Did you know?

Population (City): +500K

Year founded: 1909

Fact: Tel Aviv was the first all Jewish city ever founded

Wait really? Israel has more companies listed on NASDAQ than any other country outside the U.S.

Meaning of Tel Aviv in Hebrew: Tel= Hill and Aviv = Spring. Tel Aviv = Hill of Spring

Currency: New Israeli Shekel (1 USD:3.92 ISL)

One word to describe Tel Aviv: Dynamic

Must try: Goldstar Beer (dark lager)

My Experience:

This past summer I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go on Birthright, and extend my journey for 6 days in the amazing city of Tel Aviv. I am typically one to do extensive research before any trip, but I was tied up at work and spare time didn’t exist. I decided to wing it in Tel Aviv and this may have been one of the best decisions of the trip. Below is a quick glimpse into my time in Tel Aviv.

Culture:

It may come as a surprise when I tell you that Tel Aviv is considered to be the gay capital of the Middle East. I find this fascinating, considering the fact that surrounding counties have some of the harshest penalties for people of the LGBT community. Tel Aviv is a city that is open and tolerant, and is home to one of the largest gay pride parades in the world. To add to Tel Aviv’s verve, the city is at the forefront of the tech spotlight, with over 5,000 start-ups, coining the term “Startup Nation” for Israel. You know what this means? There’s free wifi everywhere!

The Food:

If you think Sabra makes good hummus you need to travel to the Mediterranean to have your mind blown. All of the foods are fresh and flavorful, and I definitely indulged in all the foods the city had to offer. Here are a few of my favorites and places I highly recommend:

Miznon : If you are looking for quick Israeli food, this is the spot. They make amazing pitas filled with all kinds of goodness. This little hole in the wall restaurant, filled with a funky vibe and loud Israeli music, is run by famous Israeli chef, Eyal Shani, and surely will not disappoint. The fresh tahini mixed with minute steak in a fresh pita is simply mouthwatering!

Dallal: Dallal is located in Neve Tzedek, which happens to be one of Tel Aviv’s oldest districts. Neve Tzedek is a romantic neighborhood with narrow streets, boutiques, art galleries and high end restaurants. If you have time take a stroll around and explore! The restaurant itself is small, yet beautiful, with a relaxing mood and outstanding decor. My meal here may have been the best meal in my life and I will never forget it: Seabass with truffle pasta.

Tamara Yogurt: Tamara Yogurt blows Pinkberry out of the water. Not only is it the freshest yogurt I have ever had, but they also give unlimited toppings (as many fit in the container). After a rough day of tanning on the beach this is a great refresher.

Old Man and the Sea: If you didn’t read Ernst Hemingway’s book “Old Man and the Sea” in high school, it’s a quick easy read and was the inspiration for this restaurant. Located in Jaffa, Old Man and the Sea involves a wonderful experience for eating Arab Israeli food. As soon as you sit down they immediately bring over upwards of 20 dips (all fresh) and pita bread to dip. After enjoying the dips, ocean views, and some fresh seafood, I suggest walking over towards the port to check out the street fair (Saturdays).

Port Sa’id: I ended up at Port Saiid more than once during my stay in Tel Aviv. This restaurant has the same head chef as Miznon, but has a very different feel. It gets extremely crowded at night, with people (hipsters) overflowing into the street while having a drink and listening to the record player. With this being said, if you want to eat here, I recommend going for lunch. It is a tapas style restaurant, which is great because you can order a lot and share with everyone. I tried everything from meat that was roasted for 7 hours with tahini to a chicken sandwich. If you are looking for a fun place to get a beer or two at night before heading out, this is an awesome spot right of Allenby to hang out for a while.

Benedict: If you want breakfast food/brunch or have late night drunchies you might end up at Benedict. They are open 24 hours and have great chocolate chip pancakes in case you are wondering what to order.

Shopping:

Nahalat Benyamin St: On Tuesday and Friday mornings there is a street market with handmade arts and crafts. This is a great time to pick up a gift for your sister (cute handmade necklace) or wind chime for your Dad.

Shuk Ha Carmel: This market is full of fresh fruits and veggies, cheap jewelry and clothing, and is jam packed on Fridays when people go out to purchase everything for Shabbat.

Dizengoff St: Dizengoff Street has several clothing boutiques, cafes and is a fun street to walk down. Stop by a juice stand and get a fresh squeezed OJ if you have the chance.

Beaches:

The beaches in Tel Aviv are all beautiful with white sand, warm water, and… jelly fish (meduzots). You can pay a few shekels and rent a chair/umbrella for the day, which makes your time in Tel Aviv truly feel like a vacation. In Tel Aviv, the beaches are named by what street they are closest to, which makes it simple if you are using Google Maps. If you are looking for a young crowd or the “popular” beaches, you should find a spot in the sand anywhere between Gordon Street and Allenby St. Frishman Beach is action-filled, full of tourists and also a lot of fun. The one beach I didn’t get to go to but wanted to was Herzliya beach. From what I have heard and researched, Herzliya Beach is the place to go to relax, since it is away from the crowds (15 min away) and is filled with cute restaurants and young people.

Nightlife:

Tel Aviv nightlight is not one to be missed and doesn’t follow the same schedule as the U.S. social scene. Things don’t get poppin’ until around 1 a.m., so make sure you take a long nap on the beach to get ready for a night out on the town. My favorite thing about going out in Tel Aviv was that the women were natural- barely any makeup and dress very casual. Here are a few clubs and bars to check out if you’re feeling up to it: Clara, Valium, The Passage, Jackson Bar, Bootleg, Kuli Alma, Breakfast Club, and Radio. Le Haim! (Cheers!)

Conclusion:

As you can see, dynamic is one of the best words to describe Tel Aviv based on the few things I touched on above. Tel Aviv is a contrast to any other city that I traveled to while I was in Israel. Everyone speaks English, people are less religious and more hedonistic and it’s becoming a tech capital. It is a spectacular and vibrant place, with wonderful foods and nightlife, and if you have the chance to go I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Check out my time lapse I shot of a Tel Aviv sunset below - Enjoy!