Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel: travel guide
Israel's cosmopolitan Mediterranean hub, famed for Bauhaus "White City" architecture, long beaches, a buzzing food and nightlife scene, and the ancient port of Jaffa at its southern edge.
- Country
- Israel
- Currency
- ILS
- Time zone
- Asia/Jerusalem
- Nearest airport
- TLV
Top places to visit in Tel Aviv-Yafo
Jaffa Clock Tower
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 0.3 h
A 1903 Ottoman limestone clock tower with stained-glass panels, the landmark gateway to Old Jaffa on Yefet Street.
Independence Hall (Tel Aviv)
Museum · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
The building on Rothschild Boulevard where Israel's Declaration of Independence was read in 1948, now a museum.
HaYarkon Park
Nature · 4.6 rating · about 2 h
Tel Aviv's great green lung along the Yarkon River, with lawns, boating lakes, a tropical garden, bird sanctuary and cycling paths.
Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel)
Market · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h
Tel Aviv's largest open-air market, a noisy stretch of produce, spices, street food and cheap goods running down to the Yemenite Quarter.
Gordon Beach
Beach · 4.6 rating · about 2 h
A central Mediterranean beach with soft sand, a saltwater pool, matkot players and beachfront cafés, one of the most popular stretches of the Tel Aviv promenade.
ANU – Museum of the Jewish People
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 2.5 h · entry ILS 52
A sweeping museum on the Tel Aviv University campus telling the story of Jewish peoplehood, culture and diaspora across the world and history.
Eretz Israel Museum
Museum · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h
A large campus museum in Ramat Aviv covering archaeology, ethnography, and Israeli history, adjacent to the Tel Qasile excavation site.
Dizengoff Square
Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h
A central Tel Aviv square with the Fire and Water Fountain, surrounded by Bauhaus buildings, cafes and shops.
Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim)
Market · 2.2 rating · about 1 h
A warren of stalls and antique shops in Jaffa selling vintage furniture, jewellery and bric-a-brac, ringed by cafés and bars that stay busy into the night.
Old Jaffa
Heritage · about 1.5 h
An ancient port town of honey-stone alleys, artists' studios and the Kedumim Square church and archaeology, perched above the sea at Tel Aviv's southern edge.
Rothschild Boulevard
Cultural · about 1 h
A leafy central boulevard with a shaded pedestrian median, Bauhaus facades, kiosks and cafés, and the Independence Hall where Israel was declared in 1948.
White City (Bauhaus Center)
Heritage · about 1.5 h
Tel Aviv holds the world's largest concentration of 1930s Bauhaus / International-Style buildings, a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble best explored around Dizengoff and Bialik streets.
Things to do
- Jaffa & Neve Tzedek Walking Tour Walking Tour · 2.5 h · from ILS 90 per person
- Tel Aviv Bike Tour Cycling · 3 h · from ILS 150 per person
- Carmel Market Food Tour Food Tour · 3 h · from ILS 250 per person
- Bauhaus White City Architecture Tour Walking Tour · 2 h · from ILS 80 per person
- Mediterranean Sunset Sail Boat · 2 h · from ILS 180 per person
Day trips and tours
- Tel Aviv & Jaffa Highlights 6 h · from ILS 280
Where to stay in Tel Aviv-Yafo
- Lev HaIr (City Center) about ILS 900 per night
The heart of Tel Aviv around Rothschild and Dizengoff, walkable to the beach, Bauhaus streets and nightlife.
- Old Jaffa / Neve Tzedek about ILS 1,000 per night
Charming historic quarters at the south end, full of boutiques, galleries and character near the sea.
- Old North & Port about ILS 1,100 per night
A relaxed, upscale beachfront area near Gordon Beach and the Old Port, good for families.
Hotels
- The Norman Tel Aviv 5-star · ILS 2,000 to ILS 4,200 per night
- Dan Tel Aviv Hotel 5-star · ILS 1,500 to ILS 3,000 per night
- Brown TLV Urban Hotel 4-star · ILS 750 to ILS 1,200 per night
- Abraham Hostel Tel Aviv 2-star · ILS 160 to ILS 560 per night
- Prima City Hotel 3-star · ILS 650 to ILS 1,000 per night
Where to eat
- HaKosem Israeli, Middle Eastern, Street Food · about ILS 55 per person
- Miznon Israeli, Mediterranean, Street Food · about ILS 90 per person
- Port Said Israeli, Levantine, Mediterranean · about ILS 130 per person
- Abu Hassan (Ali Karavan) Palestinian, Levantine, Middle Eastern · about ILS 50 per person
- M25 Israeli, Grill, Meat · about ILS 140 per person
- Shila Seafood, Mediterranean, Israeli · about ILS 220 per person
Getting around
- Bicycle main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Tram main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Taxi meter refusal
Ben Gurion Airport & city ranks
Some drivers refuse the meter and quote a high flat fare, especially from the airport or to tourists.
How to avoid it: Insist on the meter ("moneh"), or use the Gett app; the airport also has a fixed-price taxi desk.