Tel Aviv is slowly becoming a popular weekend trip destination. There’s a reason for that. There’s plenty to do and not to do in Tel Aviv. It means that you don’t “have” to create a packed itinerary when you visit the city. You could also chill at the many beaches & cocktail bars around town. There are hardly any must-sees, which can be refreshing at times. If you like itineraries that are filled to the brim (like I do), you could combine your visit to Tel Aviv with a day trip to Jerusalem, the West Bank or the Dead Sea. I will cover all these topics in future posts. For now, this is my suggested two day itinerary for a relaxing stay in Tel Aviv.
Day 1: Morning
Old Jaffa
Remember my mantra? Always start your city trip with learning more about the city! The place to learn most about the history of Tel Aviv is its old town. That’s where I spent the morning of the first day. This part of Tel Aviv is home to winding alleys that are filled with craft shops and art galleries. It’s fun to get lost in the tiny alley ways where you get take photos to your heart’s content.
You know me, I tried a free walking tour to get acquainted with the history of the city. However, I disliked the tour so much I left halfway through. The guide was disrespectful to other cultures and didn’t actually cover any meaningful topics of the city’s history. If I could make the choice again, I would probably do a street art tour instead or a food tour to learn more about the city through its art and food.
Clock Tower
One of the main sights in the old town is the Jaffa Clock Tower which stands in the middle of Yefet Street in Jaffa. This limestone tower commemorates the Israelis killed in the battle for the town in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It’s one of those structures in the city that the tour guide could have told us interesting stories about. Instead, she chose not to. In short, this tower was built more than a century ago by the Ottomans. I like that this structure is an example of where Arabs and Jews have worked together to preserve antiquities that mean a lot to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Port of Jaffa
Another famous sight in the old town is Jaffa Port. This is one of the most ancient ports of the Mediterranean Sea. Nowadays, you can find traditionally structured houses surrounding the port and restaurants where fresh fish and seafood is served. Note: it may very well be untrue that these houses are traditionally structured. They look like it, and my guide didn’t tell me anything useful about it.
Jaffa’s Flea Market
Unfortunately, we have reached my least favourite sight, namely Jaffa’s Flea Market. I’m not a fan of flea markets, but I must admit that it’s worth a visit if you’re in the neighbourhood. This market has a colourful mix of stalls & shops selling clothing, furniture and home goods. Who doesn’t like to browse to endless piles of shoes?
Day 1: Afternoon
HaCarmel Market
What a great bridge to the next location on my proposed itinerary. In my opinion, the Carmel Market is a better market to visit. It’s not really near the old town so it’s best to take a taxi between these two areas. Carmel Market is a great place for lunch, I had a delicious shakshuka here. For those of you who don’t know, shakshuka is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and garlic. It’s a traditional Israeli dish.
You can find almost anything for sale in this market and it’s worth to take in the noise, colours and the smells. It’s one of the largest authentic Middle-Eastern style souks in Tel Aviv. I have to say that another market in Israel stole my heart, but more about that in a future post.
I’ll give you a bit of background on the Carmel Market first. It opened in 1920. The layout is relatively simple, which is not always the case with traditional souks. It occupies one street which runs south from the junction of King George Street, Allenby, and Sheinkin Street to the Carmelit Bus depot in the south. The market is open every day from Sunday to Friday from the early morning until around 7pm. However, it closes earlier on Friday, ahead of Shabbat.
Day 2
Beach
The second day is perfect for relaxing. Tel Aviv is known for its beaches. These stretch out for miles along the whole western edge of the city. It’s a great place for people watching. I can tell you one thing I observed during my stay at Tel Aviv. Israelis are fit. You can find fitness apparatus everywhere along the beach and if you’re not hit by one of the motorized scooters, you’ll be hit by a runner.
Dizengoff Square
Another great place to chill is Dizengoff Square. Six streets are connected to this square and all six have plenty of great restaurants and cocktail bars with seating on the street.
If you’re in the area you might as well try sabich, an Israeli sandwich based on a traditional Iraqi Jewish dish. It consists of a pita bread stuffed with fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs, salad, parsley, amba and tahini sauce. Sabih Frishman serves a great one.
Where to Stay?
I stayed with my parents in a beautiful apartment near Dizengoff Square called Reines5 TLV. It’s great if you need more than one room like I did travelling with my parents. I can also really recommend this location, although plenty of people also like the locality of Abraham Hostels which is one of the most famous accomodations of the city.
What Did I Miss?
Nothing I can think of… I liked the city for its vibe. There are a lot of restaurants I would like to eat at, but I don’t have the feeling I have to go back for something. Who knows, maybe the urge will come but for now it’s OK.
Conclusion
I liked Tel Aviv, but it’s not my favourite kind of city. It lacks the history, I like to dive into when I’m in a new city. Jerusalem did have that so I’m looking forward to tell you all about my visit to the most holy city in the world.
