Mediterranean Magic
Colorful parasols dotting the wave-lapped golden sands and a rainbow of sail on the clear, blue water, windsurfers flitting among the proud yachts and sporty sailboats; fisherman in workmanlike craft hauling in their nets and anglers casting ther lines from the dockside; tour boats plying the coast from the Jaffa port and power boats trailing skiers. Tel Aviv is the Mediterranean.
From early spring through late autumn, every day is a sunny day, and even when it is cold, a sunny winter day will find a large number of sun-seekers on the Mediterranean beaches.
From Herzliya to Bat Yam, wherever one is in the Tel Aviv area, the sea is never far, making it convenient to locals and visitors, alike. Herzliya, a fifteen-minute drive north of Tel Aviv, boasts a brand new marina and beautiful resort hotels. Bat Yam, in the south, is well known for its beaches, family and resort hotels. Only steps from most hotels and only minutes from city centers, the sparkling beaches and cheerful promenades are filled with activity from morning to night. Simply strolling the promenades or relaxing at the many cafes and resteraunts is also a pleasant option.
Alive and Lively
Tel Aviv is a comfortable cty with its many faces that exemplify everything casual and contempoary. It is also the center of Israeli culture, entertainment and commerce. In addition to being the hub of the country's finance and fashion, industry and trade, it has more cafes and restaurants per square meter of sidewalks and clubs that don't close until the dawn of a new day (exactly like in New York City). Easygoing in spite of the bustle, the size of the city does not detract from its character, and even business travelers can't help but unwind.
Among the many leisure time options that Tel-Aviv offers are extensive facilities for a variety sports, ranging from tennis to hand-gliding, along with activities for every age range in the city's parks. Fitness devotees find well-appointed centers in both the hotels and throughout the city, while golfers have an easy 45-minutes drive up the coast for a line drive among Roman antiquities at the 18-hole golf course in Caesarea.
Isreal's Youngets and Oldest
Depending on one's perspective, the city is only about 100 years young or at least 5,000 years old. Tel Aviv started as a garden suburb of ancient Jaffa at the turn of the century.
This resulted in a heritage which includes a number of orchestras, led by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and a love of art that ranges from world class museums and galleries to a profusion of outdoor sculptures the length and breadth of the city. Every day brings a choice of dance performances, stage productions and concerts from the classical to the contemporary in the city's main theaters and auditoriums. Tel Aviv offers a wide variety of museums. The most important ones are Beth Hatefutsoth--the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Eretz Israel Museum, incorporating archeological excavations of an ancient Philistine town.
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