Welcome to Tel Aviv

Artist neighbourhoods, skyscrapers housing digital startups, a city centre where it’s a pleasure to stroll in the shade of mature ficus trees – Tel Aviv has a bit of everything. This ‘White City’, cheerful, busy and open-minded, encapsulates the lifestyle of the Mediterranean. Steeped in history and heir to a diverse range of cultures and influences, Mare Nostrum encapsulates Tel Aviv's inimitably gentle vibe. Stroll along the shore at sunset, past The David Kempinski, and you'll experience a vibrant moment, the quintessence of this city poised between East and West.

Non-stop and vibrant; cultured and chic

By Antoine Gauvin, for Kempinski

There’s so much to explore and one of the best ways to capture the essence of this cosmopolitan city is to take a stroll along the famous Rothschild Boulevard. Lined with fig and flame trees, and dotted with open-air stalls selling welcome refreshments, each stage reveals a different chapter in Tel Aviv’s history. A little to the west of the Boulevard is the chic Neve Tzedek district. This was the first Jewish quarter to be built outside Jaffa (known locally as Yafo), long before Tel Aviv was created. Wander along Neve Tzedek’s narrow Shabazi Street, where timeless elegance rubs shoulders with boho style. With its art galleries, designer boutiques, and hip restaurants, this is Tel Aviv at its chicest. Check out Meshek Barzilay, a fashionable organic restaurant, and Neroli – an always busy organic grocery store. They are perfect examples of the town’s healthy lifestyle and its modern Mediterranean vibe.

THE WHITE CITY

Further along Rothschild Boulevard, branch off Allenby Street towards Bialik – the world’s finest collection of 1930s Bauhaus buildings. Built among sand dunes at a time when Tel Aviv needed to expand, their geometric forms and smooth white façades reflect the utopian Modernism of the period. Because of its distinctive architecture, the ‘White City of Tel Aviv’ was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

THE CITY OF TOMORROW

At the top end of Rothschild Boulevard, the modern neighbourhoods begin. To the east are the towers of the hightech world. Not far away is the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, where you’ll find some real gems among its 32,000 artworks, including a mural by Roy Lichtenstein and kinetic art by Yacoov Agam. And after you’ve wandered around the galleries, you’ll have the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a stylish lunch at the museum’s fabulous contemporary restaurant, Pastel, run by talented chef Gal Ben-Moshe.

A CHEERFUL, OFFBEAT TOWN

Be sure to catch the sunset on the promenade (known locally as the 'Tayelet') which stretches 14 km from Jaffa in the south, to the ‘Hatzuk’ beach in the north. When the golden light strikes the towers, the youth of Tel Aviv come out to soak up the atmosphere, play a game of beach volleyball, or enjoy a happy hour drink. It’s when you feel the city’s incredible melting-pot of cultures and cheerful, iconoclastic eclecticism the most.

Towards the centre of the promenade stands a tall, contemporary glass tower. It houses Tel Aviv’s newest luxury hotel – The David Kempinski, one of the Tayelet's most striking architectural gems.

Its impressive floor-to-ceiling windows and comfortable luxury make the most of its seafront location. Everything, from its magnificent suites, to the terrace of the Sereia restaurant, and the pool overlooking the beach, is designed to ensure that you enjoy the spectacle of sea and sky in the city’s warm, soft, ever-changing light.

This magnificent hotel’s 56 suites are some of the finest in Tel Aviv and they include the city’s largest penthouse at 380 sq m, which has its own gym, private terrace and 10-metre infinity pool. Luxury tourism magazine, Ultratravel, named The David Kempinski as the world’s ‘Best New Hotel of 2022’ for the quality of its décor, hospitality, and service.

THE TOWN THAT (ALMOST) NEVER SLEEPS

When the sun sets, we head for the Florentin neighbourhood in the southern part of town, just before Jaffa. Florentin is famous for its exuberant art scene, street art and creative atmosphere. Levinsky Market, a mix of Middle Eastern, North African, Yemenite, and European culinary cultures, is another famous landmark here. It’s the perfect place to pause for drinks on the terrace of one of Florentin’s many bars before heading to Teder – a legendary openair party hotspot.

FOODIE CITY

Food in Tel Aviv is a mix of cultures from all over the world. It’s East and West in fusion with a delicious range of recipes that restaurants interpret in their own way. The varied cultural roots give rise to a joyful creativity, further boosted by the explosive growth of Foodtech.

For an Eastern culinary tradition, head to the busy Carmel Market for delicious shawarma (“the best in the world” according to our guide!). Wandering around this vast labyrinth of a market, getting lost among the pyramids of mangos and Middle Eastern sweets, you’ll eventually arrive at Mifgash Rambam – a small stall recognisable by the queue of regulars waiting to devour one of their delicious meat and vegetable sandwiches.

You’ll find a completely different scene at Jaffa, the old fishing harbour in the far south of the city. Here the atmosphere is bohemian, with a flea market and shops selling hand-crafted goods. Onza, a trendy bar and restaurant, is the place to go from early evening. It’s a delicious foodie hangout where Ottoman culinary influences combine with a contemporary approach to take you travelling between East and West. And isn’t that just the vocation of this cheerful and eclectic world city.

The David Kempinski Tel Aviv

This 34-floor skyscraper hotel, designed by Feigin Architects, is home to 250 rooms and suites. Among its top assets are 56 suites with magnificent sea views, five kosher restaurants on different floors, a superb private pool overlooking the sea, and an OKOA brand spa. With meeting and banqueting rooms featuring cutting edge technology, onsite catering and space for up to 500 guests, private events, weddings, celebrations, conventions and business meetings are all welcome.