Tel Aviv has about 400,000 inhabitants and is therefore comparable to Nuremberg. However, the distances within the city are clearly longer, as the city extends along the coast. If you have one week time I would recommend you to relocate after half of the time. Especially in the evenings you tend to stay somewhere near the hotel and this way you can get to know the whole city. Here are my favorite neighborhoods:
Jaffa:
The oldest part of Tel Aviv and my absolute favorite neighborhood. In 2016 it was still completely immersed under construction sites, but today it shines as if it never looked any different. During the day there is not much going on here. Apart from the Jaffa Flea Market, nothing happens here. The streets are empty and the shops and restaurants are closed. But in the evening there is pure life here. Tables, chairs, DJ desks and stalls are placed in the streets, chains of lights are turned on and the beautiful old town is completely transformed. In this part of town you will find only a few tourists. It is such a new district that in the evening hardly any tourist gets lost here. You will find restaurants and bars everywhere, street vendors selling handmade products and musicians playing on the streets. Dj desks are set up in front of the bars and young people enjoy the evening with good food and drinks ! My absolute Tel Aviv insider tip!
Beach District
Right on the beach there are a lot of hotels. Actually, the promenade is not an own district, as it extends over several. But in order to understand the city, I think it is important to describe this area, as it is very similar along the whole coast. If your hotel is located here, you have the perfect location to enjoy the beach directly in the morning. During the day, the beach is also a great starting point to get anywhere in the city. If you are in the middle you can theoretically walk anywhere! In the evening there is not so much going on here. You can walk to Dizengoff Street, where you will find many restaurants and bars. At the Old Port in the north and in Jaffa in the south there’s always something going on, but don’t underestimate the distances!
My Tip: During the week I had the feeling to be almost alone on the beach, on weekends it fills up with locals within a few hours directly in the morning.
Old North:
The centre of Old North, the district that as the name suggests is all the way to the north, is the lively harbour of Tel Aviv. There are some bistros with Mediterranean cuisine, a few bars and two clubs. The main shopping street at the harbour is full of known fashion boutiques. But I have to say that the harbour didn’t convince me. For me, life in Tel Aviv is more fun and interesting in the south.
But a corner I love in Old North is the area around Dizengoff Street. There are hip restaurants and lots of boutiques that are really worth shopping in! Tel Aviv is a shopping paradise anyway! I bought here a lot of summer dresses and elegant dresses for weddings. The value for money is really perfect here! There are also many designer outlets and local designers that I can absolutely recommend to you! Everything on Dizengoff Street 🙂
Florentin
Is the up-and-coming district with a hipster atmosphere. You will find many unconventional cafes, cosy bars and live music. Levinsky Market is also in this area, where you can go for a relatively cheap lunch. There are stalls with Börek and Falafel as well as numerous spice merchants. Often the district or its change in the last year is compared to what happened with the New York’s Soho district.
Rothschildallee/White City:
The Rothschildallee in the white city is the perfect street for late risers. There is always something going on here in the evening. Everywhere you will find bars, restaurants and clubs. My favourite bar was the “Speakeasy” Bar. If you want to get in, you’ll have to address the door very confidently, otherwise you’ll be unmasked as a tourist & non-expert and sent away!
I personally felt that the quarter was something for 18-25 year young people and it reminded me a bit of the party miles in Spain or Italy. However, if you’re looking for a place to have brunch, you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for here!
Neve Tzedek/Shabazi:
For me it represented the artist quarter in Tel Aviv. Everywhere you can find tiny shops and galleries that decorate the alleys. In this area you’ ll also find many jazz bars and cocktail lounges in the evenings. Also there is one of my personal highlights for the evenings: the Tel Aviv Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is part of a newly developed complex that was built in an old train station. There are great restaurants, a few bars and the club “Secret Garden”. If you’re planning to go there, you should try to get your name added to the guest list via Facebook in advance. Otherwise the entrance can be difficult when it’s full.
More tips for your Tel Aviv journey
- Tel Aviv – Ultimate Guide & Tips for your holiday !
- Insider Tips Tel Aviv & What You Shouldn’t Miss
- Tel Aviv Food Guide & the best restaurants
