57 Best Sights in Tel Aviv, Israel

About 10 km (7 miles) north of Tel Aviv is this white-sand beach lined by well-manicured lawns. Nearby are restaurants, cafés, and a handful of luxury high-rise hotels. From central Tel Aviv, Dan's Bus 90 heads to this beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Veteran Israeli artist Ilana Goor works and resides in this restored 18th-century house with romantic stone arches and high ceilings. She's turned part of it into a museum showcasing more than 500 works of art—both from Israel and throughout the world—including her own works. The collection includes paintings, sculptures, video art, ethnic art, antiques, drawings, and design items. A gift shop occupies part of the complex. Every Friday at noon, a guided tour is available to all visitors, covered by the museum admission fee.

This impressive building was originally the home of the city's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff. The country's leaders assembled here on May 14, 1948, to announce to the world the establishment of the State of Israel. Today the museum's Hall of Declaration stands as it did on that dramatic day, with the original microphones on the long table where the dignitaries sat. Behind the table is a portrait of the Zionist leader Theodor Herzl. Tours are available on-site, while an evening walking tour on the independence trail is held every Sunday. Call ahead to reserve a tour.

One of many small bazaars surrounding the clock tower in the mid-19th century, the Jaffa Flea Market is the only survivor of that era. Along the cobblestone streets you can find everything from European antiques to Israeli memorabilia. As some antiques sellers close their doors with no family to continue the business, chic design boutiques are arriving and shifting the Flea Market neighborhood to an upscale vibe. The market's main street is Olei Zion, but there are a number of smaller streets and arcades to explore. Watch the locals bargain, and do what they do: never agree to the first price a seller demands. Combine the Flea Market's shopping and cafés with the Old City of Jaffa for a relaxed half-day stroll.

At the bottom of Allenby Road, Jerusalem Beach is known for its beachside café featuring Brazilian bands that get the crowd dancing. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

The focus of Kedumim Square is an archaeological site that exposes 3rd-century BC catacombs; the site has been converted into a free underground visitor center with large, vivid, illustrated descriptions of Jaffa's history. A labyrinthine network of tiny alleys snakes in all directions from Kedumim Square down to the fishing port; a good selection of galleries and jewelry stores can be found south of the square around Mazal Dagim Street.

This meeting point of six streets is named for the six-point Magen David, or Star of David. Faded historic buildings flank it on one side, shops and eateries on the other. It's the gateway to the Carmel Market, the open-air fruit and vegetable market. Musicians and street performers find their way to the open area in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

Named after the Belgian monarch who was a personal friend of Mayor Meir Dizengoff, this prominent square is surrounded by some interesting monuments. The Bauhaus-style Pagoda House, now luxuriously restored as a private home, was built in 1924. The rooftop ornament gives the building its name. Inside the elegant stairwell of Shifrin House, at 2 Melchett Street, are crumbling remnants of frescoes of the Western Wall and Rachel's Tomb.

The heart of this edgy, bohemian neighborhood is Levinsky Market, known as a spice-and-herb market and also a great place to sample wonderful Mediterranean delicacies. Nearby you'll find good Persian eateries. Once considered off the beaten path, the Levinsky Market is now a popular destination.

This stretch of sand near the Yarkon River attracts a younger crowd. It's an especially good choice for families because it has a long sandbar that keeps the waves gentle. Many people nurse a beer at the nearby pub and watch the sunset. Just south of Metzizim Beach is a private area for Orthodox Jews who prefer gender-separated swimming. Women come on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, while men are here on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Everyone is welcome on Saturday, and it's one of the area's mellowest beaches. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers, toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming.

Open from June to September, Meymadiyon is a 25-acre water park featuring a swimming pool, a wave pool, a kiddie pool, waterslides, and lawns dotted with plastic chairs.

The newly renovated ANU Museum of the Jewish People (formerly Beit Hatfutsot) immerses visitors in over 4000 years of Jewish history, culture, and life through a unique and interactive display. Spread out over three floors, the core exhibition takes visitors on a journey. It begins with a mosaic of Jewish culture today: its folklore, arts, religious customs, and languages. Next the visitor moves to the global historical journey of Jewish people from ancient times to the present day. The exhibit finishes at the foundations: the fundamental basis on which Jewish existence has been built. This core exhibit is accompanied by special exhibitions on Jewish humor, Jewish heroes, and a world-renowned collection of synagogue models that celebrate the diversity of Jewish life across the world. Combined, ANU is a fascinating exploration of the story of the Jewish people: past, present, and future.

This museum makes you feel as if you were back in the days of the Palmach, the pre-State underground army, with a group of young defenders. Visitors are led through rooms, each of which encompasses one part of the Palmach experience. There's the "forest," which has real-looking trees; a room with a falling bridge and faux explosions; and a chilling mock-up of an illegal-immigrants' ship. Visits to the museum must be booked in advance and the tour can accommodate up to 25 people. Call ahead for reservations.

The square was renamed for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin after he was assassinated here on November 4, 1995. Passersby often pause at the small monument of black stones, rippled and uneven as if after an earthquake. This quiet memorial is the work of Israeli artist Danny Karavan. The southeast corner of the square is a great place to grab a coffee, reflect, and people-watch.

Recognized as one of Israel's major painters, Reuven Rubin (1893–1974) bequeathed his house to Tel Aviv along with 45 of his works, which make up the permanent collection here. The house, built in 1930, is now an art gallery, with changing exhibits by Israeli artists. Upstairs is a small but well-stocked library where you can pore over press clippings and browse through books. A moving audiovisual presentation tells the story of Rubin's life, and his original studio can still be seen on the third floor.

Shaded by leafy trees, this area was formerly an agricultural colony established by German Templers in 1871. The picturesque houses have been transformed into a bustling complex with a visitor center, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and cultural institutions. The Sarona Market's 90 food stalls and shops showcase some of Israel's top chefs and bakeries, as well as locally produced wine and craft beer. Pick up some essentials at the Friday morning Farmers' Market for a picnic in one of Sarona's grassy open areas.

This popular thoroughfare off Allenby Street has plenty of cafés and restaurants where you can watch passersby. This is where young people shop for the latest fashions: the sizes are tiny, the favored color is black, and some of the boutiques are so minuscule you'll think you walked straight into the dressing room.

Wander down this alley to see old Tel Aviv decorative architecture at its best. Two plaster obelisks at the entrance mark the city's first "gated" community. Note the stucco lion in front of Number 7, which used to have glowing eyes fitted with lightbulbs. The original apartment house is painted pale yellow with garish orange trim. An outspoken builder named Meir Getzel Shapira bought Simtat Plonit in the 1920s and insisted that this pint-size street be named after him. Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff, argued that another street already had that name. The mayor emerged victorious and named it Simtat Plonit, meaning "John Doe Street."

Although the white bricks of St. Anthony's (also known as San Antonio's) look new, this church actually dates from 1932, when it was built to accommodate the growing needs of Jaffa's Roman Catholic community. The church is named for St. Anthony of Padua, friend and disciple of St. Francis of Assisi.

Jaffa is famous as a meeting point of East and West, and as soon as you step into this century-old Franciscan church you'll find yourself steeped in a European atmosphere. St. Peter's was built over the ruins of a citadel dating from the Seventh Crusade, led by King Louis IX of France in the mid-13th century. A monument to Louis stands at the entrance to the friary. Napoléon is rumored to have stayed here during his Jaffa campaign of 1799. To enter, ring the bell on the right side of the door; you will probably be greeted by one of the custodians, most of whom speak Spanish and some English.

Seven archaeological layers have been unearthed in a part of this park called Ramses II Garden. The oldest sections of wall (20 feet thick) have been identified as part of a Hyksos city dating from the 17th century BC. Other remains include part of a 13th-century BC city gate inscribed with the name of Ramses II; a Canaanite city; a Jewish city from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah; Hasmonean ruins from the 2nd century BC; and traces of Roman occupation. At the summit is a stone sculpture called Faith, in the shape of a gateway, which depicts biblical stories.

Once a cluster of decrepit warehouses, the old port is buzzing with cafés, restaurants, and clubs. It ends where the pavement gives way to a wooden platform designed with moderate dips and curves, pleasing to the eye and fun for roller skaters. On weekends, restaurants are all packed by 1 pm. There's a very appealing Friday farmers' market and a small swap meet good for finding handmade jewelry, old books, and Israeli memorabilia.

After wandering through the stalls selling organic produce, sample the fresh offerings at eateries like the in-house pasta bar or the specialty-sandwich stand. Don't miss the stand selling just-squeezed seasonal juice. Friday afternoons are particularly active with farmers and food vendors selling artisanal goodies.

In the northern reaches of Tel Aviv, Tel Baruch Beach is popular among families with young children because it has a breakwater that softens the waves. Because it's the farthest beach from downtown, it can often be less crowded. However family-friendly during the day, the section to the north has an unsavory reputation after dark. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

On the grounds of one of Israel's finest science research centers, the Weizmann Institute's indoor Levinson Visitors Center and the open-air Clore Garden of Science are educational and fun for kids of all ages. Experience how it feels to walk on the moon and climb on or through dozens of other interactive exhibits that explain various scientific phenomena. Also worth a visit is the glass-and-steel Eco-Sphere, which houses educational exhibits on the environment. Call ahead for reservations and guided tours. By car, the institute is about 40 minutes from Tel Aviv. Bus routes 174, 201, 301, and 274 take about an hour from central Tel Aviv. The train takes about 35 minutes; it's a 15-minute walk from the train station.

Think of Yefet as a sort of thread between eras: beneath it is the old market area, while all around you stand schools and churches of the 19th and 20th centuries. Several deserve mention. At No. 21 is the Tabitha School, established by the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1863. Behind the school is a small cemetery where some fairly prominent figures are buried, including Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, the first to define Hodgkin's disease. No. 23 was once a French Catholic school, and it still carries the sign "Collège des Frères." At No. 25, the fortresslike Urim School was set up as a girls' school in 1882.

Bordering the Carmel Market, this small area hides several cheap and satisfying third-generation eateries owned by Yemenite families whose traditional foods have been passed down since their arrival to the neighborhood in the 1920s and '30s. Wash your meal down with a beer as you gaze out onto the warren of cobblestone lanes. Some streets that are nice to stroll include Nahliel and Haim Havshush, lined with restaurants serving tasty hummus and flatbread. This is a soothing place for a stroll on a Friday afternoon, as the neighborhood hushes to a close for the Sabbath. Though the Yemenite Quarter was once a haven to families who could not afford living in central Tel Aviv, the historic buildings are slowly being renovated by foreign investors as vacation rental properties.