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General tips or: All you wanted to know about Tel Aviv and never cared :-) to ask ? Tel Aviv is a colorful cosmopolitan city which you either love or hate... Tel Aviv is not characteristic of Israel as New York is not characteristic of America ... Tel Aviv overview The city can be divided into 2 main parts. The northern part of the city is more "posh" and elegant while the southern part looks less western and more like a poor middle eastern style neighborhood - "downtown Tel Aviv". On the west side is the seashore and a beautiful promenade from the port of TA in the north to the Port of Old Jaffa in the south. The pros: What is so great about Tel Aviv? The atmosphere of intense life - day and night the sunshine, the beaches, the cafés ( sometimes it seems there are more cafés than inhabitants :-) the gourmet restaurants, the sea that is within walking distance from anywhere in the city , bars, clubs, restaurants convenience shops (which are open around the clock ) "a city that never sleeps"... Everybody here speaks English, on different levels, in any case enough to give you directions if you are lost. Of course it helps to have a detailed a map of the city:-) People are very friendly to tourists... Maybe because there aren't so many yet :-) Personal safety - in spite of the impression that people might get from TV news channels, TA is very safe: you can walk around alone at all hours of the day and the night even if you are a woman - children walk by themselves from school - young girls return at night alone .... also terror acts are not IN at the moment ... Freedom - you can wear whatever you like - the least the better - formal dress is seldom required Smoking policy – in Tel Aviv you can still smoke almost everywhere. In pubs and bars of course and in restaurants and cafés there are special nonsmoking areas that you have to avoid. Not anymore - A new law has been proclaimed and now you can smoke only outside but not in the interior of public places, including cafes, restaurants and bars.. The cons: It is hot and humid during summer months July - September not very clean streets, people can be sometimes noisy and rude Sorry I can't find more cons at the moment - the truth is I love the city so I am a little prejudiced. General Tips Currency the Israeli money is called Shekel (shekalim in plural) and NIS is its international sign but nobody says "new Israeli shekel" just shekel. Money change There are plenty of CHANGE shops in Tel Aviv center - it is safe to change money and they don't charge commission - you can also change money in the bank or post office but there you might have to stand in line. To get the best rates you can check and compare shops. I can recommend Money-Net which I used a few times and which had fair rates: 114 Eben Gvirol (not far from Gan Hayir) and 22 Gordon Street (Corner of Ben Yehuda) the website is only in Hebrew but you can understand the rates even if you don' t read Hebrew. Banks are open for limited hours so if you need a bank make sure you go in the morning Sunday to Thursday only. .Another Change Chain that is popular is the International Exchange Money Gram that has many branches in Tel Aviv. Internet - There are some Internet shops on Ben Yehuda Street one of them is Private Link on 78 Ben Yehuda (Mapu street corner) Tel 03 5299889 another one is Log In on 21 Ben Yehuda Street Tel 035168689 and Webstop on 28 Bugrashov Street (near Ben Yehuda) Tel 03 6202692 and most of the cafes are WiFi free
One Stop Shop 112 Eben Gvirol Street , shoemaker, tailor , keys maker etc. And if you need to repair yourself :-)) there are some nice and friendly English speaking doctors that give services to tourists check the Tel Aviv Doctors website Post office on Eben Gvirol very near on the same side of the street Ather Post offices you can find on Mendely Street, a little street near the Dan Hotel, on Zamenhoff street right in Dizengoff Square and also on North Dizengoff not far from Nordau Blvd. Post Offices are usually open from 9 AM to 6 PM for further information check the website Telephone for local calls information you can call 144 directory - and 188 for international calls Automatic Laundries - There are several in the center of Tel Aviv and they are open 24 hours. Hamahbesa - 102 Ben Yehuda, 95 Yehuda Halevi Street, 109 Eben Gvirol, 88 Frishman Street, 6 Dizengoff square, Habesna - 127 Ben Yehuda Laundrey Cafe - 10 Shefer street (near Nahalat Binyamin pedestrian walk) Self Wash 59 Eben Gvirol Tel Aviv guides - I recommend Time Out Tel Aviv in English that comes out monthly and is available for free at most hotels reception desks It is a very accurate and brings the best of Tel Aviv spots. Newspapers in English Jerusalem Post is a daily Israeli newspaper in English, Haaretz which is considered the best newspaper in Israel has also an English Version . You can also find International Newspapers in some bookshops or in the hotel shops. Radio Stations - I recommend 102 FM Radio Tel Aviv many commercials and some Hebrew bla bla but mostly nice music - Also 99 Escape (99FM) is a trendy station where you can listen to hip hop and MTV hits all day. The Army Music Station Galgalaz (91.8 FM) is also good for music and has less commercials. Israel Radio Tool bar a site that you can download for free and enjoy Israeli Radio Station on your computer wherever you are. Useful Info Tourist Information Office Municipality Hall on Rabin Square Tel 5218500 7 Mendeley Street right near Molly Bloom Pub If you need to find your embassy try Foreign embassies list Emergency calls telephones numbers Police 100 Magen David 101 (for medical emergency) Fire Emergency 102 Hospital Ichilov Tel: 6974444 Dental Clinic opened 24 hours on 18 Reines street 5239241 Post office - website -there are many in the city - near the hotel area there are 2 small branches open mostly in the mornings: 61 Hayarkon Street, 3 Mendeley Street, on 170 Eben Gvirol there is a big post office open all day until 6PM. Local Customs Shabat means Saturday, the Sunday of Israel - This is the formal day of rest , shops are closed and there are no buses or trains from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening - but you don't have to worry - In central Tel Aviv cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars are open. Food products or cigarettes can be purchased in AM-PM Supermarkets or Tiv Taam and in kiosks called "pitzutzia" that are open 24 hours a day including Saturday and Holidays (except Yom Kipur and Memorial Days).
Tel Aviv is the never closing city (almost) and bars, cafés and even restaurants are open until late hours or even around the clock. That is why Tel Aviv is called "the city that never stops". However during the year there are 3 nights when everything is closed including cafés and restaurants. One is in April or May before the Holocaust Remembrance Day the second is a week later, one day before the Independence day for the Memorial day for the soldiers that died in action. During these days the a local custom is to stand up for 2 or three minutes when the sirens heard wherever you are. Like if you are in a bus it will stop and everybody will stand up and the driver too.. etc. Also sometime in August (see the Israel Calendar) is another mourning day, something to do with the fall of the old Temple it is called Tisha Baav and it is more a religious thing. On top of all this there is YOM KIPUR when really everything is closed night before and the whole day and even cars don't go.
some parcel or other unattended stuff found Not to worry usually they don't explode if you can find an alternative way just out and if not wait and it is soon over and you can continue your route.
Tips in cafés, restaurants, bars: the more the better :-) at least 12 % For more tips and information see GO Israel tips - A great site by the Israeli Tourism Office in Amsterdam. |
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