Under normal circumstances, this vibrant "party capital" draws 2.5 million visitors a year. It has the highest cost of living in the world and is famous for its nightlife and 24-hour culture. Tel Aviv is located in the heart of the Middle East on the beautiful central coast of Israel and is consistently ranked as one of the top oceanfront cities in the world. With a population of half a million residents, the first modern Hebrew city of Tel Aviv, which means "Hill of Spring" in Hebrew, lives up to its name as a symbol of hope and tolerance.
Founded in 1909 by the Jewish residents of Israel, Tel Aviv was initially named Ahuzat Bayit, meaning Homestead. The name of the old-new city was later changed to Tel Aviv, after it’s biblical name Tel Abib. In 1948, the Israeli Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in the city by the first PM of Israel, David Ben Gurion. After the Independence War of that year, Tel Aviv was annexed with the adjacent city of Jaffa, and was officially named Tel Aviv-Jaffa in 1950.
The city of Tel Aviv grew into a modern and bustling metropolis, becoming Israel’s economic and technological center. In 2022 it was ranked 57th in the Global Financial Centers Index, boasting the largest economy per capita in the Middle East. What makes Tel Aviv rare lies not only in its rich culture of innovation, attracting investments from the largest tech firms in the world, but also in its cultural diversity and tolerance.
Tel Aviv is known for its large LGBTQ+ community, consistently ranked one of the top LGBTQ+ destinations in the world. It is also ethnically diverse, with the Jewish population consisting of the descendants of immigrants from all over the world including Ashkenazi Jews from Europe, and Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews from North Africa, India, Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Five percent of the city population is Arab, most of them Muslim. The city is also home to economic migrants and refugees from African countries, primarily Sudan and Eritrea, with most of them located in the southern part of the city.
In 2003, Tel Aviv was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city comprises the world’s largest concentration of International Style buildings, including Bauhaus and other related modernist architecture styles.
Tel Aviv is known as the “city that never sleeps” due to its thriving nightlife, young atmosphere and famous 24-hour culture. It is home to leading hotel brands, museums, and architectural and cultural sites. The beaches of Tel Aviv are often ranked the best beaches in the world. Nineteen percent of the city’s land is green space, with Hayarkon Park on the banks of the Yarkon River being the most visited park in Israel, attracting 16 million visitors annually - a huge number considering the the country’s population is less than 10 million.
Tel Aviv is a walkable city, and walking tours are popular. Walking through the city, you’ll see one of my personal favorites - street art. The city is rich in street art that is vibrant and at times thought-provoking.
My favorite neighborhood in Tel Aviv is Neve Tsedek (which literally means “House of Justice” in Hebrew). It was the first neighborhood to be built outside of Jaffa. Walking through the main street of the neighborhood towards the famous beach promenade of Tel Aviv and Jaffa, you will pass through stunning two-story sandstone buildings, art galleries, and world-class restaurants.
On your way back from the beach, as you walk through Neve Tsedek, you’ll spill into another favorite part of the city, Rothschild Boulevard. The center of the street is a tree-lined pathway that is filled with people walking or riding electric scooters at all hours of the day or night. Once you get your bearings and learn to be careful as foot traffic mingles with scooters zooming by, you’ll notice that little coffee shops can be found every few meters, all equipped with espresso machines. When you feel safe enough to raise your head and look around, you’ll see a lineup of fascinating Modernist-style buildings inspired by the German Bauhaus School and the Swiss-French Le Corbusier.
In the evening, you can walk back to the beach area through Neve Tsedek, where you can watch the sunset on the shiny Mediterranean Sea. To your left you will see the minaret of the largest mosque in Jaffa, an integral part of the city skyline, basking in the warmth of the Israeli sun. To your right, you can walk through the famous Tel Aviv Tayelet, the beach promenade, a landmark you don’t want to miss.
Other fun facts about Tel Aviv: It has the third-largest concentration of sushi restaurants in the world, with more than 100 doing business in the city; the most known dessert specialty is Halva ice cream, topped with date syrup and pistachios; the city is a major transportation hub with bus, taxi, railway stations, and Ben Gurion International airport only nine miles away.
One of my favorite restaurants is Benedict on Rothschild Boulevard, a 24-hour restaurant that serves a delicious Israeli breakfast anytime. The second is TYO, a hip and trendy Japanese restaurant by a Japanese chef who moved to Tel Aviv after he married an Israeli woman. The menu includes favorites like lobster and salmon rolls, all served with aesthetics that match the elegant design of the restaurant, combining Japanese tradition with modern sensibilities - a perfect match for a new city built in an ancient land.
Getting lost in the streets of Tel Aviv is a treat that is invigorating and inspiring. You’ll never be without an excellent cup of coffee, and world-class musical and cultural events are just around the corner. Everyone speaks English and will be more than happy to engage with you on world politics, or just give you directions to the nearest train station or ice cream parlor. Bedtime will be the farthest from your mind because in Tel Aviv, human energy stays charged well into the night.
It’s hard to believe that Tel Aviv, a modern city with a skyline that rivals any big city in the world with its many skyscrapers, has been the target of so many missile attacks in the past few months. The military operation has been successful in halting some of those attacks however, and the people of Tel Aviv, as they are known to do, jumped back into the business of living in their vivacious and scintillating city that never sleeps.
***Favorite Spots in Tel Aviv***
https://www.blocal-travel.com/world/israel/tel-aviv/tel-aviv-street-art-guide/
https://www.benedict.co.il/pages/בנדיקט-רוטשילד
***Photos by Riki Carignan
All of Israel is magical but Tel Aviv is a special treat for city lovers from everywhere.