantastic city has a lot to offer and places to visit. It will be one of the best and remarkable places that you will have occasion to visit.