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Tel Aviv is located towards the Mediterranean coast of Israel, 100 km south of Haifa and 60 km northwest of Jerusalem. In Hebrew it means “the hill of spring”. It has a population of 404,000 and an area of 51.4 square kilometers. It is considered the youngest city in Israel, with a lot of nightlife and modernity.
The city of Tel Aviv is very different from other cities in the country, in which religion is more prevalent and there is very little activity for enjoyment. Tel Aviv is a city that is always vibrant both day and night, with many bars, restaurants, cafes, clubs and different events all the time. In addition to all that can be known in the surrounding area.
In this article we will mention some places that can be visited in 1 day, such as its kilometers of beaches, the old city of Jaffa, the bohemian neighborhood of Neve Tzedek, the Carmel Market, taste its good gastronomy or simply have a coffee and share with friends.
A summary of the history of Tel Aviv:
Tel Aviv was born in April 1909, then in 1948 Ben Gurion made the proclamation of the birth of the State of Israel, then Tel Aviv acted as the provisional capital for a period of 2 years, until in 1950 the final capital was transferred to Jerusalem.
Later, when the capital was transferred, the port city of Jaffa, which was located south of the city center, became part of Tel Aviv and was considered a neighborhood of the city. By 1954 these two cities were legally united, giving rise to what is called Tel Aviv Yafo.
Therefore, Tel Aviv has grown considerably, due not only to the union with Jaffa but also with some other neighboring cities, being nowadays the 2nd most important city in Israel. In addition, most of the foreign embassies are located in this city, and that is why many countries consider Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel, due to its diplomatic and economic importance.
What can we see in 1 day in Tel Aviv?
- The Old City of Jaffa: it is the historical center of the city of Tel Aviv, and if you walk along the promenade you will reach Jaffa on foot, the city with the oldest port, dating from about 4000 years ago, even appearing at the level of ancient Egyptian tablets. Its name in both Arabic and Hebrew means “beautiful”.
This city is made up of narrow streets and buildings made of limestone, where you can reach the Kikar Kedumim Square and visit, for example, the Church of St. Peter, enjoy the view of the sea from the Jaffa Lighthouse or you can also look for good deals at the Flea Market. Of course, there is also the Jaffa Port, the Clock Tower or the Mahmoudiya Mosque.
- The bohemian neighborhood of Neve Tzedek: it is considered one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city of Tel Aviv and with great movement, since many restaurants, cafes, trendy stores, fashion studios, art galleries, among others, are located there. It is the first Jewish neighborhood that was built on the outskirts of Jaffa, in 1887.
In this neighborhood are located the residences of many famous people, such as the actress Gal Gadot, the owner of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich, Shamuel Agnon, who won the Nobel Prize for literature and others.
- The famous Carmel Market, also called Shuk HaCarmel: This market is located near the neighborhood of Neve Tzedek, south of Shenkin and Allenby, and is the largest and most important of the city of Tel Aviv. We are talking about a set of narrow streets, where you can enjoy a good variety of products of all kinds, both culinary and clothing, toys, among others.
Touring this street market is a great experience thanks to the different flavors, smells and colors. Also, on Friday mornings all the stalls are open, so you can get to know it completely, and they say they have good prices.
But you can also enjoy:
- The beautiful beaches of Tel Aviv: one of the advantages of Tel Aviv’s climate is that it is sunny all year round and the summers are long and warm. There are different beaches for different purposes; for example, there are beaches for surfing, others accept puppies, others are only for gays and there are others for the more religious and conservative people.
Among the latter is Religious Beach, which during Shabbat may impose some restrictions. This coastline consists of 14 km and about 13 beaches to enjoy. Among them, for example, MeZizim Beach, a family beach, to relax because it is so quiet. Also Banana Beach, located near the city of Jaffa, with crystal clear waters and very fine sand.
Likewise, Hilton Beach is a beach where you can practice water sports such as surfing, and it is basically a beach for gays. Other alternatives are Jerusalem Beach, Gordon Frishman Beach and others. But also, if you prefer, at sunset you can enjoy the sunset walking along the coast; or doing relaxation exercises.
- Enjoy a coffee shop: Tel Aviv has approximately 1,500 coffee shops distributed throughout the city. These are part of the daily activities of the locality, where people relax, chat and share, even after many hours of work.
Other alternatives may include:
There are really many places to visit in Tel Aviv, but in a single day the alternatives are few due to the time available. However, another point to visit is the White City, which is a set of about 4000 buildings with Bauhaus style and were built in 1930 by German Jews who emigrated during the Nazi era.
Also the Yarkon Park, which is a huge and very green space, with 6 gardens, 1 water park and some open-air concert halls, where they present the music of the moment. You can also fly kites and some local people practice fishing in the Yarkon River.
