10 Recommended Tours in Tel Aviv

Hands of Fatima are said to keep away bad omens and attract good luck
Hands of Fatima are said to keep away bad omens and attract good luck | © stellalevi / iStock

Whether you want to navigate Tel Aviv’s art scene, take a food tour of one of its numerous culinary hotspots or escape the beaten path to explore the “other” side of the city, there’s a tour for you.

Tel Aviv is a magnetic destination, with a unique blend of culture, history and architecture. These tours will show you the pulse of the city in all of its colours, ensuring you experience everything that makes it such a vibrant place.

1. See Tel Aviv from a hot-air balloon

Park

Tel Aviv skyline at sunset
© Maor Winetrob / iStock

Fancy seeing Tel Aviv from new heights? Venture to the city’s biggest urban park, Hayarkon Park, and float 91 metres (300 feet) up into the air in a hot-air balloon. Enjoy sweeping views of the city skyline and sea, and marvel at the nearby mountain scenery. Savour every moment from up high, and know that you’re in good hands with your experienced pilot who will also point out Tel Aviv’s landmarks to you.

2. Explore the Tel Aviv street-art scene

Art Gallery

Graffiti street scene art squirrels push green wheelie bin by Israeli artist Dede Bandaid
© dov makabaw Israel / Alamy Stock Photo

The diversity of Tel Aviv’s art scene is what makes it so special. From high-end spaces such as Dvir Gallery to alternative projects like Meshuna Gallery, there’s something for everyone. A tour will show you the pulse of the scene and lead you around some of the best street art in the city. Hear stories from your local guide and decipher every mural. This tour is an unmissable experience for art aficionados.

3. Carmel Market food tour

Market

Carmel Market in Tel Aviv
© Kolderal / iStock

This 2.5-hour culinary extravaganza takes participants to the best spots in Carmel Market, Tel Aviv’s main open-air market. For the uninitiated, it is easy to stroll through the shuk and miss the best eateries, which are often unassuming or tucked away off the main strip. A tour will make sure you sample the best places, weaving through the shuk and the quaint backstreets of the neighbouring Yemenite Quarter, where you’ll meet vendors and learn about the history of the area.

4. HaTikvah Market food tour

Market

Pomegranates at Market in Tel Aviv, Israel
© Peeterv / iStock

Escape the beaten track and explore HaTikvah Market, the most underrated culinary destination in Tel Aviv. Located in the Hatikvah (“The Hope”) neighbourhood, which has a working-class character and a very diverse population, the market is home to an array of eateries that reflect the area’s melting pot of cultures. Led by a charismatic Bhuka guide, you’ll taste the best flavours the market has to offer, learn about the area’s history and drink plenty of wine between each stop.

5. See why Tel Aviv is one of the best vegan destinations on the planet

Building, Market

Vegan bowls
© Alexander Spatari / Getty Images

Tel Aviv has a flourishing vegan scene and is among the best destinations in the world to be vegan. A vegan culinary tour will provide you with ample insider information about the best places to feast as well as plenty of samples to try along the way. Get the scoop about new emerging vegan chefs on the scene, explore the city via taste buds and see classic Tel Aviv sights at the same time.

6. Daily pub crawl in Tel Aviv

Building

Bartender pouring tequilla on the bar
© Kanawa Studio / iStock

Tel Aviv is often labelled as the ‘city that never sleeps’, and this tour will show you why. This pub crawl will take participants into the heart of Tel Aviv’s buzzing nightlife, skipping lines and getting free drinks along the way. On this five-hour tour, you’ll dance the night away at four of the best bars and clubs with fellow travellers.

7. New Central Bus Station tour

Architectural Landmark

Tel Aviv Central Bus Station
© Joel Carillet / iStock

A tour of a bus station seems like an odd suggestion, but Tel Aviv’s New Central Bus Station is among the most mysterious pieces of architecture in the city. Neither new nor central, the station occupies a sprawling space in the gritty south of Tel Aviv and is full of surprising features. A Yiddish cultural centre, a street-art exhibition, a bat cave and a Filipino food market are just some of the things you’ll discover on this off-the-beaten-track tour.

8. See the modern and traditional side of Tel Aviv

Architectural Landmark, Historical Landmark

Tel Aviv promenade and Mediterranean beach
© Kolderal / iStock

A must for architecture lovers and history buffs, this walking tour will show you Tel Aviv’s top sights and most prominent architecture, from contemporary structures to Bauhaus buildings. German-Jewish graduates of the Bauhaus school built some 4,000 buildings in the 1930s and 1940s, in what was then Mandatory Palestine, and many of these structures have undergone restoration in recent years. See for yourself why UNESCO declared the ‘White City’ a World Heritage site. Prepare for half a day of compelling history, spanning back over a thousand years, and appreciate the different neighbourhoods that show how the city has evolved throughout the years.

9. A Tel Aviv street photography experience

Architectural Landmark

Palm Trees Against Rooftop Tiles
© Sebastian Kopp / EyeEm / Getty Images

In this two-hour street photography experience, you’ll use a 35mm point and shoot film camera to capture pictures of the city’s most vibrant cultural spots and famous architecture. Starting by the beach, you’ll be taken through the Yemenite Quarter, Herzl Street, Neve Tzedek and Levinsky Market, capturing the pulse of Tel Aviv.

10. Discover food, people and new cultures on an alternative tour of Tel Aviv

Building, Architectural Landmark, Market, Historical Landmark

ISRAEL-IMMIGRATION
© Menahem Kahana / Getty Images

This off-the-beaten-track tour will introduce you to a side of Tel Aviv not shown on postcards. Taking you around Neve Sha’anan, a neighbourhood in south Tel Aviv with a large immigrant population – a mix of Asian migrant workers and refugees, predominantly from Sudan and Eritrea – you’ll learn about the complicated story of the area and the reality of these people, with plenty of helpings of their delicious cuisines along the way.

Culture Trips 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. 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 places and communities so special.

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