The Anti-Tourist Guide to Tel Aviv

I get it. You’ve been to Tel Aviv before. You’ve already visited Shuk HaCarmel and Sarona Market, and maybe now you’re here for the summer. This time, you want to go beyond the usual tourist spots and experience Tel Aviv more like a local.

Well, yalla – let’s spend the day like Tel Avivians do.

9:30 am – Wake up late because this is Tel Aviv 

Ease into the morning and enjoy the extra sleep. There is no need to rush – Tel Aviv days often start a little later, especially after a late night.

10:30 am – Neighborhood breakfast around where you are staying

Thanks to Tel Aviv’s strong café culture, you will rarely have to walk far to find good coffee and breakfast. Stop at a café near where you are staying and order a boureka, rugelach, or whatever looks best in the display case.

Try an ice café, the sweet, blended coffee drink found at cafés across the city. Sit outside, take your time, and enjoy the slower start to the day.

12:00 p.m – Rent a bike and ride along the Tayelet with no major destination

Rent a bike and ride along the tayelet, Tel Aviv’s beachfront promenade, with no major destination in mind. It is an easy way to pass different beaches, beach bars, and the port while getting a feel for the coastline.

Stop wherever matches your vibe. You might join a game of footvolley – a popular beach sport that combines soccer and volleyball – take a quick dip in the Mediterranean, or find a spot where you want to stay a little longer.

1:30 pm – Eat somewhere based entirely on where locals are waiting 

There is no single best place to eat in Tel Aviv. Nearly every street has plenty of delicious options, from shawarma, falafel, and schnitzel to burgers, Thai food, and almost anything else you might be craving.

Follow the crowd, ask someone nearby for a recommendation, or simply choose the place that smells the best. You are unlikely to be disappointed.

3:00 pm - Explore Florentin’s Street Art, Then Shop Vintage on Sheinkin Street

Florentin is one of Tel Aviv’s main street-art neighborhoods. Throughout the area, you will find colorful murals and graffiti covering garage doors, shutters, alley walls, and the sides of buildings. The art constantly changes, with new pieces regularly added, so there is always something different to discover.

After exploring Florentin’s street art, make your way toward Sheinkin Street for some vintage shopping. The street has several secondhand and vintage stores, along with smaller boutiques and cafés. Skip the familiar international chains for the afternoon and look for something more unique to take home.

6:00 p.m  – Buy snacks and watch sunset on the beach 

Small markets and convenience stores are on nearly every block in Tel Aviv, usually stocked with ice cream bars, wine, cold drinks, and plenty of snacks. Make sure to grab Bamba and Bissli, two Israeli favorites.

Bring everything to the beach and watch the sunset as people meet up after work, walk their dogs, or run along the tayelet. Tel Aviv beach at sunset is hard to beat. 

8:00 p.m Dinner somewhere small and crowded 

Tel Aviv’s streets are lined with intimate restaurants that fill up as the evening begins. Order a few small plates and glasses of wine, sit outside, and enjoy the energy of the city around you.

For a lively atmosphere, head to Nachalat Binyamin Street, where restaurants and bars spill out onto the sidewalks and the area fills with people. Wherever you choose, look for somewhere busy, grab a table outside, and settle in for a long dinner.

10:00 - Meet people through a D-TLV experience 

A local day in Tel Aviv does not end after dinner. Nightlife is a major part of the city, but knowing where to go can be difficult when you are not familiar with the different areas and venues.

Join the D-TLV Pub Crawl to visit a mix of bars and nightlife spots without spending the evening searching for somewhere good. You will get a better sense of how a night out in Tel Aviv moves from place to place, while meeting other travelers and people from the city along the way. It is a simple way to experience another side of local Tel Aviv and keep the day going well past dinner.

Tel Aviv is best experienced without planning every minute. Start slowly, follow the streets that interest you, and stop when somewhere feels worth staying.

You may not see every landmark, but you will leave with a much better sense of how the city actually feels.

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