10 Facts About Tel Aviv You Didn’t Know

A City That Never Sleeps

Tel Aviv is known as one of the most beautiful vacation spots in the world, but its epic entrepreneurial spirit takes the cake for its true value. Openness and innovation can be felt anywhere, from coffee shops to the ubiquitous shared workspaces on every block, the Silicon Wadi would make any founder feel at home. The vibrant city also is home to various cultures, unique attitudes and innovative technologies. The eclectic population will intrigue even the most conservative individual and the food that results from this melting pot of cultures can’t be beat. The Tel Aviv nightlife is wild, the beaches are breathtaking and the Saturday morning silence makes even the atheists feel spiritual. Overall, Tel Aviv is definitely a city you’ll want to visit (and likely return to) in your lifetime.

Outstanding Restaurants

The delicious food in Tel Aviv is easily its best asset that only leaves foodies wanting more. Considered to have the best food in the world, Tel Aviv is home to top world renowned chefs, making for incredible culinary experiences. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food is undoubtedly incredible. Hummus, falafel, sabich (an eggplant and hard-boiled egg sandwich), and schnitzel (fried chicken) serve as amazing street food and are delicious, cheap, and easy to sink your teeth into. Want something a bit classier? No problem, Tel Aviv has over 100 sushi restaurants. Feeling Italian? Pronto is an authentic trattoria/restaurant modeled after the most famous eateries in Rome. It’s safe to say, when in Tel Aviv, you’ve got feasting options.

The White City: A Bauhaus Lovers Fantasy

Some of the most incredible architecture in the world is based in Tel Aviv thanks to its early European immigration. Tel Aviv has a collection of over 4,000 buildings that were built in the 1930s based on the international style known as Bauhaus. This aesthetic paints the city and you can learn more by taking a guided Bauhaus Tour certified by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. Tel Aviv has the most Bauhaus buildings in the world, so it is definitely worth it for any architecture fan or aficionado!

The Silicon Valley of the Middle East

Home to over 6,000 startups, Tel Aviv earned its recognition as the most innovative city in the world. Nicknamed Silicon Wadi (wadi meaning valley in Arabic), TLV’s startups are building technologies of tomorrow. The government offers incentives to international companies to attract up-and-coming entrepreneurs and businesses, with the goal of helping them succeed in the high- tech sphere. Some people even refer to it as an “Oasis of Innovation,” which we believe is pretty neat.

Home to a Designer Homeless Shelter

Like many big cities, Tel Aviv has a relatively large homeless population. As mentioned before, it is the most expensive city in the world, but  it is also a hub for refugees that have a very difficult time assimilating. Tel Aviv opened an $11m shelter for the city’s homeless population designed to look very cool and modern.

A New Way to Get Around: The Light Rail

Tel Aviv is constantly evolving and improving its accommodations. She possesses a pretty European vibe already, but the city started building a tram as a more appealing way to get around. The tram, known as the Dankal, will go above and below ground and is almost finished after 10 years of nonstop construction. Tel Avivians are extremely excited about it since it will change the entire vibe of the city, not to mention it will be unbelievably tourist friendly. 

Super Green 

Now that you’ve been reading about Israel, you can assume it’s a very innovative place. Tel Aviv is the hub of all of that progression; providing people with rights, freedom, and protection. However, all of Israel is consistently evolving and doing its part to help the world. Over ninety percent of Israelis utilize solar energy in their homes to heat their water, the highest number per capita in the world. Other green initiatives include the municipality focusing directly and heavily on sustainability. The city has a strategic plan put into place to create a desired green urban environment.

The Most Expensive City In the World

Tel Aviv was recently declared the most expensive city in the world by a global research group. Based on the high cost of living in terms of groceries, essentials, and housing, TLV’s not a cheap place to live. Those who manage to make it work definitely have some struggles financially. Definitely don’t let the currency exchange fool you and make sure to budget appropriately when you come to visit. 

An Accepting, Friendly Place

Tel Aviv was named the world’s best international LGBTQ city by voters all over the world. As the most recommended city for members of this community, the city hosts the largest Gay Pride parade in Asia and the Middle East. In addition to that fun fact, it ranked 7th in the world for gay happiness. Israel is one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East, especially when it comes to human rights. Additionally, the country treats women equally and with full rights, making it the only one in the Middle East. Just another reason to absolutely love Israel and Tel Aviv!

Dog to Human Ratio

There is 1 dog for every 17 people in Tel Aviv, meaning there are about 37,151 dogs and counting. That puts Tel Aviv at number 3 in the world in terms of dog-friendly cities. Plan to walk around? Then definitely expect to see an adorable pooch on your path! Most of the dogs you’ll see are rescues because the residents of Tel Aviv are unbelievably compassionate towards animals. There is a large number of vegans and vegetarians, even thousands of cat ladies throughout the city who feed the strays. Back to dogs, however, to give you an idea of how dog-crazed Tel Aviv is, there is a dog festival where hundreds of dogs shmooze and celebrate their beautiful lives together. Dogs are offered massages, gluten-free treats, specialty dog-friendly sushi and inspiring dog-themed art is for sale. If you don’t have a dog, especially in Florentine (a neighborhood known for canines) and certain other areas of the city, it can truly affect your social life. There are even multiple apps based on your dog’s social life such as Tailblaze and Playmates, a Tinder for dogs. 

 The Mediterranean Capital of Cool

“The Capital of Cool in the Mediterranean” was what the New York Times nicknamed Tel Aviv and it is definitely fitting. Known for all of the aforementioned reasons, like unique style, fantastic parties and incredible food, the cool list goes on and on. We challenge you to go to Tel Aviv and not immediately feel her unique energy.

TLDR: Tel Aviv is unlike any city in the world. People travel from far and wide to get a taste of the magic we Tel Avivians know and love. TLV is hands down THE place to add to your bucket list and is most definitely worth your time to visit!