Tel Aviv is often called “the city that never sleeps”. It was the first modern Jewish city built in Israel and is the country’s economic and cultural center. It is a lively, cosmopolitan and active city with entertainment, culture, art galleries, festivals, and an active nightlife.
Tel Aviv began its history in Jaffa (Yafo) – the ancient 3,000-year-old adjoining city that lies to its southwest. The current Old City of Jaffa was built during the Ottoman Empire and its stone houses and narrow alleyways now house the picturesque artists’ quarter and tourist center. Tel Aviv hosts a wide range of architectural styles which were influenced by various schools of architecture – among which was the International Bauhaus style. For this reason, the White City has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Tel Aviv is Israel’s center for culture and entertainment. The city has more than 20 museums. Tel Aviv is also the national center for nightlife and entertainment and is filled with nightclubs featuring music of all types, dancing, restaurants, pubs, coffee houses, discotheques, movie theaters, auditoriums, and concert halls. The beachfront of Tel Aviv has bathing beaches and a romantic waterfront promenade.
Jaffa is one of Israel’s most ancient port towns. Sitting on the Mediterranean south of Tel Aviv, modern Jaffa is a magical and stunning tourist spot because of its beautifully restored old quarter. Its atmospheric cobbled streets are filled with an array of galleries, shops, and restaurants and there are beautiful views over the Mediterranean towards Tel Aviv. One of the few Christian religious sites is the house of Simon the Tanner, where, according to the New Testament, Peter first realized the gospel message had to be extended beyond the confines of Judaism.
There is a famous ‘flee market’ in Jaffa in the daytime and quite often bands playing in the square in the evenings.
