Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv (Hebrew: תל אביב, Arabic: تل أبيب) is the second largest city in Israel (after Jerusalem), and the largest metropolitan area. It is on the Mediterranean coast, about 60 km northwest of Jerusalem and 100 km south of Haifa. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo (תל אביב-יפו), and reflects the fact that the city has grown beside (and absorbed) the ancient port city of Yafo (English: Jaffa, Arabic: يافا Yafa), to the south of the new city center. Tel Aviv is home to most embassies in Israel.

In Israel, Tel Aviv is known for being a liberal city, in contrast to conservative Jerusalem. It has a thriving LGBT scene, and the general social norms are similar to major American and Western European cities.

Districts
Tel Aviv is a rapidly growing city in the midst of an exciting transition from medium-sized urban center to bustling international metropolis. Its booming population, energy, edginess and 24-hour lifestyle give the city a cosmopolitan flair comparable to few other cities in this part of the world.

Tel Aviv is not really divided into districts, but rather into over 50 different neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are really distinctive areas with different cultures (e.g. Neve Tzedek, Florentin, Ramat-HaHayal), while others indicate a geographical area. Tel Aviv grew mainly from the south to the north, so the further you go to the north the more you will encounter newer buildings and wealthier communities.

Understand


The smallish Gulf of Jaffa was the site of a fortified port town for at least 4,000 years. During the 19th century the town’s population grew from about 2,500 (1806) to 17,000 (1886). The old city walls could no longer contain the population, and they were destroyed in the 1870s. New, more spacious neighborhoods started to appear.

Tel Aviv (meaning literally "Hill of Spring") was founded in 1909 by a group of distinguished Jewish residents of Jaffa. They envisaged a European-style garden suburb, with wide streets and boulevards. Leaving Jaffa wasn’t, however, only a question of an upgrade in lifestyle. Moving out of the Arab-dominated town also represented their belief in the Jewish national movement, Zionism. Before being a city, Tel Aviv was one of the many titles of Theodor Herzl's utopian Zionist book The Old New Land. Setting out with a grand vision, the 60 Tel Aviv founders started out by building the first Middle Eastern urban center with running water, no small wonder in that part of the world in 1909. Houses from this period can still be seen in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood.

Tel Aviv grew steadily under Ottoman law until World War I. By the end of the war the British took over the Holy Land, an event the Jewish community saw as encouraging, while the Muslim community viewed it as a turn for the worse after Islamic rule. Tel Aviv was seen by nearby Arabs as a symbol of the growing Jewish presence in their homeland. In May 1921, an Arab mob attacked a Jewish immigration center, killing dozens of Jews. Another group broke the windows of stores in the Jewish street in Jaffa, and a mob armed with knives and sticks made its way towards Tel Aviv. Before 1921 most Jews worked and lived in Jaffa; after the attack, thousands of the 16,000 Jews of Jaffa moved north to Tel Aviv. The suburb had become a city and within a decade, Tel Aviv had become the center of culture, commerce and light industry for the entire Jewish population of the country (and the British soldiers). 1938 marked the opening of Tel Aviv port, an important milestone in the end of its dependency on Jaffa. By this time, Tel Aviv was already the biggest city in the country, with 130,000 residents. After Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Jaffa became a district of Tel Aviv and the city's name was officially changed to Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Today, Tel Aviv-Yafo is the heart of a thriving metropolis. The greater metropolitan area is home to approximately 3.1 million people, with around 392,700 in Tel Aviv-Yafo, making it the second largest city in Israel after Jerusalem. Major suburbs of Tel Aviv include Bat Yam, Holon, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Ramat HaSharon, Rehovot and Herzliya. The entire metropolitan area is often referred to as Gush Dan.

While Jerusalem is Israel's capital city, where most government departments are, Tel Aviv and its satellite cities form the economic and cultural center. Tel Aviv is known as "the city that doesn't stop", and you will find that the nightlife and culture are active around the clock. In summer it is not unusual to see the beach boardwalk bustling with people at 04:00, and the clubs and bars usually pick up around midnight until morning, giving Tel Aviv a well deserved reputation of being a party town. It is the pinnacle of secular life in Israel.

Tel Aviv is likely the most liberal city in Israel and in the Middle East - as it is no less liberal than the major cities of Western Europe. It has a bustling civil society and is home to many activist movements and NGOs. Its residents tend to have liberal attitudes towards gay and lesbian rights, and, in fact, Tel Aviv hosts the largest gay pride parade in Israel. It is also a destination for gay Palestinian refugees, unable to pursue their lifestyle in the Palestinian territories. With its liberalism comes a dose of sophistication and some will say detachment, and Tel Aviv is often dubbed "The Bubble" or "Medinat Tel Aviv" ("The State of Tel Aviv", מדינת תל אביב) by residents and non-residents alike. Some ultra-Orthodox Israelis have even dubbed the city a modern day "Sodom and Gomorrah", due to its hedonistic reputation.

In July 2003 Tel Aviv-Yafo was declared a cultural UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of the many "International" (or "Bauhaus") style buildings built here during the 1930s-50s. As this style emphasized simplicity and the color white, Tel Aviv is also called the White City.

Orientation
Tel Aviv lies alongside the Mediterranean coastline. Most points of interest for tourists are in the center district, a rectangle defined by the sea to the west, the Yarkon River to the north, the Ayalon highway to the east, and Salame Road to the south. Within this district, most of the attractions are to the west of Ibn Gabirol street, a large north-south street which divides the district into two roughly equal halves.

Tel Aviv developed from south to north. At the southwest corner of the center district you will find old Jaffa. To its north is the first Jewish neighborhood outside Jaffa, Neve Tzedek (meaning "Oasis of Justice"). To Neve Tzedek’s east is Florentin (a 1920s light-industry quarter founded by Jews from Salonika in Greece, that has turned into a trendy neighborhood for young people, albeit with a large population of older and poor people); and then the Central Bus Station area, now home to foreign workers from around the world.

To the north of Neve Tzedek is "Kerem Ha'Temanim" (the Yemenite Vineyard), a crowded but picturesque neighborhood dating to the early 20th century. East and north of here lies the city center, a chiefly residential area built in the 1920s and 1930s, where the majority of Bauhaus ("International") style architecture is to be found. Further north and east, the "old north" (not to be confused with "the north" on the other side of the Yarkon), is a more spacious residential area built during the 1940s and 1950s.

Tel Aviv residents often speak of a north-south divide in Tel Aviv-Yafo. The north is usually associated with a continental, chic, and suburbanite lifestyle centered around Kikar haMedina and "Ramat Aviv". To the south, the city takes on a more working-class and Middle Eastern, albeit evermore trendy, urban feel. North Tel Aviv is generally residential and family-oriented; Tel Aviv Center is the hipper-younger area with many single people and couples in their 20s and 30s; south Tel Aviv is a rapidly gentrifying area with a mixed population, including older working-class people, artists and migrant African workers.

Culture

 * Watch out for bikes and scooters on main sidewalks. Tel Aviv's traffic is horrible and there is no metro system, so many people use them to get around.
 * Smoking in restaurants is limited to specific parts of their outdoor seating - smoking is illegal in restaurants. The law is rarely enforced, but smokers are regularly confronted.
 * Dogs wearing muzzles on public transit are not aggressive monsters - there's a (sporadically enforced) law requiring muzzles on buses and trains.
 * Taking kids to cafes and restaurants is completely normal, and the malls usually have kid play and breast-feeding areas.
 * Israelis can be pretty aggressive about cutting in lines; don't feel guilty about body-blocking little old ladies, as they have no problem taking advantage of tourists to cut half a line.
 * Shabbat is less dramatic in Tel Aviv than the rest of Israel, but stores like pharmacies and supermarkets close on Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. Whether restaurants and bodegos ("makolet"s) are open during Shabbat varies by neighborhood.

Visitor information

 * Official tourism website (in English)

Ben Gurion Airport


Tel Aviv's (and Israel's) main entry point from abroad is (referred to by its Hebrew initials Natbag by locals). You can arrive to the city center by train, taxi, or by hired car (it's a 20-min drive followed by a very long search for parking). There is no sherut taxi to Tel Aviv from Ben Gurion, although traveling by bus is possible.

On Shabbat you will have a hard time reaching or leaving the airport. There's no bus or train; taxis still go but are extra busy, and charge extra. If you rely on public transportation, try not book a flight that lands in Tel Aviv Airport after 14:00 on Friday or before 20:00 on Saturday.

If you go out of the terminal on ground floor and turn right, and head furthest distance out you will find buses to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Ask the bus driver to ensure you are getting on the right bus.

By train: The airport train station is just below Arrivals in Terminal 3. Direct trains to Tel Aviv take 15-20 min and cost 4$ for a one-way ticket. Buy a ticket from the cashier or from an automatic machine; use it at the entry gate and again to exit at your arrival station. Better still, buy & use a Rav-Kav transport smart card, because you'll need one in the city (see "get around"), you may as well buy one now at the Kavim service center in the terminal, or issue a personal one for free. There are trains from Sunday to Thursday every 15 minutes between 05:30 AM to midnight, and on Friday morning every 30 minutes' and few trains on Saturday night. . All trains stop at all four Tel Aviv stations during the day, which in order of arrival from the airport (south to north) are Tel Aviv HaHagana (11 min travel), Tel Aviv HaShalom (14 min), Tel Aviv Merkaz/Savidor (20 min). From HaHagana Station there frequent buses to the tourist areas (4 or 104 to the city center, 54 to florentin and Jaffa). Even though getting there is not recommended in the evening as it is located among the slums of Tel Aviv. From Hashalom station you can use buses 62 and 115 to the hotels area of Tel Aviv.

By taxi: Working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this is the most comfortable and expensive way to reach the city center, with a typical ride price of around 40$. If you travel with a friend or two, it can be a good idea to share a taxi. It is acceptable to sit in the front seat in Israeli taxis. Taxis are required by law to use the taxi meter, unless agreed otherwise by the passenger and driver, and a typical ride to the city center should not take more than 15–20 min, without heavy traffic. Do not accept fix-priced rides with taxi drivers unless you're sure of what you are doing; you will usually end up paying more than you could have had you asked to use the meter.

By bus: If you are interested in a direct bus directly to the tourist centers, there is line 445 that leaves every hour, 24 hours a day 6 days a week. The journey from the airport terminal to the Tel Aviv hotels area takes between 30 mitunes in the middle of the night to 50 minutes in the busy hours of the afternoon.

Sde Dov
Tel Aviv's former "city airport" Sde Dov ceased operations in summer of 2019. Any signs or older reference material pointing you there will lead you to a demolition site and then to an assortment of nice beachfront property.

By train
Israel Railways operates trains from Tel Aviv to most parts of Israel, included Jerusalem, Haifa, Beer Sheva and the international airport with a frequency of 2 to 3 trains per hour from Sunday to Thursday. The train stations are close to the CBD of the city, but not to its tourist center, where the tourist attractions (except Sharona complex) and accommodation (except some business hotels) are between 1 and 3 kilometers from the train stations, so getting to them requires another city bus or a taxi.

The trains on Sunday mornings are not recommended, when the soldiers return to their bases and students to the university. The trains end on Fridays at noon and resume on Saturdays after dark, to mark Shabbat.

Tel Aviv has four train stations, east of the center along the Ayalon routes. Trains stop at all four stations during the day, but late night trains only stop at Central/Savidor. From south to north, as you approach by train from the airport, these are:


 * Tel Aviv HaHagana train station: the southernmost station. It is located in a poor area of ​​the city, so it is not recommended to walk from it to the city center. The station is about 500 meters west of the "Hatikva" market and 1200 meters east of the Levinsky market. It is also the closest station to Jaffa and the historical center of Tel Aviv. From the train station you can take lines 4 and 104 to the city center, or 54 to Jaffa.


 * Tel Aviv HaShalom train station: the most suitable station for a "soft landing" in Tel Aviv. It is located near a large shopping center a short distance from Sarona, and from there, it is most convenient to reach the city center via Kaplan Street. From the station you can take lines 62 and 115 to the tourist areas of the city, and near the Azrieli Towers there are buses all over Israel and the Tel Aviv metropoline area.


 * The Tel Aviv Central train station (known as "Arlozorov" and its official name "Savidor"): is close to the stock exchange complex. It is a transportation hub for all of Israel, but HaShalom and HaHagana stations are slightly closer to most central Tel Aviv tourist sites. From the nearby bus terminal you can take line 18 to the city center and Lifo and line 5 to Dizengoff Street.


 * Tel Aviv University Station: As the name suggests, it is close to the university (getting from the station is a kilometer of steep uphill walk), and to the Tel Aviv Expo. It is also the closest station (although not within walking distance) to the Tel Aviv port, and to the business center of Ramat HaHayal.

By bus
Tel Aviv has two main intercity bus stations:

In addition to the New Central Bus Station, there used to be an Old Central Bus Station, but this no longer is used for transportation (the building was demolished long ago, and a parking lot was built in its place). When people say "Central Bus Station", they mean the new one.

In general, buses obey the Jewish Shabbat, and stop operation on Friday afternoon, and resume service only Saturday after dark. Some services, however, may start earlier on Saturday afternoon. Minor services may not resume until Sunday morning.

A daily bus service is also available to and from Amman through the King Hussein Bridge. Call the operator (+972 4-6573984) for details.

By car
Tel Aviv is the hub of the country's modern network of freeways. The city is accessible from Ben Gurion Airport via the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv freeway (route 1), from the north by Tel Aviv–Haifa freeway (route 2), as well as from Beer-Sheva and the southern parts of the country (route 4). Freeways speed limit is 110 km/h. On other intercity roads the limit varies between 80 and 90 km/h. On urban roads the default speed limit is 50 km/h. Heavy traffic congestion is common.

By boat
There are no ferries or cruises to Tel Aviv, but you can bring your own boat into the marina. Arriving from abroad, call ahead before entering Israeli waters to arrange immigration and customs clearance. Large vessels should head for Ashdod 20 miles south, which is a large commercial port with 24 hour entry facilities.

By bus
Tel Aviv has a modern, regular, cheap and widespread bus network run mostly by Dan. The main bus lines start at 05:00 AM and stops at 1 AM; on Thursday nights, Saturday nights, and during all July and August, the main lines run all night. Between November and March, the bus service stops on Friday at 15:00 and resumes on Saturday at 18:00, and between April and October the service stops on Friday at 17:00 and resumes on Saturday at 21:00.

Several smartphone apps, such as efoBus or Moovit or Google Maps, offer route maps and real-time bus arrival tracking and trip planning. Most buses and trains now have USB chargers.

Since Jan 2019, you can't pay cash on the bus. You need to buy a Rav-Kav smart card from the driver or Rav-Kav service center for ₪5 (if getting from service center, you may as well just issue a free personal card) plus either stored value to cover how many journeys you need, in ₪30 or ₪50 increments. If bought from bus driver (₪10.90), this will only include 1 trip (not stored value credit) which will be immediately used for the current ride, so to use it afterwards, you need to search for a recharging point or use the mobile app to recharge if you have a supported NFC module in your phone. See Public transit in Israel. The basic stored value fare up to 15 kilometers is 5.50 off the stored value balance; each ride includes 90 min transfers in the area. Or you may as well load up an appropriate periodic pass to cover your journeys. Think about how much is left on your card before travelling to an edge-of-city location that might not have a top-up point: your credit is shown after each validation on the validator screen.

Popular routes for tourists include:
 * Bus 4 connects from Hatikvah neighborhood, to the Port of Tel aviv via Haganah train station, The Central Bus Station, Central of Tel Aviv, Carmel Market and the beach.
 * Bus 5 goes through Rothschild Boulevard, Dizengoff Street (including the Dizengoff Center Mall) ,and the 2000 bus terminal.
 * Bus 10 goes through Tel Aviv University ,Port of Tel Aviv, the beach and, the old city of Jaffa.
 * Bus 18 connects 2000 bus terminal to the city center and the old city of Jaffa.
 * Bus 25 goes through Florentin, Rothschild Boulevard, Dizengoff Center Mall, and Tel Aviv University.
 * Bus 62 and 115 connects between the beach to dizzengoff street, Sarona, and Hashalom Train Station.

Bus drivers in Tel Aviv speak and understand English reasonably well, and are usually helpful, but always in a hurry. They can't top-up Rav-Kav cards.

Route 100 was a tourist-oriented route which did pass by tourist sites all across Tel Aviv, but as of summer 2019, ceased operation. Be aware of outdated tourist maps that might lead you to a location where that bus supposedly stop, while it's not.

By bus on Shabbat
As of November 2019 the City Hall of Tel Aviv and adjacent cities (Ramat haSharon, Giv'atayim and Kiryat Ono) have started a joint pilot of (at first free) 19-seat minibuses running on Shabbat. Every third bus (so in 1.5 hour intervals) has accessibility measures for disabled passengers. Lines 705, 706, 707, 708, 709 and 710 operate every 20 minutes from 17:00 until 02:00, and on Shabbat from 09:00 until 17:00. Official line map is posted here (you need to tick some lines on the legend though), on stops where these lines pass on, and in the popular transit mobile applications (Bus Nearby, efoBus, My-Way). Schedules and line maps may change if/when more adjacent municipalities join the project.

By Light Rail
Tel Aviv's light rail was launched in August 2023.

The light rail runs past many areas of interest to tourists. Listed from south west to north east:


 * Jaffa (Salame Station)
 * Neve Tzedek (Elifelet Station)
 * Rothschild Boulevard and Allenby Street (Allenby Station)
 * Sarona (Yehudit Station)
 * Tel Aviv Central Train Staion and 2000 Bus Terminal (Arlosoroff Station)

As of August 2023, The light rail runs from 06 AM to 10 PM from Sunday to Thursday, and from 6 AM to 4 PM on Fridays.

By "sherut" (service taxi)
The "sherut" ("sheh-ROOT") or "service taxi" is a 6-12 seat van-sized minibus which runs on fixed routes, parallel to some bus routes. This alternative is often faster and more frequent than taking a bus. Unlike buses, they operate 7 days a week (on Shabbat too), and when requested will stop in between official bus stops.

In Tel Aviv, sherut taxi service is available as service routes 4, 2 and 5 (but these taxis don't reach the train station), 16, 51 and. You pay after you have found your seat, by passing your fare to the person in front of you, who will pass it along to the driver. If you sit up front, be prepared to pass other passengers' money to the driver and the change back to the passengers. You must tell the driver when you want him to stop. Passengers are not allowed to stand, so if two people want to board and only one seat remains, they will not be allowed to get on together.

As of August 2019 you may use Rav-Kav contracts on service taxis too (any periodic pass which is valid for the central region, or deduct 6.80 from stored value balance), but only on service taxi lines 4 and 5 at this time. 90 min transfers to buses included for free, and if you are transferring from a bus on an already started trip, you get a fare correction (0.90). Rav-Kav service on service taxis does not operate on Shabbat.

By taxi
You can hail a taxi ("mo-NIT", מונית) in the street or call one (with extra surcharge, ₪3.30). Taxis are obliged to give you a metered ride unless you settle for a price, so insist that the driver use the meter ("mo-NEH" in Hebrew, pronounced like the painter "Monet"), unless you are sure what the price to your destination should be. And no, the meter is never broken. A local ride without meter should be ₪20-30 in the downtown core, and up to 50 or 60 to the immediate suburbs. If you go for a price fixed in advance, haggle with your driver a bit, you can generally knock a few shekels off the price. Cutting a deal in advance is especially recommended on Friday night and Saturday and late at night, when there is a surcharge, and during traffic time, because if you get stuck in Tel Aviv's notorious traffic, you won't sit there watching your money tick away.



For inter-city rides, the Ministry of Transportation has issued an official fixed price list, covering many municipalities in Israel, if not all of them. These figures are also uploaded to the meter, and when coaxed, the driver will have to check his municipality code list and check the official fare. These lists are only available in Hebrew, so check these prices in advance with the assistance of a Hebrew speaker.

Ridehailing is available in Tel Aviv. Gett is a local option, Uber and Yango can be also used.

By bicycle
Given Tel Aviv's flat and coastal geography, mild weather, and a growing number of bicycle paths throughout the city - bicycle travel in Tel Aviv is an ideal way to get around. Several shops throughout the city offer bicycle rental, and cheap ones can be purchased for several hundred shekels on longer stays.

Be sure to lock your bicycle at all times and don't leave it outside at night — even proper locks get cut by electric cutters in under 15 seconds.

A bike rental service called Tel-O-Fun is available in Tel Aviv, but is due to be cancelled in 2020 because of competition from electric scooter rental services (see next). The name is a pun - the Hebrew word for "bicycle" is pronounced o-fun-ayim. Tel-O-Fun offers hundreds of non-motorized bikes for rent, at rental stations across the city, in a simple and convenient manner using a credit card. An English language Google map of docking stations is available. Similar car rental service, named Auto-Tel also exists (see below).

By electric scooter
Electric scooter sharing apps such as Lime, Wind, and Bird have become a popular way to get around Tel Aviv. You must have a helmet on you, or else you'll be fined by municipal inspectors and/or police. They are ideal for transportation on Shabbat, when public transportation options are limited and there is less traffic on the road. Riding on sidewalks is illegal and can net a hefty fine, so it is best to stick to the roads and bike paths. Although electric scooters are very popular in Tel Aviv, they are still somewhat of a novelty in the city, and the municipal government is still developing regulations surrounding their use. Check the local news before your trip to find out about any new restrictions.

By car
Ayalon Freeway (freeway 20) runs north-south and is the main artery of the city.

It is best to avoid commuter traffic in and out of Tel Aviv and its surrounding cities during rush hours (Sunday to Thursday 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00), particularly entering Tel Aviv via Ayalon Freeway in morning rush hour. A popular and effective navigation app based on traffic loads is Waze. Also, remember that Israeli drivers are considered aggressive in comparison to their Western European or North American counterparts. Signage is in English, Hebrew and Arabic. If possible, avoid using a private car in Tel Aviv and use public transportation.

Speed limits and driving laws are strictly enforced by police. All in all, driving conditions in Israel are much better than in the rest of the Middle East.

Parking in Tel Aviv is hard to find, even for the locals. Parking lots are available, but expensive (usually around ₪25–30 an hour during the day), and can also be full around busier times (i.e., a parking in a central area could be full on a Friday night, when everybody in the area goes out to eat and drink in the city). Parking times and payment is directed by Hebrew-only signs at the beginning of the street. Where parking is available on both sides of the street, instructions are different for every side, and signs are positioned at the beginning of each side. Notice that not all paid parking are marked by blue and white ("kachol-lavan") paint on the curb. When paying to park on the street, there is an hourly parking fee (cheaper than lots), generally between 09:00 and 19:00 (street signs indicating that are usually in Hebrew only). There are usually no parking meters, meaning you need to use payment apps like Cellopark or Pango. Alternatively, you can buy parking cards in advance from a kiosk or machine, and display them on the window closest to the pavement. Also, some areas of blue-white colored curb are reserved for locals with a zone sticker at certain times of day (mostly 17:00 to 09:00). It is forbidden to park where there are red and white or red and yellow markings, though sometimes only in certain hours, as indicated by signs (but those are usually in Hebrew only as well). The inspectors in Tel Aviv are everywhere and merciless, beware as you can get a fine of ₪100-500! There are generally more parking spaces in the south and the north (north of the Yarkon river that is) than in the center of Tel Aviv.

Hourly based car rental services are available in the city. The Auto-Tel service is supported by the municipality and has received special parking spaces across the city, marked in green. Other services are also available, such as Car2go which is deployed in many cities is Israel.

See


Tel Aviv is a big place, and these listings are just some highlights of things that you really should see if you can during your visit. The complete listings are found on each individual district page alongside many more things to see in each district.

Starting in the North, the Tel Aviv Port is one of the most dynamic areas in Tel Aviv, including a multitude of shops, restaurants and nightclubs. Inland is Yarkon park, the city's central park along the Yarkon River.

Going into central parts of the city, you will encounter Rabin Square, the largest public square in Israel. Nearby is another important square, Habima Square. It is home to a number of cultural institutions such as the Habima Theatre, the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium and the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art.

A bit west of Habima Square is the Dizengoff Centre, Israel's most iconic shopping centre with a very lively food market every Thursday and Friday. To the east, in turn, is the district of Sarona with restored German Templer architecture, known for its picturesque paths and buildings, upscale restaurants, and luxurious food market, and the Azriely Center Observatory that you can climb to the top of the mall for a nice view of the city.

Further south in central is the Rothschild Boulevard with a lot of Bauhaus architecture, restaurants and cafes in what's regarded as Tel Aviv's prettiest street. Towards the sea, you can find the Carmel Market and Nachalat Binyamin arts and crafts fair. The largest and most famous market in Tel Aviv, Carmel Market is open all week except Saturday. Nachalat Binyamin Arts and Crafts Fair is one of the most famous in the world.

Highlights in the south and east include the Levinsky Market, an extremely colorful outside market, and the Central Bus Station. Planned by overambitious architects, the station's incomprehensible vastness, multiple levels and intertwining corridors make it a model for what an urban jungle would feel like. There's also the Florentin neighborhood, a previously run-down but beautiful area, which is now gentrifying.

In the southeastern suburbs there's the large Park Ariel Sharon. It contains the massive "Hiriya" garbage dump, which is being redeveloped as a nature and recreation site. You can visit the top of the 80m-high garbage mound, which is quite pleasant and has a stunning view of the Tel Aviv skyline. Park your car at the site entrance and wait for a shuttle to take you up (the last shuttle leaves around 15:00). You can also walk up on foot, if you can deal with the smell of a garbage reprocessing facility which still operates (due to the prevailing winds, there are no smells on top of the mound).

Jaffa, right southwest of Tel Aviv, features the Jaffa Clock Tower and one of the oldest ports in the world, now a must-see, holds various shops, restaurants and events. Jaffa also has an outdoor Flea Market & Bazaar, a market where you can buy almost anything for low prices.

Museums
Tel Aviv is home to a large number of museums. Some of the best known ones are Anu (the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora) and the Land of Israel Museum in North Tel Aviv, and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in the center. Also worth visiting is Bialik Square, a beautiful Bauhaus square including the following museums: Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv, Bialik House, The Museum of Town History, Rubin Art Museum.

North Tel Aviv houses the Rabin Museum, about the Israeli prime minister who came closest to peace. While Tel Aviv's population tends to be politically dovish and involved in peace activism, Tel Aviv is nevertheless home to many of Israel's military museums, which record an important aspect of Israel's history. Leading up to 1948 there were a number of different Jewish militias - the mainstream Haganah, the elite Palmach, the right-wing Etzel (Irgun), and the more-right-wing Lehi (Stern Gang) - and each has a museum of its own in modern Tel Aviv. Ideally, one should see two museums corresponding to different parts of the political spectrum - the Palmach Museum and Etzel 1948 Museum are recommended - to get a nuanced overall view. In some museums, you can hear personal stories from veterans who volunteer there - call ahead of time to find out. If you are interested in physical military artifacts like tanks and rifles, the place to go is the IDF History Museum, which has a large connection of these artifacts.

Do


There’s a lot to do in Tel Aviv. For the biggest selection, check out the individual district articles. These are some of the highlights.

Tel Aviv is known as the White City with the world's largest collection of Bauhaus architecture. Enjoy a guided tour of the Bauhaus district.

A visit to Tel Aviv isn't complete without a dip into its fantastic beach scene which is at its best in summer, especially during Friday afternoons, when crowds of buff beachgoers converge to take in the Brazilian drums, the smell of barbecues, the thwock, thwock of "matkot" as the sun sets. In early summer be careful as there may be jellyfish in the water. Ask the lifeguard or locals about the current conditions.

An interesting way of getting to see the city is to rent a bike and bike the length of the coastal boardwalk from Jaffa to Tel Aviv Port, then turning inland and biking along the Yarkon River banks, then returning to where you started. The entire trip is on paved bike paths, and can be as long as 13km each way, or shorter if you prefer.

Performing arts
Tel Aviv has the widest selection of performing arts in Israel.


 * Fans of classical music might enjoy Israel's Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Israel Opera.
 * The Barby (52, Kibutz Galuyot st., +972 3-5188123), and the Goldstar Zappa (24, Habarzel st., +972 3-6499550) present Israeli (and sometimes foreign) rock daily.
 * For more alternative and indie music with occasional  jazz shows and electronic parties, head to Levontin 7 named after its street address or The OzenBar.
 * Tmuna Theater (8, Shontsino st., +972 3-5629462) alternates between local acts, both famous and unknown, and fringe theater productions in Hebrew.
 * Dance can be enjoyed in Suzanna Dellal Center in Neve Tzedek.
 * Theater is mostly performed in Hebrew, naturally, but English interpretation is available is some of the shows for extra-fees in Habima National Theater (+972 3-6295555) and HaCameri Municipal Theater.
 * Fans of jazz can find great shows at the Shablul club in the Tel Aviv harbor, with jam sessions every Monday at 22:30.

Sports
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Israel. Tel Aviv has 3 major football clubs that are usually in Ligat Ha'al (top division): Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv. All three normally play in the Bloomfield Stadium in the southern part of the city.

Basketball is somewhat less popular among locals than football, but the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team is well known as the most successful club in Israel and one of the best in Europe, dominating the Israeli basketball league with over 40 championship seasons and 5 European titles. The Hapoel Tel Aviv team is less successful and popular. Maccabi Tel Aviv plays in the Menora Mivtachim Arena in the eastern part of the city.

Matchs between Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv are major events in the city, as the teams are as huge rivals as they come.

Good martial arts clubs abound in various parts of the city, ranging from modern fitness craze sports to traditional ones.

Scuba-diving: there's a couple of dive shacks and centers based near the Marina. Diving in the Med is really for experienced folk: there are interesting wrecks, and a fabulous ancient shipwreck was discovered near Caesarea in 2016. But compared to the Red Sea it's distinctly dark and barren down there, and the weather and sea conditions are tougher. Those wanting to learn, or novice divers, will do much better down in Eilat or elsewhere along the Red Sea coast.

Festivals
Tel Aviv hosts many festivals and events. Something is going on almost every weekend so make sure you're updated!

Markets
Tel Aviv's markets are the best show in town, and they're bustling all day long. A Middle Eastern mélange of tastes, scents, sounds, colors – and lots of people. Friday is the busiest day when most Israelis do their shopping until the afternoon. Closed Saturdays.

Tel Aviv's most famous market is the Carmel Market, which mostly sells fruit and vegetables, but also candy, clothing, toys, cellphone accessories, kitchen gadgets, and other goods. It is in Tel Aviv Center not far from the beach. The Levinsky Market, not far to the south, is the best place to buy spices, dried fruits, and different kinds of legume. A more upscale option is the Sarona Market, which has a variety of luxury foods and restaurants in picturesque surroundings. Finally, HaTikva Market in the southeast of the city is reputed to be the most "authentic" market, keeping its atmosphere as the other markets have gentrified somewhat.

If you are interested in furniture, antiques, or arts and crafts, there are markets for this too. At the Jaffa flea market, stretching over a number of streets in the old Jaffa district, you can find almost anything, but it is best for antiques. The Nachalat Binyamin arts and crafts market and Dizengoff antiques and secondhand market in Central Tel Aviv are equally good, but are only open two days a week.

Malls
As malls are good places to catch some air-conditioning during hot Israeli summers, they have quickly become a preferred place of entertainment for the locals. The variety is usually mid-range, mainstream, with both international and local brands.

In Tel Aviv Center, Azrieli Center is the busiest mall. This area is also home to Dizengoff Center, the first mall built in Israel, as well as Gan Ha'ir, which is next to Rabin Square.

North Tel Aviv is the most upscale part of the city, and unsurprisingly the Ramat Aviv mall is also upscale.

The New Central Bus Station, designed as a combined bus station and mall, has large numbers of stores which now cater to a lower-class crowd, particularly migrants and workers from Third World countries. There are also a large number of vacant stores.

Shopping streets
The air-conditioned malls threaten to destroy the concept of shopping streets, but many of the more special ones still survive, particularly in the city center.

Dizengoff Street is popular with the shoppers, as the street is peppered with numerous specialty shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as the sprawling Dizengoff Center Mall.

Shenkin Street is known for its trendy cafes as well as designer clothing shops.

Second-hand clothing shops are getting very popular in Tel Aviv and you'll find them scattered all over the city.

Books and music
The country's widespread Steimatzky and Zomet Sfarim chains are a good source for current books. Almost every shop has at least a selection in English. Allenby St. has a number of second hand bookshops, most sell (and buy) English books. For music, check out Tower Records shop in the opera tower, on the corner of Alenby and Herbert Samuel. For the more alternative crowd, Krembo Records in Shenkin Street, Giora Record Shop next to the Carmel market, and Third Ear on King George Street will satisfy your needs.

Art, crafts, jewelry, Judaica
Gordon Street is famous for its art galleries. Ben-Yehuda Street has several Judaica/Jewelery/souvenirs shops. You can buy jewelry from Michal Negrin, a world-famous Israeli designer, in her shops at the Azriely mall and on Sheinkin st. The prices are much better than abroad. For more original crafts and Judaica, try the Nahlat Binyamin craft market mentioned above.

Eat
Tel Aviv has an amazing variety of restaurants for every taste.

There are plenty of fast food restaurants, offering both international and local Israeli food. One can get a decent meal, including falafel or hummus on every street corner. You can also eat a toast, sandwich or some other snack at one of the cafes around the city. Many fruit juice parlors are around.

Raphael and Messa are considered to be Tel Aviv's most elegant restaurants, serving gourmet and unique plates, inspired both by local and foreign cuisine although not kosher. There are many good kosher restaurants in Tel Aviv including Meatos, Bruno and 2C, which although pricey, offers gourmet food with great views of the city as it is at the very top of the Azrieli round tower.

The city is also known for being one of the best destinations for plant based eating. More than 30 restaurants cater to vegans with a wide range of cuisines and price ranges. The landmarks are Meshek Barzilai in Neve Tzedek, Anastasia on Frishman street and 416 near Sarona. You will also find many plant based options on the menu of most restaurants.

Finally, Tel Aviv's ice cream parlors offer much more than basic flavors, as the taste buds are eclectic and strive for new flavors, such as Halva, poppy seed, and even a touch of alcoholic liqueurs in the ice cream (try these places: Vaniglia, Iceberg, Gelateria Siciliana, Dr. Lek and Aldo).

Like everything else in Tel-Aviv, food can be prohibitively expensive.

Drink
Tel Aviv is called "The city that never stops" by tourists and locals alike. It has a wide range of pubs, bars, clubs and it is known worldwide for its nightlife. The entire city is crawling with nightlife attractions and you would actually have to work pretty hard to find yourself further than 500 meters away from a place to have a drink. People from all the surrounding region come to Tel Aviv to have a drink or a party so on weekends traffic is hectic at late hours and finding a parking spot is somewhere between hard and impossible (so sticking to cabs is not a bad idea). Buses stop running at sundown on Friday and only start again after sundown on Saturday, so if you go out on Friday night you may find yourself forced to take a cab if you cannot walk! But any day is a good day to party in Tel Aviv, not just the weekends.

New places are opening and closing every day and the "hottest spots" change every couple of months, so no internet guide will be able to direct you to the hippest place (even though some may try). Checkout up to date event and party sites. Many places in Tel Aviv have minimum age limitations that vary from 18 to 30. Usually the limitation is different between males and females and while some spots may be flexible others will be as strict as possible.

Israel has no unique drinking culture so any place with any self-respect will have the entire world wide alcohol selection available, from Wine and Beer to Tequila, Arak, Vodka, Whiskey and Cognac.

Pubs
The entire city is full of spots to hang out, and there are streets and areas that stand out with even more pubs/clubs, have a look at the districts detailing the scene.

There are a few well-known pubs that specifically cater to foreigners. Mike's Place, next to the American embassy, is an American-style bar which attracts a mostly-Anglo 20-30 something crowd. Molly Bloom's Irish pub and the English Pub, not far from Mike's Place, host many people from the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Clubbing
The Tel Aviv club scene is comparable to those in most European capitals. Top international DJs regularly perform in Tel Aviv, with clubs constantly vying to outdo each other with ever more extravagant parties. Up to date English language party listings are readily available online.

The biggest and newest club in the city is Haoman 17 (Florentin quarter). Other fantastic clubs are TLV, Dome (gay & Offer Nissim is the resident DJ), Vox, Powder, and the "indie" Cafe Barzilay and Studio 46.

Rock clubs, including Barbie Club (Kibutz Galuyot St) and the Zappa Club (in the northeastern neighbourhood of Ramat haChayal), among others, host concerts almost every night of the week.

Billiards (pool) clubs include Gypsy on Kikar Atarim (Atarim plaza)

Gay scene
Tel Aviv is home to the leading gay community in Israel and all of the Middle East, and is a very friendly city towards gay people. It's safe in Tel Aviv for gay couples to express physical affection to the same extent as straight ones, and can do so on all beaches (the "gay beach" is good for pick-ups, but safety isn't limited to there).

There are many gay clubs and parties. Some of which have been running for several years already (Shirazi's FFF line, which is taking place in the 'Haoman 17' club. The electro 'PAG' line). Others are changing from time to time. There is also a gay accommodation.

Most gay clubs have closed as the younger generation of gay Israelis just go clubbing with their straight friends. Many clubs do have gay nights, though.

There is a gay beach in the city, Hilton Beach, named for the Hilton Hotel adjacent to it. It is often full of young gay Israelis, especially in the weekends. Next to Dizengoff Center and on Rothschild Boulevard you may see gay couples walking freely all day long.

Cafés
Coffee shops have been an inseparable part of the Tel Aviv cultural lifestyle ever since the city was founded, as cafés were always the favorite hanging spots of the local bohemia. It is therefore no surprise that Tel Aviv boasts many cafés, which can be found everywhere in the city, offering aromatic Italian Espressos and Capuccinos (called "Hafukh", meaning upside-down, in Hebrew). Espresso-bar, Cafeneto, Café-café and arcaffé are some of the local chain-cafés. Aroma's the biggest among them. Feel free to spend hours in a coffee shop - no one will slap the check on your table or require you to order more stuff.

Bohemian 'Puah' (in the Jaffa flea market), Café Noah, Chic 'Le Central' (Rothschild Av.), and 'Tolaat Sfarim' (Rabin Sq. and Mazeh street near Allenby and Rothschild) are recommended for their very distinctive and Israeli café-drinking experience.

Sleep
Tel Aviv has a wide variety of accommodation options, from camping and backpacker hostels, boutique hotels, right up to luxury 5-star hotels. The main area for a short term stay is in the center with a big hotels strip on the beach and many accommodation options all around. The center should be your default place to stay. Some places can also be found in the south and will usually be cheaper (except the David Intercontinental).

Another option to cut expenses a bit is to sleep in the nearby towns instead of actually staying inside Tel Aviv. This is a very common practice for young Israelis that want the Tel Aviv lifestyle without the Tel Aviv cost. The most common options are Ramat Gan, Bat Yam, Holon and Givatayim.

Wireless internet
Most coffee shops and fast food places have free WiFi. Tel Aviv municipality operates a free Wi-Fi network called "Free_TLV" in select locations around the city.

Medical services

 * Tel Aviv Doctor, Basel Heights Medical Centre - Room 204, 35 Basel Street (on the square), +972 (0) 549 41 42 43. Tel Aviv Doctor provides English speaking medical services that can be claimed back from travel insurance companies.
 * Ichilov Clinic, one of the largest hospitals in Israel, is a medical center of national importance. The hospital is located in Tel Aviv and employs more than 120 world-famous professors. Many of which are the authors of unique developments and copyright techniques. The clinic treats both Israelis and foreign patients.

Embassies
Due to the disputed status of Jerusalem, most countries maintain their embassies to Israel in Tel Aviv, the most notable exception being the United States. Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/israel


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Stay safe
In general, most tourist areas are completely safe for tourists even at night. However, try to avoid the Central Bus Station, especially at night. This bus station is a large building with many abandoned parts that brings with it many dodgy people. Instead, try to take a bus that arrives at "Terminal 2000" or outside the Azrieli Towers. The "HaHagana" train station is safe, but avoid walking around the nearby Neve Shaanan neighborhood at night (the area east of "Ha'Aliya" and "Menachem Begin" streets), as it contains many homeless refugees from Eritrea and many drug addicts.

Also watch out for scooters and electric bikes. It is not uncommon to see these vehicles traveling at a speed of 40 km/h (25 miles per hour). On the path next to the promenade on the beach, they travel at particularly high speeds due to the lack of intersections. Besides, they are found in all the central areas of the city In high quantities and you should pay attention to them, especially in places where there are no bicycle paths such as on Allenby Street and the Yemeni Vineyard.

In addition, when bathing in the sea, do not leave valuables out of reach. The chance of theft at the beach is high.

The usual warnings regarding being alert for bomb threats also pertain to Tel Aviv - beware of suspicious packages in public places (though don't over panic), and suspicious behavior on the part of people around you; if in doubt, report it! The local police are generally friendly, and many of the law-enforcers can speak passable English.

Security control checks are a necessary annoyance when entering shopping malls, markets around the central bus station, and most hotels, cafes and restaurant. You are frequently requested to let the guards look into your bag. It is best not to find it offensive or intrusive, and this check shouldn't take more than 20 seconds and end with a smile and a green light. It is also advised to carry some sort of identification documents on you at all times. Police officers may rarely stop and ask you for ID, and Israelis are required to carry an ID at all times.

Most Israelis aged 18-20 are doing mandatory army service. So teenagers in uniform are everywhere, and it is not unusual to see what appears to be a group of high school students, dressed like any other high schools students out on the weekend, all carrying rifles.

City buses are safe at all times of day and night, frequent, cheap, reliable and convenient. There is no need to worry about terrorism - it has been years since the last bombing on any Israeli bus. You can always approach the driver with any questions, and passengers are usually keen to assist tourists.

Since February 2023, demonstrations have been held every Saturday night against the judicial reform on Kaplan Street. Therefore, on Saturday nights, avoid staying in wide areas of the city, in particular on the HaShalom train station and the Sarona, which are the focus of the demonstrations. In addition, avoid the Svidor Center Train Station and Terminal 2000 Because access to them is blocked on Saturday nights. Other areas are Tel Aviv Museum and the Habima Square where there have been police blockades since Saturday afternoon.

Nature
Tel Aviv has long, hot summers. Be sure to drink lots of water, even if you don't feel thirsty, and use lots of sunscreen and other sun protection.

When going for a swim in the Mediterranean, stick to the patrolled beaches with lifeguards, marked with flags and signs - every year people drown off the Tel Aviv coast when strong currents get them into difficulties. Also, at the beginning of the summer, keep an eye out for jellyfish (called meduza in Hebrew). Remember that during the winter months, though the weather may allow a bathe, the lifeguard service is inactive (official bathing season begins on April 18th and ends late in October).

Go next

 * Haifa – The second-holiest city in the Bahai faith, including its great garden down the northern slope of the city.
 * Jezreel Valley – Famous for Tel Megiddo (Armageddon) National Park and Mount Gilboa overlooking it.
 * Druze Villages in the Carmel Range: 30 min by service taxi (monit sherut) or longer by bus, line number 37א, to the closer village of Isifya or the more distant village of Daliyat el-Carmel. The tourist-oriented bazaar has inexpensive shops and you can top off the visit in one of the excellent Mid-Eastern restaurants.
 * Caesarea & Zarqa Bay – Extensive archaeological site north along the coast, and beautiful but not crowded beaches.
 * Jerusalem – an ancient city holy to the three Abrahamic religions
 * Dead Sea – at the lowest point in the world, it's a sea so salty that virtually nothing can live in it and swimmers float without even trying
 * Hebron – BTS offers tours of this city under occupation in the West Bank. Bus leaves from Tel Aviv, registration required in advance.