Abandoned Tel Aviv: Photographs From An Urban Explorer

Empty doorways, shadows, lit stairwells and broken windowsills – this is what makes a run-down, decrepit site so full of beauty and mystery. Walking through corridors where there once was life fuels an urban explorer with imagination and excitement. This photo series aims to reflect on the many hidden stories and personalities encompassed in Tel Aviv, with all its eclecticism that leaves the passerby wanting more.
Tel Aviv is full of abandoned buildings and derelict construction sites. Many of these highlight the dominant architecture of the city, made up of different schools of design, from Brutalist to Bauhaus and the International Style.

One of the main streets in Tel Aviv, the lively Allenby Street is contrastingly dotted with many derelict buildings, making it one of the most eccentric parts of the city. Found in abandonment, each building makes you wonder who used to live there, what was their story? For some, it makes the street feel less appealing. But if you walk down the street and simply look up, you’ll notice an entirely different and parallel story of the city.

The history of Tel Aviv and Jaffa is what creates such a unique and magnificent energy to the place. Tel Aviv’s largest neighborhood, Jaffa, grew and was established as an urban center since in the early 18th century. The first Jews to settle outside of Jaffa – in what is known today as ‘modern’ Tel Aviv – were the Jews that hailed from Yemen. These first homes were built in the late 1800s and became the cultural, culinary and historically rich neighborhood of today, the Kerem HaTeimanim or “Vineyard of the Yemenites” in English.

Just nearby, Nachalat Binyamin, near the Carmel Market, also has many abandoned buildings. One that stands out is in this area. It is so beautiful that it can even be frightening. The building seems like something out of a movie but is home to many squatters and the homeless.

Among the array of beautiful abandoned places are homes that are barred up. From afar, you can see on the 5th floor the graffiti-covered walls. These mysteries leave the passersby curious as to what was. What makes the abandoned buildings of Tel Aviv so beautiful is how nature and life continue to grow around it, dissolving the nostalgia for the past.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.