By Giora Bar-Sakai
TEL AVIV –Spring is my favorite season: the weather turns warmer, flowers are blooming all around, the days are already longer and the sunsets are simply unbelievable.
And one of the most vivid places to enjoy the spring is my city: Tel Aviv.
Please allow me to share with you the top nine reasons why one should come to Tel Aviv this spring:
Reason 1: The people
Tel Aviv is a vibrant city, with lots of thing happening simultaneously. Many times, Tel Aviv is also referred to as the “City that never sleeps” or as a “City without a break,” and the people of Tel Aviv have a lot to do with that vibe.
Tel Avivians don’t like to stay at home. They love to hang out: sit at the neighborhood’s cafe, drink beer in front of the sea, stroll on the lovely boulevards, catch some sun at the park, go to a concert at Park Hayarkon and so on.
Tel Avivians are also very passionate about their city and like to share their thoughts and ideas about the city with others. Visitors can approach people in the street with questions and most of the times they will be answered with a smile as well as with the desired answer spiced with some extra local interpretation.
Reason 2: The Weather
In my opinion, spring time is the best time to visit Tel Aviv. The rain period is already over and the temperatures are moderate. On one hand it’s not cold anymore and on the other hand it’s not the unbearable summer heat. And rest assured that in such comfortable atmosphere, everyone is happy and relaxed. You can even start going to the beach.
Which brings me to reason number 3…
Reason 3: The Beaches
Tel Aviv beaches are absolutely amazing at this time of the year: The water temperature is about 26 Celsius (79 Fahrenheit), the sand strips are not too crowded and you can have a great time simply by walking barefoot along the beach, or lying down to get tanned in the sun while reading a book and drinking freshly squeezed juice.
Recommended beaches are Frishman-Gordon beach next to Tel Aviv city center and the Cliff beach (“Hof Hazuk”) in the northern part of the city.
Reason 4: The Sunsets
One can’t write about the beaches without mentioning the sunsets!
During spring time, the sunsets are simply breathtaking in Tel Aviv. Sometimes I find myself staring at the sky for only “a few seconds,” not realizing that 10 minutes have just passed…
And as someone smart already said: one picture equals thousands of words:
Reason 5: The Nightlife
Yes, yes I know. You must be wondering why it took me so long to finally get to the nightlife.
Well, you are probably right… This could have easily been reason number one as Tel Aviv’s nightlife is crazy and unbelievable.
With a diverse array of bars, dance clubs and nigh tlife haunts, you are most certain to find the thing that suits you the most, regardless of your age, gender and budget.
Recommended locations are Tel Aviv port (“Hanamal”), the beaches near “Hayarkon” street, and in case you are looking for a place that is more populated by locals, Florentin neighbourhood would be a good choice.
And hey… don’t get alarmed if things seems to move a little slowly at 21:00, 22:00 as the city is just getting around to having fun. This is the “CIty that never sleeps” remember? The real action begins at around 23:00, 24:00 and continues till the early morning hours.
Reason 6: The Food
Tel Aviv is also considered a culinary capital of the Middle East. With thousands of coffee shops, bars and restaurants, there’s something delicious regardless of where you go in the city. It might be one of the local Hummus and Falafel places, a small “homemade” cafe shack, an Asian place or a 5 star restaurant. The variety is incredible and the flavors are even more…
As mentioned earlier, many Tel Avivians will be happy to give you their tips as of the best places to eat and drink in Tel Aviv customized to your will and budget. In addition, many others open their homes and kitchen and invite visitors to join them and enjoy a great dinner and hear first-hand stories about the city. You can get more information here.
Reason 7: The Culture
Tel Aviv is also the “Culture Capital” of Israel, offering numerous ways to absorb local and international culture. Visitors can find something suitable for themselves among the varied cultural activities in Tel Aviv.
The Museums:
Tel Aviv hosts many museums.
Tel Aviv Museum of Art is one of Israel’s leading artistic and cultural institutions. It has an Old Masters Department, with art from the 16th to the 19th century, as well as modern Israeli art exhibitions. Recommended this spring: Andy Warhol: Toy Paintings For the Whole Family
Diaspora Museum (Beit Hatfutsot), or The Museum of the Jewish people, tells the ongoing and extraordinary story of the Jewish people. Beit Hatfutsot connects Jewish people to their roots and strengthens their personal and collective Jewish identity.
Eretz Israel Museum is one of the biggest museums in Israel. It is a multidisciplinary museum that focuses on the history and culture of Israel. Recommended this spring: Woven Consciousness
The Theaters:
Tel Aviv is also a home for the major theaters in Israel, including:
The Cameri: Located in one of the modern buildings in Tel Aviv’s new art complex, “The Cameri” is one of two biggest theaters in Israel, offering more than 2300 shows in a year, many of which feature English, French and Russian Surtitles.
Habima is The second largest theater, located in an astonishing reconstructed building, Habima is presenting hundreds of shows every year. Being the national theatre of Israel, Habima examines issues of national significance such as the Arab-Israeli relations, the tensions among the different religions and the conflict between religious and secular Jews.
The Israeli Opera’s productions feature leading opera artists from all over the world side by side with Israeli opera artists. It enjoys rave reviews in the international opera press for its performances. Recommended this spring: La Boheme Opera
Dance: Tel Aviv is also the home for many dance groups, displaying different and unique dance concepts and trends. Some dance groups are well known world wide. Two outstanding groups with worldwide reputations are: Ohad Naharin’s Batsheva group and the energetic Mayumana group.
The Art Galleries: During the last few years, Tel Aviv’s art gallery scene has been flourishing and many art galleries are rising in reputation. Above all, three galleries that are well positioned as leading galleries are Dvir, Noga and Sommer.
And for those of you that prefer less conventional culture, there are also many alternatives museums, theaters, galleries and dance groups in Tel Aviv. These initiatives enable a unique and different perspective of the city.
Reason 8: The Bicycle Routes
Since 2010 Tel Aviv has made huge strides in making the city a bike friendly one. More than 70 Kilometers of bicycle lanes and routes were paved and the city’s municipality even launched the Tel-O-Fun bicycle initiative. This bicycle rentas service enables tourists and local residents to rent bikes from one of more than a hundred self-service rental stands that are spread all over the city. Combine this with the ultimate weather conditions and ask yourself this: why should I drive a car if I can get to any location I desire in the city quickly, easily (and it’s even healthy…)
Reason 9: The Wi-Fi Connection
The Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality is one of the first in the world to launch FREE Wi-Fi infrastructure all over the city. This digital revolution is a part of the city’s comprehensive strategic plan to position Tel Aviv as the Startup City – a hub of innovation and creativity.
After investing more than US$ 1.6 million dollars, FREE Wi-Fi is now available at 80 different locations city-wide, including beaches, entertainment centers and tourist attractions. Network name is free_tlv.
And… Let me assure you that these are just my favorite nine top reasons! There are plenty of additional reasons to visit Tel Aviv and I’m sure that after visiting the city, each and every one of you will be able to come up with more and more reasons
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Giora Ben-Sakai is CEO and co-founder of Local Yoo, which provides electronic information for tourists in Tel Aviv.