DESTINATIONS TEL AVIV | MIDDLE EAST


WHERE NEXT?


Jerusalem: The Holy City is a half-hour train ride from Tel Aviv on a railway line that, although still being extended, has operated between the two cities since last December; by road, it takes just over an hour. Haifa: Israel’s third-largest city is a beautifully laid-out urban centre set between the Med and Mount Carmel. It’s home to the Unesco-listed Baha’i Gardens and several good museums. Eilat: This popular Red Sea beach city is another twin-centre option. It offers great snorkelling and diving to see dolphins and other marine life, and is about four hours’ drive from Tel Aviv.


FROM FAR LEFT: Vicky Cristina


restaurant; Neve Tzedek nightlife; typical dishes at Vicky Cristina; Lighthouse Hotel; street scene;


Jaffa; graffiti art in Yafo Municipality; Tel Aviv’s beachfront promenade PICTURES: Sarit Goffen; Shutterstock; Max Morron;


Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality; Dana Friedlander; Dan Peretz expert ASK THE


the beachfront to the Bohemian neighbourhood of Neve Tzedek. Riders cross Rothschild Boulevard to Rabin’s Square, where guides explain the history behind the 1995 assassination of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. The three-hour tour is not too strenuous and follows cycle lanes, so is manageable for any competent cyclist, with English- speaking guides leading and following the group for safety.


13.00: For a spot of lunch, try any of the many cafes and bistros set along the seafront promenade stretching down from Tel Aviv


GETTING THERE


Virgin Atlantic has announced it will resume daily flights to Tel Aviv in the third quarter of this year, and increase the frequency to twice-daily from March 2021. Return fares start at £289 for departures in November 2020. virginatlantic.com


travelweekly.co.uk


Marina. Alternatively, head to the Tel Aviv Port Market, between Yarkon Park and the marina, for light meals and snacks, or a little farther inland to Sarona Market for stalls piled high with fresh olives, cheeses and tempting desserts.


15.00: There is no shortage of colour in Tel Aviv, and one of the best ways to see the creativity of the city is on a graffiti tour with Abraham Tours. The one-and- a-half-hour experience, priced from £27, runs daily in one of two neighbourhoods: Florentin and Nahalat Binyamin. Guides point


out the work of the best-known and highly rated street artists and help you understand their relevance to Israeli culture and lifestyle.


17.00: The beauty of Tel Aviv is that it’s like a twin-centre stay in one place. After exploring the city, kick back in the afternoon or early evening on one of the 13 official beaches along its nine- mile coastline. Beaches are split into all sorts of specialist areas, including women-only, LGBT+, religion-specific and dog-friendly. One highlight is the stretch covering Banana Beach and Jerusalem Beach, where you can surf or take a dip – even in the winter months the water is tepid enough for a comfortable swim. There are even libraries at four of the beaches, including Jerusalem Beach, so you can get lost in a book while soaking up the Mediterranean sun.


TW


“We’re pleased to see Israel’s domestic tourism industry beginning to return to normal, with hotels, restaurants, bars and attractions opening their doors to locals in recent weeks. This follows the Ministry of Health’s introduction of a


Purple Standard for operating hotels in the country, and strict health and safety measures implemented at Ben Gurion Airport. In light of these developments, the Ministry of Tourism is in discussion about potentially opening up borders to foreigners from ‘green countries’ in July. We look forward to the near future when we can welcome back all visitors – especially our friends from the UK – with open arms.” Sharon Bershadsky, director, Israel


Government Tourist Office in London


18 JUNE 2020


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