5 days in Tel Aviv

Day by day

1. Day 1: Old Jaffa and Jaffa Port

   Old Jaffa, Jaffa Port and Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim), then Rothschild Boulevard in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old Jaffa

      Climb to HaPisga Garden and the Wishing Bridge about an hour before sunset, then walk down to the port for dinner. (2–3 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Jaffa Port

      Combine it with Old Jaffa: walk down the steps from the hill and finish with grilled fish on the quay. (1–2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hummus

      Long-established counters in Jaffa and around Carmel Market; go for lunch rather than dinner.

   4. Afternoon

      Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim)

      Come in the late morning for the stalls and stay into the evening when the bars open. (1–2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Rothschild Boulevard

      Rent a bike or e-scooter from a nearby dock and ride the central lane from Habima Square down to Neve Tzedek.

2. Day 2: Carmel Market and Tel Aviv beaches and promenade

   Carmel Market, Tel Aviv beaches and promenade and White City Bauhaus architecture, then Tel Aviv Port in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Carmel Market

      Arrive mid-morning on a weekday for fewer crowds, and continue into the Yemenite Quarter for lunch. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Tel Aviv beaches and promenade

      Swim only at lifeguarded beaches when the white flag is up; red means dangerous and black means swimming is forbidden. (Half a day, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sabich

      Sabich stands around Frishman Street, Carmel Market and Levinsky Market.

   4. Afternoon

      White City Bauhaus architecture

      Bialik Street is a compact, quiet place to see restored Bauhaus houses, including the Bauhaus Museum and Beit Bialik. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Tel Aviv Port

      Go for brunch at the covered market on a Friday or Saturday, then walk to Yarkon Park.

3. Day 3: Neve Tzedek and HaTachana

   Neve Tzedek, HaTachana and Tel Aviv Museum of Art, then Rothschild and Lilienblum in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Neve Tzedek

      Walk here from Jaffa along the seafront, have coffee on Shabazi Street and continue to HaTachana. (1–2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      HaTachana

      Visit on Saturday, when HaTachana stays open while many shops in the city close. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Falafel

      Stands on Dizengoff, Allenby and King George streets and near Carmel Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Tel Aviv Museum of Art

      Allow time for the Israeli art galleries, which are rarely seen outside the country. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Rothschild and Lilienblum

      Cocktail bars, wine bars and restaurants that turn into bars late in the evening, in the city centre.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Jerusalem

   About 35 minutes by fast train each way. Getting there: Train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Jerusalem

      About 35 minutes by fast train (Train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon); about 60 km.

   2. Day

      Jerusalem

      The walled Old City holds the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock, and the Israel Museum and Mahane Yehuda market are in the modern city. Best for first-timers and culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in Tel Aviv

      Dinner: try Shakshuka.

5. Day 5: ANU – Museum of the Jewish People and Eretz Israel Museum

   ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, Eretz Israel Museum and Yarkon Park, then Florentin in the evening.

   1. Morning

      ANU – Museum of the Jewish People

      Combine it with the Eretz Israel Museum, a short walk away in Ramat Aviv. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Eretz Israel Museum

      The open-air grounds suit children who need space between galleries. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Shakshuka

      Cafés across the city and long-running specialists in Jaffa's flea-market streets.

   4. Afternoon

      Yarkon Park

      Rent bikes and ride the riverside path from the Port, stopping at the lake for a pedal boat. (2–3 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Florentin

      Student bars, small music venues and street-side drinking on Vital and Florentin streets.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Rothschild and the city centre keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Jaffa ($$$) suits couples, food lovers, culture and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 22–32 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.1 hours in December to 14.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Tel Aviv
• 2 days in Tel Aviv
• 3 days in Tel Aviv

Questions travellers ask