Tel-Aviv – Frequently Asked Questions – Tourist Useful Information

star For an Overview, a guided tour of Tel-Aviv see This page.

Stay

Where to Stay in Tel-Aviv ? Potential zones for Hotels ?

Visit the page : Where to Stay in Tel-Aviv for an overview about potential zones to stay in town.

How can I reserve an Hotel or Hostel for Tel-Aviv ?

Visit the page : Where to Stay in Tel-Aviv for an overview about potential zones to stay in town.

How many days should I stay in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page : Where to Stay in Tel-Aviv.

Visit

What to Visit in Tel-Aviv? What to Do in Tel-Aviv during the day?

See it in the page – What to Visit and Do in Tel-Aviv

Where are the main areas for nightlife, bars and dancing clubs in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page about the Nightlife of Tel-Aviv.

Are there Museums in Tel-Aviv ?

Yes. See it in the page – What to Visit and Do in Tel-Aviv – Museums

Why Visit Tel-Aviv ?

Many tourists are skipping Tel-Aviv, thinking that the city is just a residential area and that they better concentrate on famous tourist destinations like Jerusalem. Here are two good reasons why you shouldn’t miss Tel-Aviv:

  1. Tel-Aviv is the center of Israel in many aspects. How can you understand a country without visiting its economic and cultural center? Tel-Aviv is where movies are filmed, the place where politicians, students and celebrities choose to live and the place where protests are held.
  2. Tel-Aviv is fun: it has beaches and it has a joyful atmosphere. Tel-Aviv was chosen by leading magazines to be one of the most vibrant cities with beaches and one of the most innovative cities.

So, let the other tourists go for the holy places and just come to enjoy Tel-Aviv.

What can I do with Kids in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page – What to Visit and Do in Tel-Aviv – With Kids

Where can I dance Salsa in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page about the Nightlife of Tel-Aviv.

Shopping

Where are the Commercial Centers in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page about the shopping in Tel-Aviv.

Are the shops open during the week-end in Tel-Aviv ?

See it in the page about the shopping in Tel-Aviv.

Transport

How can I get from the Airport to Tel-Aviv ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

Where are the Central Bus Stations in Tel Aviv ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

Is there public transportation on the Shabat day (Saturday) ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

To where can I go with the train from Tel Aviv and where are the stations ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

How can I know Bus schedules and Itineraries at Tel-Aviv ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

How to go from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem, Haifa and Eilat ?

For Jerusalem: see it here, on the Transport page.
For Haifa: see it here, on the Transport page.
For Eilat :see it here, on the Transport page.

How can I call a Taxi in Tel-Aviv ?

See it here, on the Transport page.

Is there a Tourist Bus in Tel-Aviv ?

Yes. See it here, on the Transport page – the Touristic bus

Is there a guided Walking Tour in Tel-Aviv ?

Yes. Walking tour.

Segway tour is also an interesting way to explore Tel-Aviv.

Where can I rent a bike in Tel-Aviv ?

In case you haven’t heard yet : Tel-Aviv has a public bike rental system with stations called Tel-O-fun. You can take a bike in one station and bring it back in another. You can pay for this service with an international credit card at the stations. There are also private shops for renting bikes in Tel-Aviv, some are located close to the beaches. Also some hotels give that service.

Is it possible to rent a motorbike in Tel-Aviv ?

Yes, there are many scooters in the streets of Tel-Aviv and MotoGo is doing rentals per days.

Which Airlines are flying to Israel ? What are the Israeli airlines ?

Israeli Airlines :
El-AL, Arkia, Israir, Up.
Non Israeli Airlines :
Many, many airlines. Regular lines and Low Cost.
You can know which airlines are flying to Israel by looking at the real time arrival (or departure) page on Tel-Aviv Airport site.
For fun: You can watch airplanes landing in Israel on FlighRadar24.
You can book a flight with Skyscanner.

What is the Flight time to Tel-Aviv ?

From Europe: Around 4 hours
From the U.S: Around 10 hours

How can I reserve a flight ticket to Tel-Aviv ?

You can book a flight with Skyscanner.

What are the distances from Tel-Aviv to other cities in Israel ?

Jerusalem 65 km
Haifa 100 km
Airport 21 km
Eilat 350 km
Tiberias 135 km
Natania 33 km
Beer Sheva 103 km
Ashdod 42 km
Natzereth 106 km

As you see, Israel is a small country. Eilat in the south is a little bit far, you can take a bus for 4 hours or a flight of 50 minutes.

Weather + Feasts

How is the climate in Tel-Aviv ?

Here are the average temperatures and precipitations:

Month Max (C) Min (C) Rain (mm)
January 18 10 127
February 18 10 90
March 19 12 61
April 23 14 18
May 25 17 2.3
June 28 21 0
July 29 23 0
August 30 24 0.7
September 29 23 0.4
October 27 19 26
November 23 15 79
December 19 11 126

As you can see from the chart, it is quite hot in Tel-Aviv. If you don’t like cold weather the only months to avoid are December, January and February but even during these months, there are many sunny days.
Tel-Aviv has more than 300 sunny days a year.
July and August are very hot and humid but all places in Israel have air-conditioning (not the beach).

What is the best time to visit Tel-Aviv ?

Regarding the weather:
Probably during autumn and spring when it is not too hot but you can still go to the beach (September, October, May, June). November is usually also fine, the lifeguard at the beach is still working, which means people are still entering into the water, and the sea is usually very smooth in October and November, no waves.
Regarding hotel prices:
July, August is the hot season. Kids are on vacation. prices are high
Regarding feasts:
You should know that Kippur day (In October) is a very special day in Israel. There is no car traffic so wherever you happen to be on the eve of the feast, there you will stay for the next 24 hours. I still recommend to be on that day in Tel-Aviv because it is very special. (Many cities in the world would like to have a day without cars, Israel did it somehow)
Pessah (April) is a feast in which during one week, most grocery stores are not selling bread and its subproducts (Pasta…), same with many restaurants. Again, this is not a reason to avoid Tel-Aviv, you can still find bread in many places or eat the traditional “Matza”.

When is school vacation in Israel ?

July, August and during national feasts.

When are the feasts in Israel ?

Feasts in Israel run according to the Jewish calendar so each year they fall on other specific dates. Feasts in Israel, like the day of Shabbat, begin one day before, at sunset.

You can see a calendar with the Jewish feasts.


Orientation

Where is Tel-Aviv ?

Tel-Aviv is quite in the center of Israel and It lies on the Mediterranean coast (many  beaches…). Tel-Aviv is just 120 Km from Lebanon, 55 Km from the Gaza strip, 74 Km from Jordan and just 20 Km from the West Bank (straight line distances). See here distances from Tel-Aviv to major cities in Israel.

tlvmap4

How big is Tel-Aviv ?

Physical Size : To get an idea: If you walk from the port area in the north, to Jaffa in the south it will be 5 Km. From the sea to the Ayalon highway 2.5 Km. So Tel-Aviv is not that big, you can walk to most central places, ride a bike or take a short bus ride.

Population : Tel-Aviv itself has around 400,000 inhabitants but with its surrounding towns (Gush Dan area) it gets to around 4,000,000 inhabitants. In all Israel there are about 9,000,000 inhabitants.

tlvmap3

How can I see a Map of Tel-Aviv ?

Look here.

Cost

How much does it cost to visit Tel-Aviv ?

Look at the Tel-Aviv cost page.

Is it easy to exchange Money in Tel-Aviv ?

See this in the cost page.

Can I pay in Tel-Aviv in foreign currency like with the dollar ?

See this in the cost page.

Safety

How safe is it to visit Tel-Aviv ?

Personal safety:
Much safer than major big cities in the world. The murder rate in Israel is 1.4 per 100,000 people compared to 5.0 in the U.S (source Wikipedia). Road accidents are like in Europe and the U.S (source Wikipedia)
For Women:
Girls are going to party at night with very short clothes. In cities like Paris or London it is less safe to do so.
Terrorist attacks:
There have been periods with terrorist attacks on Tel-Aviv and of course it makes a big psychological impact but statistically you have much more probability to get hurt in a car accident than from a terrorist attack. (And anyway, a terrorist may reach you also on a peaceful island in Norway as occurred in 2011)
At War time or when there is an earthquake:
Avoid Israel when it is at war (You know, nuclear missiles flying in all directions). We will try to win the war as fast as possible so that you can come back to visit.
Note:  Life expectancy in Israel is one of the highest in the world with an average of 82.5 years (source Wikipedia).

Do I need any vaccination before visiting Israel ?

No. Israel has modern health and hygiene standards.

Can I drink tap water in Israel ?

Yes.

Is it easy to travel alone (Single) in Israel and in Tel-Aviv ?

Tel-Aviv is THE city for singles in Israel. About 75% of the adults under 30 years old are not married in Tel-Aviv, so if you are single, you will feel in good company. If you are a woman, the nightclubs will be happy to let you enter alone, for a man it may be trickier, so try to arrive early to the club. A good way to meet people could be by going to dance in a Salsa club, most of the people arrive alone to the Salsa clubs and there is the pre-party class which is great to make friends. As for women safety, there is not a particular difference between Tel-Aviv and major big cities in the world, Tel-Aviv is quite safe for women and so is the rest of Israel. If you need orientation, most people in Israel speak English. There are single rooms in hotels and hostels.

Internet and calls

How is the internet in Israel ?

See this in the page about the Internet and phoning in Israel.

What is the cheapest way to make International phone calls ?

The cheapest way to make International calls will be using a free Wi-Fi network in a café and by using a software like Skype. The second cheapest option is to buy a local SIM from one of the cell phone operators. (Orange, Cellcom). If you use your mobile phone with the tariff plan you have in your country, check out the International call prices, they may be quite high.
Visit the page about Internet and Phoning in Israel for more details.

Miscellaneous

Do I need a Visa in order to visit Israel ?

Citizens of many countries will be issued tourist visas free of charge at every port or entrance terminal to Israel. You can see the list of countries in this Wikipedia page. You can also look at the ministry of foreign affairs Site for information about more types of visas.

How can I find a good Restaurant in Tel-Aviv ?

Visit the page about the Vegetarian fast-food in Tel-Aviv (Hummus, Falafel…).
Look at this TripAdvisor Tel-Aviv Restaurant Guide.
You can filter the restaurants with the menu on the left, for example to show only Vegetarian cuisine.

Where can I find gyms in Tel-Aviv ?

If you don’t want to use one of the many outdoor gyms which are spread all over the city, you can go to a regular gym, some of them are quite fashionable with music playing as loud as in a dancing club, some include a swimming pool.
Here are some gyms located in the center:

  • Gordon swimming pool and gym, right on the Gordon beach. The swimming pool is an Olympic size and is in open-air.
  • Holmes place: They have two branches in the center, one in the Azrieli towers (with a swimming pool) and the other in Dizengoff center.
  • Great Shape – Near the municipality at 68 Even Gvirol street.

Which Electric Plug is used in Israel ?

The voltage in Israel is 220 Volt and the plug is usually a 3 rounded socket but the best is to be equipped with International plug adapter. Just remember that the adapter will not convert the voltage, so make sure your electronic device is suitable also to 220 Voltage.

Do Israelis speak English ?

The main language in Israel is Hebrew but most Israelis have a good level of English. Street signs are everywhere in English, menus in restaurants etc… You may find in Tel-Aviv people speaking also: Arabic(specially in Yaffo), Russian, French and Spanish.

How long does Tel-Aviv exist ?

100 years. You can read more about the history of Tel-Aviv here in Wikipedia.

What to Pack for Israel ?

These items may be useful.

Are Israeli girls beautiful ? (Asked Only by Males)

Yes, but usually they want to have a minimum of 3 kids in their family.

Where can I see Videos with Tel-Aviv scenery ?

Video: Neve Tzedek and Atahana
Video: Rothschild Boulevard
Video: Sheinkin, Nahalat Binyamin, Dizengoff Center
Video: Rikudei-Am at Gordon Beach
Video: Rabin Square – A Demonstration
Video: Dog Beach
Video: Matkot Game at the Beach
Video: Kippur Day in Tel-Aviv

To which neighbouring countries can I pass from Israel ? (open borders)

Israel has 4 borders: You can pass by land or take a flight to Egypt and Jordan. You can’t pass from Israel to Syria and Lebanon.

Where can I get more Information about Tel-Aviv and Israel ?

  1. TripAdvisor Tel-Aviv
  2. Tel-Aviv municipality official Site
  3. Wikipedia Tel-Aviv

star More on Tel-Aviv  :

star On Haifa :

Haifa – What to Visit and where to Stay ?

star On Jerusalem :

Jerusalem – What to Visit and where to Stay ?

star If you have specific questions about Tel-Aviv or Israel, you can ask them in this TripAdvisor Forum

star On Thailand :

star Other Stuff :

star If you find incorrect data on this page, like a restaurant that has closed or a big river that has moved or you want to tell me something, please write me to contact.