Things to do in Tel Aviv

Nature · Mediterranean seafront

Kilometres of golden city beach backed by the Tayelet promenade — matkot (beach paddleball), sunset swims, beach bars and a daily ritual of sea, sun and sport.

Local tip: Gordon and Frishman are the social, central beaches; Hilton beach is the LGBTQ+ and surfer favourite; the quieter southern stretches by Jaffa are calmer. Friday-evening sunset on the sand, with a beer from a kiosk, is the quintessential Tel Aviv moment.

Culture · Jaffa (south)

The ancient port city at Tel Aviv's southern edge — stone alleys, the old harbour, galleries, and the Shuk HaPishpeshim flea market alive with antiques, bars and music.

Local tip: Wander the flea market in the late afternoon when the bars and restaurants among the stalls fill up. Eat at the legendary hummus and seafood spots, watch the sunset from the harbour, and explore the artists' quarter above.

Food · City centre

The city's loud, sprawling main market (Shuk HaCarmel) — produce, spices, street food and bargains — spilling into the atmospheric Yemenite Quarter's tiny food joints.

Local tip: Go hungry: graze hummus, sabich, knafeh and fresh juice. Dive into the Kerem HaTeimanim lanes beside the market for the city's best old-school Yemenite and Mizrahi cooking, then a drink at one of the new-wave bars hidden among the stalls.

Landmark · City centre

The leafy, café-lined central boulevard at the heart of the UNESCO-listed 'White City' — the world's largest concentration of 1930s Bauhaus architecture.

Local tip: Stroll or bike the shaded median past the Bauhaus facades and kiosks; stop at the Independence Hall. Take a Bauhaus walking tour to actually see the architecture you'd otherwise walk straight past. The boulevard is the city's social spine.

Neighborhood · South Tel Aviv

The gritty, graffiti-covered former workshop district turned hipster heartland — street art, dive bars, design studios, hummus joints and the city's edgiest nightlife.

Local tip: Come for the street-art walls (some of the best in the Middle East) and stay for the bars; weekend nights here are the rawest, youngest scene in the city. Great cheap eats and a real artists-and-makers energy.

Culture · South-west of centre

Tel Aviv's first neighbourhood — charming low-rise lanes, boutiques and the Suzanne Dellal dance centre — beside HaTachana, the restored old Jaffa railway station turned shopping-and-dining compound.

Local tip: Wander Shabazi Street's boutiques and cafés, catch a show at Suzanne Dellal, then walk to HaTachana and on to the beach. The prettiest, most village-like corner of the city — a calm contrast to the boulevards.