From Wikitravel

Tel Aviv [1] (Hebrew: תל אביב) is the second largest city in Israel. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, about 60 km north-west of Jerusalem and some 100 km south of Haifa. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo (תל אביב-יפו), and reflects the fact that the city has grown beside (and absorbed) the ancient port city of Yafo (English Jaffa) (Arabic Yafa), to the south of the new city centre, in addition to many other neighbouring settlements.

Contents 1 Districts 2 Understand 2.1 Orientation 3 Get in 3.1 By plane 3.2 By car 3.3 By bus 3.4 By train 4 Get around 4.1 By bus 4.2 Train 4.3 Taxi 5 See 5.1 Landmarks 5.2 Museums and Galleries 6 Do 6.1 Entertainment 7 Buy 7.1 Markets 7.2 Malls 7.3 Shopping Streets 7.4 Books and music 7.5 Art, Craft, Judaica, Jewelry 8 Eat 9 Drink 9.1 Night Life 9.2 Must Party at 9.3 Cafés 10 Sleep 10.1 Budget 10.2 Moderate 10.3 Splurge 11 Stay safe

Districts

• Yafo - Jaffa in English, Yaffa in Arabic, one of the world's most ancient ports. Here the prophet Jonah boarded the journey that left him in the belly of a whale. Here Andromeda was tied to a rock, a sacrifice to a sea monster, and later saved by Perseus. Here Peter the Apostle received a vision marking a significant ideological split between Judaism and Christianity (Acts 10).
• Neve Tzedek - the first neighborhood outside old Jaffa walls, now a picturesque quarter of artists and the location of the Suzanne Dellal Dance center.
• Kerem Hateimanim- a densely populated neighborhood, also older than Tel-Aviv itself. Originally built by Jewish immigrants from Yemen, now situated right next to the Carmel Market.
• Hatikva - another Yemenite quarter located in the South with lively shish kebab restaurants and the home of singer Ofra Haza.
• Florentin - Said to be the Lower east side of Tel Aviv, a mishmash of small industries and garages with hip and trendy stores and young families.
• Ramat Aviv- upscale northern neighborhood, north of the Yarkon river, where the Tel Aviv University, Diaspora Museum, and Haaretz Museums are located.

Understand

The smallish gulf of Jaffa has been a site for a fortified port town for at least 4000 years. During the 19th century the town’s population grew from about 2500 (1806) to 17000 (1886). The old city walls could no longer contain the population, and they were destroyed in the 1870s. New, more spacious neighborhoods started to appear.

Tel-Aviv was founded in 1909 by a group of distinguished Jewish residents of Jaffa. They envisaged European-style garden suburb, with wide streets and boulevards. Leaving Jaffa wasn’t, however, only a question of upgrading lifestyle. Moving out of the Arab-dominated town also represented their belief in the Jewish national movement, the Zionism. In fact, the name Tel-Aviv refers exactly to that: "Tel" is Hebrew for an artificial hill made of layers of settlements destroyed by wars and disasters; it implies old, often ruined. “Aviv” is Hebrew for spring, so while the name roughly translates as "Hill of Spring", it actually refers to the meeting of old and new, and the revival of Jewish national life.

The rise of the Zionist movement was accompanied by growing tensions between Arab and Jewish population in the country. May 1921, dozens of Jews were killed by Arab mob in Jaffa. Soon after that, thousands of the 16,000 Jews of Jaffa moved north to Tel-Aviv. The suburb became a city. Within a decade, Tel-Aviv became the center of culture, commerce and light industry for the entire Jewish population of the country. The opening of Tel-Aviv port in 1938 was the last step freeing it from its dependency on Jaffa. By then, Tel-Aviv was already the biggest city in the country, with 130,000 residents. After Israel’s declaration of independence, in 1948, Jaffa became a district of Tel-Aviv. The city name was officially changed to Tel-Aviv-Yafo.

Today, Tel Aviv-Yafo represents the heart of a thriving, small-scale Israeli metropolis - the greater metropolitan area comprises a number of separate municipalities with approximately 1.1 million people living in a 15 km long sprawl along the Mediterranean coast - and around 360,400 in Tel Aviv-Yafo itself - making it the second largest city in Israel after Jerusalem. Bat Yam, Holon, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei-Brak, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Ramat Ha-Sharon and Herzliya are the other major cities in the coastal area commonly known as Gush Dan.

While Jerusalem is Israel's capital city, where most government departments are located, Tel Aviv and its satellite cities form the economic and cultural center. It is known as "the city that doesn't stop" and indeed you will find that the nightlife and culture are on around the clock. In summer it is not unusual to see the beach boardwalk bustling with people at 4 am and the clubs and bars usually pick up around midnight until morning, giving Tel Aviv a well deserved reputation of being a party town. It is the pinnacle of secular life in Israel.

In July 2003 Tel Aviv-Yafo was declared a cultural UNESCO World Heritage site for the many "International" style (also known as Bauhaus after the German school it originated from) buildings built in the city during the 1930s-50s. As this style emphasized simplicity and the white color, Tel-Aviv is also called the White City [2].

Orientation

Tel-Aviv lies along the Mediterranean Sea side. With few exceptions, all points of interest for tourists are in a rectangle defined by the sea on the west, the Yarkon River on the north, the Ayalon highway on the east, and Shlomo (Salame) road on the south. This rectangle is separated to two long strips by Ibn-Gvirol Street, starting from the Yarkon and changing its name to Yehuda Halevy. Most of the attractions are in the western of those strips. Tel-Aviv developed from south to north. On the south-western corner of the rectangle you will find old Jaffa. To its north, the first Jewish neighborhood outside Jaffa, Neve Tsedek. To Neve Tsedek’s east, Florentin, a 1920s light-industry quarter turned ultra-chic; and then the Central Bus Station area, now home for foreign workers from around the world. To the north of Neve-Tsedek, Kerem Hateimanim, a crowded but picturesque neighborhood dating to the early 20th century. To its east and north, the city center, a chiefly residential area built on the 1920s and 1930s, where the majority of Bauhaus (“International”) style architecture is to be found. Farther to the north and east, the “old north” (not to be confused with “the north”, on the other side of the Yarkon), is yet more spacious residential area built over the 1940s and 1950s.

Israelis often speak of north-south divide in Tel Aviv-Yafo. The north is usually associated with a continental, chique, and suburbanite lifestyle centered around Kikar haMedina and Ramat Aviv. To the south, the city takes on a more rugged and eastern, albeit evermore trendy, urban feel.

Get in

By plane

Tel Aviv's main airport is also Israel's international airport, Ben-Gurion International Airport [3] (TLV), (NATBAG is the Hebrew acronyms commonly in use), situated about 20 KM away from Tel-Aviv city center. You can reach the city from the terminal using the train service (12 NIS). Alternatively you can, of course, take a taxi (around 100 NIS or 20 Euro).

Tel Aviv has another airport - Sde Dov [4] (SDV). This is a primary domestic airport, with frequent flights to Eilat [5] (ETH) and Rosh Pinna (Galilee) [6] (RPN).

By car

Tel-Aviv is the hub of the country's highways network. It is easily accessible from Jerusalem and Ben-Gurion airport (road number 1) Haifa (road number 2) and Beer-Sheva and the south (roads number 4 and 20). Try to avoid commutters traffic in and out of the city on Rush Hours (Sunday-Thursday, 7:00-10:00, 16:00-19:00).

By bus

The New Central Bus Station in southern Tel Aviv ("Tahana Merkazit", officially the world's biggest bus station!) offers routes servicing virtually every settled location in Israel. It is located within a short walking distance to the Tel Aviv HaHaganah Train Station. The building is more than a bit confusing, but head for the 6th floor for inter-city lines, and ask for directions if necessary.

Major destinations are served also from the more user-friendly "Arlozorov" terminal, by the Central Train Station. Most north-bound buses stop there as well.

The main inter-city bus operator from Tel Aviv is Egged, which operates, among many others, line 405 from Jerusalem to the new central bus station or 480 from Jerusalem to the "Arlozerov, Tel-Aviv" train station (17.70 NIS), line 905 from Haifa, and line 390 from Eilat (65 NIS). Buses faithfully follows the 4th commandment ("Remember the Sabbath day"), stopping on Friday afternoon, and only resuming service Saturday after sunset. Minor services often do not resume until Sunday morning. Tickets can be bought from the driver, or from the ticket counters in the main stations. +972-3-6948888, or *2800 for any phone inside the country, [7].

Within Tel Aviv itself, the Dan [8] bus corporation operates almost exclusively within the "Gush Dan" area (Dan Block - Tel Aviv greater metropolitan), maintaining routes that service most parts of Tel Aviv and its surroundings.

A daily bus service is available to and from Amman through the King Hussein bridge. Call the operator (+972-4-6573984) for details.

By train

Israel Railways +972-3-5774000, [9]. Train service has improved significantly during the last decade or so, and today they are a fast and comfortable alternative to buses for many destinations. Train services connect Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem to each other, as well as various smaller towns; direct train line connects Tel-Aviv to Ben-Gurion airport. The train ride to Jerusalem follows the 19th century path, and this scenic route is worth taking at least once, even though taking the bus on the modern highway takes half the time. Trains tend to be crowded during rush hours, especially on Sunday morning, when soldiers return to their bases and students to their universities. Train service stops on Friday afternoons, and resumes on Saturdays after sunset.

Tel-Aviv has 4 train stations, all along the Ayalon highway. For best access to the city center, use either "Tel Aviv Merkaz" (a.k.a. "Arlozorov" and officially named "Savidor"), or "Hashalom". Station "Tel Aviv Ha-Hagana" is the closest one to the New Central Bus Station.

Get around

By bus

Tel Aviv has a modern, regular and widespread bus network run by a company called Dan [10]. Bus services start at 5:00 and stop at midnight, though some of the lines stop earlier, so do check. Single ticket inside the city and the close suburbs costs 5.10 NIS (June 2006). There’s a daily free-pass called "Hofshi-Yomi", which costs less than 3 rides. Note that it is only available after 9:00. There are also monthly passes and 10-rides tickets. Everything is available from the driver.

Train

The first light-(partially underground) train line is scheduled to be operative in 2012 (but then again, the plans for underground are decades old, a campaign promise of every mayor for the last 30 years). In the meantime, anyway, take a bus.

Taxi

You can wave for a taxi in the street or call one (with extra surcharge). Taxis are obliged to give you a metered ride unless you settles for the price, so insist on the driver using the meter ("mo-NEH" in Hebrew, pronounced like the painter "Monet"), unless you are sure what the price to your destination should be. And no, it is never broken. A local ride without meter should be 20-30 shekels in the downtown core, and up to 70 or 80 to the immediate suburbs. If you go for a price fixed in advance, haggle with your driver a bit, you can generally knock a few shekels off the price. Cutting a deal in advance is especially recommended on Friday night and Saturday, when there is a surcharge for working on the Sabbath. Plus, if you get stuck in Tel Aviv's notorious traffic, you won't sit there watching your money tick away. Hakastel taxi service, phone +972-3-6993322 or Shekem +972-3-5270404 (add 3.30 Shekels charge for the call).

In addition to normal (called "special") taxis, there are 6-12 person van-sized taxis that supplement many bus routes ("sheh-ROOT"). This alternative is often faster, slightly cheaper, and more frequent than taking a bus, and they tend to end their routes slightly later. If requested, the driver may also deviate a bit from the its normal course to drop you off where you need to go.

See

Landmarks

• Old Yafo

• Kerem Ha'Temanim

Museums and Galleries

• Eretz-Israel (Land of Israel) Museum, 2 Haim Levanon Street, Ramat Aviv, +972-3-6415244, [11]. Open Su-Th 9AM-3PM, F-Sa 10AM-2PM. History, archaeology and culture - includes the archaeological site of Tel Qasile, the remains of an early Philistine settlement. Admission adult NIS 35, child NIS 24, University student or soldier NIS 27, pensioner NIS 17; Planetarium: additional 23 NIS.
• Beit HaTefutsot - Museum of the Diaspora, The Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora, Tel Aviv University Campus, Klausner Street, Ramat Aviv (bus:7, 25 from city center, entrance through Matatia Gate 2), +972-3-6408000, fax +972-3-6405727, [12], [13] Open Su-Th 10am-4pm. This multimedia museum tells the story of the 2000 years of Jewish life throughout the entire world. It’s less about history and more about people: how the lived, worked, celebrated or prayed. A must-see if you like to know more about Jewish heritage. Admission (includes audio guiding) adults NIS 34, students, new immigrants, soldiers, policeman & disabled NIS 24, senior citizens NIS 17, children up to 5 years old free. The museum is situated inside Tel-Aviv University [14] campus, so you can walk around a bit to see how the Israeli student looks like. The university gallery [15] sometimes features interesting exhibitions. The newly built Smolarsh Auditorium is nicknamed The Atomic Reactor, due to its strange shape; the red-brick synagogue is referred to as The Petrol Distillery because its resemblance to the country main distilleries north of Haifa.
• Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, 27 Shaul Hamelech Boulevard, (bus:9, 18), [16]. Open M/W/Sa 10AM-4PM, Tu/Th 10AM-10PM, F 10AM-2PM. The main municipal art museum for Tel Aviv focuses on modern and contemporary art. Check for the changing exhibitions – they sometimes are very interesting. The children's wing is great fun, and not just for kids. The museum also hosts chamber music and Jazz performances on occasions. In the museum's courtyard you will find the municipal library, with books in Hebrew, English and other languages, and Hebrew newspapers and magazines collection. You can read there, but you’ll need a subscription to borrow. Follow the trail north of the library to get to Golda Meir Center of Performing Arts (or simply: Golda Center). This complex, newly-built, is the home of the Israeli Opera [17] and the Cameri Municipal Theater. Ballet performances and classical music concerts are also held here from time to time.
• Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv, 99 Dizengoff Street, +972-3-522-0249, [18], [19]- despite its compact size, the Bauhaus Centre manages to survey almost the entire gamut of the Bauhaus design genre. Detailed exhibitions, books, maps and posters, multimedia and a great little shop.... The Center also conducts tours of the Tel Aviv Bauhaus White City (Fr, 10am, duration 2 hours - book ahead) and other destinations.
• Haganah Museum, 23 Rothschild Boulevard, +972-3-560-8624. Su-Th 9am-3pm, Fri 9am-12noon. Recounting the fascinating story of the embryonic Israel Defence Force, from British Mandate days to Israeli independence in 1948 and beyond, lots of interesting artifacts, weapons and memorabilia. Admission NIS 10.
• Raw Art Gallery, 12 Hasharon Street, +972-3-537-3249, [20]. Open daily, 07pm-2am. The place to see contemporary emerging Israeli artists, with monthly exhibits.

List of Tel Aviv's Galleries and exhibits[21]

Do

• Dip into Tel Aviv's fantastic beach scene - at its best in summer (of course), especially during Friday afternoons, as Shabbat comes in, crowds of beachgoers and partymakers, the smell of barbecues, the "thwock, thwock" of beach tennis, massed Brazilian drums and dancers.
• A craft fair is held in the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian zone every Tuesday and Friday (every day during the summer and other holidays). In addition to the truly original crafts (which can make good gifts), that are presented by their creators, you can enjoy good atmosphere and street shows.
• For seeing Tel-Aviv and the area from above, head to Azrieli ("Hashalom") center. This relatively new complex, with its three sky-scrapers, one circular, one triangular, and one (not yet built) square, is quickly becoming the graphical symbol of the city. It contains an American-style mall with a theater that shows latest Hollywood hits. But we’ve come here in order to climb to the 49th floor of the circular tower, from which, they say, you can see on a good day the snow-cupped Mount Hermon (but don't count on it). There’s also a restaurant upstairs, which naturally charges extra for the location – but, well, the romantic view at twilight or in the dark might actually be worth it.

Entertainment

• Billiards (Pool)- Gypsy - Kikar Atarim (Atarim plaza), located in Hayarkon St.

Lincoln - located in Lincoln St.

• Clubs - Top International DJs are being imported on every weekend from the United states and Europe by the Clubs in Tel Aviv, even Junior Vasquez, Victor Calderone and Tiesto. Clubs in Tel Aviv invest a lot in making each night more memorable than the other, and this shows by the energies and vibrations. The biggest and newest club (mimicking New York's Roxy)opend in the city, is Haoman 17 (Florentin quarter). Other clubs are Dome, TLV, Vox, cafe' barzilay and Powder.

Cafe Barzilay and Studio 46 consider to be the city's alternative venues, hosting Electro, Drum & Base and "Indi" Lines during the week and the weekend. You can also find a few rock clubs active with Israeli and international bands almost every evening.

Buy

Markets

• Hakarmel Market - The city's biggest market, stretching south-west from Allenby st. The Allenby end is a clothing market. The other end is a food market, with emphasize on fruit and vegetable and a bloody side-alley for meat.
• Bezalel Market - Not far from Hakarmel, on the other side of Allenby st., this market specializes in stocks of ???, so if you are lucky, you can find good bergains there.
• Nahlat Binymian crafts market -
• Jaffa flea market - A good place for souvenirs and hippy-style clothing. Newly renovated. Haggle hard.
• Dizengoff st. 2nd hand market -

Malls

Malls are good places to catch some air-conditioning in hot summer days. The variety is usually mid-range, mainstream, with both international and national brands.

• Azriely (Hashalom) mall - in the base of the Azriely complex, next to the train station. All the usual brands.
• Dizengoff Center - On the corner of Dizengoff and King George streets, this large mall has, in addition to the usual selection, some speciallity shops, such as musical instruments, stamps, hand-held devices, hobby etc.
• Ramat Aviv mall - situated in Ramat-Aviv, near Tel-Aviv University, this is slightly more up market than your usual mall, featuring, in addition to the usual brand selection, some designers shops.
• Gan Ha'ir mall - just off Rabin square, this is also a up-market oriented small mall.

Shopping Streets

The air-conditioned malls threaten to destroy the concept of shopping streets, but some of the more special ones still survive. Sheinkin street is a good location for more bohemian clothing. The northern end of Dizengoff st. (mainly from Arlozerov st. and northwide) many shops of Israeli designers. Kikar Hamedina is the place for general up market clothing, with focus on Italian and other imported fasion.

Books and music

The country's widespread Steimatzky and Zomet Sfarim chains are a good source for current books. Almost every shop has at least a small selection in English. Allenby st. has a number of second hand bookshops, most sell (and buy) English books. The Steimatzky shop in the opera tower, on the corner of Alenby and Herbert Samuel, has a good English selection and it's open on Saturday. In the same complex, Tower Records (also open on Saturday) is a good place for music. If you're into it, pirated cds and dvds are on sale in the Central Bus Station.

Art, Craft, Judaica, Jewelry

Gordon street is famous for its art galleries. Ben-Yehuda street has several Judaica\Jewelery\souvenirs shops. You can buy jewelry from [http://www.michal-negrin.co.il/ Michal Negrin], a world-famous Israeli designer, in her shops at the Azriely mall and on Sheinkin st. The prices are much better than abroad. For more original crafts and Judaica, try the Nahlat Binyamin craft market mentioned above.

Eat

Tel Aviv has an amazing variety of restaurants for every taste. As a city of immigrants, no wonder ethnic food rules here. [22]. There are plenty of fast food restaurants, both international and well-known to every western tourist (such as McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, etc.), and both local which offer Israeli food. one can get a decent meal, including flafel or hummous (Try Mshawsha on Bugrashov st. and Abu Hasan in Yafo) on a every street corner, for less than 3$. You can also eat a toast, sandwich or some other snack at one of the cafes around the city. Many fruit juice parlors are around, but Israelis love a freshly squeezed carrot juice the most.

Raphael, Orca and Messa consider to be Yafo's most Elegenat Restaurants, serving gourmet and unique plates, inspired both by local and foreign cuisine.

Finally, Tel Aviv's ice cream parlors offer much more than basic flavors, as the taste buds are eclectic and strive for new flavors, such as Halva, poppy seed, and even a touch of alcoholic liqueurs in the ice cream (Try these places: Iceberg, Gelateria Siciliana, Dr. Lek and Aldo.

Drink

List of Tel Aviv's Bars & Pubs [23].

The Lilinblum district offers chic and trendy bars, including some strictly for pick up: Mishmish, Shesek, Abraxas and others. Nahalat binyamin and Rothschild Blv. area also offers some trendy bars and lounges such as Betty Ford, Mecca, Brown and Shoshana Jhonson, Alcohol runs like water until the last customer leaves.

• Molly Bloom's Irish pub, 2 Mendele St. One of the best old fashioned pubs in the Tel-Aviv area. The pub has a great atmosphere and reasonable prices, and is quite busy on weekends. Also, it's close to the hotels.

• The Gordon Inn, 17 Gordon St, is an intimate, Irish-oriented pub with a local crowd. It offers a calm atmosphere, mellow music and a pool table. There is a guesthouse next door by the same name.

Night Life

• Alenby St, including The Goodbar, Joey's Bar, Temptation, Bloom Bar.
• Tel Aviv seaport - Check out Wisky a gogo, Erlich, Shalvta, Galina and more.
• Dizengoff St.
• King George St.
• Lilienblum St - Check out Nanuchka, Abracses, Mish Mish, Shesek and more.
• Bograshov St
• Rothild blvd. (western part)

Note that parking is barely available in those parts of Tel Aviv; walk or take a taxi.

Must Party at

• Clara Mega Bar – Located on the southern part of the Tel Aviv beach close to the David Intercontinental hotel [24]is a very trendy open air mega bar. All wooden deck floor with a very long bar, multiple seating areas by the sea view or all around this huge bar and and a great atmosphere's makes this place a must visit during a stay in the city

Also recomended is the Temptation Bar in Alenbi that hosts live DJ's every night and is open till 05:00 in the morning at least. Check out the home made liquers.

Cafés

List of Tel Aviv's Cafés [25].

Tel Aviv boasts many cafés, which can be found everywhere in the city, offering aromatic Italian Espressos and Capuccinos (called "Hafuh", meaning upside-down, in hebrew). Espresso-bar, Cafeneto, Café-café and arcaffé are some of the local chain-cafés. Aroma's the biggest among them - most of Aroma's brnaches open 24/7 and offer a free Internet wireless access.

Bohemian 'Puah' (located in the Jaffa flea market) and Café Noah ,and Chic 'Le central' (Rothschild av.) 'tolaat sfarim' (Rabin sq.) are recommended for their very distictive and israeli café-drinking experience.

Sleep

Tel Aviv has a wide variety of accommodation options, from camping and backpacker hostels, right up to luxury 5-star hotels.

Many of the best hotels are associated though the Tel Aviv Hotel Association [26].

Budget

• IYHA Tel Aviv (Israel Youth Hostel Association), 36 Bnei Dan St, PO Box 22078, Tel Aviv 62260, +972-3-5441748, Fax +972-3-5441030, [27], [28]. The hostel is located near Hayarkon Park, offering easy access - by foot or a short bus ride- to the city's main cultural and tourist attractions.
• HaYarkon 48 Hostel [29], 48 HaYarkon Street, +972-3-516 8989 - located in the heart of Tel Aviv about one minute's walk from the beach, double room from USD$42, dormitory USD$10.50 with good discounts for booking ahead
• No 1 Hostel, 4th floor, 84 Ben-Yehuda Street, +972-3-523 7807, [30]. Rates include breakfast.
• Gordon Inn, 17 Gordon Street (on the corner of Ben-Yehuda Street), +972-3-523 8239 [31]. A 31-room guest house with private, family and dormitory rooms, basically but comfortably furnished. Close to the beach and with its own great little bar, open late, with cold Guinness on tap.
• Dizengoff Suites Boutique Hotel 39 Gordon St. (Corner of Dizengoff) +972-3-5234363, Fax: +972-3-5273524, [32] [33]. Dizengoff Suites is a charming boutique hotel run by a family that is eager to make your Tel Aviv hotel stay a pleasant and enjoyable one. They know Tel Aviv Yafo inside out and speak English, French, Italian and Hebrew. The hotel offers a choice of 3 suites and accommodates business travellers who seek long term Tel Aviv hotel rentals. Wireless Internet is also available.

Moderate

• Hotel Cinema, 1 Zamenhoff Street (on the corner of Kikar Dizengoff / Dizengoff Square) [34]. Part of the Atlas hotel chain, the Hotel Cinema is a stylish, non-pretentious conersion of the former Esther Cinema, built in classic Bauhaus style in 1930 as one of the first cinemas in the then young city. Décor includes touches of cinema nostalgia, rooms well-appointed. Conveniently located right on Dizengoff Square in central Tel Aviv. Rates from USD$92 double room per night, breakfast included.
• KDA - Luxury studio apartments (5 stars) for short and long term rentals, 89 Dizengoff St (on the corner of Kikar Dizengoff / Dizengoff Square)

+972-3-5241151, Fax: +972-3-5232614, [35] [36]. Centrally located for business and leisure, varied convention and meeting facilities. Online Reservation with instant confirmation. Overlooking the sea, close to Jaffa and Tel Aviv highlights.

• Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv, Hayarkon 145 Tel:+972 3-5390808 Reservation Page

The Crowne Plaza is resonably priced hotel in an excellent location. The Hotel is on the bearch and a short walk from the heart of Tel Aviv.

• THE GRAND BEACH HOTEL TEl-AVIV, 250 Hayarkon St. Tel-Aviv (on the corner of Nordau and Hayarkon st)

+972-3-5433333, Fax: +972-3-5466589, [37]. across the road from the Mediterranean and a series of excellent beaches. We're minutes away from Tel Aviv's bustling centers and nightlife. Close by are the major highways that offer easy access to airports and anywhere else you want to be in Israel. What's more, we're in a setting that's quiet, relaxing and very Mediterranean.

• Vital Hotel Tel Aviv, Weizman 14 weizman center, Tel-Aviv

+972-3-7770000, Fax: +972-3-7770020, [38]. Vital hotel is a new luxurious boutique hotel, located at Weizmann center, in the heart of the cultural area of Tel Aviv. Adjacent to the "Opera House", the "Tel Aviv Museum", train station, Azriely center, walking distance from Dizengof center and more. For your convenience, an elevator connects the hotel with the new shopping center and cafes at Weizmann Center.

• Hotel de la Mer, 62 Hayarkon St., 36904, Tel Aviv

+972-3-5100011 , Fax: +972-3-5167575, [39]. a boutiquehotel, created within an historic Bauhaus building on the famous Hayarkon Street. Overlooking the beach of the Mediterranean Sea and located in the heart of Tel Aviv. The Hotel’s ambience is characterized by the harmony with nature that is the fundamental element of the Chinese art of Feng Shui. From its entrance and public areas to the unique decor of the individual rooms, guests will relax in an atmosphere of carefully balanced color, light and art designed to assure maximum comfort.

Splurge

• Hilton Tel Aviv [40], Independence Park, northern end of Ben Yehuda Street, +972-3-5202222, fax +972-3-5272711
• Intercontinental David Tel Aviv, 12 Kaufman Street, +972-3-7951111, fax +972-3-7951112, [41] [42]
• Sheraton Tel Aviv
• Dan Tel Aviv Hotel 99 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63432, +972-3-5202552, Fax: +972-3-5480111, [43] [44]. Tel Aviv Hotel centrally located for business and leisure, varied convention and meeting facilities. Online Reservation with instant confirmation. A member of the "Leading Hotels of the World".
• Dan Panorama Tel Aviv Hotel Charles Clore Park, Tel Aviv 68012, +972-3-5202552, Fax: +972-3-5480111, [45] [46]. Centrally located for business and leisure, varied convention and meeting facilities. Online Reservation with instant confirmation. Overlooking the sea, close to Jaffa and Tel Aviv highlights.

Stay safe

The usual warnings regarding being alert for bomb threats also pertain to Tel Aviv - beware of suspicious packages in public places and suspicious behaviour on the part of people around you; if in doubt, report it! Also be aware of pickpockets, like in every big city. Nevertheless, regular crime rates are much lower in Tel Aviv (and in all of Israel) than in most other cities of similar size.

When going to the beach, stick to the patrolled areas with lifeguards - every year people drown off Tel Aviv when strong currents get them into difficulty.