A perfect day in Tel Aviv

What: Sightseeing-, Restaurant- & Nightlife-Tips
Where: Tel Aviv, Israel

View from the beach to the awesome skyline of Tel Aviv

Good morning Tel Aviv! I’m looking outside the window, the sun is shining and so I walk to Frishman-beach – directly round the corner of my hotel ‘The Mendeli’ – for a little, refreshing bath in the Mediterranean Sea. The water seems to look so beautifully turquoise, like in the Caribbean. Bathing makes hungry, so I’m going to Café ‘Benedict’, one of Tel Aviv’s hippest breakfast addresses, where you get spoiled 24/7 with delicious egg dishes, freshly baked bread or pancakes and waffles with warm Nutella toppings. It’s recommended to make a reservation in advance to skip the endless seeming queue.

Hot, hot, hot: The Café ‘Benedict’

Well strengthened I’m walking in the direction of Florentin, Tel Aviv’s new artistic neighborhood, which just got discovered by the intellectual scene – an escape from the high rents of the established districts. I’m strolling through Herzel Street – the stronghold of interior stores – turn right to Florentin Street, and drift through the alleys at a felt temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. The heat level rises, my excitement sinks, also because I can’t see what I was expecting to find in Florentin. Only the traders on Levinsky-Street with their small spice shops and the cafes are a discovery, before I keep on running to the original bazar, the ‘Carmel Market’ – , Shuk HaCarmel – in the district Yafo: attraction for tourists as well as shopping source of the Tel Avivians for fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and textiles.

Watch out! Ask for teaspoonwhise measurement of spices

I’m buying herbs at the stand of Mishel Basta. With quick hands he’s filling hummus spices and curry in plastic bags and I was very surprised, when I suddenly found 100 Euros on my bill. My tip: specify the required amount in the measurement of a teaspoon.

Very chic: The restaurant ‘Montefiori’ in the homonymous street

For lunch I try the tip of my fond of travel friend Karen: At ‘Montefiori’ in the street of the same name near the ‘Shalom Tower’ one dines in a very stylish ambient. In the afternoon there’s a special lunch offer for the hip IT audience including an ice tea: not a culinary experience, but therefore very friendly staff and the aircon’ gave its best. Indeed I was pretty happy to carry a scarf with me.

That’s me purchasing spices on the Levinksy Street: Who has the choice, has the torment!

I continue northwards to Tel Aviv Marina, a small yacht harbor directly at the promenade, in direct neighborhood of the big hotels, huge concrete blocks and therefore not a real feast for the eyes. Over the promenade, which is 1.5 kilometers long, one gets to the northern district ‘New Port’, which is especially famous for its water shows on the weekend, the stores, markets and restaurants.

The marina of Tel Aviv and the caribbean blue water – so beautiful!

The sundowner at Frishman beach is a must. It’s best to enjoy the colorful spectacle with cold water or a coke, as the consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden at the beaches of Israel.

Sunset at the Frishman-Beach – but please only with alcohol-free sundowner!

The nightlife in Tel Aviv can offer a lot. One of the favorite spots of the youngsters of Tel Aviv is the ‚Old Train Station‘ in the mega cool district ‘Neve Tsedek’. Nice restaurants and shops settled down in the stylish, renovated area of the former railway station ‘HaTachana’ in old buildings. Cecilie, who’s currently absorbing an internship in a Start-Up, has the tip of the evening: in the Spanish restaurant ‘Vicky Cristina’ welcomes us Shay, the owner itself and serves delicious tapas. Cecilie’s favorite tapas: fried cheese and the vegan paella, I like the chicken and the mini burger, crowned by a gluten free chocolate cake. It’s best to order several tapas and then exchange them. The wine selection is also great: try an Israeli Rosé from the winery Chateau Golan – you won’t regret it!

At the restaurant ‘Vicky Cristina’ the best tapas in town are served!

Afterwards there’s a very cool bar called ‚Bustan’. It’s right next to the ‚Vicky Cristina‘, where you can have excellent cocktails in the open air and Djs play swinging music. Especially the party ‘Secret Garden’, which takes place every Tuesday from 10:30 pm onwards, is a must. Who’s still in the mood to carry on afterwards should go to the rooftop bar ‘Suramare’, an absolute insider tip. From there one has a view over the vibrant Tel Aviv, over a city of awakening that never sleeps. BvH

Absolute insider tip: Rooftop bar ,Suramare’ with mega views over the city

Hotspot: renovated area of the former railway station ‘HaTachana’ …

… with shops and restaurants in the mega-hipp district ‚Neve Tsedek‘

Okay, what we eat then? In ‘Vicky Cristina’ the menu is studied

The former railway station ‚HaTachana‘

Tips:

Discover the district ‘Florentin’ with a professional:
Guy Sharett from ‘Street Wise Hebrew’ offers an art- and graffiti tour.
Nahalat Binyamin Straße 151

www.streetwisehebrew.com

The market of Carmel …

… with its colorful fruit and vegetable offer

Delicious and cheap:

Try Israels street-kitchen at a stand of Carmel Market: Yummy!

… here for example!

Dates, apricots, nuts … everything your heart (or stomach) desires

How about a German Beer? Have one in the ‘Bavarian Brasserie’!

The café ‘Benedict’ on the Rothschild Boulevard

Especially recommended: The egg dishes. Delicious!

Good for a stroll: I walk the 1.5 km long promenade up to the northerly quarter New Port

Addresses:

Café Benedict
Ben Yehuda Street 171
or
Rothschild Blvd 29
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Rooftop-Bar Suramare
Se’Adya Ga’on 24
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Restaurant Vicky Cristina
Hatachana
Koifmann Street 1
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Bar Bustan
Hatachana
All The Country
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Restaurant Montefiori
Montefiori Street 36
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Carmel-Markt
HaCarmel Street 11
Tel Aviv-Yafo

Dont’t miss:

The upcoming Tel Aviv episodes about a wonderful boutique hotel, the most amazing street in ‘Neve Tsedek‘, the best place for Wiener Schnitzel, my absolute favorite restaurant and my perfect day in Jaffa. Stay tuned! ביי לעת עתה