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Shenkin Street – one of the most popular Tel Aviv streets

Tel Aviv travel guide

Shenkin (Sheinkin) St. has been considered a local attraction for over 20 years, and one of the most popular Tel Aviv tourist attractions. The street that epitomized the “Tel Aviv Spirit” and from which the most exciting mainstream and alternative music, theater and dance groups emerged during the 80s, has become more conservative in recent years, but still offers some of the best Tel Aviv stores and coffee shops. A proof of its lasting popularity can be found in its recent portrayal as the background (if not an actual character) in the successful Eytan Fox & Gal Uchovsky feature film – The Bubble (2006).

Not ready to give up its mythic status in the Tel Aviv consciousness, and since very little of the culture center’s fame has actually remained in the street, a massive amount of great stores and cafes have managed to keep that ever stimulating street alive.

If it is clothes shopping you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. Some of the leading Israeli designers chose Shenkin for their stores: Ronen Chen (49 Sheinkin St.), Naama Bezalel and Banot – Lulu Liam (40 Sheinkin St.) are just few examples. For accessories and jewelry don’t miss the world famous jewelry designer Michal Negrin (37 Sheinkin St.) or Daniella Lehavi (35 Sheinkin St.), who’s famous for her leather bags and shoes.

Not quite ready to give up on culture? Pay a visit to Krembo, the ever-trendy music shop on 18 Shenkin St. The Western part of Shenkin, closer to the Carmel Market and Allenby, features many shoe stores, among which you’ll find some global brands as well (Camper, Aldo & Adidas, to name a few) but with all the original Israeli offerings, why bother?

By now you probably need to sit down and calm down a bit. A nice place to catch your breath is Ginat Shenkin, the tiny park located half way thru the street. Another option is one of the many coffee shops, starting from one of the Tel Aviv cultural landmarks – Café Tamar (57 Sheinkin St.) that has been serving stale coffee to a mix of Israel’s top politicians, journalists and artists for over 40 years. Sus Etz (20 Sheinkin St.) and Aroma (30 Sheinkin St.) are other options for a nice coffee break. But if you’re slightly hungrier than that, don’t miss Orna and Ella, without a doubt the best restaurant on the street.

Virtual tour of Shenkin Street >>

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Tel Aviv port - Day Time

Though not active as a port anymore, the old port of Tel Aviv is a very lively part of the city, day or night. It is where the first immigrants' ships landed, and though it was shut down in the 60's as an active sea port, it was awaken again in the 80's as a nightlife and water sports center. The Tel Aviv port today is a great place to hang out, eat or take a walk along the old pier. The center of the Tel Aviv port is a small area packed with great restaurants and few bars and nightclubs. It is definitely worth a visit during the day in spring, summer or one of the many sunny winter days. Some of the best seafood restaurants in Tel Aviv are located here, most of which are open during the day, and offer great view of the Mediterranean, relaxed atmosphere and business menus. Mul-Yam (Tel: 03-5469920) is a superb seafood restaurant that was chosen in 2003 as one of the top 140 restaurants in the world. Prices there match their flavor, so it is pretty expensive, yet it's recommended to visit Mul-Yam at least once, especially during the day when there's an opportunity to enjoy the sea view. Gilly's (Tel: 03-6057777) is another great option, and is well known for its excellent breakfasts, served every day till 5PM. Another option for some great seafood in front of the water in the Tel Aviv port is Boya (Tel: 03-5446166). It is a great restaurant, though again, not for low budget visitors. During the day the Tel Aviv port is a great place to visit and enjoy the beautiful view, the laid back atmosphere and the excellent seafood restaurants. Hotels that are located very close to the Port are: The Port Hotel Tel Aviv The Grand Beach Hotel The Tal Hotel

Discover Dizengoff Center: Tel Aviv's Top Shopping Mall and Cultural Hub on Dizengoff Street

Dizengoff St. is one of the longest and busiest Tel Aviv streets, and is one of its main culture, entertainment and shopping centers. Located just few blocks to the east from the Tel Aviv beach, it hosts a wide variety of fashion designers stores, coffee shops, the Beit Lessin Theater (101 Dizengoff St.) and the local attractions Kikar Dizengoff (Dizengoff Square) and the Dizengoff Center shopping mall. Dizengoff Center Dizengoff Center, a.k.a "The Center", located on the corner of Dizengoff St. and King George St., is a large shopping mall (with over 300 stores) offering almost everything - from designer shops to global chains (Zara, Pull & Bear, Aldo and many others), from fast food to consumer electronics, from entertainment (two multi-screen cinemas are located inside the Dizengoff Center complex: Lev cinemas & Dizengoff.) to health centers (2 gyms, one with a rooftop swimming pool!), the new official home of Lego worldwide and the perfect place to enjoy a Lego experience like no other in Israel. Thousands of sets and unique models of: Ninjago, Super Mario, Duplo, Minions, Minecraft and more. A Lego experience like no other in Israel. Dizengoff Square is located in the middle of this long street and proudly displays its most famous artifact – a huge sculpture created by Yakov Agam which is actually a fountain with a moving display of fire and water and sometimes even music. Dizengoff Square is a meeting place for young (sometimes punk) crowd, and twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, it hosts the Creative Artists Fair which features local artists' works in wood, glass, ceramics, metal, as well as jewelry, painting, sculpture, New Age items and crafts of all kinds. Shopping As for shopping, Dizengoff St. has the best designer shops in Tel-Aviv. These shops are located steps from each other along the street, and offer wedding dresses, suites, shoes and more in a variety of styles and prices. To get the taste of it check out: Tovalé (220 Dizengoff St.), Gertrude (225 Dizengoff St.), Couple Of (203 Dizengoff St.), Catomenta (173 Dizengoff St.), Dorin Frankfurt (164 Dizengoff St), Ronen Chen (155 Dizengoff St.), Naama Bezalel (212 Dizengoff St.), Yosef (213 Dizengoff) and many others. All these shops offer very unique and creative articles, influenced largely by NY and London styles, yet with an Israeli touch. The prices are rather high, but when you're converting to dollars or Euros it sounds significantly less. Hotels Dizengoff naturally offers some nice lodging options: Hotel Cinema, at 1 Zamenhoff Street (on the corner of Kikar Dizengoff / Dizengoff Square), part of the Atlas hotel chain, is a stylish, non-pretentious conversion of one of the first Tel Aviv Cinemas, built in classic Bauhaus style in 1930. Hotel Cinema's décor includes touches of cinema nostalgia and well-appointed rooms. The rates start at $150 for double room per night, breakfast included. Center Hotel at 1 Zamenhoff Street (right across the Dizengoff Square from Hotel Cinema) is a new boutique hotel on Dizengoff Square. Also a part of Atlas Hotels, it is located in a historic Bauhaus building that was renovated in 2006 to preserve the special characteristics of "The White City" architectural style.

Sea and Sun – Beaches of Tel Aviv

The beautiful white beaches of Tel Aviv are the city’s most popular attraction and a must for any visitor. The magnificent promenade (“Tayelet” in Hebrew), with its beachfront cafes and restaurants, runs along the shore at the main hotel area, providing a great location for morning or afternoon jogging. Surfing The beaches are mostly crowded on weekends (Friday and Saturday), and are pleasantly quiet in early mornings, when the only brave swimmers are seniors working on their exercise. The seashores are dotted with kiosks just a few steps from the water, tan worshipers lying on beach-beds while others carefully sitting under parasols. Beautiful Mediterranean Sunset While at the beach you may find yourself moving your head from the right to the left, following local pairs playing “Matkot” (Israeli beach Tennis), and on summer evenings, soon after the beautiful Mediterranean sunset, the beaches become a great location for night hang outs, you can find many beach bars, from the new and renovated Mezizim beach bar to the one North of the Marina and others along the beach. http://www.inisrael.com/news/?p=465

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