The Association for Tourism of Tel Aviv-Jaffa leads a free walking tour of Old Jaffa starting at the Clock Tower on Yefet St. (bus 10 from Tel Aviv) on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am. Call the Tel Aviv Tourist Information Office (tel. 03/516-6188) for current information. The association also arranges (for a fee) excellent English language guided tours of Neve Tzedek, and of the Bauhaus areas of the city; advance booking is required. The new Jaffa Visitors Center (tel. 03/682-6796) in Kikar Kedumim, right at the center of the restored section of Old Jaffa, gives out detailed free maps of Old Jaffa accompanied by historical information that makes it easy to do a self-guided tour of the area. The helpful center is open Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 6pm. The Tel Aviv Municipal Tourist Information Office at 7 Mendele St (tel. 03/520-7600) gives out free municipal maps with four "Orange" self-guided walking tour routes of Tel Aviv, marked on the map. Signs along the routes mark the way as you go. Some of the routes are too long to undertake on a sweltering summer day, but if you break them up into smaller units, they are a good basic itinerary of what to see in different neighborhoods.
Another good source of guided tours is the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), 85 Nahalat Binyamin St. (tel. 03/566-0960; teleteva@spni.org.il). Call tel. 03/638-8625 for information on the society's English-language walking tours in the Tel Aviv area. These are highly recommended group tours that individuals can join; day tours cost NIS 180 to NIS 270 ($40-$60) per person; there are longer tours, and occasionally free Saturday walking tours. Go to the American Friends of SPNI website (www.aspni.org) and reserve as far in advance as possible. Due to the tourism slump, most tours are given in Hebrew, but in many cases, the guide can give you a brief English translation.
Boat Tours from Jaffa Port to the Tel Aviv Marina and back run on Saturdays and cost NIS 24 ($5.20). Call Kef (tel. 03/682-9070) or Sababa (tel. 03/681-6739) in Jaffa Port for schedules and reservations.
