Tel Aviv travel guide

About Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, officially Tel Aviv-Yafo, and also known as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a population of 494,900, it is the economic and technological center of the country and a global high-tech hub. If East Jerusalem is considered part of Israel, Tel Aviv is the country's second-most-populous city, after Jerusalem; if not, Tel Aviv is the most populous city, ahead of West Jerusalem.

Places to visit in Tel Aviv

1. 

   Old Jaffa

   Historic · 2 mi from centre

   The ancient port city at the southern end of Tel Aviv, with stone alleys, galleries, a lively flea market and a working fishing harbor. Its hilltop park gives views up the coastline.

2. Tel Aviv Beaches and Promenade

   Beach

   A continuous strip of sandy beaches runs along the city's seafront, linked by a promenade popular with joggers, cyclists and paddleball players. Gordon and Frishman beaches are central and well equipped.

3. 

   Carmel Market

   Market

   The city's busiest street market, selling fresh produce, spices, baked goods and street food at crowded stalls. The adjacent Nahalat Binyamin pedestrian street hosts an arts and crafts fair on certain days.

4. 

   White City

   Neighborhood

   A UNESCO-listed area containing thousands of Bauhaus and International Style buildings from the 1930s. Walk along Rothschild Boulevard and around Dizengoff Square to see many of the finest examples.

5. 

   Neve Tzedek

   Neighborhood · 2 mi from centre

   One of the first Jewish neighborhoods built outside Jaffa, now full of restored low-rise houses, boutiques and cafes. The Suzanne Dellal Centre for dance sits at its heart.

6. 

   Tel Aviv Museum of Art

   Museum

   A major art museum with Israeli and international modern art, including Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The angular, light-filled newer wing is a notable piece of architecture in its own right.

7. 

   Tel Aviv Port

   Entertainment

   The old northern port has been turned into a waterfront leisure area with a wooden deck, restaurants, shops and a covered farmers market. Popular at sunset and on weekends.

Where to stay in Tel Aviv

Popular hotels in Tel Aviv, out of 235 properties you can book.

Opera Tel Aviv By Herbert Samuel

• Tel Aviv

From $255 per night

Prima City Hotel

• Tel Aviv

From $210 per night

POLI URBAN

• Tel Aviv
• 8.05 reviews

From $186 per night

65 Htl Rothschild Tel Aviv-an Atlas Boutique Htl

• Tel Aviv

From $308 per night

Mendeli Street Hotel

• Tel Aviv

From $223 per night

Sea Tower by Isrotel Design

• Tel Aviv

From $259 per night

Shalom Hotel & Relax an Atlas Boutique Hotel

• Tel Aviv

From $274 per night

Prima Tel Aviv

• Tel Aviv
• 8.04 reviews

From $229 per night

Melody an Atlas Boutique Hotel

• Tel Aviv

From $176 per night

The New Port Hotel Tel Aviv

• Tel Aviv

From $179 per night

Tal By The Beach

• Tel Aviv

From $308 per night

Montefiore 16 - Urban Boutique Hotel

• Tel Aviv

From $174 per night

Best time to visit Tel Aviv

Based on recent weather records, the most comfortable time to visit Tel Aviv is March to May and October, when average daytime highs are around 71–83°F and rain falls on about 3 days a month.

Average daily low and high temperatures and days with at least 1 mm of rain, from recent weather records. Highlighted months are the most comfortable for sightseeing.

Tel Aviv weather forecast

• Wed 11 Nov 73° 51° 0%
• Thu 12 Nov 76° 56° 0%
• Fri 13 Nov 81° 55° 0%
• Sat 14 Nov 81° 56° 0%
• Sun 15 Nov 77° 56° 0%
• Mon 16 Nov 76° 62° 3%
• Tue 17 Nov 75° 59° 0%

Know before you go

Currency

Israeli new shekel (ILS)1 US dollar ≈ ₪3.18

Languages

Hebrew, Arabic

Calling code

+972

Driving

On the right

Time zone

Asia/JerusalemUTC+2

Capital

Jerusalem

Getting to Tel Aviv

These are the airports closest to central Tel Aviv. Compare fares into each one, as a slightly longer transfer can sometimes mean a much cheaper flight.

• SDV Sde Dov Airport2 mi (3 km) from the city centre
• TLV Ben Gurion Airport8 mi (13 km) from the city centre

Getting around Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv has a modern, regular, cheap and widespread bus network run mostly by Dan.mw-parser-output .error-deadlink{color:red;background:yellow;display:none;white-space:nowrap}[dead link]. The main bus lines start at 05:00 AM and stops at 1 AM; on Thursday nights, Saturday nights, and during all July and August, the main lines run all night.

By bus on Shabbat

As of November 2019 the City Hall of Tel Aviv and adjacent cities (Ramat haSharon, Giv'atayim and Kiryat Ono) have started a joint pilot of (at first free) 19-seat minibuses running on Shabbat. Every third bus (so in 1.5 hour intervals) has accessibility measures for disabled passengers. Lines 705, 706, 707, 708, 709 and 710 operate every 20 minutes from 17:00 until 02:00, and on Shabbat from 09:00 until 17:00.

By Light Rail

The light rail runs past many areas of interest to tourists. Listed from south west to north east:

By "sherut" (service taxi)

The "sherut" ("sheh-ROOT") or "service taxi" is a 6-12 seat van-sized minibus which runs on fixed routes, parallel to some bus routes. This alternative is often faster and more frequent than taking a bus. Unlike buses, they operate 7 days a week (on Shabbat too), and when requested will stop in between official bus stops.

Tel Aviv travel FAQ