Things to do · Tel Aviv · Israel
19 best things to do in Tel Aviv
19 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Tel Aviv are Old Jaffa, Carmel Market and Tel Aviv beaches and promenade. Of the 19 picks below, 15 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Old Jaffa
- Free sights
- 15
- Good on a rainy day
- Tel Aviv Museum of Art
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Jaffa | Jaffa | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Carmel Market | Kerem HaTeimanim | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Tel Aviv beaches and promenade | Beachfront and HaYarkon Street | Half a day | Free |
| Jaffa Port | Jaffa | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim) | Jaffa | 1–2 hours | Free |
| White City Bauhaus architecture | Rothschild and the city centre | 2 hours | Free |
| Rothschild Boulevard | Rothschild and the city centre | 1 hour | Free |
| Neve Tzedek | Neve Tzedek | 1–2 hours | Free |
| HaTachana | Neve Tzedek | 1 hour | Free |
| Tel Aviv Museum of Art | Rothschild and the city centre | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| ANU – Museum of the Jewish People | Ramat Aviv | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Eretz Israel Museum | Ramat Aviv | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Yarkon Park | Old North | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Tel Aviv Port | Old North | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Sarona | Rothschild and the city centre | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Levinsky Market | Florentin | 1 hour | Free |
| Nahalat Binyamin crafts fair | Rothschild and the city centre | 1 hour | Free |
| Dizengoff Street and Square | Old North | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Ramat Gan Safari | Ramat Gan | Half a day | Mid-priced |
The 19 best things to do
Historic site · Jaffa
1.Old Jaffa
The hill of Old Jaffa holds restored stone lanes named after the signs of the zodiac, artists' studios, the Franciscan St Peter's Church and HaPisga Garden, whose summit looks north along the whole Tel Aviv shoreline. Archaeological layers on the hill go back thousands of years, and the Ottoman-era Clock Tower marks the entrance from the flat city below.
Climb to HaPisga Garden and the Wishing Bridge about an hour before sunset, then walk down to the port for dinner.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Market · Kerem HaTeimanim
2.Carmel Market
Shuk HaCarmel runs down HaCarmel Street from Allenby Street towards the sea, packed with fruit, spices, cheese, pastries and stalls selling fresh juices and burekas. Small counters and bars have opened among the produce stands, making it the city's best grazing lunch. Fridays before Shabbat are the busiest and most atmospheric.
Arrive mid-morning on a weekday for fewer crowds, and continue into the Yemenite Quarter for lunch.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Beach · Beachfront and HaYarkon Street
3.Tel Aviv beaches and promenade
The tayelet promenade follows the shore from Jaffa to the Port, past a chain of free public beaches with lifeguards, sunshades and beach cafés. Locals play matkot paddle ball on the sand and swim at sunset; each beach has its own crowd, from families at Metzitzim to surfers at Hilton.
Swim only at lifeguarded beaches when the white flag is up; red means dangerous and black means swimming is forbidden.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Waterfront · Jaffa
4.Jaffa Port
One of the oldest harbours on the Mediterranean, Jaffa Port still has fishing boats tied up alongside converted warehouses that now hold fish restaurants, galleries and a small food hall. The breakwater gives views of Old Jaffa above and the city skyline to the north.
Combine it with Old Jaffa: walk down the steps from the hill and finish with grilled fish on the quay.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Views
- After dark
Market · Jaffa
5.Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim)
The streets around Olei Zion and Beit Eshel, just south of the Clock Tower, mix antique and junk stalls with vintage clothing, design shops and some of Jaffa's most popular cafés and bars. Daytime is for browsing furniture, brass and old records; at night the same streets fill with restaurant tables.
Come in the late morning for the stalls and stay into the evening when the bars open.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Free
- After dark
Architecture · Rothschild and the city centre
6.White City Bauhaus architecture
Around 4,000 buildings in the International Style, many by architects trained in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, earned central Tel Aviv UNESCO World Heritage status in 2003. Look for ribbon windows, rounded balconies and pilotis on Rothschild Boulevard, Bialik Street and around Dizengoff Square. The Bauhaus Center on Dizengoff Street sells maps and runs guided walking tours.
Bialik Street is a compact, quiet place to see restored Bauhaus houses, including the Bauhaus Museum and Beit Bialik.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- Photo spot
Street · Rothschild and the city centre
7.Rothschild Boulevard
Laid out in 1910, Rothschild Boulevard is the city's grand avenue, with a central pedestrian strip of ficus trees, kiosks and bike lanes between Neve Tzedek and Habima Square. Restored Bauhaus and eclectic buildings line both sides, and cafés spill onto the walkway from morning until late.
Rent a bike or e-scooter from a nearby dock and ride the central lane from Habima Square down to Neve Tzedek.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
Neighbourhood · Neve Tzedek
8.Neve Tzedek
Tel Aviv's oldest neighbourhood outside Jaffa, founded in 1887, is a calm grid of restored houses, galleries and design shops on Shabazi Street. The Suzanne Dellal Centre's courtyard with orange trees is a pleasant stop, and the Nahum Gutman Museum shows works by one of the city's early painters.
Walk here from Jaffa along the seafront, have coffee on Shabazi Street and continue to HaTachana.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- Shopping
Historic site · Neve Tzedek
1.HaTachana
The terminus of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway, opened in 1892, has been restored as a pedestrian complex of shops, cafés and restaurants around the old station building, Templer houses and a parked locomotive. It links Neve Tzedek with the beach and is busy on weekends when much of the city is closed.
Visit on Saturday, when HaTachana stays open while many shops in the city close.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Kids
- Shopping
Museum · Rothschild and the city centre
2.Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Israel's leading art museum combines a strong collection of Impressionist and modern European art with Israeli painting and contemporary installations. The angular Herta and Paul Amir Building, opened in 2011, has a dramatic light-filled atrium, and the sculpture garden is free to walk through.
Allow time for the Israeli art galleries, which are rarely seen outside the country.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Ramat Aviv
3.ANU – Museum of the Jewish People
On the Tel Aviv University campus, the museum formerly known as Beit Hatfutsot tells the story of Jewish communities worldwide through multimedia galleries, scale models of synagogues and sections on identity, culture and migration. It reopened after a major expansion and is one of the largest museums of its kind.
Combine it with the Eretz Israel Museum, a short walk away in Ramat Aviv.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Ramat Aviv
4.Eretz Israel Museum
A campus of pavilions devoted to glass, coins, ceramics, folklore and crafts, built around Tel Qasile, an excavated settlement with Philistine-era temples. Peacocks wander the gardens, and the site has a planetarium.
The open-air grounds suit children who need space between galleries.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Park · Old North
5.Yarkon Park
The city's largest green space follows the Yarkon River inland from the Port, with lawns, a boating lake, a rock garden, a tropical garden, playgrounds and long cycle paths. Families picnic here on Saturdays, and pedal boats and bikes can be rented near the lake.
Rent bikes and ride the riverside path from the Port, stopping at the lake for a pedal boat.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
Waterfront · Old North
6.Tel Aviv Port
The old port at the northern end of the promenade has a wide undulating wooden deck, restaurants, bars and shops in former hangars, and a covered farmers' market, Shuk HaNamal. It is a favourite spot for sunset walks, children on scooters and weekend brunch.
Go for brunch at the covered market on a Friday or Saturday, then walk to Yarkon Park.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Food
- After dark
- Views
Historic site · Rothschild and the city centre
7.Sarona
Sarona was a 19th-century German Templer colony whose stone houses have been restored inside a park among the towers of Kaplan Street. The indoor Sarona Market holds dozens of food stalls, delis and restaurants, making it a good weather-proof lunch stop.
Use the market for an easy lunch, then walk through the park to see the restored Templer houses.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Rainy day
Market · Florentin
8.Levinsky Market
A few blocks of Levinsky Street are lined with spice merchants, dried-fruit shops, delis and Persian, Greek and Balkan-Jewish food counters founded by immigrant families. It is smaller and more local than Carmel Market and good for burekas, pickles and spice blends to take home.
Buy za'atar or baharat from a spice shop that grinds to order; it travels well.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Shopping
Market · Rothschild and the city centre
9.Nahalat Binyamin crafts fair
On the pedestrian section of Nahalat Binyamin Street next to Carmel Market, local makers sell jewellery, ceramics, Judaica and prints at a crafts fair usually held twice a week, with street performers between the stalls. The street's early 20th-century buildings are worth a look in their own right.
Pair it with Carmel Market next door; the fair is usually on Tuesdays and Fridays, but check locally.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Art
Street · Old North
10.Dizengoff Street and Square
Dizengoff Street is the city's main shopping and café strip, with fashion boutiques and bridal shops towards the north and Dizengoff Square's restored Fire and Water Fountain by Yaacov Agam in the middle. The square is ringed by Bauhaus buildings and is a good starting point for an architecture walk.
Walk north from the square to Basel Street for quieter neighbourhood cafés.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Architecture
- Free
Zoo · Ramat Gan
11.Ramat Gan Safari
Just east of Tel Aviv, this large zoological centre combines a drive-through African savannah with zebras, giraffes and rhinos and a walking zoo with elephants, gorillas and big cats. It is one of the easiest full-morning outings with children from the city.
Go early in the day in summer, when the animals are more active and the heat is lower.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, Eretz Israel Museum and Nahalat Binyamin crafts fair |
| History | Old Jaffa, White City Bauhaus architecture, HaTachana and ANU – Museum of the Jewish People |
| Views | Old Jaffa, Jaffa Port and Tel Aviv Port |
| Outdoors and nature | Tel Aviv beaches and promenade, Eretz Israel Museum, Yarkon Park and Ramat Gan Safari |
| Food and markets | Carmel Market, Jaffa Port, Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim) and Tel Aviv Port |
| After dark | Jaffa Port, Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim), Rothschild Boulevard and Tel Aviv Port |
| With children | Tel Aviv beaches and promenade, HaTachana, Eretz Israel Museum and Yarkon Park |
| On a rainy day | Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, Eretz Israel Museum and Sarona |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Tel Aviv?
Old Jaffa. The hill of Old Jaffa holds restored stone lanes named after the signs of the zodiac, artists' studios, the Franciscan St Peter's Church and HaPisga Garden, whose summit looks north along the whole Tel Aviv shoreline.
+What can you do for free in Tel Aviv?
Old Jaffa, Carmel Market, Tel Aviv beaches and promenade, Jaffa Port and Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim). More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Tel Aviv when it rains?
Head indoors to Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, Eretz Israel Museum and Sarona.
+What is there to do in Tel Aviv at night?
Jaffa Port, Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk HaPishpeshim), Rothschild Boulevard and Tel Aviv Port are best after dark.