ISRAEL
10 + 2 tips for a weekend
in Tel Aviv
1-hour flight from Cyprus felt ideal for the start of summer, so that’s exactly what I went for. Tel Aviv is a perfect summer destination with 13 beaches spreading along the coastline, most are free unless you want to rent a lounge chair.
We stayed at 7 Seas Hotel, right across Jerusalem Beach. Tel Aviv is a vibrant city full of life until late. We arrived late at night and on a casual stroll by the beach you could see people walking, having fun, playing beach volley.
It was a weekend getaway and below you will find everything you need to know and do if you’re planning a similar trip + two things to keep in mind, at the very end of this post.
1. Let’s start with security.
You may have heard that Ben Gurion Airport has some thorough security measures but there’s no need to stress over it. When you arrive, you must fill in your details so you can have a visitor’s card printed and then you will be asked for the reason of your visit. On your departure you will have to go to the W to answer some questions regarding your stay, so you will get a barcode sticker on your passport that allows you to travel. Then before the normal airport security, they will probably ask you to empty your bag. It may sound stressful, but everyone was very polite and made the whole process easy and smooth.
Jaffa is one of the most ancient ports in the world, as mentioned in the Bible
2. Everyone says Tel Aviv is expensive, and it kinda is unless you know where to look. If you avoid big restaurants in tourist areas you will be fine. There’s Uber in the city – with average prices – but you can move around on foot or by scooter.
3. …and whenever you can, use the scooters. The bad thing is that you have to connect through an app and that uses internet. The coastline has public free Wi-Fi so you’ll be fine but unless you buy a SIM card for internet everywhere, you might not be able to connect to it. The scooter runs if the Wi-Fi is connected (it shuts down when you disconnect) and when you want to stop using it you will have to park it and take a picture of it on the app. Nevertheless, it’s a great way to move around – they have their own lane on the road, the one also used for bikes.
4. Visit Jaffa (or Yafo), the ancient port city. The port of Jaffa is one of the most ancient ports in the world, as mentioned in the Bible, and it has been used since approximately the Bronze Age. Walk around the port, visit the stone-built neighbourhoods, and enjoy your day. We had lunch at Sicilia, a restaurant with pretty much everything, and everything was delicious and with reasonable prices.
5. For breakfast, we ended up visiting Bakery at Dizengoff. It was an unplanned visit, so we didn’t know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised. Baked goods and snacks all fresh and delicious, with various traditional bites and healthier options. You can start your day sitting outside, with good coffee and tasty goods – very budget friendly if you’re not specifically looking for pancakes etc.
6. You have to visit Carmel Market. It’s one of the most famous spots of the city and it has everything you may want, from groceries, fruits and vegetables to souvenirs and traditional sweets. It’s a spot that reflects the culture of Israel, with locals going for their everyday shopping
7. Tel Aviv is a great, open-minded city for all the ages, but you might enjoy it more if you are young. There’s also a strong sense of safety and security. We walked in various streets away from the crowded areas and we never really felt unsafe anywhere.
8. If you’re looking for cocktails and tapas, stay in the area and visit Jenia. A nice, neon-filled, bar restaurant with a great atmosphere, nice cocktails, and food. A bit pricey for the portions they serve (picture on the left) but it was delicious and it’s in a central area.
9. We were aiming for the beach and since we were staying right across Jerusalem Beach, that’s where we spent our time. Clear waters and clean, golden sand. It was pretty crowded, but we didn’t feel it, as everyone was minding their business. You may also want to visit Banana Beach for the famous painted lifeguard kiosk. Every beach has something special though.
10. Watch the sunset at one of the terraces. It’s designed to invite people to sit on a bench under an umbrella and enjoy the sunset and the sea, and it really can serve precious moments, if you love the golden hour.
+1 Avoid this area: While I was doing my research for the city, I realized that the central Bus Station is probably a spot you may want to avoid. It was one of the very few areas that was marked as ‘better to avoid’ for safety reasons, especially at night.
+2 The jellyfish map: The sea at Tel Aviv has frequent sightings of jellyfish so, you may want to check before you dive in. The purple flag at a beach warns you of jellyfishes but I also found this website with users notifying of any sightings across the coastline with a map – https://www.meduzot.co.il/overview-map/.