Tel Aviv

Put simply, Tel Aviv is where the action is in Israel. The beaches are clean and white, the sea warm, the nightclubs hopping, the shopping plentiful and the restaurants appetizing. Stroll down the promenade along the sea or the beach itself during the day and down Dizengoff Street at night. Meet up at the sculpture fountain created by the acclaimed Israeli artist Yaacov Agam and go to a club, or just hang outand people-watch from an outdoor café.

Tel Aviv is the first all-Jewish city in modern times. Originally named Ahuzat Bayit, it was founded by 60 families in 1909 as a Jewish neighborhood near Jaffa. In 1910, the name was changed to Tel Aviv, meaning "Hill of Spring." The name was taken from Ezekiel 3:15, "...and I came to the exiles at Tel Aviv," and from a reference in Theodor Herzl's novel Altneuland, in which he foresaw the future Jewish state as a socialist utopia.

Today, Tel Aviv is Israel's largest city, with a population of 360,000. It is also the country's business and cultural center, boasting world class museums, theatrical performances and musicians.

Nearby Jaffa has been a fortified port city overlooking the Mediterranean Sea for more than 4,000 years. It is one of the world's most ancient towns. It has been the target of conquerors throughout the ages because of its strategic location between Asia, Africa and Europe.Today, Jaffa is a popular tourist destination because of its beautifully restored old quarter filled with galleries, shops andrestaurants.

Learn more about Tel Aviv.

Israel Tour content provided by the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise(AICE). To find more information about the sites on our trip and general facts about Israel visit the Virtual Israel Experience at AICE's Web site.