Hello all,

We have booked our Israel tour using Insight tours. The first day is as follows in Tel Aviv (our only day there):
Meet your Tour Director before commencing a sightseeing tour of Tel Aviv. See all the highlights of this lively and modern city: the Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and the bustling Carmel market. Continue to the ancient port of Jaffa to wander through the artists’ galleries and flea market. Visit Mini Israel, a miniature park featuring 330 replica models which showcase Israel’s cultural, historic and religious diversity. This evening enjoy a Shabbat dinner at our hotel. (BB,HD)

Is there anything else we can do instead of visiting mini Israel?

Thanks!

You won't have enough time for Mini Israel. It is about an hour drive from Tel Aviv. Is it a Friday? Take into account that the flea market in Jaffa and the Carmel Market will be closed from about 2 PM. Towards closing time they are areal mess. So you should try to visit them no later than noon time. Both markets are of course closed on Saturday.
I would suggest also visiting the NEVE ZEDEK area. This is the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv that was renewed now and rebuild very nicely, and try to visit the new Tel Aviv Port with its boardwalk and bustling coffee shops and restaurants. Very enjoyable especially ion Friday afternoon, if the weather is nice. I almost forgot the open art and craft market on Nachalat Benyamin St (also closes around 4PM on Fridays). It is a fun place. So you see... there is really no sense driving to Mini Israel and missing the fun in Tel Aviv.

Thanks for the information, Eri.

The itinerary I posted was part of the tour plan, I have no control over the schedule and I have no idea how they are planning on accomodating everything, especially if some of the places close early.
Is Mini Israel worth seeing? If not, then my husband and I can see if we can skip it and go elsewhere.

I must have missed that Tel Aviv is part of the tour. I thought it was a free day of the group. Tel Aviv is easy to tour without a guide. I guess you have to decide if you want to follow the tour or go "independed" the whole day. Mini Israel is nice. I am not a big fan of it but that is me. I personally would enjoy just going to markets, walking in Neve Zedek and the Tel Aviv port, Nachalat Benyamin etc. Taking my time and not being rushed. Taxis are not expensive, so it is easy to do a lot of things in a relatively short time. You have to decide.

Do check with Insight tours.
I would imagine that a Friday will begin at 7 or 7.30 am and end by 2 pm.

That means a morning of just driving around looking out the window until you reach Jaffa - at which it seems they give you some time to walk around - how much? 1/2 hour, 2 hours? Makes a difference.

Same for Mini Israel. It can be fun and very educational, but if rushed through you get nothing out of it...and if close to closing because of Shabbat, then none of the guides of the different spots will be working e.g. no live explanations of what you are looking at.

Depending on your interest you might enjoy a walking tour of the Bauhaus architecture of the city. There is an architecture foundation, with an office and shop right on one of the main streets near Dizengoff Square, which offer maps and even guided walking tours. Search internet for "Bauhaus" and "Tel Aviv" and I am sure you can find it.

It is my understanding, if you are on a tour, it's difficult to "skip" anything. The bus will bring you to Mini Israel, and the tour guide will not want you to leave to make him worry if you'll make it back on time. He's responsible for you!

Contacting Insight may not help, as usually it's the local tour company which provides the tour guide. Wait till the documents arrive, and then contact whoever will handle the tour.

Maybe you can skip the bus tour completely going off on your own till dinner? Is the hotel for that night in Tel Aviv or another place?

Hi Africatravel

I second Eri's suggestions + laurie_ann's about Bauhaus - Rothschild's Ave (Sderot Rothschild) is another possible area (could be done by foot from Nachalat Benyamin St which is right next to HaKarmel Market)
Tel Aviv has got UNESCO's 'world heritage site' tag for that Bauhaus architecture
don't forget to stop in a cafe and absorb the atmosphere

aby