I would describe Tel Aviv as a blend of old and new, with both historical places, but also modern architecture, but also an interesting mix of tradition and modernity.
I visited Tel Aviv at the end of December – beginning of January (actually spent the New Year’s Eve of 2022-2023 there) and will list here some ideas to help you in planning your trip as well. Some things apply regardless of the season, but if you go for a warmer season, you may want to search for more information related to beaches and related activities.
How I ended up going during this time? Well, the weather was quite nice for New Year’s Eve (14-15°) compared to a typical European city and I also found a super decent flight, more on that during the article. I can’t say I’m in love with Tel Aviv after visiting it, and if your main purpose is planning a city break, I think it’s worth visiting it as long as you find a fair deal for it, as prices are not really low in Israel. Expect to pay 1.5-2€ for a bus ride, 10-15-20€ for a not-too-fancy meal, and even 1.5-2€ for bottled water. But overall, Tel Aviv is an interesting city, and if you’re also interested in history and the religious part of Israel (like visiting Jerusalem), it might be a place to keep on your list for one of your next city breaks.
An additional detail to keep in mind is you should be reading a bit more about the cultural differences and the things you should be aware of. For example, keep in mind that during the Shabbat (beginning at sundown on Friday and ending at sunset on Saturday), most of the restaurants, landmarks, and other places are closed, as the Shabbat signifies the Jewish day of rest. Tel Aviv is a bit of a more permissive city and you will still find some open restaurants, and you can always enjoy a walk on the beach promenade, but planning a trip to Jerusalem during the Shabbat for example may not be the best idea.
There are many tools you can use for tracking flights and prices, I usually use kiwi. If you don’t have a kiwi account yet, you can use this link to also get a 10€ coupon for your first order.
I usually book my flights either through the airline directly or through kiwi, depending on the number of layovers and if my destination includes switching airlines and I want to secure the price. Sometimes, the kiwi prices are better than the ones on the airline’s page so it depends.
For the flight to Tel Aviv specifically, I booked the flight directly with Wizzair and paid 30€ both ways for a direct flight from Bucharest. (I know, quite a good deal! At least the flight was cheap, compared to the rest of the trip)
There are many stories of being tricky to enter and leave Israel. My experience was: we arrived in Tel Aviv and used our passports on some digital devices to get a small card printed. That card will represent your visa and you must have it alongside your passport all the time during your trip (especially if you plan to go to Bethlehem, in the Palestinian territories). Once you do that, you will enter a queue where an officer will check your passport and might ask you some questions about your stay, depending on case to case. My experience was fast, I was only asked about the reason for my trip and if I know everybody in Israel. After exiting the airport, I used the train to reach the city center. The ride was 9 shekels (~2€) and took 15-20 minutes after the train arrived.
You will go through a similar process at your departure, but a bit more time-consuming, Also, when you arrive at the airport, the train will stop at Terminal 3 and you will have to go to Terminal 1 for departures. That includes taking the bus (free of charge) and might imply 15-20 additional minutes, keep that in mind!
You will go through a similar interview when you leave Israel, which might include your luggage being verified, again, from case to case. First, you line up at gate W where you will be asked a few basic questions about your stay. my case was again fast and easy. When you go for the regular airport security check, be prepared for your bags to be opened and scanned in more detail. I would suggest arriving at the airport 3-4 hours before your flight.
Accommodation
Israel is known for being an expensive country and this is reflected before even going there, but when looking for an accommodation option for the holiday. The price may have been impacted by the fact we also stayed there during New Year’s Eve, but we ended up paying 500€ for 5 nights at 1000Nights Carmel Market-Inn. (for 2 people)
Some advantages of this place:
- close to the beach and a 25-30 minute walk to the bus/train station (helpful when going to Jerusalem or the airport)
- right in Carmel Market – gives you some advantages in being right in the market and exploring the fresh food every day
- everything was perfectly organized and detailed through Whatsapp
It’s not one of those dreamy places you would love to stay during your holiday, but for a short city break, in a quite expensive city, it perfectly does the job.
Most of the time I book my accommodation through booking. You can find many Tel Aviv accommodation options here.
For 1000Nights Carmel Market-Inn, you can find a link here.
Places to see
Beach Promenade
You can’t really say you’ve been to Tel Aviv without at least walking around the beach promenade. Visiting in December-January did not really feel like “beach time” (14-15°), even though many people were going into the water. However, the weather was still warm, perfect for a walk or just laying on one of the benches across the promenade and looking at the several shows made by people playing beach Footvolley, building sand castles, or dancing. A sunset here can’t miss from your itinerary and probably if you would come in a warmer season, spending some time at the beach will make your trip even better.
Also, talking about Footvolley did not really know this is so popular in Israel, but I was really impressed by the people playing here, just staying on the promenade and enjoying one match while eating ice cream is the perfect break from a long walk in the city.
Old City Jaffa
After the walk along the beach and the new building, visiting Old Jaffa is the perfect balance for touching some history and old architecture as well. Old Jaffa is one of the most popular attractions, representing the oldest part of Jaffa, a neighborhood of Tel Aviv-Yafo. If you are into history and know more about it, a tour around it would probably be one of the key things you should think about during your trip, but even if not, walking around the beautiful corners is a must during your stay here.
Suspended Orange Tree
Not the typical thing you would see in a city, this full-sized orange tree, which actually produces fruits during the harvest season, is an artwork that is in some kind of way the border between the walls of the old city and the new Jaffa. It’s basically a suspended tree, which appears to float, but is actually hanging on the walls and houses nearby using chains. Quite a basic description, but I would recommend reading more about its history and the story behind it to better blend in.
Jaffa Flea Market
The place to go to practice your bargaining skills and find those unique, one-of-a-kind items you can’t really see in a regular shop. Coins, jewelry, old electronic devices, house decoration, and many more, Jaffa Flea Market is a popular place, which blends quite well the old and the new, as you will also find many restaurants and coffee stores nearby. Even though you may not be a fan of such objects, I would still go to this place to see things you even forgot exist or maybe get inspired for some decorations.
Florentin Street Art
If you like graffiti, street art, and lots of colors, this place is for you. A short walk before/after going to Jaffa, depending on your path, with many colorful paintings perfect for some Instagram shots.
Carmel Market
The place to go to explore a traditional market, with local food and cuisine, fruits, and quick snacks. The strawberries seem to be very popular here, alongside many baklava points. You can also find a few nice coffee places nearby, coming in the morning is a good option.
Hayarkon Park
Some green side of the city. I’m the kind of person who enjoys walking in parks and breathing some fresh air. Hayarkon Park is a type of big park inside the city for walking. I would lie to say I was incredibly impressed and I would only include it in the itinerary only if your time allows it, but my experience was also influenced by the cold day (the pictures reflect it). You can also find a balloon ride in the park, unfortunately, it was closed during my visit, but the views over the city from the top seem quite nice based on some pictures I saw.
Get lost on the streets
Just simply getting lost on the streets and feeling the vibe, having a drink in a place you like or just admiring the city should also have some dedicated time during your stay here. Tel Aviv is one of those cities where you will see diversity, people going for runs, walking their dogs, playing on the beach or simply enjoying a coffee/drink. For me it was crazy walking on the beach promenade and randomly seeing how close to buildings and the city you will see flights passing. Get lost and enjoy it.
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Restaurants / café
Hummus Abu Hassan
If there is only one food you would have to try while in Tel Aviv, it would be hummus here. They only have hummus on their menu (+ some drinks), but you will find it so tasty that you would get full from it only. Three options to choose from, or you can get them all mixed in one single place (which I would recommend), a super tasty pita, and a traditional atmosphere that makes you feel like eating in a place belonging to the family. You will most probably find a queue when arriving, don’t get disappointed for needing to wait 15-20 minutes, the best hummus you ever had will be worth it.
Jasmino
The famous place in Tel Aviv is known for using charcoal in the process of cooking kebabs. Randomly found this place while looking for food recommendations in Tel Aviv, saw their incredibly good Google Maps reviews, and after trying it, I totally understand it. This was by far, the best pita bread/kebab I ever had. They have a super short menu, but with super interesting mixes and diversity in the meat type and an incredibly friendly and nice vibe inside the shop. Everybody there looked like enjoying cooking your pita bread and offering you the best experience. The prices are around 40 (~8€) shekels, every single penny worth it. I honestly regret that I discovered the place during the last days of the trip, would have tried more of their options.
Falafel Gabay
Falafel is another one of the meals you have to add to your list for your trip to Israel. While walking around the city we always saw this place being quite busy which is for sure a sign that the food might be great. It also proved to be a nice place to try Israeli Falafel. They have quite a diverse menu, I tried the pita falafel for 20 shekels (~5€) and it was better than what I dreamed for a falafel. Their sauces were great as well.
Shukshuka
You can’t really go to Israel without eating Shakshuka at least once, especially since it’s the sort of meal suitable for almost any part of the day. I have to admit I only tried it once while in Israel, but I really enjoyed the one at Shukshuka. Their menu is sweet and short, with great mixes of ingredients and a delicious pita. Fast service, tasty food, loved it.
HOC - House of Coffee
Tried a few coffee shops while in Tel Aviv, especially since the Israelis’ history includes a passion for it. I’m not an expert in coffee (or at least right now, when I’m writing this article) and I don’t know all the underlying details, but I’m definitely a frequent consumer, which distinguishes good or bad coffee. Well, this is one of the places I had a really good coffee at, a cozy place, with a nice terrace outside, and a really modern look.
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This article does not contain any paid promotion on hotels / rental car companies / restaurants etc., everything is documented based on my experience.
