A Taste of the Ancient
It was from Jaffa's ancient port that Jonah sailed into a whale of a story...in Jaffa's waters Greek myth pitted Perseus against Medusa. Today Andromeda's rocks still mark the way to the harbor.
The old quarter of Jaffa is built in the Turkish style. Here, the seedy old "casba" has been lovingly refurbished and transfored into a delightful warren of cobbled lanes with artists' homes and galleries, shops, slubs and restaurants. Here, many a charming evening can be whiled away pleasurably, whether by searching through the shops, relaxing in the lush parks, enjoying an outdoor concert, or dining at one of the delightful fish restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean or down in the fishing port.
Both church steeples and mosque minarets punctuate the Jaffa skyline and the city below the walled portion presents and eclectic and exotic mixture of cultures and flavors. During the day, the flea market is irresistable to treasure-seekers hoping for a find among the broad collection of oddments, from jewelry and pottery to religious artiles and exotic carpets. Bargaining in the byword.
Day and night, open-hearth barriers offer fresh-from-the-oven pitta breads with toppings which make them a meal in themself.
Restraurants meanwhile serve skewers of succulent meats and delicacies straight from the grill, with profusions of fresh salads.
Unpack Only Once
Tel Aviv's centrality, in all senses, makes it an ideal base for touring the entire country. Along the coast from Herzylia to Bat Yam, vacationers find it convenient to unpack only once, while those visitng on business or participating in conferences can easily take the oppurtunity to our other parts of the country.
About an hour's drive is all it takes to get to Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva or Haifa and all the beauty spots along the way. Even most of the Gaililee can be explored on a day tour basis, while a flight to Eilat takes only half an hour.
Tel Aviv has been named "the non-stop city." By combing excursions into the country with the city's endless variety, a Mediterranean holiday in Tel Aviv surely provides non-stop pleasure.
Fast Facts
Access: a 20-minute drive from Ben-Gurion International Airport; 1 hour from Jersualem; 1 1/4 hours from Haifa; 2 1/2 hours from Tiberias; 1/2 hour from Eilat, the Dead Sea or the Galilee.
Accomodations: over 600 popluar-priced to luxehotel rooms, apartment hotels and hostels.
Weather: temperate in spring and autumn; hot, rain-free days in summer; cooler, with moderate rainfall interspersed with fine, sunny days in winter. |
