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Rabin Square Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv travel guide

Rabin Square is the main open public square of Tel Aviv, and is typically used for art exhibitions, independence-day celebrations and large rallies and demonstrations. The most famous of which was the peace rally on the night of November 5th 1995, at the end of which Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister of Israel, was assassinated.

Shortly afterwords, the square was renamed, and a monument was built on the north-eastern corner, where Rabin was shot. At the top of the stairs leading to the city hall entrance, Rabin’s last speech from the rally is engraved in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Until today, a small group called “the peace guards” gathers there every Friday at noontime to pay respect to the late much missed leader.

On the southern part of Rabin Square you’ll find a sculpture designed by Yigal Tumerkin, a famous Israeli artist, in memory of the Holocaust victims. On the northern part of the square you’ll find the city hall building, next to the “Gan Hair” shopping mall.

The street bordering the eastern side of Rabin Square is Ibn Gvirol, which is one of the main streets of the city. This street is a popular Tel Aviv landmark, crowded with many outdoor cafes, which remain lively until late at night. There are many places to sit and have a drink around Rabin Square, most famous of which is the Brasserie at 70 Ibn Gvirol Street. Brasserie was opened a couple of years ago and soon became one of the most successful restaurants in Tel Aviv. It is open 24 hours, and offers a French Bistro cuisine in Middle Eastern surroundings. There are special menus for every hour of the day and night, and the service is friendly.

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Experience Mediterranean Flavors at Mena - A Bistro Restaurant on Yarakon Street

I recently visited Mena, a Mediterranean bistro restaurant located on Yarakon Street, and I must say, I was impressed. The restaurant is under the direction of Chef Yanon Elel, who has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens around the world. The restaurant is beautifully situated on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, offering a stunning view. Mena's emphasis on Mediterranean food is evident in every dish they serve, and the freshness of the ingredients is apparent. The menu is carefully curated, with classic influences and European flair that doesn't compromise on the small details. I had the pleasure of trying several dishes, and each one was better than the last. The winter menu features a variety of dishes, from sourdough bread with butter, dua, olive oil, and balsamic from Modena, to sweet potato roulade with confit garlic, feta, hazelnuts, and olive oil. The standout dish for me was the chopped liver with pepper jam, crispy shallots, sour leaves, and African bread. It was a unique twist on a classic dish, and the flavors were perfectly balanced. Mena's menu options are a delightful blend of Mediterranean cuisine with European influences, offering a diverse range of dishes to suit all tastes. From classic favorites like Caesar salad with parmesan and crispy potato, to more adventurous options like fish carpaccio with pistachio vinaigrette and chili, the restaurant caters to a variety of palates. Vegetarians and vegans will also find plenty of options, including the red root vegetable pasta with silan, za'atar, and feta, and the greens in the oven with caesar aioli, parmesan, crispy potato, and soft egg. The menu is carefully curated to highlight the freshest ingredients, and the staff is knowledgeable about each dish, making recommendations and accommodating any dietary restrictions. Overall, the menu options at Mena are a delicious journey through the flavors of the Mediterranean. The service at Mena was impeccable, and the staff was attentive and knowledgeable. They were able to match the needs of our group in terms of food, style, design, and service. The published menus can be slightly changed if necessary, which is a nice touch. Overall, I highly recommend Mena for anyone looking for a Mediterranean dining experience in a beautiful setting. The prices are reasonable, considering the quality of the food and the level of service. If you're looking for a place to host a small event, Mena is the perfect choice.

Tel Aviv port - Night Time, busiest nightlife center of the city

The Tel Aviv port was shut down in the 60's as an active sea port, and was awaken in the 80's as a nightlife and water sports center. Nowadays it is the busiest nightlife area of the city. Some of its bars and clubs are certainly worth a visit even just to get a glance of the crowded mingling scene of Tel Aviv's nightlife. The biggest club in the Tel Aviv port area is TLV. It used to be one of the city's nightlife scene leaders for years, but has no fixed schedule anymore. TLV still holds parties every once in a while, playing mostly house and trance music, so if you consider yourself a clubber, you might want to check if there's a party there during your stay. The club itself is equipped with a state of the art sound and lighting systems, and has a sea front section with cool vibes. Whisky-a-go go, one of the hottest bars in Tel Aviv, is just nearby. This is where Israel's famous actors, models, athletes and celebrities come to eat, drink and mingle. Whisky-a-go go is a mixture of a lounge, a dance bar and a dining place. After midnight, the atmosphere there changes, while trendy DJs lift up the energy level. Another trendy place is Shalvata (which means peace or tranquility), named after a famous mental institution in Israel. Shalvata Offers a relaxed atmosphere, good music and superior view of the Mediterranean, accompanied by friendly service, though it tends to get very crowded on summer weekends and holidays. Galina is another Mega-bar at the Tel Aviv port which is friendly, well designed and usually quite packed. It is built around a round bar that occupies most of the space, a design that makes it a good place to meet people and mingle. There are many other bars in the Tel Aviv port and there's always enough parking. You can also take a bus all the way to the north end of Dizengoff and just follow the crowd, on their way for another night of drinking and dancing till dawn.

The Trumpeldor Cemetery

The Trumpeldor Cemetery is the first cemetery of Tel Aviv, and it is where many of the national Zionist leaders and famous Israeli artists are buried. For an historic journey in the center of Tel Aviv you should pay a visit to the Trumpeldor Cemetery at 19 Trumpeldor Street. The cemetery is named After Yosef Trumpeldor, a famous Russian Jewish war hero from the beginning of the 20th century, and is the first cemetery of the city and where many of its founding fathers, as well as central Zionist and cultural figures, are buried. Like many old cemeteries, the Trumpeldor Cemetery tells the story of Tel Aviv and its people in the past and present. The Trumpeldor cemetery was built in 1902 in the southern part of Tel-Aviv by Shimon Rokach, one of the city's founders and leaders, seven years before the foundation of the city itself. Since then, is has become a pantheon for major politicians and figures of Zionist movements, as well as Israeli artists and authors. Once visiting there, look for a relatively small area in which you will find the gravestones of some of the famous national figures of the country. Amongst others, you will spot the gravestone of the national poet Bialik, the city's first legendary mayor Arlozorov, some famous Zionist leaders, such as Sheinkin and Nordao, and some famous poets and writers, like Tshernichovski and Ahad Ha’Am. In many ways, the Trumpeldor cemetery is where the city's streets come back to life, and if you visit there a couple of days after wondering around the city center, surely you will recognize many of these names. Hotel Metropolitan is located on the very same street, at 11 Trumpeldor St. It is an affordable yet elegant lodging option right next to the beach and is very close to the city center. A second hotel in this area is the Sun City hotel, at 9 Trumpeldor St., which is very well kept and quite intimate. It has great location, too - right next to the city's lively markets and shopping areas, and only 500 meters from the Mediterranean promenade.

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