Tel Aviv Become a Disney Travel Agent Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Tel Aviv is Israel's cultural, entertainment and commercial center, offering a view of modern Israel in contrast to some of the better-known historical sites in the Holy Land. It's a much more liberal, secular and sexy city than conservative, religious and sacred Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is dubbed the place to play, Jerusalem the place to pray. Jerusalem is the political capital; Tel Aviv is the pleasure capital.

It's Israel's hippest hub, an avant-garde, energetic, bustling place where anything goes. It has a wealth of interesting sights, great shopping and nonstop nightlife and dining. Fun-loving Tel Avivians have style and panache. Their motto: "Eat your dessert first."

In addition, Tel Aviv has a stunning seashore with 9 mi/14 km of clean, sandy beaches excellent for swimming, people-watching and relaxing in the sun. The glorious beach culture makes this cosmopolitan city feel like a cross between Rio and Miami.

The Old City of Jaffa, prominent on the Tel Aviv shoreline, gives visitors a chance to explore the city's biblical roots. It's where Jonah set sail and is one of the world's oldest ports. Jaffa is also home to a vibrant artist colony and many fine restaurants.

Must See or Do

Sights—The Old City of Jaffa, Tel Aviv's link to its biblical past; the pleasing geometry of pre-War Bauhaus buildings in the White City district; Carmel Market, the huge, crowded and colorful daily open-air market; Independence Hall, where the State of Israel was officially declared in May 1948.

Museums—The Tel Aviv Museum of Art with Israel's leading collections of modern and contemporary art; The Museum of the Jewish People (Beit Hatfutsot), which presents the 4,000-year-old story of the Jews from biblical times to the present; the Eretz Israel Museum for its exhibits connecting the modern state to the land's archaeological and cultural past; the Yitzhak Rabin Center, which explores the history of modern Israel and the dramatic life of the assassinated Prime Minister.

Memorable Meals—The city's best hummus at the simple Ali Karavan eatery in Jaffa; dining on the beach at La La Land; the innovative kosher Israeli cuisine at Liliyot.

Late Night—A stroll through the Old Tel Aviv Port entertainment area with stops at the city's hottest, trendiest nightclubs; the mix of blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll at Mike's Place; a Guinness at Molly Bloom's; the first-class live music at Goldstar Zappa or Ozen Bar.

Walks—A stroll along Tel Aviv's beachfront promenade; the bohemian atmosphere of Neve Tzedek and Sheinkin Street; the lovely, tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard, with its unique display of Bauhaus architecture.

Especially for Kids—The Meymadion water park for a refreshing break on a hot summer's day; the Ramat Gan Safari park for a drive past lions, hippos and elephants; the beach for sun and swimming.

Geography

The first thing that air travelers see out their windows as they approach Israel is Tel Aviv's impressive Mediterranean shoreline. From high above, the line of tall hotels hugging the beachfront promenade and the straight streets leading deep into the heart of Tel Aviv give the impression of a well-designed, modern city. From the ground, however, the city is a bit more complicated, with tourist sites spread far apart from each other and many transportation routes clogged with heavy traffic.

To Tel Aviv's south is the 3,000-year-old city of Jaffa, a gateway port since biblical times. Jaffa, with a mix of Muslims, Christians and Jews, has plenty of atmosphere. Jaffa's Old City quarter, impossible to miss when looking south because of its elevation, is a popular tourist attraction, with a vibrant artist colony and an old port.

Tel Aviv first took root in its southern neighborhoods. The Yemenite Quarter outside the Carmel Market and the Neve Tzedek neighborhood in the shadows of the Shalom Tower are being renovated and today host first-class restaurants, galleries and boutiques. Dizengoff Street and the shady Rothschild Boulevard bisect central Tel Aviv. A major north-south transportation artery is the Ayalon Freeway, which separates the city from its Hatikva and Yad Eliyahu neighborhoods and from the neighboring city of Ramat Gan.

To the north, the Yarkon River crosses through Tel Aviv until it spills into the Mediterranean near Sde Dov Airport. Just south of the Yarkon is the Old Tel Aviv Port entertainment area, a trendy restaurant and nightclub locale. Farther north are the affluent neighborhoods of Ramat Aviv, Azorei Hen and Neot Afeka.

The city of Tel Aviv is part of the much larger Dan metropolitan area (or Gush Dan), which also encompasses the coastal plain cities of Herzliya, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Givatayim and Holon. Together these cities form Israel's largest population center.

History

Before 1909, the bustling, modern city of Tel Aviv was nothing more than sand dunes along the Mediterranean coast. During Passover of that year, a lottery using sea shells was held to distribute plots of land near Jaffa. The outlying neighborhood of Neve Tzedek, established in 1887 by Jews who wanted to live outside Jaffa, quickly merged with this new community.

After a wave of Arab riots against the Jews in 1921, the British Mandatory officials, in charge of what was then Palestine, granted Tel Aviv independence, and it became a separate municipality from Jaffa. In the 1930s, a wave of immigrants escaping European anti-Semitism brought modern European architecture to the city. During these years, Jewish architects from the renowned Bauhaus art-and-design school in Germany fled the Nazis and introduced the city's world-famous architectural style. The Bauhaus school emphasized the synthesis of art and functionality.

On 14 May 1948, the leaders of the Jewish community in Palestine gathered in Tel Aviv. David Ben-Gurion, who would become the country's first prime minister, declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Tel Aviv became Israel's temporary capital until the Knesset and government ministries set up their permanent offices in Jerusalem. On 4 October 1949, the modern city of Tel Aviv and the ancient city of Jaffa were reunited as a single municipality.

In 2003, Tel Aviv was selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site because of its Bauhaus architecture and its original urban design. Today, it remains an outstanding example of early 20th-century new-town planning and architecture.

In May 2018, the U.S. relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, creating violence and protests; and in July, Israel's parliament passed a controversial law characterizing the country as principally a Jewish state, fueling anger among its Arab minority. The former embassy building in Tel Aviv operates as a branch office.

Potpourri

With approximately 4,000 white buildings constructed in the unique Bauhaus style, Tel Aviv has earned the nickname "the White City."

Celebrities such as Madonna have been spotted dining in restaurants in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood.

Tel Aviv is part of the Dan metropolitan area, also known as Greater Tel Aviv or Gush Dan, the largest population center in Israel.

For its enthralling arts scene, Tel Aviv has been named part of UNESCO's worldwide Creative Cities network.

Tel Aviv has one of the world's most vibrant gay communities, with an enormous pride parade every June.

The city's name, chosen by its first residents, comes from the title of Theodor Herzl's seminal Zionist novel, Altneuland (Old New Land), translated into Hebrew as "Tel Aviv."

Location

Cruise ships calling at Israel pull into the port of Haifa, located about 90 minutes north of Tel Aviv, or Ashdod, about 40 minutes south, so all excursions are offered from there. At both ports, be prepared for delays prior to your excursion to Tel Aviv, as immigration and security officials conduct thorough checks and searches of all passengers wishing to disembark.

Ships arriving at Haifa dock right in the city center, which climbs a steep slope away from the port. The shops and restaurants of the city are close by. Five ships at a time can be berthed adjacent to the modern passenger terminal. The terminal can handle thousands of visitors at once, if necessary, and has comfortable seating, duty-free and souvenir shops, a cafeteria, tourist information, a currency exchange desk, an international telecommunications center, free Wi-Fi, car rentals and a taxi rank.

In addition to being a major cruise stopover, Ashdod is Israel's largest cargo port, which does not provide a very attractive setting for disembarking passengers. Some cruise ships dock beside the passenger terminal, but others may be in the midst of the industrial zone. The terminal is rather basic, but it does have a cafeteria, a couple of duty-free shops, Internet access and a currency exchange desk. It's best to take the shuttle bus to the port entrance, and from there, pick up a cab to Tel Aviv.

Shore Excursions

Cruise passengers are generally offered a one-day or half-day excursion to Tel Aviv from Haifa or Ashdod. It is sometimes possible to have an overnight excursion, disembarking at Haifa and re-embarking at Ashdod.

The most popular excursions are to Christian sites in Jerusalem such as the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, Mount Zion, the Way of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, known as the birthplace of Jesus, is often visited, as is the Dead Sea.