Eclectic Trips

When you visit Tel Aviv, there are 3 things that are an absolute must for any itinerary. Jaffa, neve Tzedek and Shuk. Jaffa and Neve Tzedek are two beautiful areas next to each other, so when you go, plan to spend a day there. Make sure not to go on Shabbat as everything is closed,  so Thursday or Sunday are great, but any weekday is good too.

Neve Tzedek is one of the first neighborhoods in “new” Tel Aviv. In the 1980′s the city started restoring the old houses, and the area has really blossomed over the past several decades. There are still some side streets that look a bit run down, but Neve Tzedek has a very bohemian and quaint vibe. There are plenty of art galleries, artisian shops and great cafes here. Walk around Shabazi Street which has great shopping- lovely small boutiques with ceramics, art, clothing and all kinds of other trinkets. Stop by  the Clouche House – an art gallery with rotating contemporary art exhibitions, and don’t forget to check out the roof top, which has beautiful views of Neve Tzedek.

In Neve Tzedek

Jaffa is  ”The old city” in the real sense of the word- with it’s cobblestone streets, tiny alleys and walkways where you can easily get lost and found.  You can pop into any of the numerous art galleries, and take a look at some very varied local art work.  We spent a couple of hours roaming the streets and alleys of Jaffa, and made our way down to the port- one of the most ancient ports in the world, where we walked around only for a bit, as we  were quite tired and hungry from the long day. The meal we had at Margaret Tayar’s was quite unforgettable. We sat on the terrace overlooking the ocean. The grilled fish was absolutely perfect, and I loved the stuffed grape leaves, and the laid back atmosphere and the beautiful views. Yoezer  is another noteworthy mention in Jaffa- famous for their extensive wine menu,  the food is great and the setting alone is worth a visit.

Artisitic building number in Jaffa

Jaffa sunset

View from Jaffa promenade

After expeirencing the culture, fine food and quaint beauty of Jaffa and Neve Tzedek, we were ready for a very different Tel Aviv Experience. Our next day was dedicated to the Shuk- Israely bustling market. In fact, we went to two Shuks in one day- it was quite the feat, but very much worth the effort.

Hatikva is one of the most authentic markets in Tel Aviv. Located in the south-east area of Tel Aviv, in Hatkiva, it is out of the way, but is definitely worth the trip, especially on Friday mornings when people are shopping for Shabbat. Right around the market there are a bunch of small restaurants serving homemade food, and they are really really good- several places with daily menus, offering only what’s fresh and in season today. The Hatkiva market is food only, and we went more for the experience than to shop, but bought  some delicious exotic fruit, and pickled persian garlic, which was supposed to go back to the US, but didn’t make it. I ate it all within 2 days.

Another great market is Shuk Carmel, it’s in the heart of Tel Aviv, and has clothing and souvenirs in addittion to food and produce. Stop by the small Turkish Borekas booth, just in the entrance to the market, on your right.  It is supposed to be the best borekas in town. Borekas is a salty puff pastry, filled with cheese or potato. it’s the best when it’s  fresh out of the oven. This place serves their borekas with pickles and a spicy tomato paste -Delish!

I loved the sounds, smells and feel of both markets, and thought that I got a better glimpse at Israeley culture. I enjoyed my newly aqcuired haggling skills, and was full-on haggling for a better price on cherries by the end of the day.We tasted some of the most delicious, simple, homemade food. And I have come to like the loud, but friendly manner of the people I talked to that day.

Lala Land

We are sitting at a place called Lala Land on the Tel Aviv beach, listening to mellow atmospheric music played by an attractive DJ, and watching the beautiful sunset. I am on my third glass of wine, and really savoring this time- I leave tomorrow, and as it happens on really incredible trips, I am completely not ready to return home. The events of the past week in Tel Aviv run through my head, and I realize that this was indeed one of my favorite trips- ever. I fell in love with Tel Aviv, and am already looking forward to returning here sometime soon.

The first nice surprise upon my arrival in Tel Aviv was the Hotel Vital. Though the pictures looked nice on the website, the hotel was very affordable compared to most others, so I wasn’t expecting much. But it was very well designed, modern, and the staff was very nice. The room was spacious and clean, simple but nice. The breakfast buffet which was included in the price was very impressive. Plenty of selections- salads, fresh fruit, Israely specialties, eggs- pretty much any item you can think of for breakfast, in abundance. The hotel was pretty centrally located, so I decided to take my favorite” discovery walks” Which is just me, walking around without a map or any of my travel research, and taking in  new city and it’s sights, smells, language and culture. I really liked what I saw- Tel Aviv has a great “Cafe culture”- people sitting around in outside cafes, relaxed, talking, drinking coffee. All the cafes have their unique character and design- some are modern, some have a more classic vibe, some are a bit kitschy. There are fresh squeezed juice stands everywhere, and I loved getting a fresh juice every day a very healthy habit. The food in Tel Aviv is good pretty much everywhere- I haven’t had a bad meal the entire time I was here. It’s one of  those great cities, where you can walk in to any Falafel stand, cafe, fast food joint or a fancy looking restaurant and expect good, quality meal. Some places that are particularly noteworthy are

Nanuchka- my favorite restaurant in Tel Aviv- it’s Georgian (the ex USSR republic, not the state;) food, and it’s really delicious- but the atmosphere and the decor is REALLY special- it feels like you are in Georgia in the 40′s. After dinner hours the place turns into a sceney bar, with pretty loud music, and lots of drunk people having fun. We had a very memorable meal here, and stayed on to listen to music for a couple of hours- a really fun night.

Address: 28 Lilenbloom St.
Tel: (03) 516-2254

At Nanuchka

Goocha- delicious fresh seafood, creatively done. Goocha is located on a great street Dizengoff, one of the nicest walking streets in TA. Eating at Goocha at the end of your walking tour is a welcome treat. They have tables outside, nice people watching, fast, friendly service and excellent affordable food.

Address: 171 Dizengoff St., 14 Ibn Gavirol St
Tel: (03) 522-2886, (03) 691-1603

“Benedict” – a great brunch place. They have a nice selection of local and Western brunch items- everything we ordered was simply delicious! It is right on the corner of Rotschild blvd  and Allenby street. It was pretty busy when we went, and we waited for about 20 minutes for the table- but it was very well worth it! Rotschild blvd is a beautiful street, lined with famous Bauhaus buildings. Architecture in Tel Aviv is very noteworthy, there lots of beautiful buildings everywhere, so don’t forget to look up.

Tel Aviv boardwalk

LaLaLand is a really nice restaurant lounge located on the beach. With tables right on the sand, the space is very cute inside, the food is pretty good, and they have very nice mellow music- lovely place to watch the sunset and unwind  (located at Gordon st on the boardwalk). A walk on the famous Tel Aviv Boardwalk is a pleasure, and not to be missed.

The sun has almost set over Tel Aviv beach, and the DJ was timing his set to the music- it was pretty magical. My friend and I exchanged a sad, knowing glance- it was time to go back to the hotel and pack for our return trip, we had an early morning flight and needed to brace ourselves for ElAl security procedures, which in case you haven’t heard, are very strict and thorough. I promised myself to have the mental image of this beautiful  evening inspire me to return to Tel Aviv very soon, and explore this wonderful city a lot more.