Where is the city of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv rogue guide: how to cheaply relax in the cultural capital of Israel. Monuments of religious architecture
Tel Aviv-Jaffa is a united city municipality in Israel on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the most important economic, financial, commercial and cultural center of the country.
Tel Aviv-Jaffa, a modern city stretching 15 km along the Mediterranean coast and 10 km inland, is the second most populous city in Israel.
The United Nations recognizes Tel Aviv-Jaffa as the capital of Israel. It houses the administrations of enterprises and foreign embassies, trading firms and banks, editorial offices of newspapers and magazines, and publishing houses.
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 on a plot of land of 12 hectares as a northern suburb of the port city (one of the oldest cities in the world), received city status in 1934, and in 1949 merged with Jaffa.
Population
The population of Tel Aviv-Jaffa is 404.4 thousand people (2010), it is the second largest city in the country (after Jerusalem). National-religious composition: 96.1% - Jews, 3.0% - Muslim Arabs and 0.9% - Christian Arabs.
With suburbs in this urban agglomeration, which has the name, lives according to various estimates, from 1.25 to 2 million people.
Government agencies
Tel Aviv is home to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff.
Transport
Tel Aviv is the most important transport hub in Israel, the main transfer point for all lines of Israeli railways and bus companies.
Rail transport - Tel Aviv is the center of Israel's railway system. The highway runs along the eastern border of the city from north to south. From four railway stations of the city ("Tel Aviv - University", "Tel Aviv - Center", "Tel Aviv - HaShalom", "Tel Aviv - HaHagana") trains run south (Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva ), to Jerusalem, Petah Tikva and Rishon Lezion. Round-the-clock trains run to the north (Haifa, Nahariya) as well as to the David Ben-Gurion Airport and Modiin.
Bus transport - urban transport in Tel Aviv is provided by the Dan cooperative, there are also city lines of the Egged and Kavim companies connecting Tel Aviv with the nearest suburbs. Intercity transportation is carried out by Egged from two bus terminals - Arlozorov station in the northern part of the city (near the Tel Aviv Center railway station) and the central bus station in the southern part of the city (today the largest bus station in the world [source not 631 days are specified]).
Metro - work is underway to lay the first light metro line along the route Bat Yam - Jaffa - Tel Aviv - Ramat Gan - Bnei Brak - Petah Tikva. The opening of the line is planned for 2013.
Air communication - David Ben Gurion Airport is located at a distance of 10 km from Tel Aviv, near the suburb of Lod, and is the main air gateway to Israel. Within the city there is also a city airport. Dova Khoza ("Sde Dov"), serving domestic Israeli civilian flights to Eilat, Rosh Pinna, Kiryat Shmona and Ein Yahav, as well as military transport flights to Israeli Air Force bases.
Road transport - many roads pass through Tel Aviv, the most important of which is the Ayalon Highway (highway No. 20), which passes through the eastern part of the city from north to south along the bed of the river of the same name and has 7 interchanges in the city. The largest main streets are Namir Highway (going north to Highway No. 2 leading to Haifa), Menachem Begin Highway (east to Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak and Petah Tikva) and some others. With a daily influx of half a million cars, Tel Aviv suffers from a traffic congestion.
healthcare
The Meir Medical Center was founded in 1956 and named after Dr. Yosef Meir, Minister of Health of the State of Israel. To this day, it is one of the largest Medical Centers in Israel.
Medical Center. Soraski is located in the city center, and is the main city hospital in Tel Aviv. It includes the city hospital "Ichilov", the pediatric hospital "Dana", the maternity hospital "Liss" and a rehabilitation center.
The Assuta Hospital in north Tel Aviv is the largest private hospital in Israel - it mainly performs elective surgical procedures.
Video (in English): Guide to Tel Aviv
Also, not far from Tel Aviv, there are additional medical centers and hospitals - Medical Center. Rabin in Petah Tikva, Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer, Wolfson Hospitals in Holon, Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba and Asaf HaRofeh Medical Center in Zrifin.
Day-to-day outpatient care is provided by the city's outpatient clinics, owned by one of Israel's four HMOs - Clalit, Meuhedet, Maccabi and Leumit.
Culture and art
Tel Aviv is one of the most important cultural centers of Israel - it has several dozen concert and theater halls, numerous museums and galleries. There are three repertory theaters in the city (Habima, Gesher, Chamber Theatre), several ballet ensembles (Israeli Ballet, Bat Sheva, Bat Dor, etc.), many rock and jazz groups performing on small stages .
The Tel Aviv Museum of Fine Arts and the Eretz Israel Museum are the most famous of the dozens of museums in Tel Aviv. Concerts, performances and performances are held in numerous concert halls, including the Palace of Culture. Mann, Center for the Performing Arts. Golda Meir, Susan Dallal Center, Tsavta Theatre, and the Zionist House of America.
Tel Aviv is one of the top ten nightlife and coastal cities in the world. This is because this is the only city in the world that is just beginning to wake up by midnight, even on Shabbat, when everything is closed in other places. Walk through the streets of Tel Aviv at night - and you will see cafes filled to capacity, nightclubs, galleries and bookstores open around the clock.
Some of the most expensive penthouses in the world are concentrated in Tel Aviv (Madonna bought an apartment somewhere), offices of the largest companies and almost all embassies. And although it is not the capital of Israel, as many are mistaken, Tel Aviv is definitely the center of cultural life and entertainment for Israelis.
Good news for travelers: the Israeli government signed a decree between Belarus and Israel. Belarusians will be able to receive the coveted stamp right at the airport upon arrival. Get ready for this joyful event - study the 34travel author's guide to Tel Aviv so as not to miss the most interesting places on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Guide content:
There are two most common options to fly to Ben Gurion International Airport, which is located 14 kilometers from Tel Aviv. The easiest and fastest from Minsk is the direct Belavia flight, which operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. In summer, during the holiday season, round-trip ticket prices reach €500, but if you buy in advance, you can fly both ways for €100 cheaper. And if you catch a flight with a transfer through Kyiv, you will get there for € 300.
Low-cost airline Wizz Air flies from Vilnius to Tel Aviv. In this case, you don’t have to rely on ultra-cheap tickets either. If you buy a ticket for €200 round trip, consider yourself lucky.
If there is no direct low-cost airline to Tel Aviv from your city, try to buy tickets to Eilat, a city on the southern tip of Israel. The authorities are paying extra to airlines to fly to the Red Sea city, cut off from Tel Aviv by the desert, and bring tourists here. Especially pleasant prices in winter: they start from € 15 for a ticket from Poznań. The price of the journey from Eilat to Tel Aviv is € 17.
The most popular form of public transport in Israel is buses. The fare costs € 1.5, while one ticket is valid for an hour and a half: you can transfer to any number of buses during this time. For a more economical movement around the city, it is better to buy a Rav Kav card from the driver, on which you can store different travel programs: every ten trips will be cheaper with it.
Rent city bikes in Tel Aviv is gaining momentum, and we are talking about electric bikes of the Tel-O-Fun municipal system. The city has 200 parking lots for them, and the length of comfortable routes for exploring the city is 120 km. To use the bike, you need to purchase a day or three-day card on the website Tel-O-Fun. 30-minute rides are free, a day is €4.
Since Israel is a religious country, from mid-Friday until Saturday evening, when Shabbat comes, public transport stops running. At this time, only minibuses and taxis run. Taxi is very convenient to order through the application Get Taxi, there you will also find day and night rates for trips between cities. On average, the price per kilometer in the center of the country is 10 shekels (or € 2).
Also install two more useful applications - Moovit and Waze. The first one lays out public transport routes throughout the country, shows the schedule of buses and trains, i.e. works on the principle, only better. The second is a convenient online navigator in case you decide to rent a car.
Since Tel Aviv is the most expensive city in Israel, finding affordable accommodation even on Airbnb and Booking.com will not be easy. As in all coastal cities, prices here depend on the proximity of the apartments to the sea. Hostels are not as common as in Europe, but there is still a choice. Proven options - in our selection.
Hostel Little Tel-Aviv (Yehuda Ha Levi, 51) is located 10 minutes walk from the sea. It is clean, comfortable, and the furniture and plumbing are new. You can safely believe the photos from their website.
The most fashionable Florentine Hostel (Eliflet, 10). Day and night, young people from all over the world hang out here, warmly welcoming all newcomers. Joint drinking of alcohol is only encouraged.
Chef Hostel Montefiore (Montefiore, 19). Noisy and cramped hostel for those who are not afraid of domestic inconveniences. Nearby there is a 24-hour supermarket that works even on Shabbat, a market with fresh vegetables and fruits, and the sea is within easy reach.
Old Jaffa Hostel (Amiad, 13). An atmospheric place in old Jaffa away from skyscrapers, mud and noisy roads. The hostel is famous for its rooftop terrace overlooking the old part of the city, where you can best watch the sunset.
sky hostel (Ben Yehuda, 34) is located on a very noisy street in Tel Aviv, so it is not a fact that you will be able to get enough sleep. But you definitely won’t get lost after the promenade - most of the entertainment places are located right here.
Tel Aviv is divided into several districts, the most significant of which is the old city of Jaffa, which is considered a separate city. The first mention of Jaffa appeared in 1479-1425. BC. Start thinking over the cultural program from the official website of the city. There is a schedule of the sightseeing bus that will take you to historical sites. An adult ticket costs €10.
Jaffa- probably the most serious antiquity of Israel, which has come down to our days almost intact. This is an ancient Egyptian port, and today also a tiny, by modern standards, stone town on a hill, merged with Tel Aviv. According to Greek myth, Perseus freed Andromeda here. According to the Old Testament, it was in this port that Noah built the ark. Stone narrow streets, stuck together houses, miniature terraces overlooking the sea and Tel Aviv bristling with skyscrapers - today Jaffa is one large open-air museum, where more than a dozen galleries, 8 churches, an infinite number of small cafes and near-historical museums are concentrated. The legendary flea trade district adjoins Jaffa on the east side, and the old port with cafes and art studios on the south. On the north side - the beach and the surf spot.
Despite all its religiosity, Israel is progressive and the most tolerant of all countries in the Middle East. Once a year, in early June, the streets of Tel Aviv are closed for a gay pride parade that brings together more than 100,000 people from all over the world, and LGBT flags flutter on the houses all year round.
During the great Jewish holiday of Pesach, which is celebrated in early April, you can visit most of the museums and national parks for free.
Tel Aviv Port- the main attraction of the city. In recent years, "namal" (as the port is called in Hebrew) has transformed into a separate city of entertainment with theaters, clubs, restaurants and bars, exhibitions and cafeterias. Since cars are not allowed here, this is the best place for walking with children and rollerblading or cycling. On Fridays, a market with organic vegetables and fruits is scattered here, and on Saturdays, an antiques fair opens.
Israelis don't eat to live, they live to eat. You can safely bypass the show-off restaurants, because it is a sign of quality. Don't even try to leave the city without trying the local falafel and shawarma at least once. For €10 they make you such a huge pita with meat, salads and hummus that you can hardly crawl out from behind the table afterwards.
In Israel, it is customary to leave a tip for everyone, especially bars and restaurants. The waiters do not hesitate to openly beg for them if you suddenly forget to thank for the service.
The best burgers are served in Burger bar 39 (Ben Yehuda, 93). The place is modest, with a minimum number of tables, but beloved by many fast food connoisseurs. Be sure to take the burger with entrecote. It costs from € 10, including potatoes, sauces and a drink of your choice.
To appreciate and love hummus, you need to try it in the right places. For example, in Bahadunas (Ibn Gabirol, 150). This hummus has some of the tastiest hummus in Tel Aviv, so there are long queues at lunchtime. Don't forget to take a jar of hummus and sauces with you.
The most popular chain cafe in Israel - Aroma. There are “fragrant” points at almost every step. Feel free to come here in search of a homemade lunch and delicious coffee. The cafe operates on the principle of self-service, so the prices are quite adequate. Just don't be surprised if you see soups on the menu, but in fact there aren't any. Israelis recognize this dish only in winter.
It is difficult to find in Israel something cheaper than five shekels (that's a little more than a dollar). Even in the most remote hole, coffee costs at least € 2.5. But there is a network in the country where all food and drinks are 5 shekels each, including soups and hot dishes. It's called Cofix, and branches are open in almost every district of the city. The food is packed in vacuum lunch boxes, and the baked goods are all fresh. Be sure to try iced-coffee, it is the most popular drink here.
Adherents of proper nutrition dine in Mizlala (Nahalat Binyamin, 57) . Star chef Meir Adoni has developed a menu with a large selection of raw food dishes that are not dangerous for the figure even after eight in the evening. For better digestion and vivacity of guests, a local DJ mixes only hit playlists.
Cafe Abba Gil (Yehuda Halevi, 55) famous for producing organic hummus. The establishment resembles a cozy dining room where you can quickly and inexpensively eat the most popular Israeli dishes: sweet potato soup, falafel, eggplant, lentils and rice dishes.
Go to breakfast Benedict Breakfast Restaurant (Ben Yehuda, 171). This is the best place to meet a new day. There are more than 50 types of breakfasts on the menu, while the place is packed with visitors both in the morning and in the evening. Including because they serve absolutely non-kosher bacon (in most Israeli cafes and restaurants it is absent, as, for example, cheese in McDonald's burgers). In addition to delicious coffee, you can order a glass of champagne or a cocktail.
For healthy fast food go to Buddha Burgers (Ibn Gabirol, 86). It serves delicious vegan burgers and soy and lentil burritos, as well as veggie soups and salads. The average price of a main course is € 7-9.
If you get tired of shawarma and falafels, go to the best Italian restaurant in the local latitudes with a simple name Italy (Kreminitzki, 6). Take a bottle of Sicilian wine with focaccia and olives on the go, and only then begin to study the menu. Then you can calmly, without choking on saliva, choose your dish. Many stop for an aperitif: appetizers, according to a good tradition, are served until you say “stop”.
You will find the best desserts in the restaurant Dallal (Shabazi, 10). Make a stop there after a walk around the area: the place is located in the Neve Tzedek area, ancient and romantic. Right in front of the establishment there is a wooden swing entwined with flowers. Delicious cakes, a couple of cocktails, a light breeze… Consider it a ready program for a date.
A La Rampa (Ha "Amal Street, 21)- a win-win choice if you follow a vegetarian diet and love high-quality background music in establishments. The cafe is not located in the center, but, on the contrary, in the “local” zone of the city, where galleries, secret music and other studios are concentrated. In the evenings, it is even easier to spend a couple of hours here unnoticed than during the day - a movie is played on the wall of the house opposite. The area itself - in the past a dirty industrial zone - is now dotted with graffiti and is overgrown with new art spots every day.
Beccafico (Shabazi, 49)- an impeccable Italian restaurant in the lively Neve Tzedek area, located on Shalom Shabazi street - attractive and authentic at any time of the year. The place is suitable for both a quick snack and a romantic feast with a glass of wine. Beware - food, interior and exterior are extremely photogenic.
Max Brenner (Rothschild Blvd, 45; HaTa "arucha, 3; HaBarzel, 23; Ha-Menofim, 8 and others) - Israeli network of chocolate shops, the points of which today are scattered between Israel, the USA, Australia and Japan. Chocolate fondue, pancakes, waffles, as well as chocolate pizza and martinis are served in this paradise for the sweet tooth. You can try the famous desserts in Tel Aviv in one of the numerous establishments of the chain - they are located in all party quarters. They say that Max Brenner chocolate can not only be tasted, but also heard - guests are treated to it at all five sensory levels. You can also find souvenirs there.
Florentine 10 (Florentin, 10)- a coffee bar popular with locals in the heart of the Florentin district, a youthful quarter of bars and galleries. Everything you love and appreciate is here - invigorating and alcoholic drinks, sweet and not so snacks, beautiful books, cozy armchairs and crowds of young Florentines that you can watch while sipping a drink. The establishment is located in a Bauhaus-style building, there are tables both outside and inside. An important nuance - Florentin 10 is open around the clock.
Wine is Israel's calling card. It is best, of course, to go directly to where the wine is produced, but if you can’t get to the wineries, start your acquaintance with Israeli wines in local bars and restaurants. And in stores, be sure to take Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Shiraz. The rarest and most delicious wine is pomegranate. In order not to get confused in the names, remember: Rimon, Barkan, Clos de Gat. Take any bottle from these manufacturers, you won't go wrong.
It is especially pleasant, because the local youth is quite exacting in their claims and likes to relax no worse than in Paris, New York or Berlin. On every street you will find several bars for every taste.
(Dizingoff, 223)- the oldest of the city's cocktail bars, where you can easily discuss the latest news or unhappy love with the bartender. They pour both the good old classics and author's options according to the mood.
If you want not just to get drunk, but to do it beautifully, go to a bar Bellboy (Berdichevsky, 14). Leather sofas, oil paintings, velvet curtains - a place so refined that even cocktails are served in seashells.
Gastronomic critics have repeatedly recognized Imperial Bar (Hayarkon, 66) one of the best in the Middle East, including according to Tripadvisor. Imperial style can be traced in everything - from the interior to the design of the menu. There are happy hours where you can have two cocktails for the price of one. Be sure to ask to mix a cocktail that is not on the menu.
library bar (Nachmani, 25) located at The Norman Hotel and decorated in an elegant colonial style. In order to put your thoughts in order after a noisy night and skip a refreshing mojito with a hangover, snacking on snacks - that's it.
If you have never tried molecular cocktails, you should experiment in a fashion bar
Summer in Tel Aviv is hot and dry, the peak of the heat is in May. Despite the refreshing proximity of the sea, many tourists from the Nordic countries can hardly stand the summer heat in Tel Aviv and prefer to visit the city during the winter months, when the temperature is consistently above +10 °C. The main precipitation falls from October to early spring. In the summer, rains are a rarity: two months without a single drop from the sky are considered the norm for this Mediterranean city.
History of Tel Aviv
According to the ancient Egyptian written monuments, Jaffa, or Joppa, is at least 3.5 thousand years old. In ancient times, the city was one of the most important ports on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Jaffa relatively well survived the dominion of the Romans: the city, destroyed during the Jewish War, was rebuilt and continued to develop. Under the Arabs, starting from the 7th century, the port lost its commercial significance, accepting only ships with Christian and Jewish pilgrims. The former greatness returned to Jaffa only in the XII century, when the Crusaders came here, but only for a century. When the Muslims ousted the uninvited guests from Israeli territories, Jaffa was destroyed just in case, so that the next strangers would not think of using it as a military port. For four whole centuries, Jaffa could not recover from the blow and remained a poor, sparsely populated eastern town, then the port gradually began to be restored. In 1799, it was occupied by Napoleonic troops, however, without devastating consequences and pogroms.
In 1909, a new quarter was built on the outskirts of Jaffa, where Jews settled. In 1910, the inhabitants chose the name Tel Aviv for it, which is translated from Hebrew as "the hill of spring" - a symbol of hope for renewal, the revival of the Israeli state. It was here that emigrants from the Russian Empire arrived, later they were joined by refugees from Nazi Germany. Tel Aviv grew rapidly, turning into the center of Jewish Palestine, and now Jaffa was considered its suburb. In 1948, the formation of a new Middle Eastern state of Israel was proclaimed in the city and the first parliamentary meetings were held. In 1950, Tel Aviv and Jaffa were officially merged into a common municipality. Tel Aviv took over the functions of an administrative, educational and commercial center, and Jaffa was preserved as an open-air museum - a favorite vacation spot for tourists and local bohemians.
Landmarks of Tel Aviv
The main advantage of Tel Aviv in the eyes of the guests is its eclecticism. Although there have never been world-famous architectural masterpieces here, the residents of the city managed to preserve the unique flavor of the multinational and multi-confessional seaside city. An example of Tel Aviv's typical mixture of styles is the pagoda house on Albert Square, which is barely kept on the verge of good taste. In any other corner of the globe, an abundance of incompatible Moorish-modern details would seem like an architect's mistake, but the scorching sun and sea breeze soften the impression of excessive opulence of decor, and the house looks very organic.
You can admire the city from a bird's eye view in the Azrieli Center from a paid observation deck on the 49th floor. Experienced tourists warn that beginners do not count too much on the facility’s capabilities: it is sometimes closed due to private events, and the windows can turn out to be dusty. Ideally, in good weather, a view of the “White City” opens from a height - low-rise buildings of the 30s, which are under the protection of UNESCO. These are about 4,000 snow-white buildings of strict forms, designed by representatives of the German Bauhaus, a modernist trend in architecture and design. Natives of Germany, Jews by nationality, the architects left pre-war Europe for Palestine and took up the development of Tel Aviv.
Attractions of Jaffa
In the Abrasha park, planted with date palms, on the Hill of Glee, the Gates of Faith are set up - 4-meter white sculptural images made in the form of an arch, reproducing biblical scenes. The connection with antiquity in the work of the modern sculptor is not only symbolic: the gate is based on genuine stones taken from the Wailing Wall. The three-story Clock Tower with a sharp spire will not strike the imagination of tourists who have seen European churches, but its appearance in Jaffa at the beginning of the 20th century was a significant event. Usually, clocks were attached to temple buildings - churches and mosques, and the Clock Tower became the first secular structure of its kind, evidence of a craving for progress. Recently it was restored, and the clock again regularly beats every 30 minutes.
Monuments of religious architecture
There are Jewish, Muslim and Christian temples in Tel Aviv, which are of interest from an architectural point of view. Sometimes this happens regardless of the will of the architect, as was the case with the Great Synagogue, located next to Rothschild Boulevard, on Allenby Street. Almost a century old classical building was constantly rebuilt until it acquired an avant-garde look that was not envisaged by the original project. Now it resembles an ancient temple, surrounded by thin stalactite columns around the perimeter. The Zimbalist Synagogue in the garden of Tel Aviv University appears to the uninitiated as two massive bowls turned upside down.
Next to the Botanical and Zoological Gardens of Tel Aviv, the Church of St. Peter was built with the tallest bell tower in the city. Nearby, in a chapel decorated with Byzantine mosaics of the 5th century, Tabitha, a disciple of Jesus, is buried - the only woman awarded this title. A diligent seamstress, she was the moral support of the widows and unmarried women of Joppa. For them, her sudden death was a huge blow, but the apostle Peter, who appeared nearby, resurrected the deceased - that is why the church located next to the legendary place of resurrection was dedicated to him. There are unusual Muslim buildings in Tel Aviv, for example, the century-old Sea Mosque in Jaffa. Its sandstone minaret resembles a lighthouse, as it should be for a building standing on the very shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
Museums in Tel Aviv
The house of Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv, has become a museum in memory of the historic event - the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the country in 1948. Initially, it also exhibited thematic archaeological and art collections, but since 2012, the administration has left only objects directly related to the history of the city. Collections of paintings moved to the Art Museum. Its main building is a building of strict geometric shapes, located on Shaul HaMeleh Boulevard, next to the classical Chamber and avant-garde Opera House. The museum boasts an impressive collection of Western European paintings from the first half of the 20th century and the American avant-garde from the mid-20th century. Part of the collection, due to lack of space, was moved to the branch of the museum, the pavilion of Helena Rubinstein, 500 m southwest of the main building. The museum closes at 2 p.m. on Friday due to Shabbat, and accordingly, it does not work on Saturday, like all cultural institutions in the country, a ticket to it costs 50 shekels.
Each square meter of Jaffa is of interest to archaeologists, so the authorities of the municipality, without further ado, opened the Museum of Antiquities right at the excavation site on Kedumim Square, above the house of a noble Roman. Exhibition halls are hidden underground, at the level where Joppa once stood. The museum presents dishes and other ancient artifacts from the excavation site, however, the most important objects have gone to museums around the world. Tours are conducted by English-speaking guides who show tourists informative films on the history of the city.
More valuable exhibits are collected in the Archaeological Museum, opened in the 18th century fortifications left over from the Ottoman Empire. For 50 shekels, tourists will be offered to see an extensive exposition, from Egyptian times to the Middle East.
Treatment in Tel Aviv
The Tel Aviv agglomeration is a recognized center of medical tourism. Medical institutions differ in specializations and the range of services provided. The gigantic complex that serves all of Tel Aviv is the Ichilov Hospital, or, more formally, the Sourasky Medical Center. On Weizman Street, not far from the city Museum of Art, there is a medical tourism building of this institution. The department employs specialists who will give advice on the cost and duration of treatment in Russian. Within the framework of the agreement, foreigners will be provided with an interpreter during the entire period of treatment, they will help resolve issues of accommodation if the treatment does not require hospitalization, accommodation of accompanying persons, and travel.
A large private clinic, Assuta, located next to the Zappa concert venue, specializes in diseases requiring surgical intervention, cardiology, and in vitro fertilization. Several well-known medical centers have been built in the suburbs: the Edith Wolfson Hospital in Holon, south of Jaffa, the Yitzhak Rabin Hospital in Petah Tikva, east of the city. The latter is known for its children's department, including for oncological patients. To the east of Tel Aviv, in Ramat Gan, medical tourism for professionals is practiced: the Chaim Sheba Center accepts foreign doctors for internships.
Beach holidays in Tel Aviv
The city's sandy beaches are clean and not too crowded. Since there is already a strong current near the shore, inexperienced foreigners are strongly advised to avoid "wild" areas and relax next to the lifeguards.
In warm winters, when local residents do not risk entering the water, visitors enter the sea at their own peril and risk - lifeguards do not work at this time of the year. In season, to the delight of surfers, black flags often appear on Tel Aviv beaches - a sign that swimming is prohibited due to high waves, although this does not stop visitors to the city. In the hot season, there is a high risk of getting heat or sunstroke. Precautions in Tel Aviv are standard: do not stand in the sun, go to the beach in the morning and evening, always carry water with you.
Tel Aviv transport system
The Dan bus carrier is responsible for transport links within Tel Aviv. Comfortable transport, adapted for the movement of the disabled, is distinguished by an important feature: on Fridays, all traffic stops before sunset and is restored only by late Saturday evening. The average cost of a trip is about 100 rubles, but the exact amount depends on the route. In the coming years, single tickets will be replaced by a single travel card valid for all public transport in the country.
Despite the excellent state of technology and high level of service, the Tel Aviv transport system is not perfect. In the future, the Israelis plan to replace buses with environmentally friendly electric buses and open a light rail network to stop citizens from using private cars. This is a really serious problem for the city: due to constant traffic jams, the speed on Tel Aviv roads does not exceed 10 km/h. The commissioning of the first of four light rail lines, which in some places goes underground like a metro, is planned for 2021. The deadlines are set approximately, one postponement of the launch has already been. In the meantime, the authorities have transplanted part of the car owners on bicycles. A network of bike paths has already been laid around the city, but you need to remember that Tel Aviv riders are not distinguished by discipline and pedestrians have to be constantly on the alert even in walking areas on the embankments.
Restaurants and cafes
There are enough public catering establishments of various classes both in the new Tel Aviv and in the tourist area of Jaffa. It is especially recommended to try fresh fish and seafood dishes in Jaffa. The cheapest, from 800 rubles, will cost the ubiquitous McDonald's and eateries specializing in falafels - nutritious fried bean balls seasoned with spices. The portions are usually so plentiful that they can be divided between two. In serious restaurants, a dinner with wine will cost 4-5 thousand rubles. Even more expensive will be the trip to the concert venue-restaurant Zappa on Raoul Wallenberg Street - a cult place for lovers of rock music.
Shabbat norms also apply to public catering - everything is closed in Tel Aviv from Friday to Saturday. If you rent an apartment and cook for yourself, you can buy groceries in the markets just before closing, especially before Shabbat - then prices are halved. Among the most popular food markets are Carmel, Port Farmers Market. Ready-to-go meals are sold on Thursdays and Fridays on the ground floor of the Dizengoff Center.
Where to stay
You can spend the night in hotels with private facilities on the floor and hostels for 1.5 thousand rubles, for the minimum comfort you will have to pay 3-4 thousand. More attractive rooms in 3-4-star hotels cost about the same, they actually do not differ from each other in terms of quality and quantity of services, but some hotels do not accept guests with children. In Tel Aviv, apartments are rented for short and long periods, usually with all the necessary equipment. The seasonal difference in prices is 20% - accommodation is slightly cheaper in winter than in summer.
Shopping in Tel Aviv
Tourists usually buy gifts and souvenirs in the duty free of the international airport, since everything is too expensive in shopping centers within Tel Aviv. Craftsmen manage to find affordable jersey of excellent quality, they buy handmade souvenirs in private shops. At the "flea market" Shuk-a-Pishpishim in Jaffa, you can find interesting little things for next to nothing, especially if you bargain well. The Nahalat Belyamin Crafts Fair is open on Tuesday and Friday.
Security Issues in Tel Aviv
Despite the frightening information about terrorism, violent crime in Israel in general and in Tel Aviv in particular is much less than in Russia. During the day, you can not be afraid of theft and robbery in any part of the city, and only at night you should avoid walking in the parks alone. If your plane arrived at night and you took the train, you can safely walk to your place of residence. The only statistically probable crime is stealing things from a parked car. Of course, the threat of a terrorist attack exists, so police checks of documents, trunks or bags should be treated with understanding. One thing you definitely shouldn't be afraid of in Tel Aviv is the police: their job is to help people.
How to get to Tel Aviv
Foreigners arrive in Tel Aviv through the Ben Gurion International Airport, located about 15 km to the northwest, in the suburb of Lod. From there, electric trains run to the city around the clock to the central station. Tel Aviv is the country's most important railway junction, from which you can get by train to any part of Israel. This is now the main mode of high-speed intercity travel, since the domestic airport, located within Tel Aviv, was closed in the summer of 2016. Part of its load was taken over by Ben Gurion Airport, the rest of the passenger traffic was taken over by ground transport.
Israel has many facets and contrasts. Barren dead deserts coexist with flourishing seashores, and thousand-year-old ruins coexist with modern skyscrapers. This rather small country in the Middle East ranks 148th in the world in terms of area. At the same time, it is washed by the waters of three seas at once - the Mediterranean, the Red and the Dead.
By the standards of the state of Israel is very young - in 2018 it will be only 70 years old. Until now, the world does not even have a final clarity on what is considered the capital of Israel - Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. But adherents of three major world religions at once are unanimous: they revere the local ancient lands as saints.
1.
Tel Aviv.
The city on the Mediterranean coast was founded in 1909, and 40 years later the Declaration of Independence of the new state of Israel was proclaimed here.
2. About 430 thousand people live in Tel Aviv itself, it is the second largest city in Israel after Jerusalem. And the population of the agglomeration exceeds 3.5 million people (Tel Aviv-Jaffa).
3. Along the coastline, the city stretches for more than 13 kilometers. The popular sandy beaches of the 10-kilometer Taelet promenade (Promenade) are protected by breakwaters from being washed out by the Mediterranean Sea.
4. Modern residential and business skyscrapers coexist with low-rise private buildings of the early 20th century. Tel Aviv is sometimes called the Middle East's most eclectic city of contrasts.
5. The White City is the name given to Tel Aviv because of the large number of white buildings built between 1920-50. in the Bauhaus style. Thanks to this, the city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
6. Marina. The man-made bay is a "parking pocket" for private yachts.
7. Yaffa (Jaffa).
Seaport, fortress and trade center of the ancient world. Historians classify Jaffa as one of the oldest cities with the so-called continuous population, that is, those where people have lived continuously since its foundation.
8. The history of the city began about 4000 years ago. The settlement and the port alternately fell into the hands of Egyptian pharaohs, ancient Roman emperors, Arab sultans, European crusaders - and even Napoleon Bonaparte. United in the middle of the last century with Tel Aviv, Jaffa is located in the southwest of the agglomeration.
9. Jaffa has a large number of historical monuments, temples, museums and other cultural heritage sites. Largely because of this unique spirit, Jaffa was chosen for residence by representatives of creative bohemia from all over the world - artists, sculptors and so on. Accordingly, the old city boasts an abundance of various exhibition halls.
10. Israel has a well-developed road network, which began to be built in the first decades of the last century, when the territory of Palestine was controlled by the British Empire. The total length of highways exceeds 18.5 thousand kilometers, of which about 450 kilometers are expressways.
11. Israel's main highway - Highway No. 1 "Tel Aviv - Jerusalem", almost 100 km long.
12. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
One of the most ancient cities in the world. The first settlement on a secluded rocky plateau in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Seas appeared during the Bronze Age around 4500-3200 BC. The city, formerly known as Salem, was founded at the end of the 3rd millennium by the inhabitants of the historical region of Canaan. Around 1000 BC, the Jews, under the leadership of the legendary King David, conquered the city and established their capital. Jerusalem became a holy place for the Jews after the Ark of the Covenant with the Ten Commandments was brought here.
13. Temple Mount.
On the hill, sacred to the Jews, at different times the Temple of Solomon and the Second Temple (aka the Temple of Herod) were built and destroyed by the conquerors. Muslims consider the Temple Mount the third most important shrine, after Mecca and Medina: today the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located here.
14. Dome of the Rock.
Built at the end of the 7th century AD. Caliph of Damascus - over the stone from which, according to Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
15. A fragment of rock covered with a dome on the site of the First Temple is at the same time a Jewish shrine: it is believed that this is the cornerstone of the universe, on which the Ark of the Covenant was installed. And the prophet Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac at this place.
16. Wall of Tears.
One of the greatest shrines of Judaism. This is a fragment of the western wall of the Second Temple, about half a kilometer long. He survived the destruction of the temple by the Romans in the first century AD after the brutal suppression of the Jewish uprising (Jewish War). The Wailing Wall is a traditional place of pilgrimage for the Jews, where they mourn the destruction of the Temple, pray and leave written invocations to God in the wall. The Wailing Wall is divided into two sectors for praying separately for men and women.
17. Christian Quarter.
Ancient Jerusalem is a holy city for three world religions at once. Literally 500 meters from the Temple Mount is Golgotha - the legendary place of the crucifixion of Christ, as well as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - where Jesus was buried, and later resurrected and ascended into heaven.
18. The area of the Old City is less than a square kilometer; the most important shrines of almost all major world religions fit compactly on this territory. However, the long and difficult history of the city has become one of the main reasons that peace will never come to this land. Jerusalem is also a crossroads of political contradictions.
19. Jerusalem today calls both the State of Israel and Palestine its capital.
The unsettled status of the city was the cause of several major armed clashes and constant tension. It is for this reason that most of the diplomatic missions of the countries of the world are located in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, in December 2017, US President Donald Trump announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the US embassy there. This move caused another surge in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
20. Only 8 gates lead to the Old City.
21. Jaffa gate.
The main entrance to the Christian and Armenian quarters of the Old City. The gate portal itself is located perpendicular to the fortress wall. This was done to hinder the advance of the enemy.
22. Gate of Herod.
Entrance to the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem. This is one of the "youngest" gates of the city, created in the 19th century in the northern wall of the Old City. The Jews call them "Flower": according to one version, because of the incorrect translation of the Arabic name, according to another, because of the ornamental rosette that adorns the gate. The Christian name "Herod's Gate" also arose as a result of a historical misunderstanding, it was mistakenly believed that the palace of one of the sons of King Herod the Great was located nearby.
23. The ancient Jewish cemetery is the oldest cemetery in the world.
Its history goes back to the era of the First Temple. Here are the tombs of a number of Old Testament prophets (Haggai, Malachi, Zechariah), as well as the son of King David, Prince Absalom (although scientists question its authenticity).
24. It is also the largest Jewish cemetery. There are up to 150 thousand graves here. To be buried on the Mount of Olives is a special honor. And yet, according to biblical tradition, it is in these places that the Last Judgment will take place, and the people buried here will be among the first to fall on it.
25. Orthodox Women's Mountain Monastery.
Located 7 kilometers from the Old City in the southwest of Jerusalem. It was opened on a purchased piece of land in 1871. It is administered by the Spiritual Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem. The monastery is active; about 60 women live in the monastery.
26. Jerusalem in its development went beyond the walls of the Old City relatively recently, in 1860. For a long time the city remained only a dense center of shrines and antiquities. Today's Jerusalem lives not only on tourism: for example, offices of world high-tech companies and research centers are opening here, modern building is underway.
27. The String Bridge is the first suspension bridge in Jerusalem, also known as the Harp of David. It is supported by a pylon 119 meters high, which makes this structure the tallest building in the city. The cable-stayed bridge was designed by the world famous architect Santiago Calatrava and is intended for the movement of trams and pedestrians.
28. Yad Vashem is Israel's national Holocaust and Heroism memorial. Organized in 1953 in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Over a million people visit Yad Vashem every year.
29. National Israel Museum
It is the country's largest cultural institution and one of the largest archaeological and art museums in the world. The collection includes about half a million exhibits from prehistoric times to contemporary art.
30. The Israel Museum complex includes the Temple of the Book with a characteristic white tent and black wall (most of the rooms are underground). It was built in 1965 specifically to store the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest manuscripts of the Bible. A model of Jerusalem made of limestone on a scale of 1:50 is also on display here. This is a reconstruction of the view of Jerusalem during its heyday in the era of the Second Temple at the beginning of our era, before the destruction by the Romans.
31. Most of the territory of Jerusalem is occupied by 2-3 storey buildings. This is due to the fact that earthquakes happen here.
32. The separation barrier with a total length of more than 70 kilometers and a height of up to 8 meters serves as the border between the Jewish and Arab territories, between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. To the left of the wall is a suburb of East Jerusalem, the village of Al-Azaria. In biblical tradition, it is better known as Bethany. The tomb of Lazarus located here attracts many Christian pilgrims.
33. The second largest (after al-Aqsa on the Temple Mount) mosque in Palestine was built in Al-Azaria. The mosque was built with the financial support of the United Arab Emirates and bears the name of the President of this country, one of the richest people in the world, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed.
34. Car graveyard.
35. The Palestinian territory in the Jerusalem area is called the West Bank. In historical sources, these areas are also known as Judea and Samaria.
36. Kidron Creek and the beginning of the Kidron Valley.
Dividing the Temple and the Mount of Olives, it runs from north to south through the territory of Jerusalem and further through the territory of the Judean Desert to the southeast to the Dead Sea. In the Bible it appears as the Valley of Jehoshaphat - the place of the Last Judgment.
37. Lifeless hilly places since ancient times served as a refuge for hermits, who often settled in caves.
38. Mar Saba Monastery in the Judean Desert.
Also known as the Lavra of Savva the Sanctified. This is one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in the world, it was founded in the Kidron Valley at the end of the 5th century. The monastery does not use electricity (except for hand lamps). The monks live off donations and do not eat apples as a matter of principle: in memory of the spiritual feat of the founder Savva, who overcame a powerful temptation to eat a beautiful ripe apple in the afternoon.
39. Judean Desert.
40. Kidron Gorge.
41. Hurkania Valley. Once upon a time, the Hyrkania fortress and the Castellon monastery, founded by the same Savva, operated in these places.
42. Dead Sea.
The most famous salt lake in the world and one of the saltiest. In a liter of its water, minerals are dissolved seven times more than in the same volume of water from the Mediterranean Sea.
43. The "Dead" Sea was named because there is no life in its salty water, except for several types of bacteria.
44. The unique composition of the water and healing mud have turned the Dead Sea into a natural resort. People come here who suffer from skin diseases, asthma, inflammation of the joints, rheumatism and other ailments.
The Dead Sea has one more feature: the water here is much heavier than ordinary sea water. It is impossible to drown in such a heavy liquid, since the human body is lighter than it.
45. Masada.
Fortress on the flat top of a 450-meter cliff. It was built in the 1st century BC by King Herod the Great as a refuge for his family and a treasury. Almost sheer walls and powerful fortifications made Masada difficult to approach.
46. Masada is one of the most popular tourist sites in Israel. There are viewing platforms and a cable car for lifting.
47. In the first century AD, Masada was captured by members of the Jewish uprising against the Romans. The siege of the fortress lasted for several years, the Romans (or rather, their slaves) had to pour a high siege rampart around the rock. Realizing the hopelessness of their situation, the rebels entered history heroically: men killed their wives and children, then randomly selected ten people stabbed all the rest; finally, the lot drew another one: he killed the remaining nine, set fire to the fortress and committed suicide. The Romans were shocked.
48. On the top of the rock, fragments of Herod's palace, a synagogue, water tanks, a bathhouse and a pool have been preserved.
49. On the coast of the Dead Sea is the lowest part of the land on Earth - minus 416 meters from sea level. The drainless lake itself has no connection with the oceans.
50. According to historical legends, in ancient times there was quite active shipping on the Dead Sea, pirates hunted, and even sea battles took place. Now commercial shipping on the Dead Sea is not only difficult due to the properties of the water, but also prohibited by an agreement between Israel and Jordan. Only rescuers, border guards, and sometimes researchers navigate the Dead Sea in small boats.
51. The sea itself is threatened with death: the water goes into failures, now there are already about three thousand sinkholes on the coast, the depth of which reaches several tens of meters.
52. Harduf Gorge in the Judean Desert is one of the canyons in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. Rivers once flowed here.
53. Kidron Gorge.
54. Kidron Valley.
55. Latrun Monastery of the Virgin on the hills 15 kilometers west of Jerusalem. It is now owned by the Trappist Christian Order. Due to the fact that the local inhabitants are extremely reluctant to communicate with the outside world, the monastery was nicknamed the “monastery of the silent”.
56. Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.
57. When Jerusalem was captured by the crusaders in 1099 and massacred in the city, local Saracens took refuge on the dome of the Rock. Many fell off, fell from a height of 30 meters and broke.
58. The Jerusalem Theater is a performing arts center opened in 1971.
59. Mini Israel Park.
The exposition consists of more than 350 models of the most famous buildings and sights of Israel.
60. Museum of Armored Forces "Yad Le-Shirion".
The collection contains more than 200 exhibits, many of which were involved in real battles. Young tankers take the oath on the territory of the museum.
61. Rishon Lezion. The "youngest" city in the country - the average age of residents barely exceeds 30 years.
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66. Aircraft graveyard.
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29.01.2014
Israel. Tel Aviv - a city of contrasts
Tel Aviv-Jaffa is the second most populated city (about 400 thousand people), the economic and cultural center of the country.
History of Tel Aviv begins with Jaffa, the ancient city adjacent to it. This is one of the oldest cities in the world, the first written mention of which dates back to the 15th century BC, and, unfortunately, was destroyed to the ground in the era of the Ottoman Empire.
Jaffa
Jaffa is shrouded in legends, from its creation and name to local attractions. There are several versions of where the word "Jaffa" comes from. According to one of them, on behalf of the son of Noah, Japheth, who built this city after the flood.
Here you can walk along the picturesque narrow streets lined with stone pavements and feel the atmosphere of the ancient city.
Streets of Jaffa.
One of the attractions of the city is the Church of St. Peter, built in the 19th century. Nearby is the tomb of the righteous Tabitha, decorated with Byzantine mosaics of the 5th-6th centuries.
Church of St. Peter.
There are more than a dozen temples, monasteries and mosques in Jaffa. The Hassan Bek Mosque is located on the Mediterranean coastline, in the southern part of Tel Aviv. Its appearance resembles a lighthouse, which is why it is also called the Sea Mosque. The entrance to the prayer house of Muslims is free, but you can only go inside barefoot.
Tomb of righteous Tabitha.
Mosque Hassan Bek.
The main square of Jaffa is Kikar-a-Shaon, in the center of which is the Chapel (Migdal-a-Shaon), built at the beginning of the 20th century in honor of the 25th anniversary of the coronation of the "bloody Sultan" Abdul-Hamid II, ruler of the Ottoman Empire. Clocks are built into each of the walls of the tower, some of which previously showed European time, while others showed local time. Now all clocks show local time.
One of the famous works is an orange tree that hangs in the air. This is a real tree, planted in a clay pot and attached with cables to neighboring houses.
Clock tower.
Orange tree.
Tel Aviv
The city of Jaffa has long merged with Tel Aviv into one metropolis, which has now been turned into a large tourist and cultural center.
Ahuzat-bait ("Home") - the first district of the future Tel Aviv, founded by Jewish families who lived in Jaffa. At first it was part of Jaffa, and in 1910 it was renamed Tel Aviv. Over time, a whole city grew out of the quarter, which became the capital of Israel and today hundreds of tourists come here.
