Tel Aviv, known as "the white city that never sleeps“ is definitely one of the hottest new destinations on the Mediterranean coastline. My love affaire with Tel Aviv started with „hello-March-26-degrees-and-sun“. A welcome change to the long & grey winter days in Berlin.
Despite the climatical discrepancies, Tel Aviv and Berlin have one thing in common: they are not very pretty at first sight but very soon you feel the energy and special vibes of both cities! Life in Tel Aviv takes place outside on the streets and creates a magic & dynamic atmosphere. Tel Aviv is famous for its vibrant rooftops, lively nightlife and its famous 24-hour culture. The café, bar and restaurant scene is constantly growing and for foodies like me a culinary feast!
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 by Jewish immigrants. From 1930 onwards German Jewish architects built over 4000 white buildings in the Bauhaus Style. The White City is referring to the largest Bauhaus collection in the world and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
I expected to cross beautiful white buildings on every corner, but actually many of them seem to be in need of renovation. In upcoming neighborhoods like Florentine street artists have started to transform the outside of these buildings into colorful paintings which also has its charm.
On Rothschild Boulevard and in the neighborhood of Neve Tzedek I finally passed some of the refurbished Bauhaus buildings. The rectilinear forms and long narrow balconies of the 1930s architecture are real eye-candies.
A TIP: The Bauhaus Center organizes regular architectural walking tours around the city. There are also self-service tours in the area of Dizengoff Square using an audio guide.
Another stunning building that I found inspiring: The new contemporary art gallery with its geometric concrete panels, a sculptural piece of art by itself.
If you want to escape the modern city then take a walk around Jaffa, the ancient port town just south of Tel Aviv.
Speaking of where to eat in Tel Aviv - here are some of the places I enjoyed most during my stay:
Meshek Barzilay - an organic/vegetarian restaurant located in the heart of Neve Tzedek, an artistic neighborhood with narrow streets and many galleries, designer shops and restaurants. We went there several times for breakfast and once for dinner. Super tasty food, incredible smoothies and very nice staff. My recommendation: try the Farm Breakfast - omelet, garden salad served along the best home-baked bread I’ve ever had. The fresh-squeezed juices and energy smoothies are fantastic!
Right at the beach I discovered Manta Ray, a delicious restaurant serving a variety of incredible mezzes to share. We also tried Dalida, a great place for dinner with good music and a funny crowd.
Along Tel Aviv's iconic Rothschild Boulevard you’ll find a bar & restaurant called ROTHSCHILD 12. I really liked this one with its urban-chic atmosphere and local live music performance.
Another delicious dish not to miss while being in Israel: „Shakshuka“ poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with cumin.
Along Rothschild Boulevard you’ll find many "fruit islands" serving freshly-squeezed smoothies. We drank 2-3 of them everyday and loved the concept of having a fruit stand every 300 meters!
Stroll through El Carmel market, the main food market of Tel Aviv. The fragrance of spice is everywhere. The variety of vegetables and exotic food is great. I couldn’t resist and brought olives, nuts and many sweets back home.
Tel Aviv wouldn't be Tel Aviv without its wide sandy beach right by the city center. It's definitely a spot to hang out and watch the sunset while drinking a bear and mingle with some local Tel Avivians.
Overall, Tel Aviv is a magic and vibrant city made up of many little neighborhoods, delicious restaurants and friendly people. The white city on the Mediterranean coastline is definitely worth a trip. It’s a place where I would love to live for a while to better get to know its culture and people. In the summer though it can be really really hot. Best season to go: April & May with enjoyable 27-30 degrees. Todo raba Tel Aviv! I'll come back soon :-)
