Tel Aviv

Play: Caesarea Golf Club

Israel isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of golf—and for good reason. The country is home to only one 18-hole golf course. Fortunately, that course is a Pete Dye design, set in the coastal town of Caesarea about 45 minutes outside of Tel Aviv. Caesarea is best known for its 2,000-year-old Roman port, amphitheater and aqueduct, which were built at the behest of Herod the Great—and are unquestionably the reason for making a day trip from the city. But after a morning among the ruins, you’d be remiss not to play a round at the Caesarea Golf Club, where, in addition to Dye’s 18, you’ll find a 9-hole executive course, a training course and a teaching academy. caesarea.com

Stay: David Kempinski Tel Aviv

Right across the street from Tel Aviv’s beachfront boardwalk and the glittering sea beyond, this contemporary high-rise hotel is an ideal hub in the high-tech city. Grab a complimentary bike and head south along the boardwalk to the ancient port of Jaffa—now a hotspot of trendy restaurants and galleries—or pedal north to grab a lounge chair at one of the many beach clubs. Walk a few blocks inland to the Carmel Market, the city’s largest shuk, to shop for spices and feast on falafel before settling in for a nap in your suite set high above the Mediterranean. kempinski.com

Eat

Eating is the essence of any trip to Tel Aviv, from street-market shawarma stands to Michelinstyle fine dining. Start at the original North Abraxas restaurant for modern Mediterranean at its best. Continue your pilgrimage at the Hotel Montefiore’s French-Vietnamese venue or at George & John, the latter of which was voted tops in Israel as part of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023. For a post-golf meal in Caesarea, check out Helena at the Harbor, a waterfront Mediterranean restaurant from chefs Uri Jeremias and Amos Sion.

New Age on Ancient Ground

Time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s precisely what members have been doing at London’s Centurion Club over its first 10 years

In the space of a fast-paced decade, Centurion Club—sitting just 20 miles north of central London—is well established among the highest echelon of London golf.

Beautifully located outside the petite, Roman city of St Albans, Centurion Club opened to fanfare in July 2013. And while it might come from a town with ancient history, this member’s club has eschewed the old ways. Dress codes are relaxed, families are welcome, the clubhouse is lively, the cosmopolitan restaurants are buzzing and guess what, the membership is thriving.

As for the championship golf course, it swings beautifully through ancient pine woodlands and rolls over undulating Hertfordshire countryside to offer golfers an array of shot-making opportunities and the occasional predicament. At 7,100 yards from the back, Centurion Club can challenge the mighty, yet with five sets of tees it was built with the enjoyment of all abilities in mind.

Despite occupying a tract of such natural tranquillity, from the gates of Centurion Club, members and their guests are just 40 minutes from London’s West End. Less than an hour after landing at Heathrow, international members can be enjoying breakfast in the Members’ lounge on the first floor of the clubhouse, overlooking the 18th green.

A country retreat within easy reach of the city, Centurion Club unlocks the best of both worlds.