Stretched along the beautiful beach strip of the Mediterranean, Tel Aviv is Israel's largest city and biggest commercial center. It is a busy metropolis, which inspires its visitors with a unique energetic atmosphere of excitement and fun.
Visible from a distance with its seafront skyscrapers and exclusive Hotels Tel Aviv presents a lively combination of entertainment venues, shopping malls, exotic markets, nonstop active nightlife, gorgeous golden beaches and wonderful restaurants of all kinds.
Tel Aviv 100 - April 2009 - Tel Aviv Celebrates 100th anniversary
It is also the country's greatest cultural center, a home for a variety of museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls.
By contrast, the ancient port city of Old JAFFA, is medieval in appearance.
This special blend of Mediterranean ambience, seaside resort and modern facade is what makes the city so uniquely appealing.
Sea and Sun- Beaches of Tel Aviv
The beautiful white beaches of Tel Aviv are the city's most popular attraction and a must for any visitor. The magnificent promenade ("Tayelet" in Hebrew), with its beachfront cafes and restaurants, runs along the shore at the main hotel area, providing a great location for morning or afternoon jogging.
The beaches are mostly crowded on weekends (Friday and Saturday), and are pleasantly quiet in early mornings, when the only brave swimmers are seniors working on their exercise. The seashores are dotted with kiosks just a few steps from the water, tan worshippers lying on beach-beds while others carefully sitting under parasols.
While at the beach you may find yourself moving your head from the right to the left, following local pairs playing "Matkot" (Israeli beach tennis), and on summer evenings, soon after the beautiful Mediterranean sunset, the beaches become a great location for dancing parties.
How People Live in Tel Aviv
Though it has a Mediterranean feel, Tel Aviv is also a sophisticated modern city with a European touch.
The city's streets teem with lively sidewalk cafes, elegant restaurants and exclusive shops, along with simple kiosks and local Falafel and Shawarma stalls. One of the most common habits in the lives of Tel-Avivians is to hang out at the trendy cafes on famous Sheinkin street and Dizengoff Streets, especially on sunny Fridays.
Sheinkin Street
Since Tel Aviv is an excellent city to explore on foot, visitors can spend great time walking around those streets and others, such as Ibn Gvirol and the lovely shaded Rotchild Ave.
More of this Tel Avivian fun can be reached at Hayarkon St., the closest street to the beach and where most of the city hotels are, and at Ben- Yehuda St., parallel to its former and the site of many hostels, travel agents and other tourist services.
Tel Aviv Shopping Centers
Shopping in Tel Aviv can be a fascinating experience, as the city offers various kinds of shopping venues, from outdoor flea markets to big modern malls.
If it's the Middle Eastern ambiance you're after, visit the colorful Carmel Market with its oriental flavor, to watch the vendors sell exotic food products and cheap clothing (don't forget to bargain), or go to neighboring Nachalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall, where artists present their unique home-made stuff.
Azrieli Mall
However, if you're looking for modern style shopping, then you can attend the chic fashion stores at Dizengoff and Sheinkin Streets, visit the exclusive boutiques at Hamedina Square and Ramat Aviv mall, or head for Azrieli Center, a uniquely structured shopping mall and the highest building in the city. Most of Tel-Aviv's shopping areas are within walking distance from the hotel district on Hayarkon St., while others are easy to get to by local bus or taxi. Notice that some shops are closed between 1pm and 4pm, and most are closed on Saturday.
Dizengoff Center
Center of Dizengoff and King George streets. Large, modern shopping center. Encompassing innumerable shops, 7 movie theaters, restaurants and cafes.
Gan Ha'ir
This is one of lsrael's exclusive centers, with stores and restaurants of truly international standards. Here you'll find everything you're looking for, whether it's fashion, jewelry, carpets, housewares, dining, delis or night-clubs. With its lush greenery, sparkling fountains and futuristic elevators, the fully air conditioned City Garden Shopping Center is one of Tel Aviv's treasures. Tel. 03- 5279111 (Center into), 71 lbn Gvirol St.
Canyon Ayalon
The mall, which is in Ramat Gan, is the most successful one in Israel and is considered to be one of the most successful malls in the whole world! The mall is air-conditioned and has a variety of stores. restaurants and movie theaters, The mall has 100 stores and 2,150 parking spots that are free for the visitors. Open daily 9am-1Opm. Tel. 570-3105, Info. 177-022-1776
The new Tel Aviv Bus Terminal
The New Tel Aviv Bus Terminal operates also as lsrael's business, commerce and entertainment center. 230,00 square meters of enclosed and air-conditioned space in summer and winter, 1,400 shops including all the known branches in all categories, thousands of parking spaces, escalators, fountains, restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, branches of the major banks and an enclosed and clean market. In other words, a city within a city. An experience!
Opera Tower
This apartment building is located at the junction of 1 Allenby St., Tel Aviv, opposite the Promenade. The building was erected at the site of what was the First Knesset and later housed the Israeli Opera. There are three floors for commercial use, including shops of Israeli designers, jewelry, ceramics, furniture, Judaica and fashion, 6 cafes-restaurants and 5 cinemas. The place is fully air-conditioned. Into: 03- 510-7496. Buses 4, 10. Opera Tower hosts exhibitions and artistic activities.
Tel Aviv Nightlife, bars and venues
Known as "the city that never stops", Tel Aviv is a late-night metropolis, who wakes up at midnight and runs wild all night long. Jammed roads with heavy traffic and people waiting in line for a bar table or a dance club admission, are common sights at the city's nightlife arenas even around 4am.
Tel Aviv's nightlife focuses mostly on pubs, cafes and nightclubs, whose House/Trance/Techno music is in one level with that on most European cities' clubs. The city gets amazingly active every night of the week, but on weekends (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) it's even more bustling.
Major centers where locals and visitors love to play all night, are Allenby St and its surroundings (south Tel-Aviv), the old port of Tel-Aviv, and the four lined streets parallel to the beach - Hayarkon,
Ben-Yehuda, Dizengoff and Ibn Gvirol. Another entertainment option is the city's several modern cinemas, most of which adjacent to a shopping center or area, presenting the latest world's hits in the original dialog with Hebrew subtitles.
Popular venues and bars:
* Clara - Summer Bar, Tel Aviv.
* The Cat and Dog, Carlibach 23, Tel Aviv.
* Alenby St, , including The Goodbar, Joey's Bar, and Bloom Bar.
* Tel Aviv seaport - Check out Whisky a gogo, Erlich, Shalvta, Galina and more.
* Dizengoff St.
* King George St.
* Lilienblum St - Check out Nanuchka, Abracses and more.
* Bograshov St
* Rotchild blvd. (western part)
Must Party at:
* Clara Mega Bar – Located on the southern part of the Tel Aviv beach close to the David Intercontinental hotel is a very trendy open air mega bar. All wooden deck floor with a very long bar, multiple seating areas by the sea view or all around this huge bar and and a great atmosphere's makes this place a must visit during a stay in the city
Cafes:
Tel Aviv boasts many cafes, which can be found everywhere in the city, offering aromatic Italian Espressos and Cappuccinos (called "Hafuh", 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 - most of Aroma's branches open 24/7 and offer a free Internet wireless access.
Art and Culture in Tel Aviv
Tel-Aviv is Israel's cultural capital, holding its finest museums, orchestras, theaters, and art galleries, and presenting its greatest dance and music performances.
Modern Art at Ha'medina Square
The two highlights in the city's art scene, are the Diaspora Museum and the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, while other exclusive galleries are spread around Gordon St neighborhood, and are worth paying a special visit. Not far from there, just up Dizengoff St, is a cultural complex, which comprises the Israeli National Theater - Habima, and the Mann Auditorium, the home of the world-renowned Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Performing Art Center
Another cultural zone, located near the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, is the Tel-Aviv Performing Art Center. This beautifully architectural building is a home for the New Israeli Opera, featuring concerts, dance performances, music ensembles, and unique exhibitions at the lobby.
Worldwide Metropolis City Tel Aviv and Worldwide Business Center
Less than century years old, Tel Aviv today is a busy metropolis and a worldwide business center. It is a home for Israel's largest companies and for numerous branches of the world's leading enterprises.
Traveling around the industrial zones in Tel-Aviv and its surroundings reveals modern buildings of renowned firms, such as Microsoft, Cisco, AOL, IBM and many more.
Telecom 2000
Being the third biggest country in the world in high-tech industry and start-up development, Israel, and Tel-Aviv in particular, is a world leader in various fields, and a place of interest for many investors from around the globe. The city's landscape is dotted with well-designed skyscrapers, holding Internet and software companies, a diamond cutting center and the country's stock exchange.
More About Tel-Aviv
Tel Aviv has two Marinas which provide anchor for yachts and boats, as well as sailing, diving services, and repair services for sailing vessels, etc. The main Marina is located in the heart of the hotel area in tel aviv, alongside Atarim (Namir) Square, while the other is at the Jaffa port. Sail boats and wind surf equipment can be hired at the Tel Aviv Marina, and there is a school for motor boat and yacht sailing, as well as the possibility of hiring yachts. There are Customs and Border Control services at the Tel Aviv Marina. For details call 03-620-2596.
Sea and Sun - Beaches of Tel Aviv
The beautiful white beaches of Tel Aviv are the city’s most popular attraction and a must for any visitor. The magnificent promenade (”Tayelet” in Hebrew), with its beachfront cafes and restaurants, runs along the shore at the main hotel area, providing a great location for morning or afternoon jogging.
Surfing
The beaches are mostly crowded on weekends (Friday and Saturday), and are pleasantly quiet in early mornings, when the only brave swimmers are seniors working on their exercise. The seashores are dotted with kiosks just a few steps from the water, tan worshipers lying on beach-beds while others carefully sitting under parasols.
Beautiful Mediterranean Sunset
While at the beach you may find yourself moving your head from the right to the left, following local pairs playing “Matkot” (Israeli beach Tennis), and on summer evenings, soon after the beautiful Mediterranean sunset, the beaches become a great location for night hang outs, you can find many beach bars, from the new and renovated Mezizim beach bar to the one North of the Marina and others along the beach.
Old Jaffa Tel Aviv
According to Christian legend, Jaffa was named after Noah's son, Japhet, who built it after the Flood. There are others who believe that the name derives from the Hebrew word "Yofi" - beauty. From archaeological discoveries and ancient documents we learn that Jaffa existed as a port city some 4,000 years ago, serving Egyptian and Phoenician sailors in their sea voyages.
Historians believe that Jaffa is the only port in the world which can boast uninterrupted inhabitation throughout its entire existence. The biblical account mentions that the cedars from Lebanon for the construction of King Solomon's Temple came in via Jaffa. Jonah departed from this city in his flight from God. Greek legend tells of the chaining of the beautiful Andromeda to the rocks facing Jaffa's shore. Simon the Tanner lived in Jaffa, and it was here that the Apostle Peter performed a miracle. Roman legions, Richard the Lion Hearted, Napoleon and Turkish sultans all conquered the city; but with the eclipse of the Ottoman Empire, the city's vitality declined. Towards the end of World War I, the city was conquered by General Allenby, ushering in the period of the British Mandate.
Jaffa Port
The port of Jaffa, (the sole port at the time) served as the point of entry for the increased Jewish immigration which came to resettle the land. The Jews suffered from pogroms and persecution at the hands of the Arabs. The attacks reached a peak shortly before the declaration of the State of Israel in May 1948. Jewish defensive actions led to the flight of most of the city's Arabs, and shortly after that part of the city was settled by impoverished Jewish families whom the war had left homeless.
Jaffa at night
The poverty of the population threatened the continuation of active life in Jaffa as a thriving city. In 1968, the Government of Israel and the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality decided to establish a corporation for the Development of Old Jaffa, entrusting to it the task of averting the total destruction of Old Jaffa's glorious past.
Old Jaffa has since become one of Israel's foal tourist attractions. It is filled with artists' quarters, studios and art galleries. Shops catering for Judaica, archaeology, jewelry aid art, line its narrow alleys which are named after the signs of the Zodiac.
Restaurant
Visitors from both Israel and abroad enjoy dining in its unique restaurants or simply wandering around. People seem to gaze in fascination at the sight of the ancient Port and the rocks, and some are dumbstruck by the beauty of Jaffa harbor set against the back drop of the city of Tel Aviv -the first Jewish city in modern times - a vital, dynamic and vibrant metropolis that never sleeps - and which has grown out of Jaffa. Old Jaffa in itself is a quaint city, more picturesque than ever, with romantic paths and gardens. All this, together with the Mediterranean's sun-drenched waves and the special lighting effects at night, serve to excite and arouse the senses and the soul.
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