Introduction to Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is not Jerusalem -- and you'll discover that soon enough. Visit Tel Aviv to find yourself surrounded by soaring glass skyscrapers, symbols of the nation's business and high-tech pursuits. Dine around the world at the city's restaurants, where chefs meld Asian and Latin American spices with Middle Eastern ingredients. Pick up world class art and fashion on Tel Aviv's Gordon Street. Or just take it easy, relaxing on some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful beaches.

Things to Do

Tel Aviv's starkly modern Beit Hatfutzot/Museum of the Jewish People showcases the global Jewish experience, told through 2,500 years of historical art and artifacts, Jewish world music and photographs. Expect a purely historical experience at Eretz Israel Museum, including an archaeological site with a reconstructed pre-Israelite house. Take time for an evening stroll on Tel Aviv's stunning Mediterranean beaches, within reach of downtown. Gordon Beach is a favorite, within an easy walk of galleries and dining hotspots.

Shopping

Serious art lovers enhance their collections at galleries on Tel Aviv's Gordon Street. Browse eye-catching displays of bold, contemporary paintings, funky art glass and abstract metal sculptures. Israel's fashionistas spend their money like mad on Dizengoff Street, stuffing their shopping bags with high-end linen and silk goods, fashionable shoes and creative handbags. You'll find more stylish, expensive international brands and Israeli designers on Kikar Ha Medina square.

Nightlife and Entertainment

Tel Aviv throbs with activity after hours. Israelis catch a cool Mediterranean breeze, do some people watching and crowd the outdoor cafes for an after-hours coffee or, if it's hot, a coffee ice cream soda. Dizengoff Street and Herbert Samuel Esplanade are most popular, running near the city's golden beaches. High-energy nightlife rules in artistic, historic Jaffa. Clubs quickly come and go out of favor here, serving up trendy cocktails and pumping out dance music until someplace new lures the crowds.

Restaurants and Dining

As Israel's business and high-tech capital, cosmopolitan Tel Aviv offers inventive dining and cuisines from around the world. Allenby Street is home to Israel's best restaurants, with contemporary Mediterranean dishes, Asian-influenced vegetarian meals and the freshest seafood. Romantic diners head to Jaffa for quiet dinners overlooking sunlit Mediterranean beaches. Sample the best of Tel Aviv's Middle Eastern fare, with large plates of meze and steaming hot pita bread at restaurants along Etzel Street.