Tel Aviv proper technically may be Israel’s second most populous city behind Jerusalem, but its metro area dwarfs that ancient city, and includes a large swath of Israel.
It’s a lively, modern, and increasingly cosmopolitan destination that, if it’s not on your travel list, should be.
Named after the utopian town envisioned by Zionist author Theodore Herzl in his turn of the century novel Altneuland [The Old-New Land], Tel Aviv certainly lives up to its lofty moniker. Founded in 1909 by the Jewish population of nearby Jaffa, Tel Aviv immediately became an immigration hotspot among both bourgeois Eastern European Jews and artists from all backgrounds.
Located on the scenic Mediterranean coastline, the Tel Aviv of today is still a hub of economic and creative activity in the Middle East: Browse the trendy shops lining several of its major streets or don your bathing suit and bronze on its beaches; spend some time visiting museums and historical sites or sip coffee in small cafes still populated by literary types. Come nightfall, Tel Aviv kicks up the energy a notch, with fine dining, music lounges, and nightclubs that rival those found in London, New York, and Paris.
Read more on Off The Brochure: Tel Aviv, Israel…