One of Tel Aviv’s oldest neighbourhoods, Neve Tzedek is now a trendy hub of fashion stores and cultural institutions. Grab a cone at Anita – one of the city’s best ice-cream shops – and get lost in the picturesque streets of the area, stopping off at art galleries along the way. Dallal is a great place to have lunch. Take a private tour with a local guide to experience a different side of the neighbourhood. Visit quaint HaTachana market shops, chow down on traditional Israeli foods, soak up the history of Tel Aviv and nearby Jaffa, and wander around Neve Tzedek landmarks.
Among the oldest port cities in the world, Jaffa’s Old City is a maze of sun-kissed cobblestone streets, art galleries and cafés that spill over into the area’s flea market, Shuk Hapishpishim, where haggling is a must. Packed with clothes, jewellery and classic Israeli treasures, the market is best explored via a walking tour alongside a local guide who will be able to tell you exactly which stalls to visit, and take you via other notable sights, like the Jaffa Clock Tower, too. Once your tour is finished, head to the port for some fresh fish, or go to the original Abu Hassan restaurant on HaDolfin Street for the best hummus around.
Nightlife at the Great Synagogue
To soak up a typical, hip Tel Aviv atmosphere, check out the plaza surrounding the Great Synagogue on Allenby Street. Dine al fresco at Eyal Shani’s Port Said restaurant, or check out the magic produced by Santa Katarina’s tabun oven. There are several other lively spots in the area, just go and see where the night takes you.
As the very first street built in the city, Rothschild Boulevard occupies a central place in the history of Tel Aviv and is home to numerous architectural landmarks. Start at the southern end, on the corner of Herzl Street, to find Tel Aviv’s first coffee kiosk built in 1910 (now operated by Espresso Bar). Head northwards, and admire Levin (or Heseg) House at number 46, a beautiful building with a tumultuous history built in the 1920s in the Eclectic Style. Then check out Engel House, at number 84, which is among the most important Bauhaus landmarks in Tel Aviv. Why? It was the first to be built on stilts – now a hallmark of many Bauhaus buildings in the city and a great example of the unique adaptations made by the design school’s graduates here. After exploring by day, experience a different side of Rothschild Boulevard on a guided pub crawl, where you’ll get to enjoy the nightlife, meet other travellers and residents and enjoy drinks along the way.
Jaffa is the ancient port city from which Tel Aviv has blossomed – a harmonious blend of the past and present. Visiting the Jaffa Flea Market, Shuk Hapishpishim, is a must when in Israel. As you weave your way through the winding streets, you’ll find an abundance of knickknacks and treasures. Vendors display their eclectic offerings of Judaica, Persian rugs and tiles, antiques, jewelry, and old coins. Embrace your inner-Israeli as you practice your bargaining skills, then carry your keepsakes to the nearest cafe to reward yourself with some local delicacies. The flea market itself is open Sunday through Thursday (10 am – 6 pm) and Friday (10 am – 2 pm). But the area is bustling 24/7 with some of the best bars and restaurants in the city.
Skip breakfast and come to Tel Aviv’s largest open-air market, which will send you into sensory overload. Here, you’ll find some of the freshest produce and most delectable street food in the city – don’t miss the gourmet pita bread from Panda Pita.
The revamped ancient Jaffa Port is where modernity meets history.
Jaffa Port, a renewed culinary, shopping and entertainment stop set in the city's ancient harbor, is home to various merchants and stalls that offer a vibrant and exciting experience inspired by the historical, cultural, and, of course, culinary legacy of its location. Take a stroll around the charming port, watch as elderly, weather-beaten fisherman hook calamari, stop off for an ice cream, or for a spot of live music at the Port’s Container bar. Jaffa Port Market combines traditional and ethnic elements with modern, urban touches. The 1,200 square metered area is set up like a race track, one path going through its entire length with shops, restaurants, galleries and booths on either side. Passageways peering into open-plan kitchens offer a carousel of tastes, smells and colors.
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is Israel’s largest art museum, with an impressive collection of permanent and temporary exhibits. The Museum opened in 1932, even before the state of Israel was established, and a new wing opened in 2011. The museum showcases both Israeli and international artists, including impressionism and post-impressionism pieces. Permanently on display include the works of Cezanne, Chagall, Dali, Monet, Henri Moore, Auguste Rodin, Archipenko, Picasso, Klimt, and Kandinsky. If you plan to visit just one traditional art museum when in Israel – make it the Tel Aviv Museum of Art!
The Eretz Israel Museum (Land of Israel Museum) occupies a complex of buildings that also takes in the Tell Qasile archaeological site.
The complex includes a planetarium as well as pavilions with displays on ceramics, glass, the history of writing, science, ethnography, and folklore.
In the center of the complex is Tell Qasile where Israeli archaeologists have identified 12 settlement levels dating back to the 12th century BC. Stratum XII and Stratum XI are attributed to the Philistines, while Stratum X dates from the 10th century when the kings of Israel had a port here.
Later strata show that the site was still occupied during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras and was only finally abandoned in favor of nearby Jaffa during the Islamic period.
Address: 2 Chaim Levanon Street, Tel Aviv