Tel Aviv Holidays

Tel Aviv is a beach holiday and a city break in one, with a long run of golden Mediterranean beaches and a city right behind it that eats, drinks and dances late into the night. Spend the morning in a café on Rothschild Boulevard, the afternoon on the beach and the evening in Old Jaffa, with Jerusalem under an hour away by train.

Highlights of your holidays to Tel Aviv

• Old Jaffa - The ancient port at the south end of the beach, with stone alleys, galleries, the flea market and the best sunset in the city.

• The Tayelet - A seafront promenade linking the beaches from the port down to Jaffa, made for a morning run or an evening stroll.

• The White City - More than 5,000 Modernist buildings from the 1930s, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003.

• Carmel Market - Spices, fresh juice, street food and souvenirs in the city's loudest, liveliest market.

• ANU Museum of the Jewish People - A big, modern museum telling 2,000 years of Jewish history and culture around the world.

• Neve Tzedek - Tel Aviv's oldest neighbourhood, with low-rise houses, boutiques and some of the city's best cafés.

Good to Know

• ☀️ Tel Aviv is warm almost all year, with summer highs around 30°C and the sea at about 28°C in August, and winter days still around 17°C.

• 💰 Israel uses the shekel (ILS), about 4 to the pound and 3.4 to the euro. A beer is around ₪25-₪40 (£6-£10 / €7-€12) and a coffee about ₪17 (£4 / €5). Cards are accepted almost everywhere.

• 🏛️ Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 on empty sand dunes outside Jaffa, so one of the youngest big cities in the Mediterranean sits right next to one of its oldest ports.

A holiday in Tel Aviv is perfect for you if...

• You want a proper beach holiday and a proper city break without choosing between them.

• You think the best meals come from a market stall or a hummus counter, not a tasting menu.

• You like your nights out to start late and finish at sunrise on the beach.

• You love architecture, galleries and a good neighbourhood wander.

• You are interested in Jewish culture

Where to Stay in Tel Aviv

For holidays in Tel Aviv, base yourself near the sea: the beach is the city's living room, and everything else is a short walk or bus ride inland.

💑 Where should couples stay in Tel Aviv?

Neve Tzedek and Jaffa - Boutique streets, sunset views over the old port and the city's most romantic restaurants, with Alma Beach below Jaffa for sundowners (there are no lifeguards there, so swim further north).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Where should families stay in Tel Aviv?

The Old North - The quieter, hotel-lined beachfront near the port and Yarkon Park, close to Metzitzim Beach, which has a playground on the sand.

🎉 Where should groups stay in Tel Aviv?

Gordon and Frishman beaches - The central seafront, with beach volleyball on Gordon, Rothschild Boulevard's bars a short walk inland, and Hilton Beach just north for surfers and the city's LGBTQ+ crowd.

Local Lingo

Hebrew is the official language, and English is widely spoken, especially by younger people. A few words still go a long way.

• Shalom (sha-LOHM) - hello, goodbye and "peace", all in one

• Toda (toh-DAH) - thank you

• Bevakasha (beh-vah-kah-SHAH) - please, and also "you're welcome"

• L'chaim! (leh-KHAI-im) - cheers!

• Kama ze ole? (KAH-mah zeh oh-LEH) - how much is it?

• Yalla (YAH-lah) - come on, let's go, borrowed from Arabic and used constantly

• Sababa (sah-BAH-bah) - cool, no problem

• Lehitra'ot (leh-heet-rah-OHT) - see you later

Tel Aviv Holidays Travel Guide

💑 What are the best things to do on a Tel Aviv city break for couples?

• Sunset in Old Jaffa - Wander up through the old stone lanes to the hilltop park as the sun drops into the sea, then eat by the port.

• Neve Tzedek - Browse the boutiques and galleries in the city's oldest neighbourhood, then settle into a café on Shabazi Street.

• Tel Aviv Museum of Art - One of the region's best collections of modern art, with late opening on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Cocktails at Imperial - A cocktail bar in the Imperial Hotel, a block from the beach, that has made the World's 50 Best Bars list.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What are the best things to do on a family holiday in Tel Aviv?

• The beaches - Calm water, lifeguards on the main beaches in season, and a playground on the sand at Metzitzim.

• Ramat Gan Safari - Drive-through African savannah and a zoo, just east of the city.

• Yarkon Park - The city's biggest park, with space to run, cycle and picnic along the river.

• ANU Museum - Interactive galleries that bring 2,000 years of history to life, and open on Saturdays.

🎉 What are the best things to do in Tel Aviv with a group?

• Rothschild Boulevard and Florentin - Start in the boulevard bars, then head south to Florentin for street art and the city's grittiest, liveliest nightlife.

• Teder.fm - A bar, radio station and pizza joint rolled into one, with DJs most nights.

• Jaffa Flea Market - Rummage through the antiques and vintage stalls by day, and come back after dark when the bars open.

• Run the Tel Aviv Marathon - Or cheer it on: tens of thousands take over the seafront every February (the next one is 26 February 2027).

🍽️ What's the food like on a Tel Aviv holiday?

• Hummus - The city runs on it. Abu Hassan in Jaffa has been serving it since the 1950s and closes when it sells out.

• Falafel and sabich - HaKosem on Shlomo HaMelekh Street is the go-to for falafel stuffed in fresh pitta.

• Carmel and Levinsky markets - Graze your way through the stalls, from fresh juice and burekas to spices you can take home.

• Sarona Market - A huge indoor food hall in a restored German colony, for when the group can't agree.