Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in Israel

Transcription

Minamie
Top 10 Romantic Restaurants in Israel
Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Eilat, 7 Days
Table of contents:
Guide Description 2
My List 3
Tel Aviv Snapshot 7
Jerusalem Snapshot 12
Eilat Snapshot 18
1
Guide Description
2
My List
contact:
tel: 02/623-6095
location:
9 Hyrcanos (Horkanos) St
Jerusalem
hours:
Sun-Thurs noon-11pm; Sat
after Shabbat-midnight
contact:
tel: +972 2 624 5406
fax: +972 2624 4745
http://www.darna.co.il
location:
3 Horkanos St
Jerusalem 94235
hours:
Su to Th from 12:00 PM to
03:00 PM,Su to Th from 06:30
PM to 12:00 AM
1 Angelo
OUR LOCAL EXPERT SAYS:
Parking is difficult. Walking distance from most
central jerusalem hotels.
DESCRIPTION: The most superb, freshly made pasta in
Jerusalem is served at this cozy kosher-mehadrin place run by
Angelo, an immigrant from Rome. The ravioli and the gnocchi
are elegantly tender, and there's cannelloni filled with ricotta
and smoked salmon that I especially like. Angelo's sauces are
truly alive with flavor and quality (I love his spicy fresh tomato
sauce rich with tasty cherry tomatoes). If you arrange ahead
of time, Angelo can sometimes prepare special Roman Jewish
dishes. Meat is not served here, but there are a daily fresh
fish special and a number of Italian dessert choices including
pannecotta and tiramisu made fresh each day. Look for daily
lunch deals. © Frommer's
.
2 Darna
Reservations are a must.
DESCRIPTION: The owner of Darna, a successful Jerusalem
restaurateur who came to Israel from Morocco as a youth,
decided to create a fabulous, authentic Moroccan restaurant
after he revisited North Africa in the early 1990s and was
dazzled by the beauty of his one-time homeland. Moroccan
designers and craftsmen were brought to Jerusalem to create
just the right setting, and top chefs were imported to supervise
the intricacies of classic Moroccan cuisine prepared within
the bounds of kashrut. The result is a memorable place that
delights the eye and the taste buds without being hokey or
touristy. The dechicha (spiced barley and lamb soup served
with dates) and the meze of Moroccan salads are wonderful
and very reasonably priced, as is the pastilla, a sweet phyllo
pie traditionally made of pigeon, but (thankfully) done here
with Cornish hen. These courses alone would make a fine
light dinner, but for main courses, the couscous dishes and the
tagines (lamb or chicken cooked with dried fruits or vegetables
in covered clay pots) are my favorites, as is the Safi-style sea
bream. There are also unusual specialties such as a rich but
light tagine of brains with lemon, saffron, and egg. Service is
in a graceful Moroccan style, and carefully chosen background
music seems to echo the medinas of Fez and Marrakech. For
two people, soups, the meze, and one main course or one set
menu plus a main course could be adequate. This glatt kosher
restaurant is one of the best dining experiences in Israel. ©
Frommer's
.
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My List - continued...
contact:
tel: 02/634-7033
location:
31 Jaffa Rd
Jerusalem
hours:
Sun-Thurs noon-midnight; Fri
noon-3pm
contact:
tel: 02/625-1967
http://teenim.rest-e.co.il/
location:
12 Emile Botta St
Jerusalem
hours:
Sun-Thurs noon-10pm
contact:
tel: +972 3 517 7580
http://www.suzana.rest-e.co.il/
location:
9 Shabazzi Street
Tel Aviv
hours:
10 am - 2 am
3 Eldad Vezehoo
The courtyard can be easy to miss. Look for the
entrance at 31 Jaffa Road.
DESCRIPTION: This busy, recently-turned-kosher restaurant,
with a few extra tables set outside in summer, is famous for its
terrific and elegant lunch specials offered Sunday to Thursday
until 5:30pm and until 3pm on Friday. It's also famous for its
meats -- at lunch you can get a two-course lunch special that
includes the best chunk of sirloin in town, cooked as you want
it, served with your choice of wonderful sauces; an excellent
goulash; or flavorful lamb kabobs or chicken, all served with
a choice of French sauces, rice or potato, and vegetable. The
lunch choices also include pasta and fresh fish. At night (when
it's not good for kids), there's a large a la carte menu with prices
that triple the lunch special rates, and many special dishes not
offered at lunch. Goose-filled dates; gooseliver in Calvados;
and veal brains in lemon parsley sauce are among the rich
samplings. For vegetarians, there are good pastas. Lunchtime
service is very speedy (which kids like), so you don't have to
plan for a long repast if your time is short. © Frommer's
.
4 Te'enim Vegetarian Cuisine
Call ahead to reserve a table with a view.
DESCRIPTION: An  innovative and international menu
marks this quiet restaurant located in the historic Confederation
House building overlooking the walls of the Old City. 
Using the freshest organic ingredients, Te'enim is a stand-out
for its soups, varied main dishes with Asian, Italian, Indonesian,
Indian AND Middle Eastern influences.
© NileGuide
wikipedia
5 Suzanna
DESCRIPTION: The food is not kosher, but it certainly has a
Mediterranean flair. Moussaka and Kebab are just two of the
entrees you can choose from. There are traditional Moroccan
soups served year round, as well as beet/pumpkin soup for 35
shekels(less than $8). You can also add food to your table in
the form of salad, desserts, stuffed vegetables, bread and other
appetizers. There is seating in a courtyard, which is covered
in winter and "Suzanna on the roof" is an outdoor bar which is
open every night at 7 and closes at 1.  © NileGuide
iblatt.com
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contact:
tel: +972 3 510 5204
http://www.2eat.co.il/eng/kim
mel/
location:
6 HaShahar Street
Tel Aviv
hours:
Sun - Sat: 12:30 pm to 11:00
pm
contact:
tel: +972 3 518 6560
fax: +972 3 682 2842
http://drshaksuka.rest-e.co.il/
location:
3 Beit Eshel Street
Tel Aviv
hours:
Sun- Thu 8:00 am - 12:00 am,
Fri 8:00 am - till Shabat, Sat
7:00 pm - 12:00 am
contact:
tel: 08/6373-627
location:
Eilat
hours:
Daily 1-4:30pm and
6-11:30pm
contact:
tel: 08/636-8989
location:
Eilat
hours:
Sat-Thurs 7-11:30pm; Sat
after Shabbat-11pm
6 Kimmel
DESCRIPTION: An old Tel Aviv building in the shadow of the
Shalom Tower skyscraper houses this delightful place. At
lunch, it's fast-paced and filled with business people, but in
the evenings, it becomes a cozy rustic retreat. The inventive
menu starts with earthy house bread and is flavored with lots of
zataar (local spices) as well as dill, garlic, lemon, and olive oil,
and interesting sauces of wild berry/pepper, lemon/honey, fig,
pistachio, or raisins. Appetizers include mushrooms stuffed with
gooseliver in plum-and-fig sauce; bouillabaisse; and calamari
stuffed with risotto and seafood. Main courses range from lamb
chops in spicy barbecue sauce to ostrich filet in curry, lemon,
and garlic. © Frommer's
Photo Courtesy of Kimmel
7 Dr. Shakshuka
DESCRIPTION: With its long, shared tables; great food and
prices; happy customers; and helpful staff, this is one of the
best ethnic restaurants in the country. Shakshuka is a panfried casserole of poached eggs and spicy tomato sauce; Dr.
Shakshuka's many versions of this dish come from Libya and
have been the best in Jaffa for two and a half generations. But
there's much more here: Tripoli-style couscous with mafrum
(potato stuffed with ground meat, served with stewed beef and
vegetable soup); stuffed vegetables; kishke (North African-style
intestine stuffed with meat and rice); grilled lamb patties; and
fresh grilled or fried fish. Main courses come with a meze of
fresh pita and eight Middle Eastern salads. Lemonade is the
drink of choice; a la carte, the meze is NIS 15 ($3.75/£1.90). ©
Frommer's
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Shakshuka
8 Last Refuge
DESCRIPTION: Right across the street from the Ambassador Hotel, this rather expensive but good
fish restaurant has weather-beaten nautical decor (not unlike something you'd find on Cape Cod or
Long Island), tables both indoors and outside on a seaside deck, and generous portions of seafood
and fish served in a variety of cream sauces. Simple, very fresh grilled fish is an excellent choice
here. © Frommer's
9 Wang's Grill
DESCRIPTION: This elegant restaurant uses Asian cooking techniques to produce delicious
dishes that have a Chinese influence, but are often far from standard Chinese food. Hot and cold
appetizers (mostly in the NIS 32-NIS 54/$8-$14/£4-£6.75 range) include interesting variations of
Asian crispy chicken salad and inventive California wonton soup, but you will also find ginger lamb
dumplings with wild mushrooms, ginger, and garlic sauce, or tangerine duck with toasted almonds
and crispy wontons on a bed of lettuce. A fusion grilled foie gras first course is NIS 90 ($23/£11).
Main courses include grilled sirloin steak with a spicy Szechuan sauce and vegetables; grilled sea
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bass with sautéed Chinese cabbage and mustard vinaigrette; and a number of variations of Peking
duck. Vegetable side dishes cost extra. Chocolate hazelnut terrine, poppy seed parfait, and a
dynamite hot chocolate cake/brownie with a molten interior are among the dessert choices. Wang's
has a kashrut certificate, and there's a NIS 41 ($10/£5.10) children's dinner not noted on the menu.
Tip: Look for 10% discount coupons in tourist brochures or at www.eluna.com. © Frommer's
contact:
tel: 08/633-3879
location:
Eilat
hours:
Daily noon-3pm and 6:30pmmidnight
10 Tandoori
DESCRIPTION: Located in the Lagoona Hotel building, with its entrance on King's Wharf, this is
one of frenzied Eilat's most calm and special restaurants. Beautifully decorated with Indian artifacts,
the restaurant serves a variety of Indian dishes, although it specializes in tandoori cooking. All
traditional styles executed with a light, elegant touch (let them know if you want authentic, fiery
spicing or prefer your dishes mild), and house creations, such as giant prawns in ginger marinade
or South Indian lamb in spiced coconut milk sauce, are very much worth trying, as are the stuffed
Indian breads and appetizers. Look into the reasonably priced luncheon specials, which include
soup, breads, four choices of main course, plus vegetable curry, basmati rice, dessert, and a drink.
Homemade desserts, such as the honeyed gulab jamun, are both exotic and delicious; and lassi,
a yogurt-based drink, is a cool antidote to Eilat's torrid temperatures and clears the palate between
hot courses. © Frommer's
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Tel Aviv Snapshot
Local Info
Tel Aviv isn't the only city in Israel that is on
the Mediterranean Sea, but it's the hippest
by far. At the northernmost point of Tel Aviv
is the Namal, or the port. Aside from great
restaurants and a very happening nightlife,
the Namal is also home to a farmer's
market on Fridays and arts and crafts fair
on Saturdays. From here you can grab an
iced coffee, a beer, a yogurt or a hummus
plate and watch the waves, the boats, and
the people. You can also get involved in any
number of activities, or shop at many of the
stores exclusive to the Namal.
At the southern end of Tel Aviv, is Jaffa,
an ancient port town. Though Tel Aviv
boasts 100 years as a city, Jaffa's history
goes back over 2000 years. The city is
mentioned in Egyptian sources and there
are many legends which state that Jaffa is
named for one of Noah's sons, Japheth,
who supposedly built the city up after the
great flood. There are other legends of
how the city came to be, how it was named
and they all pre-date 0 CE. The official
name of Tel Aviv is Tel Aviv-Jaffa, but not
for this reason alone should travelers visit
the gorgeous city of Jaffa. Every area of
Tel Aviv has a different feel. The Northern
end is known for being a little ritzier, a little
fancier, while Southern Tel Aviv boasts
a working population. Neve Tzedek is
an older section of the city, maintained
and beautiful. Each place has it's special
features, it's distinctive qualities. If you're
looking to get around Tel Aviv, I recommend
traversing by bus or by foot. Traveling
by car can be a daunting task for nonIsraeli drivers, and the streets don't often
go the way they are expected. There are
many one-ways and curving streets that
will lead you down unexpected, however
delightful, paths. Purchasing a street map
of Tel Aviv is your best bet, in English and
Hebrew, although all the street signs in are
English, Hebrew and Arabic. Also, people
are very friendly here and willing to help lost
travelers find their way. Use the sea as a
reference point and remember, it's in the
west!
If you're looking for a gorgeous place to
walk, jog, run, skate or cycle, the Tayalet is
one of the best ways to see the coastline
of the sea and Tel Aviv passing by on the
east. It is a path that runs from Jaffa to Tel
Aviv's old harbor. Hayarkon is the road that
runs parallel to the beach and the luxury
hotels all line the coast as well. One street
up from Hayarkon is Ben Yehuda, a great
destination for shopping and eating. Follow
the road south, and it turns into Allenby.
Here one can find the Carmel Market, or
the shuk as natives refer to it. Cheap shirts
printed shirts like"Don't Worry America,
Israel is Behind You" and Coca-Cola shirts
written in Hebrew can be find in the shuk,
along with trinkets, jewelry, fruit, nuts,
spices and other items you might find at
a flea market, all new. On Tuesdays and
Fridays, head one street south of the Shuk
to Nahalt Binyamin and you will find a crafts
fair. Local artisans create beautiful jewelry,
home decor, games, purses, frames,
mirrors, hamsas, menorahs, and other
items you may want to buy as a collectible,
rather than a souvenir. Near to Allenby is
Sheinkin Street, a place where you can
people watch and be people watched.
Another important street all visitors to
Tel Aviv must know and visit is Dizengoff
Road. It's a few streets east of Ben Yehuda,
though at the north end, they intersect.
At the other end is Dizengoff Center, a
standard shopping mall unremarkable in
all respects. But in between are designer
clothing stores, singular food experiences,
antique shops, book stores, and at least
20 places to buy shoes. If you get hot
or thirsty, there are a number of cafes
with inside and outside seating providing
momentary respite from shopping, but
keeping you involved in the hustle and
bustle of Dizengoff Street.
Continue walking east from the beach
and you will encounter Ibn Gvirol Street.
Here you can find almost any bus in either
direction. There are also many shops,
cafes and another shopping center, all
of which boast equally interesting fare
at a lower price simply because it's not
from Dizengoff. Also on the street is Kikar
Rabin(Rabin Square), and the memorial to
the late Prime Minister.
Amongst the variant neighborhoods of Tel
Aviv are Kikar Medina, and Basel Square,
both a little fancier and more quaint, both
located in Central Tel Aviv.
Neve Tzedek is one of the oldest sections
of Tel Aviv, but is very valuable real estate.
One of the top rated restaurant in Tel Aviv
is in Neve Tzedek, Angie's, and has been
designated as having the best filet mignon
in all of Israel.
Florentine is for furniture, but more than
that, it's a neighborhood in south of the Tel
Aviv that can be explored by walking down
Herzl Street. Tel Aviv's younger population
lives in Florentine, and those who don't live
there, often go there to party. Florentine has
the distinction of being able to boast about
wild parties on Yom Hatzmaut and other
holiday and party events.
The city of Tel Aviv is as diverse in people
as it is in activities and events. As the
capital and the largest city in Israel, you can
find many different types of people, Israeli
and immigrant, Jewish and Arab, rich and
poor, cultural and athletic, young and old.
Hebrew, Arabic and English are spoken
here, but so are Russian, French, Thai,
Spanish,Tagalog and Amharic. Like any
city, it has it's downfalls. But unlike most
other cities in the world, Tel Aviv continues
to grow in it's excitement and allure to the
traveling public. When you're booking your
next international flight, think of Tel Aviv and
all it has to offer.
©
History
The most important thing about Tel Aviv
is that it is the first all-Jewish city ever
founded. It is situated just north of the,
arguably, oldest city in Israel: Jaffa. What
you might recognize as a story from the
Bible is situated in the ancient port city
of Jaffa. It is supposedly named for one
son of Noah, Japheth. It is the city from
which Jonah sailed out from, and was
consequently tossed overboard and
swallowed by a whale. In 1909, Tel Aviv
was first founded and called"Ahuzat Bayit"
or Housing Property. 60 families began
the chore of building Tel Aviv from a sand
dune and has evolved into a thriving, sexy,
metropolitan city. The name Tel Aviv is
derived from two words in Hebrew. Tel is
not exactly hill, rather it means a man-made
hill which covers ancient ruins. Aviv means
Spring. So Tel Aviv is a city which bridges
that gap between old and new. Jaffa had
been a difficult place to live, crowded and
old. The first neighborhood of residence
was Neve Tzedek, a place still inhabited
and thriving with Jewish life. The sixty
Jewish families who opted to build a new
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Tel Aviv Snapshot continued
life participated in what has folklorically
been called the"Shell Lottery". There were
60 white shells with the name of one family
on each, and 60 gray shells with numbers
that corresponded to 60 pieces of property.
The shells were randomly paired and, in
this way, neighborhoods were formed. Meir
Dizengoff was the first mayor and served
the city of Tel Aviv until 1937.1917 brought
trouble.
Tel Aviv had been a city less than 10 years
and suddenly, the Ottoman Empire decided
they were unwanted residents, possible
spies for the British. The Jews were forced
out of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, but returned eight
months later. In 1921, there was an antiJewish pogrom in Jaffa and the majority
of the Jewish population opted to leave
the port city in favor of the Jewish town
of Tel Aviv to the north. By 1926, 40,000
Jews lived in Tel Aviv and by the 1930's
the population had risen to over 100,000
mostly due to the Jewish immigrants fleeing
the increasing anti-Semitic sentiment in
Europe. Among the immigrants were many
German architects, greatly influenced by
the Bauhaus style of German architecture.
Even today, one can travel through Tel Aviv
and feel the presence of these German
immigrants, much of their legacy remains.
The struggle against the British imperialists
begins shortly after World War II and the
end of the Holocaust when many Jews
fleeing Europe were denied entry. Walking
along the Tayelet now, one can see many
plaques or monuments noting where this
ship or that was successful or failed at
getting it's Jewish refugees on land. Jewish
residents all over Israel fought against the
British. That story can be, and has been,
told in volumes of written material, movies,
television shows, radio programs, internet
websites, museums, works of art, music
and other forms of communication known
to man. In 1947, the UN resolved to give
Israel to the Jewish people. The Declaration
of Independence was signed at the home
of Meir Dizengoff at 16 Rothschild, now
called Independence Hall. It is a historical
site not to be missed. The British High
Commissioner went home the next day and
then the surrounding Arab nations attacked.
Israel won the War of Independence,
and every war from that point forward.
The 1950's saw the construction of the
Mann Auditorium, home to the Israeli
Philharmonic, and also the development
of Tel Aviv University, one of Israel's four
prestigious universities.
In 1995, a student disgruntled by the
views of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was
assassinated at a peace rally outside of
Tel Aviv City Hall. The center has been
renamed Rabin Square in his honor.
2. Tourists time and again name
theSheraton Hotel as their favorite five
star hotel. It is in the middle of Hayarkon
Street, amidst fancy restaurants and beach
shopping.
©
3. If you wish to stay just outside Tel Aviv
in Jaffa, theOld Jaffa Hostel is quaint, with
pictures of early Tel Aviv-Jaffa in every
room. It is a cheaper, and not so out of the
way place to stay.
Hotel Insights
Any traveler on any budget is likely to find
exactly the right accommodations for his
or her needs in Tel Aviv. There are fivestar hotels, easy-to-find vacation rentals,
2,3 and 4 star hotels near to the beach,
vacation resorts, business hotels and
even hostels for younger travelers. Many
of the best luxury hotels are right on the
beach, such as Dan Panorama, David
Inter-Continental, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza
and Hilton. The high end hotels offer a
number of facilities such as pool, gym,
beauty and massage centers, while some
of the less expensive hotels are just off the
sea on Hayarokon Street and offer some
of the above amenities. The Metropolitan,
Astor, Basel and City hotels are all equally
agreeable and in locations that are easy
to access, within walking distance to the
beach and near to restaurants, shopping
and historical landmarks. The cheapest
place to stay is where Allenby Street and
Ben Yehuda Street intersect. As with
many cities, the cheapest places to stay
are usually in the least pleasant areas.
The same goes for Tel Aviv. But, if you're
not concerned with the area and are just
looking for a place to crash, this area might
work out well for you and save you some
money.
There are other less expensive options
in nicer areas such as the Galileo in the
Yemenite Quarter. There are many easy
to find, clean hostels to stay in such as
Hayarkon 48 or the Dizengoff Square
Hostel, on Dizengoff Street. Another option
to consider is the vacation rental, often
priced lower than a large hotel, but with
the amenities of home, including a kitchen
and a balcony overlooking an often quiet,
and lovely, neighborhood of Tel Aviv. The
vacation rentals are generally cheaper, and
just as accommodating as hotels.
A local guide has rated the following as the
top nine places to stay in Tel Aviv:
1. Melody Hotel, is recommended as
the best hotel at mid-four star range. It is
recently renovated and near to the beach.
4. Hotel Motifiore is one of the newest
hotels that boasts excellent service and a
restaurant that is not to be missed.
5. TheHilton Hotel is a more private choice
of hotel offering Japanese sushi in it's hotel
restaurant.
6. If you're on a business trip, and need
a hotel not located on the beach, but
closer to the business district, the local
recommendation isVital Hotel and is perfect
for business people visiting Tel Aviv. It
provides the business facilities you need
and is near to the Tel Aviv Museum and the
Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center.
7. Cinema Hotel is located near the
Dizengoff Center, next to the historic
fountain and offers a reasonably priced stay
with a theme!
8. If you wish to stay in Neve Tzedek, the
Nina Hotel is one of the most popular hotels
in Tel Aviv. With a charming boutique feel,
the Nina Hotel is situated in the heart of
historic Tel Aviv.
9. Maxim Hotel is rated highly among
travelers to Tel Aviv for it's location and low
prices. It is a great budget hotel.
©
Restaurants Insights
If you're hungry in Tel Aviv and it's 4
a.m., don't worry, you'll still be able to find
something! And it'll be delicious and worth
your money. Whereas partiers in the US are
used to heading through the late night drive
thrus at Wendy's and Taco Bell, or crashing
into a booth at Denny's, Tel Aviv offers a
number of late night shwarma stands, and
most bars that close at last customer also
serve food until closing. You can find kosher
cuisine in Tel Aviv and although it IS the
Holy Land, most restaurants are open on
Friday nights and Saturdays.
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It's almost Israeli policy to eat dinner late at
night. Meeting for dinner is a casual affair,
nine or ten o'clock is normal and nobody
is rushing you to finish a meal and get out
of your chair. At ten o'clock, you'll still be
waiting for a table. So grab a drink at the
bar and wait your turn. The question is
never what can we eat tonight, but where
haven't we eaten yet? There are very few
chain restaurants in Israel, some including
Max Brenner, Aroma, Spaghettim, Karnaf,
and the individual eateries offer a variety of
very tasty food.
If you're in the mood to discover, take a
stroll down Rothschild Boulevard, known
for it's classier feel and ritzier restaurants.
For something a little more relaxed, but
still fancy, try Basel Road in North Tel
Aviv. Dizengoff will provide a number of
cafes and Hayarkon Street has a spectrum
of restaurants from beachfront fancy, to
McDonalds, from bistros to cafes. There is
also a wide variety of international cuisine.
Israelis tend to favor Asian food, with
more than a few sushi restaurants, and
one always in walking distance. You can
find Arabic, Indian and South American to
try, as well as Italian, Chinese and what
barely passes for Mexican. Once a year in
late May, early June the Ta'am Ha'Ir food
festival takes place at Hayarkon Park and
offers visitors to try foods of all kinds from
every type of restaurant in Tel Aviv.
Dish sizes are proportional to what people
should be eating; so if the waiter drops off
your plate and you think you can't possibly
be content with what's there, wait until
you're through before you order the second
course. Standard salads include thinly
chopped lettuce, red onion, tomatoes and
cucumbers with lemon dressing. Another
standard dish is toast. It's also not what an
English-speaker would normally imagine.
The Israelis melt cheese and sometimes
vegetables in between two pieces of bread,
very tasty and relatively common to most
restaurants. Desserts are superior in Israel.
It seems to be a source of pride for each
restaurant to serve exquisite desserts, so
if you're dining out, splurge on something
sweet after the main course.
©
Nightlife Insights
Tel Aviv's streets are lined with hairdressers
and cafés, which will tell you something
about the population of this city. Tel
Avivians love to be seen and to go out. If
you stay a few months in the city, you will
notice that social businesses open, close
and change with alarming rapidity, hinting
that this is a city that loves novelty.
Allenby 58, which used to be'the' nightclub,
is now gone and a state-of-the-art
hairdressing salon stands in its place.
Cafés and bars also tend to disappear,
move location and change their image
frequently. Maybe this is because Tel
Aviv is a non-stop city, providing 24 hour
entertainment, always experimenting,
improvising and embracing new horizons.
Tel Aviv prides itself on being the cultural
heartbeat of Israel. The municipality
provides a huge amount of cultural events,
many of them free throughout the year.
For the young at heart there is a DJ
competition, where the five winners host
a free outdoor rave for the city. For those
who love celebrating there are outdoor
carnivals such as the Love Parade and Gay
Pride. For the classically oriented, the Israel
Philharmonic gives a free summer concert
in Hayarkon Park and opera performances
are broadcast live to the masses on a giant
screen in July and August.
There are all sorts of festivals, celebrating
food, chocolate, Irish culture, Cuban
culture, jazz, Afro-American music,
percussion, children's tales and the list
goes on. For Hebrew speakers, Ahba
Ha'Ir(City Mouse) provides good listings of
Tel Aviv events. English speakers should
pick up a Friday edition of the Ha'aretz/
Herald Tribune International, which
containsThe Guide—a listings magazine.
Tel Aviv is where Israel's finest theatre,
dance and music can be sampled. The
Suzanne Dellal Centre in the historic Neve
Tzedek neighborhood is a beautifully
restored building(formerly a school) which
is home to the Inbal and Bat Sheva dance
troupes and an impressive dance venue.
The Habima is Israel's national theatre.
The Habima group which began life in
1917 in Moscow, was the first Hebrew
speaking theatre. Located next door is the
Mann Auditorium which houses the Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Cameri Theatre, located in the upstairs
of a shopping precinct on Dizengoff Street,
shows thought-provoking contemporary
pieces, with a simultaneous translation
into English on Tuesday nights. For film
lovers, there is the Cinematheque—the first
institution of its kind in Israel. There are
film festivals, workshops, free foyer events
and the screenings of dozens of films every
month.
If you're going out at night in Tel Aviv, it's
worth noting that most locals don't go out
until close to midnight and most cafés stay
open until the wee small hours. Alcohol
and pubs do not play a huge part in Israeli
nightlife as Israelis have a notoriously low
tolerance for alcohol. Instead the custom is
to sit at an outdoor café until late, late, late.
On a summer's night on the Tayelet(beach
promenade) the pavements are still thick
with people at 3a. Many clubs keep on
going until daylight.
You may encounter a'selectorit' at the
entrance to certain very image-conscious
nightclubs. This is someone who looks
the potential clientele up and down and
decides who looks good enough to go in.
Thankfully, the Knesset(Israeli parliament)
passed a law in December 2000, outlawing
discrimination on the part of nightclubs
as to who can and cannot enter. Some
of the livelier areas at night include the
strip of Allenby Street near Carmel market,
Sheinkin Street, Florentine and areas near
the beach.
The beach is a sure source of
entertainment in all seasons and at all
hours. In summer, it is packed body to
body with both tourists and locals. But,
all year round the beach is great for both
people watching and wave-watching, water
sports and impromptu games of football
and beach tennis, night picnics, romantic
walks, jogging and meditating.
9
On Friday nights, the alternative population
of Tel Aviv gathers on Chinky Beach to
drum in the sunset. Normally the crowd
includes a few digeridoo players and fire
jugglers.
Tel Aviv's live and let-live attitude has
led to the flourishing of a lively gay
community. There are numerous cafes,
bars, clubs and saunas, catering to both
a mixed and gay-only crowd. The The
Tel Aviv Cinematheque screens gay films
every month as part of its Pink Cinema
Club. Hebrew speakers can pick up
Varod Zman(The Pink Times) for listings
information.
Tel Aviv is a magnet for those from all over
the country who want to have fun and be
entertained. With a country whose past is
so tainted by the fight for survival, there
is very much a live-for-the-day attitude.
This results in Israelis loving to go out
and celebrate. This non-stop party is a
bubble from some of the harsher realities
of life in Israel. The attitude here is: Go
dancing, sip coffee until late and'yihiye
beseder'(everything will be fine).
©
Things to Do Insights
Tel Aviv is a city of life and movement,
where your greatest tour will simply be
exploring the city as it is while you are there
—for tomorrow it will surely be different.
While the concrete buildings and homes
are permanent, the best the city has to offer
is constantly moving, just like its youthful
population.
at 9.30am outside the clock tower. If you
are not on the Wednesday tour, don't fear.
Follow the signs to Kedumim Square,
where the Tourist Office is located, and
pick up a map. With map in hand, you
can start exploring. The area of Kedumim
Square is the centre of Old Jaffa, with
shops, galleries and restaurants branching
off from it. The large church you can see is
St. Peter's Church and Monastery. As an
artist's colony, there are wonderful galleries
and artisan's stores to look at.
One of the artists living in Old Jaffa, Ilana
Goor, has turned her home into a piece
of living art. The The Ilana Goor Museum
is filled with bold and jazzy art collectors'
pieces. You can sit on a state-of-the-art
rocking chair or have a coffee on the top
level, which has a wonderful sea view. If
you're lucky, you may catch Ilana coming in
with her groceries and have a chat.
The Old City is a very atmospheric place,
perhaps owing to the legends that surround
it, the biblical figures who have passed
through it and the ruling powers who
have been and gone throughout the
past 4,000 years. There are good fish
restaurants if you wish to stay and soak up
the atmosphere. At night the Old City is lit
up, adding a magical and romantic touch to
any evening. In the summer months, there
is free jazz on a Saturday night in Kedumim
Square.
Jaffa is also famed for its Jaffa Flea Market,
which is found outside the Old City, east of
Yefet Street. The market has rugs, water
pipes, antiques and hippy clothes aplenty,
but be prepared to haggle for a good price.
But while Tel Aviv is young, it started out
as a distant suburb of its four thousand
year-old neighbor to the south. Jaffa, forty
times as old as Tel Aviv, is a fascinating
place to wander around. It is here that the
whale spat out Jonah and it has been a port
since the times of King Solomon. Today,
Old Jaffa is a place of quaint winding alleys,
cobbled streets and beautiful gardens with
sea views.
If you still have the energy a walk along
the Tayelet, it's the most pleasant way to
travel back to Tel Aviv, which lies 2km north.
There are several beachside cafes on the
way back, if you want to stop and rest. The
Charles Clore Park offers a green spot to sit
and look at the golden sand and turquoise
waves.
©
If you're lucky enough to be in Jaffa on
a Wednesday, the Tourist Office runs a
free English speaking tour which meets
Travel Tips
By Bus: When you travel by bus, the
drivers are usually helpful in letting you
know where your stop is. Exact change will
get you further than just your destination.
If you desire to go to the center of Tel Aviv
from the Central Bus Station, take bus 4
to Allenby Road, which continues onto
Ben-Yehuda Street. this is one block up
from Ha-Yarkon, which runs parallel to the
Mediterranean Sea. Bus 5 will take you to
Mann Auditorium, Dizengoff Square, and
Dizengoff Street. There are sheruts, yellow
passenger vans that travel up and down
Ben-Yehuda Street. Look for 4 or 5 in a
van headed in your direction. The amount
is posted on the inside of the window. Get
in, sit down and pass your money forward.
This is the quick way, not the man to ask
questions to. If you are curious about a
where or a what, ask a fellow passenger. If
you want to go to Jaffa from the Central Bus
Station, take bus 46 and get off at the Clock
Tower on Yefet Street.
Standard fare in Tel Aviv is NIS 5.80
shekels, more to and from peripheral areas
like Raanana, Netanya and Petah Tikva.
To get to Jaffa from Tel Aviv, take buses
10, 25, or 26 heading south. Bus 10 runs
one street up from the Sea on Ben Yehuda
Street where you should get off at the Clock
Tower on Yefet Street. You will be near
to Old Jaffa and the flea market. You can
pick up Bus 25 on King George Street near
Dizengoff Street. It runs through Jaffa on
Jerusalem Street, which is a very long block
that runs inland parallel to Yefet Street. One
may walk to Jaffa heading south on the
promenade. If you take Bus 25 norht, you
will get to the Diaspora Museum of Jewish
History and Tel Aviv University.
For intercity Egged bus information, call
tel. 03/694-8888. For information on Dan
Bus service, which operates in the Tel
Aviv/Sharon region, call tel. 03/639-4444.
By Taxi Unlike many American cities, taxis
are everywhere in Tel Aviv. Stick your hand
out and one will pull over shortly. However,
in the rare case that they are nowhere to
be found, get to a major hotel. They have
either a taxi line or can call one for you.
When riding in the taxi you can demand
that he run the meter, but many drivers
will agree on a fee to your destination.
However, unless someone trustworthy
has told you how much said destination
should be, ask for the meter. If you choose
to use the meter, ask for a receipt(ka-balah). Taxi drivers will ask more on Shabbat
and after 9pm. Taxis are a safe mode of
transportation used by all citizens.
10
By Train For train schedules, call
tel. 03/577-4000. A cleaner and more
accessible train station is Arlozorof Train
Station at the east end of Arlozorof Street.
You can go up the coast to Nahariya in
the north, or Beersheva to the south,
or East to Jerusalem. There is a link to
Ben-Gurion Airport. For the most current
information on schedules and fares, go to
www.israrail.org.il.
©
Fun Facts
1. A surprising fact: Tel Aviv has only half
the population of Jerusalem -- Approx.
400,000 to Jerusalem's 796,000 .
2. Cool fact: In 2003 Tel Aviv was
designated a White City by UNESCO in
recognition of the multitude of Bauhausstyle(generally white) buildings designed by
German Jewish architects who immigrated
to Israel in the 1920s and 30s.
3. Interesting fact: Tel Aviv celebrated its
centennial in 2009. The city was founded in
1909 by a tiny group of Jews who had been
living in nearby Jaffa.
4. Random fact: It takes a little less than an
hour to drive between Jerusalem and Tel
Aviv(43 miles) Another interesting fact: The
Jewish state came into being in Tel aviv
on May 14, 1948 when David Ben-Gurion
read the Declaration of Independence at
the home of Mayor Dizengoff. Today the
house is a museum.
5. Fun fact: Tel Aviv boasts ten beaches
along the length of its seafront.
6. Weird fact: The Nordau Beach has
separate days for men and women. It
caters to the ultra-orthodox and women
who don't feel comfortable on a beach with
men. The beach is surrounded by a wall
and is open for women on Sunday, Tuesday
and Thursday while men rule the roost on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
7. It's a fact that Tel Aviv boasts more than
25 miles of bike paths--generally a quicker
way of getting around than by car where
you'll find yourself sitting in traffic during
most hours of the day.
8. Another random fact: Tel Aviv's climate
could almost be interchangeable with
Miami. Heat and humidity rule for most of
the year and winters are mild.
9. It's a fun fact that 18 out of Israel's 35
performing arts centers are located in Tel
Aviv.
10. A random fact about Tel Aviv's emblem.
It was designed by artist Nahum Guttman in
the 1950s and features 7 stars to represent
the 7-hour working day that Zionist thinker
Theodor Herzl held to be the ideal work
day...
11. Another fun fact: Tel Aviv is the capital
of Israel's cafe culture. Many of the cafes
founded before Israel became a state in
1948 are still popular today.
12. A random fact: calling someone
a"tzfoni" in Hebrew("northy") is shorthand
for saying the person is a materialistic snob.
North Tel Aviv is where the bourgeoisie
hang out.
© NileGuide
11
Jerusalem Snapshot
Local Info
From the sky, Jerusalem is a mass of
white stone dwellings, spread over hilltops,
with the walled Old City as a center point.
Despite the city's buildings all being made
from the same stone,(this is according to
a planning law), the diversity from area
to area is huge, with each neighborhood
being its own little world. Within a matter
of kilometers you can switch from the
history and intensity of the Old City, to the
cosmopolitan buzz of downtown, from the
hubbub of a souk to the peacefulness of
a panoramic look-out point, from hearing
Arabic on Salah Al-Din Street to Hebrew
in Malha Mall, from the religiosity of Mea
Shearim to the dance club culture of Talpiot.
Old City
The walled Old City is the center of
Jerusalem(but sometimes feels like the
center of the world), with Jewish West
Jerusalem on its one side and Arab East
Jerusalem on its other. It's a wonderful
place to get lost in by day and to marvel at
its fairytale-like beauty when it is floodlit at
night. A walk around the Ramparts Walk of
the city walls is recommended to get a feel
for the geography of the Old City, which is
composed of several different areas: the
Muslim, Christian, Armenian, and Jewish
Quarters as well as the highly contested
Temple Mount. These quarters within the
Old City can be divided into East Jerusalem
and West Jerusalem.
East Jerusalem
The Temple Mount is the location where it is
said that Abraham prepared to sacrifice his
son. Later, the First and Second Temples
were built on this site, and it is believed
that this is also the location from where
the Islamic prophet Mohammed went to
heaven. The gleaming gold-topped Dome
of the Rock mosque, which dominates the
Jerusalem skyline, stands in this compound
as does Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The only remaining wall of the Temple
provides the border between the Temple
Mount and Jewish Quarter. This is the
Western(Wailing) Wall and Judaism's most
holy site, where worshippers pray verbally
and stick written prayers into the cracks
between the ancient bricks. The Jewish
quarter also contains numerous religious
institutions, museums and archaeological
sites, such as the Cardo, an ancient Roman
thoroughfare.
Another must-see area is West Jerusalem's
Mea Shearim, which is inhabited by strictly
Orthodox Jews living a life devoted to
the Torah and dressing in the same way
they have been doing for the last hundred
years. Visitors should walk around this area
with respect- in modest dress, without a
camera, and refraining from public displays
of affection.
The adjacent areas of Nahlaot and Mahane
Yehuda Market are fascinating to walk
through during the day- a bustling market
and a pedestrianized residential area with
the sound of song floating down alleyways
and the poor and the gentrified living side
by side in this old part of town.
Bordering the other side of the Temple
Mount is the Muslim Quarter, which is
rich in architecture from the Mamluk
period(1250-1516). Its souks, which wind
through countless alleys, are a treat for
the senses, where you can experience the
scent of Turkish coffee, the cries of the
market sellers and interesting merchandise
ranging from hair ribbons to chicken legs to
feast your eyes on.
For people watching in East Jerusalem,
the Damascus Gate area and Salah Al-Din
Street are a hive of activity with vendors
selling produce along the roadside and
service taxis coming and going from
Palestinian areas all over the country.
West Jerusalem
The differences in language, sights, and
sounds between East and West Jerusalem
will make you think you have arrived in a
new country. Jaffa Gate is the entrance
to the Armenian Quarter and Christian
Quarters. On your way in, you will pass the
Tower of David Museum. The Armenian
Quarter is home to some 1000 Armenian
residents, and much of the life of this
community goes on behind the high walls of
the Armenian Compound.
Within the Christian Quarter is the Holy
Sepulchre where Jesus is said to have
been crucified. Many pilgrims follow Jesus'
last footsteps to this church along the 500
meter(one third mile) Via Dolorosa, (which
is best approached from Lion's Gate). The
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer and
the Ethiopian Compound are also in this
quarter.
Outside the Old City
One kilometer outside the walls of the
ancient city(exit from Lion's Gate), more
religious sites and wonderful views
can be taken in from atop the Mount of
Olives, home to the spectacular St Mary
Magdalene, with its golden rooftop, the
Chapel of the Ascension where they say
Jesus rose to heaven and the Tomb of the
Virgin Mary.
For fun, try the Russian Compund at
night(West Jerusalem's bar area) and the
touristy Ben Yehuda Street, Zion Square
and surrounding alleyways, which have
a lively mix of cafes, restaurants and
specialty stores.
To get a feel for what hip locals like to do
at night, go to the German Colony's Emek
Refaim Street- a strip of eateries a couple
of kilometers South of the Old City, with
outdoor tables and specialty stores or the
industrial zone of Talpiot(a few kilometers
further south along the same road), which
houses some of the city's dance clubs.
©
History
Jerusalem is a city rich in history. King
David ruled it 3000 years ago, Jesus
walked in its streets 2000 years ago and
over half a century ago it became the
capital of modern Israel. Jerusalem's
history has been a tumultuous and bloody
one. Over the centuries, the Egyptians,
Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks,
Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders,
Mamluks, Ottomans and British all fought
12
Jerusalem Snapshot continued
for her, ruled over her, and eventually lost
her.
One of the best ways to get a grip on the
dizzying change of rulers in Jerusalem is
to visit the Time Elevator, a simulated ride
through the city's history, narrated byFiddler
on the Roof star, Chaim Topol. This is a fun
introduction for children and those wanting
a framework for further understanding
Jerusalem's past.
But history is all around you in the layers of
Jerusalem, which go deep, with ruins from
different time periods lodged on top of each
other. Excavations in the City of David(the
oldest part of the city, which dates back
to 1800 BCE) have revealed 25 strata of
settlement.
Of course, Jerusalem is an archaeologist's
paradise. Relics discovered before 1948
are housed in the Rockerfeller Museum,
and those excavated post-1948 are housed
in the Israel Museum's Samuel Bronfman
Archaeology Wing, which has rooms
dealing with prehistory, the Canaanites,
Israelites, the Second Temple period, the
Romans and Byzantines.
The story of Jerusalem as a capital begins
in 1000 BCE when King David proclaimed
it capital of the Kingdom of Israel and his
son, Solomon, built the first Temple. In
701 BCE, when the city came under siege
from the Assyrians, King Hezekiah built an
underground tunnel so that the city's water
supply would not be cut off. Visitors can
still walk through this dark tunnel, which
is knee-deep in water and runs between
Gihon Spring and the Pool of Siloam.
In 586 BCE the Babylonians conquered the
city, destroyed the Temple, and drove its
population into exile. Some 47 years later,
the Persians captured the city, allowed the
exiles to return and a Second Temple was
built. In 322 BCE, the Greeks took the city,
until a Jewish rebellion in 164 BCE put the
Hasmoneans in charge. In 63 BCE came
the Romans and the rule of King Herod.
It was at this time that Jesus was born.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the
Christian Quarter of the Old City marks
the supposed site of Jesus' burial and
resurrection place, and this is considered to
be the world's most holy Christian shrine.
In the year 70, the Romans destroyed the
Second Temple. Only one of its outer walls
remained intact, and this is the Western(or
wailing) Wall, the most sacred Jewish site in
the world.
The Roman period lasted until 326 when
the Byzantines came. The Cardo, the main
thoroughfare of Roman Jerusalem(called
Aelia Capitolina), still remains today.
The Byzantine period came to an end with
an Arab takeover in 638. The Dome of
the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque were built,
and this complex became the third most
holy Muslim site after Mecca and Medina.
According to Islamic tradition, Al-Aqsa is
the spot where Muhammed tied his winged
horse before ascending to heaven.
In 1099, the Crusades began and a
Christian kingdom was established. Jews
were burnt alive, and Muslims were either
slaughtered or expelled. In 1187, Saladin
took the city, allowing the exiles to return
and Christians to stay. This saw the
beginning of the Old City's division into four
distinct quarters.
In 1254, the Turks came and slaughtered
most of the Christians, then in 1260 came
the Mamluks. Much of the architecture in
today's Muslim Quarter stems back to the
Mamluk Period.
In 1517, the city was taken by the
Ottomans, who built the city walls in their
current form. Because Jerusalem was
an outpost of the Turkish Empire, it got
neglected and by the mid-1800s the great
powers of Europe were rediscovering the
Holy Land and establishing their presence.
During this period, foreigners started
to build outside the city walls, creating
neighborhoods such as the Russian
Compound, the German Colony, Mea
Shearim, and Yemin Moshe.
In 1917, the British captured Jerusalem and
made it the capital of the British Mandate in
Palestine. In May 1948, Britain pulled out,
and a war erupted between the Jews and
the Arabs. This resulted in West Jerusalem
being under siege. Jews were forced out
of the Old City and lost their rights to pray
there. The Jewish Quarter of the Old City
was destroyed. The city became divided
with Israel having sovereignty over West
Jerusalem(its capital), while Jordan was in
control of the Old City and East Jerusalem.
The situation changed during the SixDay War in 1967, when in response to
attacks from King Hussein of Jordan on
Jewish Jerusalem, the Israelis advanced
and took the Old City and East Jerusalem.
The destroyed Jewish Quarter was rebuilt
post-1967.
Today the debate and conflict over
Jerusalem still continues. But as history
has shown us, this is nothing new. The
players may be different, but the theme is
the same- the quest for control over this
beautiful and sacred city.
©
Hotel Insights
Jerusalem has been hosting pilgrims and
visitors for centuries. Today, just as in days
past, visitors come from every corner of the
world to experience the special atmosphere
of a city that's holy to the majority of the
world's population.
Amongst the 63 hotels scattered throughout
the city, you'll find everything from the
iconic and priceyKing David Hotel to the
simplicity and quiet of the guest house
operated by the sisters of Notre Dame in
picturesque Ein Kerem--and a host of chain
and boutique hotels in-between.
Jerusalem's hotels are just about evenly
divided between the predominantly Jewish
western side of Jerusalem and Arab
eastern Jerusalem. Most of the Arabowned hotels are on the eastern side, but
a number of the chain hotels and Jewishowned boutique hotels are also close to
the Old City, where the majority of religious
sites are located.
In and Around the Old City
Inside the walls of the Old City is an array
of small, budget-price hostelries. Some,
like theSt. Mark's Lutheran Hostel are run
by various Christian religious groups and
are the place to meet fellow travelers and
soak in the atmosphere of the alleys of
the Old City. Other commercial hostels
like the venerablePetra Hotel and Hostel
offer similar style accommodations in 19th-
13
century buildings in and around the bustling
Jaffa Gate. A bonus is the awe-inspiring
view over the nearby rooftops, steeples
and domes of the Old City. For more
Old City ambience, try one of the small,
independently-run hotels like theGloria
where you'll find modest, but comfortable
rooms and friendly service. (None of these
hotels are kosher.)
Close by, but outside the wall is the supermodern, deluxeMamilla Hotel with the very
latest in amenities plus a trendy Mirror Bar
and Rooftop Restaurant. A few hundred
yards up the street is the cheap but welllocatedYMCA Three Arches Hotel, which
shares space with the Jerusalem YMCA,
built by the same architect who designed
the Empire State Building.
Other options within walking distance of
the Old City include the basic, clean and
modernEldan Hotel, the luxuryDavid's
Citadel and the modestBeit Shmuel
Guest House. TheMount Zion Hotel is a
great choice if you're looking for 4-star
accommodations in an authentic Ottomanstyle atmosphere. Rooms and public areas
look out over Mt Zion and the walls of the
Old City and the entire hotel is decorated in
rich Middle Eastern style.(All these hotels
are kosher.)
Further Afield
A cluster of new glatt kosher hotels
catering mostly to groups is located north
of Damascus Gate, across from the Meah
Shearim neighborhood. They include
theOlive Tree and theMoriah Classic.These
are a good bet if you'll be attending a
conference at Hebrew University Mount
Scopus or Hadassah Hospital Mount
Scopus branch.
On the other side of town, close to the
Convention Center, Central Bus Station
and Government Compound is theCrowne
Plaza that hosts Jerusalem's best Indian
restaurant and boasts some great views
from the upper floors.
Downtown Jerusalem
In and around central Jerusalem, where
more and more of the area is going to
pedestrian-only streets lined with cafes,
boutiques and gift shops, there are plenty
of hotel options too.The Montefiore, tucked
away on a quiet side street is a solid 3-star
hotel with an outstanding kosher restaurant
attached. On weekendsThe Leonardo
Plaza is a favorite of religious visitors, who
enjoy the 10 minute stroll to the Old City
as well as its proximity to the Ben Yehuda
Street Pedestrian Mall.
Other Options
Hotels and hostels aren't the only
places to stay in Jerusalem. There's an
active bed and breakfast scene in many
neighborhoods of the city too, for those
looking for a taste of local life. Check out
BedandBreakfast.com for some options.
© NileGuide
Israel's plentiful range of home-grown fruits
and vegetables means that Jerusalem
has wonderful salads, fresh juices, and
vegetarian dishes to offer. Menus draw
heavily on local ingredients such as pine
nuts, eggplant, mint, chickpeas, tomato,
cucumber, avocados, figs, and Bulgarian
cheese(Israel's answer to feta).
West Jerusalem
Vegetarians will find Jerusalem an easy
city to eat out in, thanks to Jewish dietary
laws that do not allow milk and meat dishes
to be served in the same restaurant. Look
out for Kosher dairy restaurants, which
will have no meat on their menu, such as
Yerushalayim haKatana, but might serve
fish, and the juice bars that line the roads
and alleys of the downtown area. For pure
vegetarian food try the canteen style Village
Green in the center of town.
Jerusalem has an eclectic range of food to
offer due to its standing as an international
city, a city on the crossroads between
North Africa, the Mediterranean, and
the Middle East–a city which is home to
both Arab and Jewish cultures. Israel's
Jewish immigrants come from all corners
of the globe, leading to a lively culinary
mix. Jewish food is more than smoked
salmon bagels(available at the Holy Bagel)
and chopped liver. It ismalouweh from
Yemen(a deep fried dough served with
tomato relish), spicy couscous stews from
Morocco, on the menu at Darna, as well
as the chicken matzo-ball soup and gefilte
fish of Eastern Europe, served by places
such as Marvad Haksamim in the Hechal
Shlomo synagogue. At ILS130 a head, the
King David is probably the priciest option.
The city's favorite snacks arefalafel(deep
fried balls made from crushed chick peas)
andshwarma(slices of lamb) – both of
which are served in pita bread along with
hummus, tehina, salads, chips, pickles and
spicy sauce. In West Jerusalem, head to
the alleys of the Mahane Yehuda market for
a cheap and authentic falafel experience.
Things happen late in Israel, and many
restaurants do not get busy until 9p or
later. The biggest concentration of eateries
in West Jerusalem is in the pedestrians'
area around Zion Square and Ben Yehuda
Street, including the charming alleyways
of Nahalat Shiva and Yoel Solomon. As
this is a popular tourist area there are
cuisines here from all around the world:
bagel stands, creperies, South American
steakhouses such as Pampas or El
Gaucho, and Far Eastern food, be it sushi
at Sakura or kimchee at Korea House, to
name a few.
During Shabbat(just before sundown on
Friday to the appearance of the first three
stars on Saturday night) many eateries in
West Jerusalem will be closed. However,
non-Kosher establishments are open as
well as the plethora of restaurants in East
Jerusalem and the Old City(bar the Jewish
Quarter), so you won't go hungry.
East Jerusalem
Sahlab is a delicious Arab drink made
from the roots of orchids, which is served
warm with a nutmeg and shredded
coconut topping. Another popular local
delicacy is theboureka – puff pastry with
a savory filling, such as mashed potato,
spinach, mushrooms, or white cheese. The
Arabesque Restaurant is the place to go
to get all of the traditional Middle Eastern
cuisine as well as selections from various
countries all over Central and Eastern
Europe. Val's Brasserie Lounge is located
in the American Colony Hotel and offers a
relaxing experience and dishes from around
the world.
Many Arab eateries, such as Pasha's, will
provide anargillah(water pipe with flavored
14
tobacco) for relaxing after a meal. Israel is
known for its light, healthy breakfasts and a
visit to a breakfast buffet at a five-star hotel
is recommended. The staples of an Israeli
breakfast are a large range of cheeses and
salad vegetables. In keeping with five-star
tradition, there will also be omelets, crepes,
smoked salmon, cheesecake, and fresh
fruit. Guests can help themselves as many
times as they like, and lunch afterwards is
rarely necessary!
Old City
Inside the Old City, there are many places
to grab a takeaway falafel or shwarma.
Some other options for eating in this area
are the charming Armenia Taverna or the
more casual Bagel Bite. Also in the Old
City is the always delicious and gourmet
Michael Andrew. Abu Shakri in the Arab
quarter provides good Middle Eastern food–
for those wishing to eat their falafel sitting
down. Trylabana, a white cheese, andfoul –
a bean dish seasoned with lemon juice.
©
Nightlife Insights
As the capital of the modern state of Israel
as well as a meeting point of so many
Middle East cultures, Jerusalem offers a
sophisticated nightlife scene.
While not as brash as the Tel Aviv scene,
Jerusalem has its own brand of club
culture, but most of Jerusalem's nightlife
focuses on the cultural side of things.
Open-air concerts, films, street festivals
and theater are where most Jerusalemites
spend their evenings, along with a heavy
dose of cafe culture and people-watching.
Strolling along the downtown pedestrian
Ben Yehuda Street and Mamilla malls and
along lively Emek Refaim Street are other
favorite ways to pass an evening.
For a comprehensive calendar of events
in English, check out the Friday edition of
the Jerusalem Post or Haaretz-International
Herald Tribune.
Music and Performance
TheJerusalem Theater complex, with its
three auditoriums, spacious lobby and
wide outside plaza hosts a mind-boggling
variety of concerts, dance and theater
performances all through the year.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra uses
the 4,000-seat International Convention
Center for their regular concerts. For a
more intimate experience, try the wine and
jazz evenings at theTicho House or the
world music series at the Confederation
House, overlooking the walls of the Old
City.
In the early summer, look for the Sounding
Jerusalem series--two weeks of free
classical chamber concerts in a variety
of venues in and around the Old City, as
well as the exquisite classical concerts on
Saturday evenings in the Crusader-period
courtyard of theChurch of the Redeemer in
the Christian Quarter.
The vibrant club scene in the commercial
district of Talpiot, south of downtown, has
expanded to include a number of venues
in the Train Station compound, such as the
trendy Colony, a popular bar/restaurant
hang-out for journalists, UN personnel and
government officials. A few hundred yards
away, HaMa'abada offers up innovative
performance space and a mixed-age
crowd.
Don't show up anyplace too early in the
evening--the Jerusalem scene doesn't get
underway until around midnight.
Movies
Jerusalem is a great movie town. As the
home of theCinematheque, an art-house
complex of cinemas that also houses
Israel's official film archive, Jerusalem
holds its own with a string of film festivals;
two cinemas at the Jerusalem Theater
andSmadar, an independent film house and
cafe in the German Colony.(Smadar is one
of the relatively few places open on Friday
night.) Mainstream releases show up at
the multi-plex housed in the International
Convention Center.
Arts Festivals
Jerusalem's mayor is heavily invested
in making Jerusalem a cultural capital,
and the number of cultural festivals that
go on all through the year is making that
happen. Whether it's the Hutzot Hayotzer
International Arts& Crafts Fair; the Israel
Festival in May that brings performers
from all over the world to Jerusalem, or the
Houses from Within extravaganza in the fall
that allows the curious to visit every kind of
interesting house in Jerusalem,Jerusalem
at night is an exciting place to be.
© NileGuide
The wonderful thing about Jerusalem
is the many worlds it encapsulates and
the hustle and bustle of human life going
on in different places. This city is a
people watching paradise, and seeing its
various neighborhoods on foot can take
a few hours,(including falafel and coffee
stops). It's always fun to"get lost a little"
because by wandering down alleys of new
neighborhoods, you will experience the
flavors and atmosphere of Jerusalem for
yourself.
Mahane Yehuda Market
Begin this tour at the Mahane Yehuda
Market. There are several avenues to
walk up and down(some inside, some
outdoors). The produce is both fresh and
cheap, making it a good place to pick up
fruit, vegetables, pita bread, and pastries.
It is a treat for the senses, with vendors
talking loudly in Hebrew and Arabic and the
crowds jostling with each other. Here you
can pick up the cheapest falafel in West
Jerusalem as well as many other tasty local
treats. Next, head on to the Jaffa Gate,
which also has its own tourist information
center. This gate is a crossroads of sort,
leading to various areas of the Old City,
including the Christian Quarter. To continue
this tour of West Jerusalem, move on to
visit the Knesset Building, Israel's modern
Parliament. Also in the area and of more
historical and religious interest, pay a visit
to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the
Holy Cross, where it is rumored that the
wood for Christ's cross was grown, and a
bit farther out, King David's Tomb, which
is not the biblical leader's actual resting
place, but nonetheless a synagogue full of
interesting features.
The Dome of the Rock
One of Jerusalem's most distinguishing
features is this, the Dome of the Rock,
located on the Temple Mount. This dome,
part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, is one of
the most important religious sites in the
world for several religions. This is the site
where Abraham almost sacrificed his son,
Isaac, and also the site of the Prophet
Mohammed's ascension to heaven. In
addition to the dome and the mosque, also
located on the temple mount is the Islamic
Museum. Located just beyond the Temple
15
Mount is the Damascus Gate, the well
known entrance to the Arab Quarter. For a
little refueling after all this religiosity, stop
in to the charming and closeby Armenian
Taverna for delicious specialties.
The Jewish Quarter
Jerusalem's Old City has many diverse
neighborhoods, one of which is the ancient
Jewish Quarter. Although this area was
largely destroyed during Israel's War of
Independence, it has now been mostly
rebuilt and restored. On one edge of
the Jewish Quarter, you will find one
of Judaism's most important sites, the
Western Wall, also known as the"Wailing
Wall." This wall is the only surviving piece of
the Second Temple, which was destroyed in
70 CE by the Romans. Today, Jews come
here to pray and place written prayers
within the wall's niches. Also located at
the Western Wall plaza is the Western
Wall Tunnel, which is the underground
areas that were once street level, a sort of
ancient subterranean Jerusalem. Tours of
the tunnel must be arranged in advance.
One museum of interest located here in
the Jewish Quarter is the Wohl Museum
of Archaeology, another underground
historical site. The museum contains
excavated houses. Of other archaeological
interest is the nearby Burnt House, an
excavated dwelling from the Second
Temple period. After all this touring, stop
into the casual Bagel Bite for something to
nosh on.
The Mount of Olives
On the eastern edge of the city, right
outside the Temple Mount, lies the Mount
of Olives, a significant location for both
Jews and Christians. The top is one of the
best panoramic views of the city you will
find. Located at the foot of the mount, you
will come across the Tomb of the Virgin
Mary, where the heavenly matriarch is said
to have fallen into an eternal sleep and
ascended to heaven. Here you can also
visit the tombs of Mary's parents, Anna and
Joachim. Another site of interest located on
the mount is the Chapel of the Ascension,
which contains the supposed spot from
which Jesus ascended to heaven. Finally,
yet another chapel to visit on the Mount of
Olives is Dominus Flevit, a more modern
Roman Catholic chapel, with a beautiful
view of Jerusalem. Once you're ready
to descend from the mount, stop in the
East Jerusalem's Pasha's for a delectable
Lebanese dining experience.
Guided Tours:
Jerusalem Circular Line Egged bus no.
99(+972 530 4962/ http://egged.co.il)
Walking Tours:
Zion Walking Tours(+972 2 627 7588/ http://
zionwt.dsites1.co.il/HTMLs/Home.aspx)
©
Travel Tips
As of September 2010, getting around
Jerusalem can be a little harrowing. Many
of the central downtown streets are in
various stages of devastation due to the
construction of the light rail project that
is years behind schedule and now slated
to go into operation in November 2011.
Because the streets are all torn up, bus
routes and bus stops change from day to
day. Best thing to do is to call the Egged
bus company info hotline*2800 from any
phone to ask how to get to your destination
today.
Cabs are reasonably priced--about
$7-10 for an in-town ride of 15-20 mins.
Most cabbies speak some English. No
tips expected. Many streets in central
Jerusalem are designated for cabs and
buses only, making them a speedy way of
getting to your destination.
If you do take the plunge and hop on a bus,
NileGuideHow To Get Around Jerusalem
gives you some basic how-tos.
Important Destinations and their bus routes:
Central Bus Station: Bus#1,8,74,75,7,
26,28,18,21,31,32,9,13.
Haas Promenade: 8
Biblical Zoo: 26
Ein Kerem: 17
German Colony: 18,21,4
Givat Ram Camous: 31,32,71,72
Hadassah Hospital: 19
Hebrew U, Mt Scopus: 28,4
Israel Museum: 9, 17
Jerusalem Theater: 13
Malha Mall: 6
Rachel's Tomb: 163
Yad Vashem: 20, 13
Western Wall: 38, 1, 2
Sightseeing Bus: Route 99 All-City Circle
Route
Jerusalem's All City Circle Route-Jerusalem's special Red Double-Decker
Tourist Bus leaves five times daily from
in front of Safra Square on Jaffa Road,
Sunday to Thursday, starting at 9am. It
stops at 25 major sites throughout the city,
and is a great way to sit back and get a
feel for Jerusalem. Audio explanations
of the route and sites are available in
eight languages. The fare for the all-city
circle route(approx. 2 hr.; no getting off
the bus) is NIS 60($14/£5.60). All Day
Passes, allowing multiple stop offs, is NIS
80($20/£10.10), but you have to coordinate
reentering the bus with the route schedule.
Tickets can be bought at many hotels(your
hotel can also make a reservation for you);
for further information, call Egged:*2800
from any phone inside Israel.
Walking:
Jerusalem is definitely a walking town. In
and around the Old City, that's the only
way to get around. Just pay attention
at pedestrian crossings--do not assume
that drivers will stop for you. Don't even
think about crossing against a light--jaywalking fines are steep and tourists who
feign ignorance don't always get away with
a warning.
© NileGuide
Fun Facts
1. Interesting fact: The Via Dolorosa
commemorates the journey of Jesus
through the city of Jerusalem. Five of the
14 stations of the cross are actually found
inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
2. Fun Fact: There are two(non-working)
windmills in Jerusalem.
3. Random fact: Jerusalem has 776,000
residents. The Jerusalem Theater sells
600,000 tickets to its cultural events every
year.
4. Weird fact: You can see houses
made out of tin in the central Jerusalem
neighborhood of Nachlaot. They were built
in the early 20th-century when building
materials were scarce.
5: Interesting fact: The Mount of Olives
cemetery is the oldest continually used
cemetery in the world.
16
6. Fun fact: In 1962, dinosaur tracks were
discovered at Moshav Beit Zayit on the
outskirts of Jerusalem. Archaeologists have
since uncovered 200 dinosaur prints in the
area.
7. Random fact: The Jerusalem YMCA
and the Empire State Building were both
designed by the same architect, Arthur
Lewis Harman.
8. Interesting fact: If you know your Bible
and a bit of history, you'll find it easy to
get around Jerusalem--street names
are grouped in one neighborhood by
names of the 12 tribes(Dan, Gad, Shimon
etc) in another area by medieval Jewish
scholars(Ramban, Ben Maimon, Ibn
Givrol, Alfassi etc) and in yet another
neighborhood by events related to Israel's
War of Independence(Hagdud Haivri,
Palmach, HaMapilim etc)
9. Weird fact: In the Old City you can find
an institute dedicated to making everything
necessary for the rebuilding of the Temple.
(The Temple Institute)
10. Random fact: Jerusalem's Old City has
eight gates. The most significant of them,
the Golden Gate orShaar Harachamim in
Hebrew(built around 648), has been sealed
since the 16th century. It's the gate in the
eastern wall through which Jews believe
the Messiah will enter Jerusalem.
11. Interesting fact: Where else in the world
would you find a synagogue and a Catholic
chapel sharing a building? On Hillel Street
in central Jerusalem, the Italian Synagogue
is one floor up from a beautiful German
Catholic chapel built in the 1860s.
12. Random fact: There's a replica of
Philadelphia's Liberty Bell in a park in the
tony Talbieh area of Jerusalem.
© NileGuide
17
Eilat Snapshot
Local Info
Introduction
243km(151 miles) S of Beersheva;
356km(221 miles) SE of Tel Aviv
This city of 70,000 at the southern tip of the
Negev is the country's leading winter tourist
resort. Eilat's chief claims to fame for the
tourist are busy beaches with almost no
wave action, coral reefs filled with exotic
fish, and year-round sunshine. What was
once a small, relaxed desert and Red
Sea resort town now hosts 50 gargantuan
upscale hotels and a downtown waterfront
lined with jewelry shops, sneaker stores,
and hawker's booths where visitors can
while away their evenings. It's easygoing,
fun, and mindless-- and Israelis, both
Jewish and Arab, flock here to forget the
pressures of daily life. Lots of European
package tourists jet directly into Eilat(and
see nothing else in Israel), but most of the
Scandinavian swimmers and snorkelers
who were the mainstay of Eilat's winter
season have moved on. The architectural
style of Eilat's hotels and shopping malls
has been agreed upon-- new buildings are
all of white concrete with straight, crisp
geometric lines; older hotels are being
redesigned to conform to the light, airy
look. There is a unity to the new Eilat,
but from the outside, most hotels seem
to vary only in size and shape. Planners
have not emphasized the desert and
Bedouin traditions of the region-- instead
they've aimed for the generic look of a
gleaming white international resort, such
as Cancún, Mexico. If you're hoping for a
touch of regional color in your hotel, you'll
have to try the Sinai or the new five-star
establishments in Petra(Jordan).
Eilat is also a military outpost and shipping
port-- you'll see ample evidence of this
all along the shoreline. The city's firstclass hotel area is less than a mile from
the Jordanian border, and you can see
the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, with a
population of 20,000, across the bay in a
haze of desert sand, ringed by date palms.
For almost 50 years, until Israel and Jordan
signed a peace treaty in 1994, Aqaba
seemed as unattainable as a mirage. There
is now a border crossing for tourists just
north of Eilat, and from Eilat you can also
book excursions to Jordan's fabulous
lost canyon city of Petra. For some time,
Egypt, Israel, and Jordan have quietly
been planning a regional coordinating
committee and international park, which
will protect the ecosystem of this end of the
Red Sea, but this awaits a regional peace
agreement. Meanwhile the area remains
the most peaceful of Israel's borders. Even
before the 1994 peace agreement with
Jordan, when one of King Hussein's prize
racehorses bolted and swam from Aqaba to
Eilat, he was returned as if such incidents
were an everyday occurrence. Saudi Arabia
is 20km(12 miles) south of Aqaba-- you can
see it from the beaches in Eilat.
It was from the port of Eilat that King
Solomon sent and received his ships
from the land of Ophir, laden with gold,
wood, and ivory. Dominating this exotic
trade route with Solomon was Hiram of
Tyre, Solomon's famous naval ally(Hiram
was king of the Phoenician trading city
of Tyre on the Mediterranean coast north
of Israel). It is even thought by some that
the Queen of Sheba landed at Eilat when
she came to Jerusalem to see Solomon
and"commune with him all that was in her
heart." From 1000 to 600 B.C., Phoenician
shipping from Eilat plied the shores of East
Africa and at times developed trade with
the coasts of India and even Southeast
Asia. There is evidence that on occasion,
Phoenician vessels circumnavigated the
African continent. Today, the port is again
bustling. This is an individualist's town, and
it's also an entrepreneur's dream.
During summer, the outdoor afternoon heat
in Eilat can exceed 110°F(43°C); it's best
to stay in the shade between noon and
4pm to avoid sun poisoning. In winter, the
thick dusty heat is gone and the air is cool
and dry, but the water is warm enough for
swimming, especially if you're used to the
waters of the North Atlantic.
© 2000-2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Hotel Insights
Hotels
If there is a low season here, it is from
May to June. Europeans tend to come
from October to April; Israelis come July
to August and during the September to
October holidays. Jewish and Christian
holidays are also times when prices
skyrocket even above high-season levels.
In the past, winter was Eilat's high season,
but with the prevalence of air-conditioning
and the development of the town for
tourism, it's become a popular year-round
spot. Many hotels have developed their
own systems for determining when to
charge high- and low-season rates. Nobody
in his right mind actually pays full price
here. An Internet search or good travel
agent or packager in Israel or abroad can
get you fabulous deals. The Eilat Tourist
Information Center can also help find you
a room if you arrive midweek, during off
season.
There are three main hotels areas:
North Beach is a lively(but noisy) hotel
area packed with shops, restaurants,
nightclubs, and discos, both attached to
and separate from hotels. This area is
within walking distance of the spreadout downtown part of Eilat, especially in
the relative cool of the evenings. Coral
Beach is a quieter, more spread-out hotel
area near the Coral Beach National Park,
several miles south of town. For those into
exploring the reefs, this is a good choice, as
North Beach is basically coral free. Bus no.
15 connects Coral Beach to North Beach
and the bus station. The downtown/bus
station area is about a 15-minute walk
to North Beach and contains numerous
private hostels; the Eilat Tourist Information
Center is the place to check on which are
currently up to standard. You can also
gather information there about rooms in
private homes and rental apartments. Less
expensive hotels, most with pools, can also
be found in this district. If you're just looking
for an air-conditioned room from which to
sample Eilat, or a place to crash en route to
Jordan or Sinai, this is where to look.
18
Eilat Snapshot continued
Near the New Tourist Center
The New Tourist Center(note that this
neighborhood has nothing to do with the
actual tourist information center, which is
located elsewhere), right across(west of)
the main highway from North Beach at the
corner of Derech Ha-Arava and Derech
Yotam, is a useful landmark and a prime
nightlife area for Eilat's younger crowd.
North Beach/North Shore Area
This is the high-powered, high-priced
hotel district covering the area from the
northern shore of the Red Sea inland to
the local Eilat airport. Most of the hotels
here are mammoth blockbusters, although
here and there a smaller holdover from
pre-1993 Eilat has survived. An artificial
lagoon has been created in the heart of this
neighborhood, but it's not for swimming.
A few hotels are right on the beach, but
most hotels(including some of the most
expensive) are anywhere from 1 to 4 blocks
inland.
Coral Beach& South to the Border
The hotels down here are away from the
tourist crush of the downtown and North
Beach sections of Eilat. They're convenient
to the Coral Beach Nature Reserve and to
smaller reefs good for snorkeling, as well as
to a number of diving centers and a small
group of restaurants. The no. 15 municipal
bus brings you here from central Eilat.
Just Across the Border: Taba, Egypt
Just across the Israeli-Egyptian frontier
at the southern edge of Eilat, Taba came
under Israeli occupation, along with the
rest of Sinai, at the end of the 1967 SixDay War. When Israel returned the Sinai
Peninsula to Egypt as part of the Camp
David peace accords in the early 1980s,
Taba remained in dispute. International
arbitration in the late 1980s decided in favor
of Egypt, but by then it had become a very
valuable few acres, encompassing the
site of the Taba Hilton, which visitors and
residents alike had come to think of as a
southern precinct of Eilat. Today, travelers
from Eilat can pass across the border to the
Taba Hilton for a few hours to visit the Taba
Hilton's Casino without a visa-- just show
your passport at the crossing point. But to
venture into Sinai beyond Taba requires a
special visa. Guests at the Taba Hilton may
and frequently do walk the few hundred
feet across the border and taxi or bus
into Eilat for shopping or dinner; however,
Egyptian rental cars may not currently be
taken across the border, nor can Israeli
rental cars be taken out of Israel. Note:
The Hilton(known also as the Taba Hilton
Resort) was the victim of a terror bombing
in 2004, probably because it was a favorite
with Israelis and made an unusual and easy
target just outside the protection of tight
Israeli security(note that Egyptian security,
even now, is not the equal of that in Israel).
Private Rooms, Apartments& LastMinute Hotel Reservations
Ask for referrals at the Tourist Information
Center(tel. 08/630-9111) at Bridge
House, North Beach. It's best to use
the tourist center for referral, as there
have been complaints from people using
other sources. Prices for a two-bedroom
apartment(for four people or more) are
about NIS 270($68/£34) per day during
most of the year, and NIS 360 to NIS
450($90-$113/£45-£56) or more per day
during high season(July-Aug and holidays).
Especially for a group, this is one of the
best ways to economize in Eilat.
Restaurants
Inland, North of Hatmarim Boulevard
These choices are away from the almost
wall-to-wall restaurants and fast-food
places in North Beach, but it's worth the
effort to get to them.
Nightlife Insights
Nightlife
In this sun-and-fun resort, the crowds
move from beach to bar, disco, or club
after the sun goes down. The Eilat Tourist
Information Center's weekly bulletin,Events
in Eilat, available for free at the tourist
office, will let you know what's happening
where.
Several of the major hotels have
nightclubs, piano bars, and discos.
These are some of the liveliest places in
town, patronized by international tourists,
Israelis, and native Eilatis alike. Of the
discos, Platinum, in King Solomon's
Palace Hotel, is popular, with spectacular
laser and sound effects. Admission at
top hotel discos runs NIS 60 to NIS
125($15-$31/£7.50-£16). My favorite for
easygoing beach atmosphere and spirit is
the Dolphin Reef(tel. 08/637-4292), with its
thatched-roof, sand-floor cafe/bar. There's
often dancing on the beach Monday and
Thursday nights(cover charge is NIS 40/
$10/£5), and Friday afternoon/evening
there's a quietkaballat Shabbat(receiving
the Sabbath) ceremony, with the dolphins
flipping offshore. Bus no. 15 will get
you there. Call Dolphin Reef for more
information. The New Tourist Center and
the North Beach Waterfront Promenade
also have a lot going on in the evening, with
numerous pubs and indoor/outdoor cafes
humming with activity. Check the blasting
Underground Pub(tel. 08/637-0239;
www.underground-pub.com), with cheap
beer before 9pm and Wednesday night
karaoke parties. The Three Monkeys,
on the promenade near the Royal Beach
Hotel, is Eilat's biggest, busiest spot for
drinking and dancing, with live music
every night, a dual-level indoor area, an
outdoor section beside the water, and
an international crowd, largely in the 25to-30 age range. It opens every night
at 9pm, gets busy toward midnight, and
has a dress code: no shorts or flip-flops,
and neat(preferably informal but stylish)
clothing. Dining and dancing cruises with
live music and stars or moonlight are
offered in busy seasons: Call Red Sea
Sports Club(tel. 08/637-9685), or check
with the tourist desk at your hotel. Prices
start at about NIS 120($30/£15).
Various Israeli folklore evenings are
sponsored by the big hotels, usually
beginning at 9:30pm several nights a
week. Music for dancing, or a disco, often
follows the performance. The fee(about
NIS 25-NIS 35/$6.25-$8.75/£3.10-£4.40)
includes a first drink, or perhaps wine and
cheese. Kibbutz Elot, 5km(3 miles) north
19
of Eilat, often offers Saturday evening
performances of Israeli Folk Dancing and
Song. The price, including transportation
and a kibbutz-style buffet dinner, is NIS
160($40/£20).
The Cinémathèque Club screens films
in English at the Philip Murray Cultural
Center(tel. 08/633-2257), at the corner
of Hatmarim Boulevard and Hativat HaNegev. Regular starting time seems to be
around 9pm; admission is charged. The
major hotels show films and videos about
excursions in the Eilat area as well. Check
the tourist office'sEvents in Eilat for details.
Attractions
Shopping
Eilat stones, a form of green and
turquoise polished malachite, are sold
throughout Israel in settings that range
from contemporary to traditional Yemenite.
They were popular in the 1960s and 1970s,
less so now. Most hotel gift shops offer a
selection of Eilat stone jewelry. You can
visit Malkit(tel. 08/637-3372), an Eilat stone
jewelry workshop in the Ha-Dekel part of
town, Sunday to Thursday 8am to 7pm
and Friday 8am to 1pm. The Egyptian
Bazaar at the Hilton Nelson Village offers
the chance to peruse Egyptian crafts and
souvenirs you'd otherwise have to travel to
Cairo to find. Some stock is tourist stuff; a
few really beautiful crafts and objects will
be found amid the stalls. It's easy to cross
the border at the southern city limits of Eilat.
Luxury shopping can be found at the Cardo
Mall in Herods Palace; the North Beach
Promenade runs the gamut from street fair
booths to stylish shops that Israelis love
because there's no VAT in Eilat.
Travel Tips
Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane-- Several daily Arkia Airlines
flights(tel. 800/444-888 toll-free inside
Israel, or 08/638-4888) arrive from points
north. The downtown airport is right in the
heart of town, next to the hotel district, and
can receive only smaller aircraft; larger
planes and international flights land at
Ouvda airport, 60km(37 miles) north of
Eilat. Aqaba's international airport, just on
the border near Eilat, will be designed so
that arriving planes will be able to taxi to
either Israeli or Jordanian gates at the new
Shalom-Salaam International Terminal.
One-way flights from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem
are approximately$160(£80); if you fly both
ways, you'll miss the Negev Desert close
up, but there are good flight/hotel packages
offered by Arkia. El Al passengers can also
purchase an add-on to Eilat with their flight
ticket to Israel. The bus ride from Ouvda to
town can take an hour.
If you arrive from inside Israel at Eilat's
little downtown airport, you will be right
at the bottom of the hill, where Hatmarim
Boulevard meets Ha-Arava Road(the road
north to Beersheva). It will be a 10-minute
walk or a quick, inexpensive taxi ride to
almost any Hatmarim Boulevard hotel or
to hotels on the North Beach. All the local
city buses(no. 1, 2, or 15) run every 20 to
30 minutes or so, from early morning until
about 7 or 8pm, daily except Saturday,
stopping early on Friday(about 3 or 4pm) in
observation of Shabbat.
By Bus-- There are a number of daily
buses(except on Shabbat) from Jerusalem
and Tel Aviv to Eilat. The trip takes about
4 1/2 hours. If you arrive by bus, you will
be planted in the center of town on the
main street-- Hatmarim(or Ha-Temarim)
Boulevard. From there, hostel row, just
around the corner on Ha-Negev Street, is
within walking distance; local city bus no.
1 or 2 goes from the Central Bus Station to
the North Beach area, around the lagoon,
and down as far as the Jordanian border.
You must take a taxi or city bus no. 15 if
you're heading out to Coral Beach. There's
a baggage checkroom at the bus station
in case you have to seek out a hotel room.
It is best not to even think about carrying
luggage even short distances in Eilat's hot
weather. For your return bus ride out of
Eilat, the Egged information phone number
is tel. 08/636-5111. Reserve your bus
seat leaving Eilat at least 2 days ahead;
on weekends, holidays, and summer
vacations, 4-day advance reservations are
necessary.
By Car-- The trip takes approximately
4 hours by direct road from Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem.
Getting to Jordan
Bus service is now available from Eilat
to Aqaba, Jordan, at the United Tours
Terminal in Eilat. Fares are NIS 8($2/£1)
each way. Buses stop at the hotel district,
the airport, and the New Commercial
Center in Eilat before continuing on to
Aqaba via the Arava Crossing north of
Eilat. Passengers must have a Jordanian
entry visa and must pay a crossing fee of
NIS 75($19/£9.40) from Israel into Jordan.
For those coming from Aqaba to Eilat,
the crossing fee is NIS 24($6/£3). As
regulations are constantly being revised,
check with the Eilat Tourist Information
Center for the latest information.
Visitor Information
The Eilat Tourist Information Center(tel.
08/630-9111;[email protected]) is
located in Bridge House, a small building
on the North Beach Promenade not far
from the Spring Onion Restaurant. Pick
up an English-language map for NIS
5($1.25/60p) and free copies of other tourist
brochures, includingEvents in Eilat. You
can also get help and advice on booking
accommodations and tours, as well as
bus schedules, discount coupons, and
schedules of events in the region. The staff
here is often well attuned to the problems
of budget travelers, and can also give
advice about local travel agencies that
specialize in area excursions, diving and
snorkeling, and travel to Sinai and Jordan.
The center accepts American Express,
MasterCard, and Visa when booking
rooms, travel tickets, and tours. In the
same building, you'll find the Eilat Tourist
Information(E.T.I.) Attractions desk(tel.
08/637-0380; fax 08/637-0434). At E.T.I.,
you can book tours of the Eilat region,
diving cruises, and excursions to Sinai,
as well as package tours to Petra and to
Egypt. E.T.I. booking desks can be found
at most major hotels. Hours for the Eilat
Tourist Information Center are Sunday
20
through Thursday from 9am to 9pm and
Friday, Saturday, and eves of holidays from
8am to 3pm.
Eilat has no VAT tax, but because many
supplies have to be shipped in, prices tend
to be higher. Tip: Gasoline for your car will
be 15.5% cheaper in Eilat than in the rest of
Israel, as there is no VAT in the city, so fill
up before heading back north.
Orientation
There are three easily distinguishable areas
in Eilat: the town itself, built atop hills that
roll toward the sea; Coral Beach, with its
great snorkeling, about 6km(4 miles) south
of town on the western shore of the harbor;
and North Beach, a 10-minute walk from
the center of town on the eastern shore of
the harbor. North Beach is the most central
and busiest public beach, and where you'll
find the most restaurants, bars, and betterquality accommodations. It is also the site
of an elaborate marina system that started
with the building of an artificial lagoon,
cutting several hundred yards inland in
back of the"hotel row" section. Around
this lagoon are hotels, restaurants, and a
promenade filled with pubs, discos, shops,
and endless street vendors-- a major way to
spend a hot summer evening.
21

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