Tel Aviv is a vibrant, bustling metropolis with the ancient port of Yaffo adjacent to the first modern Jewish city of Tel Aviv, known as the White City named for the ~4000 buildings built in the Bauhaus (International) style. Don't miss the wide-ranging selection of restaurants, trendy bars, bustling markets and great nightlife. 

 

Jaffa (Joppa, Yaffo) known as the Gateway to Zion, goes back to antiquity. It was the harbor where Jona the Prophet set sail to Tarshish, King Solomon used its port to bring cedar wood from Tyre (in Lebanon) to build the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash) in Jerusalem, Napoleon stopped off for some quick mayhem and destruction and where the first locomotive in the entire region embarked towards Jerusalem in 1892. Now Jaffa is an eclectic town with a multitude of galleries, eateries and a great place to explore the narrow alleyways, markets and don't forget the beaches!

 

Together, Tel Aviv – Jaffa is a vibrant metropolis and one of the 10 top destinations. It's considered the Vegan Capitol of the world! Take some time to explore and enjoy.

 

It's hard to decide where to start sharing with you what you can do in Tel Aviv. The first thing you notice is the architecture. Tel Aviv is called the White City and is a UNESCO Heritage site due to its ~ 4000 Bauhaus International style buildings built during the 1920's and '30's. We will walk along Rothschild Blvd. to view some of these interesting buildings, including a stop at Independence Hall where David Ben-Gurion declared Israel's Independence on May 14, 1948 (now under major renovations) .

 

If you love to shop, find you way to The Carmel Market, Jaffa Flea Market, Shuk HaNamal (Tel Aviv Port) or Levinsky Market – shop till you drop! If you visit on a Tuesday or Friday, take a stroll through Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall (open every Tuesday and Friday) and browse through the various arts and crafts stalls and coffee shops.

 

Walk, jog or bike along the Tel Aviv-Jaffa 8 mile long (14 km) Tayelet (promenade) that hugs the beach, packed with people enjoying the beach, shops, restaurants and sea breezes. Sunsets on the Mediterranean Sea can be quite inspiring. Swim at the numerous beaches, take a yacht tour or boat ride – enjoy the sun and sea! but don't forget the sunscreen.

 

For the serious side of Tel Aviv there are many art galleries and a varied range of museums. Check out Visit Tel Aviv website to get information for the Palmach museum, Diaspora museum, Eretz Yisrael museum, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Etzel Museum and others. ANU Museum of the Jewish People opened its doors March 2021 in the Tel Aviv University Campus.  It's an exciting, multi-sensory museum that celebrates Jewish contributions to the world. With lots of exhibits including video clips, photos, pictures, recipes, folklore, art, music and more that were created just for this museum; sharing the naaratives of  the Jewish culture, people, history and more. Expect to spend 2-3 hours there! With a Kosher Aroma Restaurant on the main floor, you can spend a lot of time exploring this amazing museum.

 

Check out Neve Tzedek, the first all Jewish neighborhood to come out of Jaffa over 130 years ago; it deteriorated into a slum in the 70's and is now one of the hottest parts of Tel Aviv. Nearby is the Tachana, the old train station built in 1982 to replace the difficult camel ride to Jerusalem, now renovated for entertainment and leisure.

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The name Tel Aviv is loosely translated from the German Altneuland meaning Mound of Spring; based on Theodore Herzl's book describing his vision of a Jewish state. Alt = old; Neu = New. The story follows two people who leave an old, remote and backward island and return 20 years later to find it transformed into a new prosperous society.