Welcome to the city I have called home since 2013!
Tel Aviv was established in 1909 simply as a neighborhood of Jaffa. Large waves of immigration in the 1920s and 1930s set the tone for Israel’s premier city. It was from here that David Ben Gurion declared an independent State of Israel in 1948.
We start at one of the oldest port cities in the world: Jaffa. The city was mentioned in the writings of Homer. A story about Princess Andromeda tied to the Rocks of Jaffa was the inspiration for the 1981 classic movie “Clash of the Titans”.
This was the place Jonah fled to hoping to escape his fate. St. Peter visited and the city was later captured by Richard the Lion-Hearted during the Crusades. Other notable visitors included Napoleon, Mark Twain and Theodore Herzl. A daily flea market offers bargains while many of the shops have antiques.
We can walk along the Port to see where travelers in the 19th century first stepped off their boats. There is an artists colony with galleries. Jaffa has an Old City so we can explore its ancient stones never knowing which surprise will await us as we turn the corner.
We return to Tel Aviv proper to stroll up Rothschild Blvd. and see what got this city UNESCO World Heritage Status. In the 1930s as the population greatly expanded many architects who were refugees from Hitler’s Germany came in and developed in the Bauhaus Style. This street is tree-lined giving us protection from the sun so we can view some great examples as we stroll.
Israel Tour Guide Lorne Newman 