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Tel Aviv seaport - Located at beach side to the west of the Yarkon Park right between Tel Aviv center and north is the old seaport. The entire place is full of clubs, pubs and restaurants right next to each other door by door. Notable places: TLV Club, UpTown, Erlich, Shalvata, Seabreeze, Whiskey a gogo and more. Very busy in weekends during the summer and on warm days during the rest of the year, as this area attracts people from all around the city and the wider Gush Dan area.

Dizengoff – Ben Yehuda St. – The north ends of these streets are full of chic bars that are packed almost every day with a 22+ crowd. Sometimes it’s just hard to breath there. Notable: Friends, Bergman, Rosa, Yermiyahu.and “223″ bar for more of the new york speak easy cool spoot.

The Boardwalk - The entire beach area from the seaport in the north to Jaffa in the south is full of mainly cafes, restaurants and bars. Some are normal open bars while others actually spread to the beach with tables on the sand. This is the more “touristy” area of Tel Aviv’s nightlife scene, that the “real Tel-Avivians” try to avoid.

Allenby St. - Going from the Beach to the west all the way to the south-east of Tel Aviv, Allenby is one of the longest streets in the city. The western area is full of mainly pubs and dance-bars, not the hippest clubs but stable places that have been there for years and are occasionally full of tourists. Allenby Street may sometimes feel a bit dodgy but fear not. It’s cheap but mostly not recommended to eat.

Lilinblum – Levontine – Nahlat Binyamin st. – A few streets around the east side of Allenby with many trendy pubs with an extremely sophisticated crowd, and many dance bars that range from the bluntly commercial to the leftfield indie. Any arrivals to this area will ensure a good drink. Notable: Shesek, Lima Lima, Atara, Betty Ford, Bordel, Flame, Academia, Abraxas, Minus one and more.

Ha’Masger – Ha’Rakevet St.’ - Mainly a clubbing area for Tel Aviv’s younger crowd (18-19) with huge clubs and dance bars. Notable: Dome, Vox and more.

Florentin – Mostly small neighborhood bars for a cool fun night out in a chic area in Tel Aviv. Most spots in Florentin appeal to the artsy and indie crowd. Florentin has a “rugged” appearance, especially at night, but it is totally safe. Notable: Hudna (Abarbanel street), Comfort 13, Haoman 17 and all the little places on Florentine st. and Vital st.

King George-Tshernechovsky - in the close to Shenkin st. upper side of King George you can find some alternative cafes and bars, like “Geatzel Shapira” on Almonit lane and “little prince” which is the center of the young poetry revival movement that connected to “Maayan” poetry magazine and others interesting poetry or art fanzines. On Tshernechovsky, not far from there, there are several cafes and cheap restaurants. close to Dizengoff Center, you can find “Bacho” cafe, a nice place with too-artistic atmohphere, “Hakosem Falafel” and the “Yemen Falafel”, both recommended.

Even Gvirol - A lately very developed pubbing area with some of the coolest pubs in Tel Aviv. During the day appeals to the many lawyers and businessmen working in the area. Notable: 2 clubs – Vila Sokolov and Landen, and the pubs-restaurants Dorothy Gale, Brasserie and Liliroz.

Habarzel (Ramat Ha’Chayal) - Located at the north near the rich neighborhoods. This area has been developed to accommodate the vast high-tech industry around it, so one can expect somewhat commercialized and rather upscale spots. Notable: Leo Blooms, Molly’s, Frame, Sushi Samba, Giraf, Black, Segev Express, Moses, Max Brener.

Karlibach – A new clubbing area with pubs growing in every corner. Notable: ZiziTripo, Hachatul Ve’Hakelev.

Tel Aviv is home to the leading gay community in Israel and all of the Middle-East, and is a very friendly city towards gay people. The most popular gay bar in the city is the “Evita” on Yavneh street. There are many gay clubs and parties. Some of which have been running for several years already. Others are changing from time to time. In Tel Aviv there is also one 100% gay accommodation in the center of the city. There is one famous gay beach in the city, next to Hilton Hotel (the gay beach called “Hilton Beach”). It is full of young gay Israelis, especially in the weekends. Next to Dizengof Center you may see everyday gay couples walking in free 24/7.

The Tel Aviv club scene is comparable to those in most European capitals. Top international DJs regularly perform in Tel Aviv, with clubs constantly vying to outdo each other with ever more extravagant parties. The biggest and newest club in the city is Haoman 17 (Florentin quarter). Other fantastic clubs are TLV, Dome, Vox, Powder and the “indie” Cafe Barzilay and Studio 46.

Rock clubs include Barbie Club, in Kibutz Galuyot Street, or the Zappa Club, in the northeastern neighbourhood of Ramat haChayal, among others, host concerts almost every night of the week. whilst billiards (Pool) clubs include Gypsy on Kikar Atarim (Atarim plaza), located in Hayarkon St.

Many fruit juice parlors are around. 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.

Tel Aviv is called “The city that never stops” by tourists and locals alike. It has a wide range of Pubs, Bars, Clubs and it is known worldwide for its nightlife. The entire city is crawling with nightlife attractions and you would actually have to work pretty hard to find yourself further than 500 meters away from a place to have a drink.

People from all the surrounding region come to Tel Aviv to have a drink or a party so on weekends traffic is hectic at late hours and finding a parking spot is somewhere between hard and impossible (so sticking to cabs is not a bad idea). Buses stop running at sundown on Friday and only start again after sundown on Saturday, so if you go out on Friday night you may find yourself forced to take a cab if you cannot walk! But any day is a good day to party in Tel Aviv, not just the weekends.

New places are opening and closing every day and the “hottest spots” change every couple of months, so no internet guide will be able to direct you to the hippest place (even though some may try). Many places in Tel Aviv have minimum age limitations that vary from 18+ to 30+. Usually the limitation is different between males and females and while some spots may be flexible others will be as strict as possible.

Israel has no unique drinking culture so any place with any self-respect will have the entire world wide alcohol selection available, from Wine and Beer to Tequila, Arak, Vodka, Whiskey and Cognac. One of the most popular drinks is the local Goldstar beer and at the moment (2010) the Arabic drink, Arak (it means “sweat” in Arabic) is all the rage in pubs and bars.

Markets in Tel Aviv:

• The Carmel Market
• The Flea Market
• The Nahalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall
• Creative Artists Fair
• Antiques and Secondhand items fair
• Levinsky Market in Florentin — the best place in Tel Aviv to buy spices, dried fruits, and different kinds of legume. This small market is stretched along Levinsky Street in southern Tel Aviv, between Hertzel and Ha-Aliya streets, ten minutes of walking from the Central Bus Station.
• Hatikva Market in HaTiqva — a good place for Jewish-Iraqi cuisine, in the south-eastern “Hatikva” neighbourhood.

Malls in Tel Aviv:

Israel has the highest ratio of shopping mall sqm per capita, in the world. As malls are good places to catch some air-conditioning in the hot Israeli climate, they have quickly become a preferable place of entertainment for the locals. The variety is usually mid-range, mainstream, with both international and local brands.

• Azriely, the biggest mall, Dizengoff Center, the first mall and Gan Ha’ir are located in the center.
• Ramat Aviv mall is a slightly more upmarket than your usual mall located in the north.
• Central Bus Station is a huge, mostly bargain stores mall located in the south.

Shopping Streets in Tel Aviv:

The air-conditioned malls threaten to destroy the concept of shopping streets, but some of the more special ones still survive.

Most of the shopping streets can be found in the center, Allenby Street and Dizengoff Street is popular with the shoppers as the street is peppered with numerous specialty shops, cafes, and restaurants, as well as the sprawling Dizengoff Center Mall.

One of the cities best second hand clothing shops can be found at the corner of Dizengoff and Frishman Streets in the covered passageway. Second-hand clothing shops are getting very popular in Tel Aviv and you’ll find them scattered all over the city.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Tel Aviv in February or August, you can find the city’s most talented designers gathered together in one place with the best of their collections on display – and for sale. Twice a year, for three days each time, a giant fashion fair called City Designers’ Market is held in Tel Aviv. Whatever you do, don’t miss this colorful carnival of cutting-edge fashion!

Books and music in Tel Aviv:

The country’s widespread Steimatzky and Zomet Sfarim chains are a good source for current books. Almost every shop has at least a selection in English. Allenby St. has a number of second hand bookshops, most sell (and buy) English books. For music, check out Tower Records shop in the opera tower, on the corner of Alenby and Herbert Samuel. For the more alternative crowd, Krembo Records in Shenkin Street and Third Ear on King George Street will satisfy your needs.

Art, Craft, Judaica, Jewelry in Tel Aviv:

Gordon Street is famous for its art galleries. Ben-Yehuda Street has several Judaica\Jewelery\souvenirs shops. You can buy jewelry from 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.

• Old Jaffa: located in Jaffa is a must see for any visitor to Tel Aviv. This is the reputed point where Jonah boarded a ship and was later swallowed by a whale. It is also likely one of the oldest ports in the world. 
  Rabin Square: The biggest public square in Israel and site of PM Rabin’s assassination in 1995 is in Central Tel Aviv.
• Azriely Lookout: Watch the entire Tel Aviv area from 200 meters high in Central Tel Aviv

Museums in Telaviv:

• Eretz-Israel Museum: in Northern Tel Aviv.
• Tel Aviv Museum of Art: The biggest art museum in Central Tel Aviv
  Museum of the Jewish Diaspora (Beit HaTefutsot). located in Tel Aviv University in North of Tel Aviv.
• Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv: in Central Tel Aviv

Again, there’s a lot to do in Tel Aviv, and for the biggest selection, check out the individual district articles. These are some of the highlights.

A visit to Tel Aviv isn’t complete without a dip into its fantastic beach scene which is at its best in summer, especially during Friday afternoons as Shabbat comes in, when crowds of buff beachgoers converge to take in the Brazilian drums.

The smell of barbecues, the thwock, thwock of “matkot” as the sun sets, but in early summer be careful as there are jellyfish sometimes, but if you ask the lifeguard he will probably tell you if there are any that day. A craft fair is held in the Nachalat Binyamin pedestrian zone in Central Tel Aviv.

Amusement and water parks in Tel-Aviv:

• Luna Park Tel Aviv is Tel Aviv’s main amusement park. While the rides it has to offer are no competition to ones that can be found in other countries, it should still be considered for a visit by thrill-loving tourists, especially families with kids, since the park has a large amount of child-friendly rides. The park has two rollercoasters. It is located very close to the Meimadyon water park.
• The Meimadyon is a large waterpark very close to Luna Park Tel Aviv. It offers a varied selection of waterslides, both for thrill seekers and for children. During summer vacations the lines get fairly long, so it is recommended to try and visit the park at a time other than summer vacation.
• “Superland” is a name of an amusement park within an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv. It is in the city of Rishon Letzion and is often visited by people from Tel Aviv seeking better thrills than the ones at Luna Park Tel Aviv. While it has less rides, the rides it has to offer are often bigger and built more for the thrill seeker in the family. The park has two rollercoasters.
  “Yamit 2000″ is a waterpark within a half-hour bus ride from Tel Aviv, located in the nearby city of Holon. It is a large waterpark, parts of which are enclosed in a building. The park operates 364 days a year(it is closed on Yom Kippur). During the winter when there is low attendance, or cold/rainy weather, many of the park’s slides(usually the outdoor ones) open on rotation, whereas during warmer days with higher attendance all the park’s attractions are operational. The park is both child and thrill-seeker friendly.

Festivals in Tel Aviv:

Tel Aviv hosts many festivals and happenings. Something is going on almost every weekend so make sure you’re updated!

• White Night Festival. This annual event, usually taking place late June or early July, is a celebration of Tel Aviv’s White City’s proclamation as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and organized by Tel Aviv’s municipality. During the “White Night”, cultural institutions, as well as commercial ones, are open to the public all night long, and many special events take place.
• Tel Aviv Fashion Market, A highly recommended biannual event (Winter/Summer) where Tel Aviv’s top clothing designers show and sell their stuff. Focused on urban clothing. 
• Night Flea, Every August, Jaffa’s burgeoning flea market is active all through the night on weekends, with special events, shows and exhibitions taking place. 
• Docaviv, The Tel Aviv Cinematheque, 2 Shprintzak Street, Tel Aviv’s International Documentary Film Festival. Every year in May, Docaviv presents the most innovative, provocative and important documentary films of the year from around the world. 
• The Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, The Tel Aviv Cinematheque, 2 Shprintzak Street, Lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender film festival. Celebrating gender diversity. Happening in June. 
• The Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, The Tel Aviv Cinematheque, 2 Shprintzak Street, One of the world’s most important student film festivals. Happening in late May.

By bus:

A daily pass called “Hofshi-Yomi” is also available, and cost less than the price of three rides. Note that this ticket is only valid from 9:00. There is also the new Dan Chip Card (free signup at Central bus or trainstation required) which can be charged up by paying a lump sum of your choice on buses, and resulting in a 20% discount on each ride. Monthly tickets are also available and offer cost savings per ride. People visiting the city for longer periods would find the Hofshi-Hodshi the most economic transport ticket.

Tickets can be purchased either at the driver of any bus line, or at the New Central Bus Station. Exact change is not necessary, but a driver may refuse payment by notes of 100 or 200 Shekels.

Suburban lines are also operated by Egged (mainly to the southern suburbs) and Kavim (to Kiryat Ono region) companies. Multi-ride tickets are not exchangeable between companies.

The most popular bus route in the city is bus route number 5, which connects the Central Bus Station (departure from 4th floor, westernmost platform) in the south with the Central Train Station. It goes through Rotschild Boulevards, Dizengof Street (Including the Dizengof Center Mall), Nordau Boulevard, Pinkas/Yehuda Maccabi Street and Weizman Street or Namir Road.

Another popular bus route is number 18, connecting the Central Train Station with the southern neighbourhoods of Jaffa and Bat-Yam. It also has a stop in Rabin Square.

Like most Israelis, the bus drivers in Tel Aviv speak and understand English well, and in most cases will kindly answer questions about the destination of their bus or ask other passengers to let you know, when to get off.

By taxi: You can hail a taxi (“mo-NIT”, מונית) in the street or call one (with extra surcharge). Taxis are obliged to give you a metered ride unless you settle for a 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, the meter is never broken. A local ride without meter should be 20-30NIS in the downtown core, and up to 50 or 60 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. Plus, if you get stuck in Tel Aviv’s notorious traffic, you won’t sit there watching your money tick away.

In addition to normal (called “special”) taxis, there are 6-12 person van-sized taxis that supplement some bus routes (“sheh-ROOT”). This alternative is often faster, slightly cheaper, and more frequent than taking a bus, and they operate 7 days a week. If requested, the driver will stop outside the designated bus stops. Such service is available on bus routes no. 4, 5 (but note that these taxis don’t reach the train station), 16, 51 and 66.

By bicycle: Given Tel Aviv’s flat and coastal geography, mild weather, and a growing number of bicycle paths throughout the city – bicycle travel in Tel Aviv is an Ideal way to get around. Several shops through out the city offer bicycle rental, and cheap Chinese made bicycles can be purchased for several hundred shekels on longer stays. Be sure to lock your bicycle at all times and dont leave it outside at night, even proper locks get cut by electric cutters in under 15 seconds.

By plane:

The airport comprises all the usual amenities expected from a first class airport and contains one of the world’s largest duty-free shopping malls for an airport of its size. The airport is the hub for a number of airlines, most notably El Al. It’s also one of the most secure airports in the world, given its location.

Even though the airport is called TLV it’s not actually in Tel Aviv, but rather 15km away in the town of Lod. A further 20 minute drive is needed to get to Tel Aviv. This trip can be done by train, or taxi from Ben Gurion airport. There is no bus or sherut taxi to Tel Aviv from Ben Gurion.

By train: The airport train station is easily accessible at the lower level on Terminal 3 (one level below the arrivals hall). It offers good connection to many parts of the country, including the city of Tel Aviv, with a single-ride ticket to the city for only 12 NIS (roughly $3US). Buy a ticket from the cashier or from an automatic machine, and use it to enter the platform area.

Keep the ticket for use to exit the electronic gate at your arrival station. The train service operates around the clock on weekdays, with 3 trains per hour most of the day and one per hour at night. On weekends and Jewish holidays, from Friday afternoon till Saturday evenings, it doesn’t operate (the last departure from the airport on Friday is at 14.37, the first departure on Saturday at 19.35.

During day-light saving time trains start 2 hours later on Saturdays). Trains stop at all four Tel Aviv stations, with the exception of late night trains that stop only at Tel Aviv Merkaz/Savidor station. The stations are, in order of arrival from the airport: Tel Aviv HaHagana (8 minutes travel), Tel Aviv HaShalom (13 minutes), Tel Aviv Merkaz/Savidor (18 minutes), Tel Aviv University (25 minutes). For most travelers, HaShalom or Merkaz/Savidor would be the place to disembark. Most stations are suitable for non-Hebrew speakers, nonetheless, passengers will often be glad to assist.

By taxi: Working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this is the most comfortable and of course, expensive way to reach the city center, with a typical ride price of around 120 NIS (circa $30US). If you travel with a friend or two, it can be a good idea to share a taxi. It is not inappropriate to sit in the front seat in taxis in Israel. It is obligatory by law to use the taxi meter, unless agreed otherwise by the passenger and driver, and a typical ride to the city center should not take more than 15-20 minutes, without heavy traffic. Be sure not to accept fix-priced rides with taxi drivers unless you’re sure of what you are doing; you will always end up paying more than you could have had you asked to use the meter.

By car: Tel Aviv is the hub of the country’s modern network of freeways. The city is easily accessible from Ben Gurion Airport via the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv freeway (freeway 1), from the north by Tel Aviv-Haifa freeway (freeway 2), as well as from Beer-Sheva and the southern parts of the country (freeways 4 and 20). Freeways’ speed limit varies between 90km/h and 100km/h. On other intercity roads the limit is 80km/h. On urban roads the default speed limit is 50km/h.

The city is divided west-east by the Ayalon Freeway (freeway 20), which is the main artery of the city. It is best to avoid commuter traffic in and out of Tel Aviv and its surrounding cities during rush hours (Sunday to Thursday, 7:00-9:00 and 17:00-19:00); especially to be avoided is the entrance to Tel Aviv via Ayalon Freeway in morning rush hour, as it is one of the most busy freeways in the world. Also, it is important to note that Israeli drivers are considered to be rather rude and aggressive in comparison to their Western European or North American counterparts, but, The Israeli roads are modern and easy for orientation (the signposting is in English, Hebrew and Arabic).

Israeli highway police are strict and speed limits and driving laws are strictly enforced. All in all, driving conditions in Israel are much better than in the rest of the Middle East, though accident rates are considerably higher than in North America or Western Europe.

By bus: The New Central Bus Station in southern Tel Aviv (“Tahana Merkazit”, officially the world’s biggest bus station!) offers routes servicing most locations in Israel. It is located within a short walking distance of the HaHaganah Train Station. The building, which is a combination of shopping mall and bus terminal, is more than a bit confusing – in fact, it is almost unmanageable for the infrequent visitor; tourists might want to avoid it and instead take buses destined for the 2000 Bus Terminal (see below).

Nevertheless, most inter-city bus lines depart from platforms on the north wing of 6th floor, except for buses to Galilee (Afula, Nazareth, Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona etc.) which are on the south wing on 7th floor (accessible by escalator from 6th floor). Most urban lines to Tel Aviv and its suburbs are on the north wing on 7th floor (which isn’t connected to the south wing of the same floor!), with several lines on 4th floor which is actually at street level (those are popular city lines no. 4&5, and 44&46 to Bat Yam via Yafo).

To get to Ben Yehuda St. from the Central Bus Station, head to the 4th floor and catch line number 4. The fare is 6 shekels (Feb. 2011). Get off at the intersection of Allenby and Ben Yehuda to find a slew of hotels including the Sky and Momos hostels. A good marker to find your bearings is the Mercure hotel (big lit up sign) on Ben Yehuda, get off around there.

Several urban lines stop outside the station building on Levinski street (north side of the station), and some others a block away to the west on Har Zion street. Sherut taxis depart from Tzemach David street outside the east side of the station.

Check the electronic boards in departure halls for info on destinations, platforms and coming-up departures. If this doesn’t help, ask at the information booths. For most intercity and some suburban lines you should go to Egged booth on 6th floor. Metropoline, which operates service to Beer Sheva (and destinations enroute), also has an info booth on that floor (on the right from Egged booth).

For most bus lines within the metropolitan area of Tel Aviv you should go to Dan info booth on 7th floor (they also handle info on lines operated by Kavim).

If you need info on other companies and can’t find it on the boards, that’s tough luck, because they don’t bother to operate info booths…

Several intercity and many metropolitan destinations are also served from the more user-friendly 2000 Bus Terminal (AKA Arlozorov terminal), next to Tel Aviv Merkaz/Savidor Train Station. North-bound buses stop at Namir Road near this terminal, but at peak times they might be full when they get there. Ramat Aviv Junction (near Namir Road/Levanon corner) is another place where you can board buses to the north, but your chance of a vacant seat is even smaller. Most south-bound buses stop at Holon Junction. The above warning is also valid there.

In general, buses follow the Fourth Commandment (“Remember the Sabbath day”), stopping on Friday afternoon, and only resuming service Saturday after sunset. Some services, however, may start earlier on Saturday afternoon. Minor services may not resume until Sunday morning. Tickets can be bought from the driver, or from the ticket counters in the main stations. For information, call 03-6948888, or *2800 from any phone within the country, A daily bus service is also available to and from Amman through the King Hussein Bridge. Call the operator (04-6573984) for details.

By train: Israel Railways +972-3-5774000, operate train services within Israel. 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 to Haifa and Beer-Sheva, as well as numerous smaller towns whilst a direct train line connects Tel Aviv to Ben-Gurion airport.

Note that 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. A new high-speed line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is currently being constructed, with eventual travel time of only 28 minutes.

Trains do tend to be crowded during rush hours, especially on Sunday morning, when soldiers return to their bases and students to their universities. Train service also stops on Friday afternoons, and resumes on Saturdays after sunset, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat).

Tel Aviv has four 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”. “Tel Aviv Ha-Hagana” Station is close to the New Central Bus Station.

Tel Aviv developed from south to north. To the south-western corner of the rectangle you will find old Jaffa. To its north, is the first Jewish neighborhood outside Jaffa, Neve Tzedek (meaning “Oasis of Justice”). To Neve Tzedek’s east is, Florentin, a 1920s light-industry quarter founded by Jews from Salonika in Greece that in recent years has turned into a trendy neighborhood for young people, albeit one with a large population of older and poor people; and then the Central Bus Station area, now home to foreign workers from around the world.

To the north of Neve Tzedek is “Kerem Ha’Temanim” (the Yemenite Vineyard), a crowded but picturesque neighborhood dating to the early 20th century and east and north of here lies the city center, a chiefly residential area built in the 1920s and 1930s, where the majority of Bauhaus (“International”) style architecture is to be found. Further north and east, the “old north” (not to be confused with “the north” on the other side of the Yarkon), is a more spacious residential area built during the 1940s and 1950s.

Tel Aviv residents often speak of a north-south divide in Tel Aviv-Yafo. The north is usually associated with a continental, chic, and suburbanite lifestyle centered around Kikar haMedina and “Ramat Aviv”. To the south, the city takes on a more working-class and eastern, albeit evermore trendy, urban feel. A crude divide would be that all neighborhoods north of the Yarkon River are considered “north”; the area between the sea in the west, Ayalon Highway in the east, Yarkon River in the north and Salame Street in the south is considered “central” Tel Aviv. The area south of Salame Street is generally south Tel Aviv, and Jaffa lies to the South-West. North Tel Aviv is generally more residential and family-oriented; central Tel Aviv is the hipper-younger area with many single people and couples in their 20s and 30s; south Tel Aviv is a rapidly gentrifying area with a mixed population – from older working-class people to artists to migrant African workers.

Tel Aviv is likely the most liberal city in Israel and in the Middle East – as it is no-less liberal than Western Europe’s liberally-inclined major cities. It has a bustling civil society and is home to many activist movements and NGOs. Its residents tend to have liberal attitudes towards gay and lesbian rights, and, in fact, Tel Aviv hosts the largest gay pride parade in Israel (the only country in the Middle East where homosexuality is not considered illegal). It is also a destination for gay Palestinian refugees, unable to pursue their lifestyle in the Palestinian territories. With its liberalism comes a dose of sophistication and some will say detachment, and Tel Aviv is often dubbed “The Bubble” or “Medinat Tel Aviv” (‘The State of Tel Aviv) by residents and non-residents alike. Some ultra-Orthodox Israelis have even dubbed the city a modern day “Sodom and Gomorrah”, due to its hedonistic lifestyle.

Tel Aviv (meaning literally “Hill of Spring”) itself was founded in 1909 by a group of distinguished Jewish residents of Jaffa. They envisaged a European-style garden suburb, with wide streets and boulevards. Leaving Jaffa wasn’t, however, only a question of an upgrade in lifestyle.

Moving out of the Arab-dominated town also represented their belief in the Jewish national movement, their belief in Zionism. Before being a city, Tel Aviv was one of the many titles of Herzel’s Zionist utopia – The Old New Land book. Setting out with a grand vision, the 60 Tel Aviv founders have started out by building the first mid-eastern urban center with running water, no small wonder in that part of the world in 1909.

Tel Aviv grew steadily under Ottoman law until WWI. By the end of the war the British took over the Holy Land. An event the Jewish community saw as encouraging, while and the Muslim community viewed as a turn-for-the-worst from the previous Islamic ruler. In May 1921, an Arab mob attacked a Jewish immigration center, killing dozens of Jews. Another group broke the windows stores in the Jewish street in Jaffa and a mob armed with knives and sticks have made his way towards Tel Aviv. Before 1921 most Jews worked and lived in Jaffa, after the attack thousands of the 16,000 Jews of Jaffa moved north to Tel Aviv. The suburb had become a city and within a decade, Tel Aviv had become the center of culture, commerce and light industry for the entire Jewish population of the country as well as the British soldiers.

1938 marked the opening of Tel Aviv port, an important milestone marking the end of its dependency on Jaffa. By this time, 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 and the city’s name was officially changed to Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Today, Tel Aviv-Yafo represents the heart of a thriving, Israeli metropolis – the greater metropolitan area comprises a number of separate municipalities with approximately 3.1 million people living in a 25 km long sprawl along the Mediterranean coast – with around 392,700 in Tel Aviv-Yafo itself making it the second largest city in Israel after Jerusalem(760,800 inhabitants). Bat Yam, Holon, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Bnei-Brak, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion, Ramat Ha-Sharon, Rehovot and Herzliya are the other major cities in the coastal area commonly known as Gush Dan.

Whilst 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 4AM 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.

The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo  and reflects the fact that the city has grown beside (and absorbed) the ancient port city of Yafo (Jaffa), to the south of the new city center, in addition to many other neighboring cities.

Tel Aviv is a rapidly growing city in the midst of an exciting transition from medium-sized urban center to bustling international metropolis. It’s the city that many Israelis think of as their New York. While the comparison was once a stretch – and indeed Tel Aviv is still a fraction of New York’s size – Tel Aviv’s booming population, energy, edginess and 24-hour life give the city a cosmopolitan flair comparable to few other cities in this part of the world.

Tel Aviv is not really divided into districts, but rather into over 50 different neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are really distinctive areas with different cultures (e.g. Neve Tzedek, Florentin, Ramat-Ha’Chayal), while others are simply indicating a geographical area. Tel Aviv grew mainly from the south to the north so the further you go to the north you will encounter newer buildings and wealthier communities.

• North – The wealthiest district of Tel Aviv and one of the wealthiest in entire Israel stretches from the north side on the Yarkon River. These neighborhoods have very few things in common with the rest of Tel Aviv and are partially treated as Tel Aviv’s suburb rather than a part of the city. The entire district is very green in comparison to the rest of Tel Aviv and contains some big and important sites such as Hayarkon Park, Israel’s Museum, Tel Aviv University, and more.
• Center – The city’s center contains “The Heart of Tel Aviv” and “The old north”. The main metropolitan area of the city contains tourists attractions and shopping areas. This is Tel Aviv as most people know it nowadays. The central area is confined by Allenby Street from on the south and the Yarkon river from the north.
• South – The original District of Tel Aviv contains the first neighborhoods that constructed Tel Aviv. It is the poorer district of Tel Aviv but has been developing noticeably while conserving its style and history as many of its neighborhoods have become young and trendy.
• Jaffa (Yafo in Hebrew, Yaffa in Arabic) is one of the world’s oldest ports. It was here that the prophet Jonah started the journey that left him in the belly of a big fish (not a whale as is the common misconception!) and Andromeda was tied to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster, before later being saved by Perseus. It was also here where Peter the Apostle received a vision marking a significant ideological split between Judaism and Christianity (Acts 10).

Tel Aviv is a beta+ world city, alongside cities such as Barcelona and San Francisco. Known as “The City That Never Sleeps”, its beaches, parks, bars, cafés, restaurants, shopping, cosmopolitan lifestyle and 24-hour culture have made it a popular destination with over 1.5 million foreign tourists annually.