The beginning of June, water temperature 24C, a long coastal strip with luxury hotels contrasting with deteriorating buildings inland, a city where religions meet, gay pride, a fascinating old town with a citadel. We are talking about the capital of Israel – Tel Aviv-Jaffa, or simply Tel Aviv. Add a trip to the Dead Sea, the Holy Jerusalem, and of course, not to forget, affordable flights from Wizzair, and you have a great trip waiting for you.
Contents
Day 1 – Evening arrival
Day 2 – Dead Sea and Jerusalem
Day 3 – Tel Aviv beaches
Day 4 – Coastline and old town of Jaffa
Day 1 – Evening arrival
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport is around 9:00 PM local time. There is a time difference of +1 hour. On the way there, you will be asked only basic questions such as the purpose of your trip, duration of stay, and hotel name. At the airport, we will pick up a car from Hertz. We booked the car through our trusted website vipcars.com. The rental agency confirmed to us that the areas we were heading to are safe, except they did not recommend Bethlehem. If you rely on Waze navigation, we must alert you that it is entirely in Hebrew for this region, without an option to change the language.
TIP: Nokia Here Maps worked quite well for us, the only issue was that the voice instructions did not work in Palestinian territories.
We are getting into our Škoda Citigo and heading to night-time Tel Aviv. It’s about a half-hour drive from the airport. Parking is a bit of a problem. Generally, red and white stripes mean no parking, blue and white mean free parking, but only during the day. So, we are looking for the closest parking near our accommodation. Luckily, we found a small private parking lot about a 10-minute walk away for 6 euros/day. Finding the address of our accommodation at Tchernichovsky Boutique Apartments wasn’t as difficult as finding the entrance. They were probably the last doors you would expect. Everything here operates on a PIN, so you don’t need to worry about keys. It’s getting late, so we are just heading out for a light beer in the area. The city is full of young people even after midnight, and it’s only Thursday. Surprisingly, most of them seemed to be teenagers. Tonight we have docked at Little Prague for some local Israeli beers Goldstar and Maccabee. We prefer the latter :). By the way, prepare 7 euros including a tip.
Day 2 – Dead Sea and Jerusalem
Today we have planned to visit the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. It’s about 100 km from Tel Aviv, and if you don’t have a car, there is only one bus per day. You have the option to book through the Hebrew website, a call center with prepayment, or just show up at the station and hope there are available seats. Even though we are still on the highway with navigation, you need to be more cautious after the airport, as we accidentally got into the wrong lane heading towards Petah Tikva. We got back on the right track and are slowly approaching Jerusalem. Beyond the city bypass, the Palestinian territory begins. It’s worth mentioning that the crossing was smooth, no one checked us anywhere. A quality dual carriageway leads to the Dead Sea, with occasional roadworks and bridge constructions along the way.
Towards the end, it looks like a lunar landscape – stones on the left, rocks on the right, and signs warning you as you descend below sea level. Our destination is Kalia Beach, where you can park comfortably and for free. Further into the compound is fenced and the entrance fee to the Dead Sea is just under 13 euros. We walk past what is said to be the world’s lowest bar (at -418m) and set up our things on the sun loungers. The sun’s rays are very intense here, but if you apply sunscreen before entering the water, it’s likely to react with orange spots like it did to me. We also each brought our oldest swimsuits. The water looks like a murky lake, but once you lay on it, you float effortlessly. It’s like trying to submerge a wheel into the water.
TIP: A photo of reading a newspaper at the Dead Sea is a must
Although it may seem like a place to go crazy, one must be extremely careful not to get water in their eyes. Luckily, this did not happen to us, but according to articles and a discouraging example next to a man bathing, you won’t be able to open your eyes for a few minutes. You just need to keep a cool head and go rinse them in the shower. You also won’t float your chest, as being in a prone position in the water is forbidden because the water will flip you forward headfirst and back, making it harder to get up. After half an hour of lounging on your back as recommended, we go to get covered in mud, of which there is plenty at the shore. Of course, photos and poses cannot be missing. Literally, when you get out of the water, you shake off the salt and rush to the shower. In general, two hours are enough at the Dead Sea, as afterwards the salt and hot sun become too much. We browse shops with local products and, moisturized by the healing effects, head towards Jerusalem.
While most countries, including Slovakia, recognize Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel, Israel itself considers the city of Jerusalem as such, and all central authorities are based right here. The Hebrew name Yerushalayim means “place of peace,” while the Arabic Al-Quds means “holy,” and for adherents of the three major world religions, Christians, Muslims, and Jews, it is indeed a Holy City. The journey from the Dead Sea takes about half an hour by car. We navigated to the parking lot near the shopping center Mamilla Mall. The Old City of Jerusalem is in Palestinian territory and has 8 gates.We are closest to the Jaffa Gate, through which we enter the courtyard of the city. On the right side, you can visit David’s Tower, which offers a beautiful panoramic view.
The entire Old City is a large marketplace with souvenirs, clothing, and food, divided into 4 quarters – Christian, Armenian, Muslim, and Jewish. We continue through the street in the center of the city, peeking into shops and absorbing the atmosphere of the multicultural Old City. It is worth mentioning that the shopkeepers are not as pushy as we expected. At the end of the street, we turn right, following signs leading us to the holiest place for Jews – the Western Wall. Before entering, you will go through a security check. The wall is divided into sections for men and women. Millions of notes with wishes are placed in it. We also touched the wall and made a wish. You can distinguish believers from tourists by the fact that Jews walk away from the wall so as not to turn their backs to it. From the Jewish Quarter, we wanted to go see the Temple Mount, but were unsuccessful. Guards turned us away with the words “only muslims”.
TIP: For tourists and non-Muslims, access to the Temple Mount is only allowed from Sunday to Thursday, in summer from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm, respectively in winter from 7:30 am to 10:30 am and 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, and the only entrance is through the wooden tunnel Mughrabi Gate near the Western Wall.
The prominent feature of the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock, is one of the city’s most significant landmarks and represents the place where, according to Islamic belief, Muhammad ascended to heaven during his “Night Journey.” We walk along the edge of the Muslim quarter to the Lion’s Gate, from where we descend the hill to the famous biblical Garden of Gethsemane. If you were expecting something grand, the garden is unimposing, tiny, yet tastefully arranged. The garden is situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives, but we ran out of time to visit it.
We head back through the Lion’s Gate with a plan to visit Christ’s Tomb. The closest route is through the Damascus Gate, an area that can be described as the wildest after sunrise. Crowded streets with local Muslims, numerous markets spread out on the ground, fish being sold on the sidewalks next to the main road, and occasionally some smoke and smells. Thankfully, we had GPS and took a direct route to the tomb. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time; it was closed.
TIP: The tomb is open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:15 pm.
Not to worry; we return through the Damascus Gate to the Christian quarter. Along the way, we visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion – Golgotha. Right across is Omar’s Mosque, where we conclude our tour of Jerusalem. We arrive in Tel Aviv around 7:30 pm, just before dusk. We freshen up a bit and since it’s Friday, we want to see how the city comes alive at night. Heading towards Rothschild Boulevard, where the skyline is filled with skyscrapers. If you want to go to a proper nightclub, it’s good to have a few recommendations. We had some, but the entrances looked quite dodgy. In the end, we settled for a beer at Little Prague and pleasantly tired, went to bed.
Day 3 – Tel Aviv Beaches
We agreed the night before to get up early for a morning run. The agreements are kept, so we wake up around 8:00 and head towards the beach. The Strava app is ready, and our “beach run” can begin. A good landmark is the tiered building of the Opera Tour Opera. We run about 3km from Jerusalem Beach to Tel Aviv Port. Along the coast, all luxury hotel brands like Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Carlton, or Hilton are lined up. After a heroic 6.2km effort, it’s time to plunge into the water, which is a pleasant 24 degrees. After a quick breakfast, we plan to spend the morning on the beach.Banana Beach. The entire coastal strip is one beach, but you move a hundred meters and you are already under a different name. The sun is intense at the beginning of June and in the evening, you will see every spot you forgot to apply sunscreen to.
We prepare a late lunch in the apartment kitchen. Groceries can be bought at a supermarket for a slightly higher price than back home. From local products, we recommend hummus, of which they have a wide selection. Around 4 p.m., we head north to Yarkon Park. I planned the route so that we could also see all the main skyscrapers – Electra Tower (165m), Azrieli Center (187m), Leonardo City Tower (170m), and the tallest Moshe Aviv Tower (235m). The park is the largest in Tel Aviv, and we can confirm it is also beautiful and green with plenty of attractions. You can feed the ducks, ride a water bike in the pond, or go on a scenic balloon ride. At the end of the day, we move to Tel Baruch Beach, where we want to enjoy the sunset. Among other things, there is also an airport, a running track, and free wifi 🙂 From Dov Hoz Airport, mostly domestic flights, for example to Eilat, depart. The sun sets around 19:45 during this period, and romantic photos are a must. Afterwards, we’ll take a quick swim in the water. Tonight is all about relaxation and Maccabee beer.
Day 4 – Coastline and Old Jaffa City
Sunday morning starts with a walk along the coast through Charles Clore Garden Charles Clore Garden. Charles Clore Beach is more of a not very attractive urban beach.
TIP: If you are a seafood lover, there is a luxury restaurant Manta Ray.
We walk back along the coast to Drummers Beach, Banana Beach, and Jerusalem Beach. It was probably an exception, but we saw a jellyfish the size of a plastic bag here. Fortunately, the water is so clear that you don’t have to worry about missing something like that. Today we are sunbathing a bit less exposed, as we got a bit sunburned yesterday. As a farewell to the sea, we move to the beach.Gordon Beach.
The second half of the day is reserved for the old town Jaffa. You can park your car at the beginning near the coast, which is the first free parking we encountered here. You can reach the citadel by several paths. We start at Al-Bahr Mosque, and this is where you will find the Aladin restaurant with a great view of the entire coast. I would say we didn’t even want to leave from there. The shots of the white coastal strip and the skyscraper panorama are stunning. The center of Jaffa is a beautiful square with St. Peter’s Church. You can wander through charming stone streets, visit the old port, and end up in a park overlooking the coast. This is how we imagine the perfect ending to the trip.
At the airport, we will refuel. The rental company provides transportation to the departure hall. On the way back, be prepared for a thorough interrogation. First, you will be interrogated with quick questions such as where you lived, who packed your luggage, what souvenirs you are taking home. If you happen to have a stamp from Dubai like me, they will also ask you for the names of your fellow travelers. Subsequently, they will stick a yellow barcode on your passport and you will seemingly be relieved that the interrogation is over.
TIP: Arrive at the airport at least 2-3 hours early due to unexpected inspections.
At the security checkpoint, they will look at this number, and if it starts with a five, you are automatically suspicious and will be separated into a separate zone. I was suspicious because of the Dubai stamp, and my fellow traveler probably because he had a freshly issued passport. We wait, more people join us, and no one knows what will happen. After about 30 minutes, things started to move. We pass through the standard detector and then an additional 2 times. In addition, they take out all our electronics from the backpack and scan them with a manual detector. Fortunately, everything goes smoothly, and you no longer need to worry about anything. We land in Budapest around midnight, and then we still have a long car ride to Bratislava.
