Before diving into the world of experiences, sights and culture that the White City has to offer, we've put together the top attractions in Tel Aviv that you simply can't miss.
In every major city in the world there are attractions, that if you haven't visited, you can't “check them off” and say you were there: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Statue of Liberty in New York, or Big Ben in London. Tel Aviv is no different from the largest cities in the world and here too you can also find top attractions – those that if you have not experienced, you cannot really say that you have visited in Tel Aviv.
Old Jaffa and the Jaffa Port
To get to know Tel Aviv, it is recommended to start with the city adjacent to it and its oldest part – Old Jaffa. You can join one of the local tours or tour by yourself. There are many places not to be missed on your trip: walk along the ancient and narrow alleys, such as the Zodiac Alley with its artists’ shops, sit in one of the cafés around Kdumim Square and the Zodiac Fountain, visit the Summit Garden and its Faith Statue, look out over Andromeda’s Rock and modern Tel Aviv, or visit St. Peter’s church and see the wealth of decorations there. Of course, you should go down to the Port of Jaffa, which today is used mainly for fishing boats, where cafés, galleries and shops on the shore are primarily used.
After the tour among the ancient alleys, you should continue to another spot that must not be missed: the Clock Tower and the square around it – the beating heart of Jaffa. The nearby flea market is a great place to relax during your walk with a good pita from the Abulafia bakery, or a steaming cup of coffee from one of the area's cafés. In the flea market area, don't miss out on one of the new attractions in Tel Aviv – The Jaffa Express. Travel around the Old City of Jaffa by a virtual train – a magical journey through time with virtual reality.
Neve Tzedek
After visiting ancient Jaffa, it is time to move on to the first Jewish neighborhood outside the walls of Jaffa – the Neve Tzedek neighborhood. A tour between the small, special homes in the area captures the unique creative atmosphere that prevails here. Over the years, many artists have lived there and made their mark on it. Cultural centers such as the Suzanne Dallal Center and the Nahum Gutman Museum, named after the painter and writer who lived there, contribute greatly to the neighborhood and its special character. Suzanne Dallal often hosts festivals and music performances. A significant slice of Tel Aviv's history is hidden in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood. Here you can find the house of Aharon Chelouche, the founder of the neighborhood and that of Israel Rokach – one of the city’s first mayors, who built a magnificent residence here. The ruins of Reano’a Eden – the silent movie theater which was the heart and head of the new neighborhoods’ pride – Neve Tzedek and thereafter, Ahuzat Beit which in later years became Tel Aviv. There was a school for boys and for girls, who were educated in two different languages. Since the girls’ school lessons were taught in Hebrew, many such as Nahum Gutman or Moshe Sharett, Israel's second prime minister, were educated in the girl’s school rather than at the boys’.
Another famous house in the area is the Abulafia House where Shai Agnon lived in his youth. The Arab assistant who adopted the name before leaving the family home, later opened a bakery in Jaffa that is known to this day. Besides a tour of Susan Dallal and the picturesque alleys of the neighborhood, you should sit down for coffee, have ice cream, look for celebrities and to top it all off, take in the old Jaffa Railway station complex with its many cafés and restaurants.
The Carmel Market and Nahalat Benjamin
You can't discuss Tel Aviv’s attractions without mentioning the Carmel Market and Nachalat Binyamin. The Carmel Market is a Mini Israel experience of the human landscape here. The people and the stalls may not be reduced in size or puppet-like, but they represent the various shades of Tel Aviv society. Alongside traditional candy stands, you can discover trendy and special street food stalls and a few meters from a “Five to a Dollar” houseware store; you can find artist’s crafts for sale on stalls that open up every Tuesday and Friday on the adjacent Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian mall. In the evenings, the bustling marketplace becomes a vibrant center of nightlife with bars, pubs, and all their customers. The market has existed since the 1920s and is one of the important milestones in the development of the White City.
Rothschild Boulevard and the Habima Plaza
Rothschild Boulevard, the main avenue in the financial heart of Tel Aviv, was a center for many political figures and historical events, including the State's Declaration of Independence. The boulevard is one of the first five streets in the city. Since the 1990s, the boulevard has been undergoing renewal and high-rise buildings and business towers are replacing many old buildings. Some of the houses are being preserved, especially those in the Bauhaus style that characterized construction at the time: white houses with open balconies, large windows and a flat roof meant for all the neighbors. The center of the boulevard includes a promenade where you can walk around and enjoy the preserved homes, lovely gardens along the avenue, the first kiosk in Tel Aviv, Nachum Gutman's Tel Aviv History Mosaic, the Independence Hall Museum, the home of Meir Dizengoff – Tel Aviv's first mayor, and the Museum of the History of the Hagana. At the end of the avenue is the Arts Plaza, also known as the Habima Plaza, which is surrounded not only by the National Theater but also Heichal HaTarbut (also known in English as the Charles Bronfman Auditorium), the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion and Gan Yaakov. Over the last years, the plaza has undergone a serious upgrade, including benches, seating areas, game boards, and a garden with flowers and trees, with classical music playing throughout the day.
Dizengoff Center – the New and Renewed Spirit
There are attractions in Tel Aviv that may be better-known or are more central – such as the preserved Templar neighborhood, the Sarona Market or the Yarkon Park, which is an attraction for every nature lover and urban sports enthusiast in the city. However, no attractions in Tel Aviv embody the city’s spirit like Dizengoff Center does. Don't be confused, this is not just another shopping mall – although it has everything you will find in such a shopping center – a host of shops and brands, cafés and restaurants. Dizengoff Center hides a different worldview – a young spirit and innovation, values and preservation, openness and acceptance. On the rooftop of Dizengoff Center is the center for Urban Sustainability: a greenhouse for growing vegetables using a hydroponic method, a biodynamic bee center, a butterfly garden and other urban sustainability initiatives. The center supports direct employment and the cultivation of local communities and works towards energy efficiency and turning the center green. The mall itself has many activities for the public – lectures and workshops, minimal-cost courses and various events such as dog meetings or a horror maze. And there's even a particular app to help you not get lost around the Center!
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