13. Tel Aviv

Boutique hotels, local wineries, vegan ice cream and 13 separate beaches over just 14 kilometres of coastline. Plus, out of this world humous!

In this episode, you'll hear about the real Tel Aviv - with facts only a travel expert would know: from travelling, to eating, to shopping.

For a free factsheet on the varied offerings of Tel Aviv, email May at her website: https://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/may.swan-easton

Transcript

Boutique hotels, local wineries, vegan, ice cream, and 13 separate beaches over just 14 kilometers of coastline. Plus out of this world, humus, welcome to episode 13 of travels with May.

hello, I'm  May Swan-Easton. And in this episode at destination is Tel Aviv Israel. Now keep listening, because I'll be telling you how you can download a free fact sheet on the destination. Straight into the conversation I had with Michelle Roberts, who is business development manager at Asia government tourist office, UK and Ireland, and over the next 30 minutes or so you'll hear about the route.

With facts only an expert would know from chaplain to eating, to shopping. Michelle. Welcome. Hello. So nice to be here. So why do you think Tel Aviv should be on everyone's wishlist to visit? It is one of the most comprehensive cities you can ever visit. I mean, it literally has absolutely. Everything you could look for in a brick, you have got culture history.

You've got archeological options. You've got incredible art scene. You have got the most glorious speeches, great promenade nightlife. It's just this all encompassing destination that can virtually tick every single box you can imagine. So, yeah, I mean, it is it's, it's just one of the funnest, most wonderful places I've ever been, which is why it helps.

That's why I'm still here. It's only Tel Aviv. It just one of the best cities in the world it's fun. And the there a best time to visit weather-wise now. It all depends on your individual preferences. Okay. Now I'm weird. We all know. I am not a big, I don't particularly like it when it's 30 degrees or over.

So personally me, I'm an Israel winter girl. Um, but only because I like it a little cooler, however, I'm, I'm, I'm weird in comparison to the population Israel's weather in the summer is glorious. We're talking thirties, bright sunshine, great temperatures in the waters. Um, so. If you like it warm definitely the summer.

However, the spring and the autumn are probably more it's spring and autumn, they tend to be more like 25 ish in that general area. So it's really, really nice. And for winter sun, um, especially now I think then it just. You can be up in Tel Aviv and it'll be a little bit cooler, but we're talking British summertime.

Cool. Like 20 degrees, something like that. But you go down south and you're getting a little warmer. We've got the desert and very little rain. So it is a year. Kind of destination just depends on how hot you like, and is it best to include Televiv on a, like a tour of Israel or with other cities or just on its own as a sole sole destination now for Tel Aviv?

Um, most of the time when, like when there are a score detours and there are. Just a huge, huge variety of escorted tours you can do if you're over there. Um, Tel Aviv is normally the first city because everybody will fly in and they'll stay there the one night, but it's not visited a lot. They don't really concentrate on televi for the squirted tour market.

Um, but it is a standalone and it's a really good standalone place because. Even if, if you only want to go for a weekend, it's a great place to go for a weekend. It's just under five hour flight each way. So that makes it really easy. You've also got the, the closeness between Aviv and the rest of the country.

You can stay in Tel Aviv, not have to move hotel rooms. And, but you can see so much of the country just from that one cemetery point. I mean, Jerusalem. We're talking now it's under an hour. It's a 44 minute or a 34 minute, depending on the day you do it. Um, train journey. Now there's now a direct train that goes from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but you can go by bus it's a little over an hour.

It's real easy to get around so you can base yourself in Tel Aviv. You can, you don't have to leave Tel-Aviv by the way at all. In fact, I have a funny story about that, but, um, you don't have to leave Televiv, but it's so easy to see the rest of the country. If somebody was going to go to Tel Aviv, I would probably recommend minimum to start out with a four nighter and definitely factor in a trip to Jerusalem.

Just because the contrast of the two cities are just incredible. And yeah, Tel Aviv is like party central, liberal, um, LGBT flags, rainbow flags, all over the place. And then you go. Less than an hour away. You've got this great spiritual historic city. So it's this real lovely mix of different things that you can see and do.

So that's great. Is there different areas to stay in, uh, Western Televiv? So you've mentioned the historical district and you also mentioned a beach area. So are they far from each other? Can you walk between those two? Tell him, he was really a walking city. I mean, we talk about the Televiv Jeff up.

Sometimes I think we make a sound like it's its own city, but it's actually not. You walk there from Tel Aviv. It's just an area. Um, but accommodation wise, it really depends on what you're looking for. Um, obviously the beach, guess what? We've got a ton of different homes. Located right along the beachfront, beachfront, even a couple of roads in, if you want a beach, that's probably the best way to place to stay.

Um, however, there are some of the really nice hotels that are located inland. Um, and when you say inland, we're not talking stupid inland, we're talking, you know, it's walkable to. Beach, as long as you don't mind walking a bit. Um, but you've got like the area around Rothschild Boulevard that has got a lot of very chic boutique type hotels because, um, Rothschild Boulevard is a, you know, it's a treeline street.

It's very elegant, really lovely atmosphere. And some of the really good hotel, like the Norman is over there and there's also other properties over there. But then you've got the beach area and then you've also got Jaffa because there've been some really good hotels that have opened up in Jaffa in the last like five years you have.

Now you have, um, they've recently added the SETI. You've got the, um, the Jaffa and there's even one called like market house, but there are so many areas you can stand and it all depends on what you want. Really just keep in mind. You're going to go there and the hotels are absolutely brilliant, but you are going to probably be out of your hotel room most of the time anyway, but, but there are a choice of large hotels and small boutique hotels as well.

So you've got, and a good choice. Yes. And boutique hotels are probably were strongest. There are so many small, interesting boutique hotels each with its own theme. And feels. Um, so you were, you're kind of spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing accommodate. That's good to know. Very good to know. Is there other forms of public transportation?

Do you have buses, taxis and buses? Are they in abundance? Yes. There are. There are public transportation. In fact, from the airport to Tel Aviv and from Tel Aviv all up along the coast, there's also really good rail service. That is one thing where it's we're Israel is actually cheaper than the UK is in its public transportation.

You do have a Sabbath in Israel. So from sundown on Friday to sundown and Saturday, The train system does not run public transportation does not run, but there are exceptions. Okay. First of all, taxis run all the time. Nobody, you will never have trouble finding taxis in Israel anywhere. Um, they're very plentiful.

Televiv is probably one of the best place to spend the Saturday Sabbath because very little, you know, it's never shuts it's 24 7. Place, but you've got, there's a special bus service that goes around all the main points that you can just happen on and off. It's like one of those little shorty buses, but they do that to help people who are visiting Televiv.

Now that's a fairly recent app thing, but you will walk, you will take texts. You'll probably stumble home back to your hotel at some point. Well, it's good to know because the, for visitors there, um, unless you've told them, they wouldn't know about it, I'm going to give you a quote now. Um, cause I'm going to have to read this, but it says the New York times titled Televiv as a Mediterranean Capitol of call do to, and I quote Mediterranean beaches with a world-class nightlife buzzing, natural.

Incredible food, UNESCO recognized architecture and an international outlook. So can you expand on the incredible food and restaurants that are available? Yes. There's a logical reason behind the food scene over there. One Israelis, themselves love food. It is, it's just that kind of society where food is a very important part of their everyday life.

And. They're also very picky. So people who visit us tourist gets to take advantage of the fact that Israelis, if, if an restaurant is not good, it won't last more than a little while. So it's really kind of cool that the visitors get to take advantage of the Israeli. What, what am I looking at? Quality guide, you know, quality control, but oh, the food over there is just amazing.

One of the reasons, why is the simple fact that they grow a lot of their own produce. So when you're eating your, you know, if you're having a tomato, it's probably going to be a tomato that was on the vine yesterday, the quality and the freshness. Okay. Israel has such great agricultural practices because they've had to basically take a barren land and make it produce food.

Not only do they produce food for Israelis now, they actually produce food for a lot of the world. Everything is fresh and it's also this wonderful energy it's fusion of all different flavors. I mean, fusion is probably the best way to describe what goes on. In Israel, you have to understand all the people who are living there.

Now, they come from all corners of the world. You know, every corner of the world has got somebody based in Israel and they all bring their own culinary traditions with them. And because of this, there is a real like Eastern European mash with a typical Mediterranean thing, whatever it is, they produce.

Flavorful stuff and, oh my God. It's so good. So what sort of food then can the listeners expect to find? You mentioned Mediterranean. Is it all fresh? Was it cold food, hot food? Is it lots of humus? Yes. The humus thing is true, but the whom is over there, I have to admit is another experience in itself. Uh, you never tasted homeless like this in the UK.

Uh, you can get absolutely everything we're talking. Especially Televiv you don't first of all, probably Televiv is more non-kosher restaurants. Any place else in the country. So you can find non-kosher food in Tel Aviv, quite easily. Sushi. Funny enough, there are more sushi restaurants per capita in Televiv than virtually any place else in the world.

New York and Tokyo are only the only two cities that have more sushi restaurants per capita. So sushi is a very popular thing, but a lot of fusion dishes. Uh, you you'll find a tally and you'll find Eastern European. There's just virtually everything. And as you know, and you probably heard whenever people start talking about chefs, Israeli chef's names will pop up.

Like Ottolenghi, it's just really lovely high-tech food. Are there any traditional dishes that people can try? You're talking if this is Israel as a whole, but you've probably talking a very Mediterranean type of diet thing. Um, traditionally schwannomas Saba, which is like a pita with eggplant and all different things in it.

The street food in is. You don't, that's the wonderful thing. You don't, you don't, you can very easily go out to a five-star restaurant and have one of the most mindblowing meals you're ever going to have, but you can also do. Go to a local little corner store, you know, falafel, grab a falafel, grab PETA shwarma, things like that.

And the quality of these little places is just unbelievable. So you don't have to spend an arm and a leg vegetarian also. And especially because we're talking about Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv is actually been named one of vegetarian capitals of the world because they have. Wonderful woman. Her name is Ori Chevy.

I think her name is she started this whole revolution where she started talking people into, you know, restauranters to start at least having vegan dishes on the menu. And, oh my God, why vegans and vegetarians will be in heaven, especially in Tel Aviv because the options are there for them. They have the world's first vegan ice cream shop where everything is vegan.

Also the main restaurants, you can go into a restaurant that is. Meet and everything else, but there will be vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. It is so good for people. And who knows? You may even be tempted to go vegetarian or vegan. I'm not, I'm sure you've tried loads of restaurants and cafes, Michelle, but do you have a favorite restaurant to visit when you're in Tel Aviv?

Okay. I do. And it kind of shows my lack of a more discerning palette, but there is a place called Benny, the fishermen, and it's located in the telephone B port. Okay. And when I went to this restaurant, we had a whole group of us. There was probably about 10 of us, um, sitting down having a big meal and they brought out.

This, this, this feast is the best way you could put it. You, you order like you lowered the, like something for the whole table. So you start at all. They keep doing is bringing out appetizers and you're going, I'm getting full. And then they bring out the next, the amount of foods you get is absolute incredible, but they will make you a pull fish any way you want.

You want it braille. Do you want to grill? Do you want it, you know, deep fried. They do it. All the different things around it. It was one of the best meals I had. You're looking at the Mediterranean you're on, you know, Out on the patio, um, enjoying the sunshine. It was great. It was absolutely great. And I love a bit of seafood and yes, that one place is definitely not kosher because I had prawns.

Perfect. It's good to know. Good to know. Uh, you mentioned about five star restaurants and then the street food. So Aviv is renowned to be expensive. So this is probably going to be a whole question. Yeah. What can you give us an idea of what the average cost of dinner is in? Say casually, the restaurant casual you're talking about, I would say roughly 15 quid for a meal in a very casual, basic restaurant.

The best way to look at Tel Aviv is if you think London price. Because that's exactly, it is pretty much London prices when you're over there. Um, so you've got 15 pounds, not even that much. I mean, for seven pounds you can get like unbelievable. Shwarma. Trust me, you probably won't want to eat for about 10 hours after eating one of these things for the larger restaurants for the more five star you're talking an average of around 65 quid, a person, very similar to London.

Of course, if you start adding alcohol in that is when it's going to cost you. I'm glad you mentioned alcoholics because I was really surprised to learn that there's about roughly about 300 wineries, um, in Israel, um, prob possibly more. Can those wines be found in restaurants and bars in Televiv or are they predominantly exported?

Oh, no. Finding them locally is no problem whatsoever. The nice thing about Israel is that they won't just like, if you go into a bar and you want wine, they don't automatically give you Israeli wine. You know, you do have options of getting wine from all over the world, but the Israeli wine is really, really nice.

As you probably noticed after you saw me drink some. So. And would you say the rates, all the Y is better? Which one? I prefer the red, the wonderful thing is there. There's so many different wineries you can choose from. Um, the quality is there. I mean, Israeli wineries have been winning awards when I first started here.

It wasn't so prominent, but now it's really, really gone up. By the way it's not only wineries. Um, you've also got the next big thing has been the beer. So microbreweries are now the next thing that's up and coming and popping up all over. And Tel Aviv actually has the first one. The first micro brewery opened up in Tel Aviv.

Not only that you've got, um, we've got distilleries gin, whiskey. They're now starting to produce that locally as well. How much would you pay for a glass of wine or beer? I mean, it is. Let's do a comparison. So in UK, if something was like about five pounds for like a pint, it's probably going to be about six and a half pounds for a pint over there.

Um, mixed drinks. Again, it all depends on where you go. There are some amazing cocktail bars where basically the cocktails are like a meal in themselves, you know, just because they're so specialized. And, um, but it, I mean, It is a little more expensive than London to drink, but then there's always some really good ways around things like this.

Sometimes, especially in Tel Aviv, if you're staying at one of the larger properties, it's almost good to upgrade to like an executive room, because a lot of times the executive lounges that these major hotels, um, we'll put out free alcohol in the afternoon. If even if you're paying for an upgrade, you're going to end up getting more out of it.

Cause there's booze there. Or one of my favorite chains is Atlas hotels and Atlas hotels are basically they're boutique hotels. They are, um, you can find them in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and they're expanding all over the place. But one of their special things is five to 7:00 PM. Free wine, free snacks and you know, little things like that can help you save on the whole alcohol Chet, but where the drinking might be a little bit more expensive.

I think you don't notice it as much because the nightlife there is so just nuts. It, it is absolutely. Crazy in Televiv at night, because during the day it is very busy. It's a very vibrant, energetic type of city at night. Oh my God. They come out of the woodworks. There are lines to get in restaurants and eat there's different bars and clubs and everything else.

It's really cool. If you are a party animal Televiv is your place to go. So the bars and the restaurants, do they offer evening entertainment whilst you're dining? Or is that not a thing? Really nice restaurants. I would think probably don't have things like that. But when anything, like, if you're eating in your hotel, if, if you want to eat there and by the way, there's nothing wrong with eating dinner in the hotel.

You will find that you get entertainment. However, it's not as normal in Televiv like if we were talking the, if somebody was staying at the dead sea or down in a lot and places like that, yes, you definitely get more entertainment in the evenings with like, if you're at a hotel with the evening meal or out at a restaurant, but Tel Aviv is a little bit different.

I think it's because there are so many things. Going up type options. And you mentioned earlier on about the B2C, you'd sort of touched on that. So Televiv has been named one of the 10 best beach cities in the world by national geographic magazine. So is that just one long stretch of beach or is there lots of little beaches?

This is the weird thing. Okay. The Televiv coastline is 14 kilometers. That is what they consider it. Now on this 14 kilometer stretch, there are 13 separate beaches, but when you say separate beaches, most of the time they join into each other. Um, the thing is there are different beaches for different activities.

You've got some beaches that are really great for volleyball. You know, they'll have a volleyball courts and a lot of outdoor activity also. At various places along the beach front, you'll get the whole muscle beach thing where they have exercise equipment. And boy, if you get really lucky, you get to watch a man workout on that exercise equipment because they're very, very attractive in.

You know, you've got ones that have playgrounds. You've got ones that are great for, um, the watersports that you can rent, stand up, paddle boards and, you know, surfing and the whole bit. So, but they each have a different thing. There are a few spots where you literally is you're on the prominent because like there's like a marina or something, but for the most part, you can literally walk the entire length of it.

And all the BT, Sandy, or peddling sad they're golden center. That's one of the things. My first time that I saw Tel-Aviv beach, literally my mouth dropped. Um, I used to be a Caribbean product manager. So my last trip anywhere was to the Caribbean. And, uh, when I saw the beach, I was like, I was shocked because it's really big.

It's, well-maintained, it's clean as well. There's so many things to do along the beach front as well. So yeah, it is quite spectacle. Really lovely. So apart from the food, the beach and the nightlife, what else is there to see and experience in Televiv that's not available in any other destination. The history Televiv Jaffa is actually a city of two parts.

You've got the ancient port of. And you have the modern city of Televiv. Now the ancient port of Jaffa is thousands of years old. It has been, it's mentioned in the Bible. It is actually the port where Jonah left and he got eaten by the. So that's the port where Jonah left from, um, that's how much it goes back.

I mean, it's thousands of years of history there. Um, it, the unbelievable history, you, if you go on a tour, you can hear the guides, talk about it. We're talking everything from Napoleon invading to, you know, just things after things. It is quite amazing when you hear the gods talk about all the different history that happens in these places.

Um, so you've got. But walking distance right next door to it. You have Televiv now Tel Aviv is the young part, but Jaffa is where you can go to get that, you know, your kid of history in Tel Aviv. When you go to Jaffa, you go up on top of the hill and there's a, there is a, basically a site called old Jaffa and it's great for people.

I'd loved it, but I also it's really geared towards, you know, kids will enjoy it as well. Cause you go into the museum, you see all the archeology, they, um, they retrieved from the general area at the top of Java, but it also gives you like a 3d kind of in place experience where you see them talk about.

Jaffa it's history. What it's been known for. Uh, it, it is kind of a, it is a touristy thing, but it's not a tourist thing. It's actually quite interesting. And then when you go up on top of Jaffa, that is where you get those spectacular view. Of Tel-Aviv because at the top, there is just most beautiful panoramic of the Mediterranean, the Televiv skyline.

And so you get this dual thing where you still have Tel Aviv's very modern ancient, blah, blah, blah. You've got Java, which gives you all that rich history and museums. You've got plenty of museums to available. Yeah. Museum wise. Um, first of all, Israel per capita has more museums than any other place in.

That's per capita. Um, but Televiv, if you like art, oh, there is one museum. In fact, it's on one of my top things to see in Tel Aviv, it's called Elana gore museum and it is located in Jaffa. It is actually in the. House. She actually lives in rooms in this place. It's all the old ancient, it's basically an old ancient building that they've remodeled and it, the eclectic mix of art and this place is just phenomenal.

And also they have. Beautiful, um, balcony up top on the roof where you have all this artwork, but then you've got the views up. It is such a cool museum. You've also got the museum of art, which is a modern art museum. The building itself. Is actually a piece of art it's quite funky and, you know, think, think a more angular Guggenheim.

That's the best way, because it is very angular building that they've got there, but you've also got museum of the Jewish. Um, that's just been actually rebranded recently, museums. There's tons of them to go look at. If that's your thing, you will not be disappointed and I've heard Carmel market should be on everyone's list.

What is it? Why is it Cardinal market is basically, um, Israel's oldest and most, uh, in traditional like market one. It is not just a place for tourists. Local people. This is their local, this is their big a market that they go to. It has everything, everything from fine spices to olives, to children's toys and fruit.

It's this real mish-mash of just about everything. And you will, you go through there and you smell it. The amazing smells between you. You used to walking down one area and you'll get this real blast. If you just like fresh produce and then you walk past a spice stand with this. All these different exotic sense is so cool.

And if you like. There you go. But you know, for the little stuff you don't really barter, but it, you know, it's there, but it's the energy of the place. It's actually a lot of fun going through. So telophase sounds a great destination for couples, friends, and groups, but would you recommend it for families with little children?

The only way I wouldn't recommend it for adults with little children is if the parents are going to be depressed, that they can't go out and party all night.

I know a few parents like that. Yeah. I've been a price. Yeah. The great thing is that for kids, because Israel is such a family orientated society. When you do visit places, there's always like that little. That kind of makes it interesting for kids like you, sometimes all you need to get a kid's attention is throwing a little cartoon of a little night somewhere, you know, and it, it makes them engage.

And, but they're very good at getting the kids to engage and learn things. But family-wise, I mean, for goodness sakes, you've got the beach, there's playgrounds all up and down the beach. There's amusement park, close by all sorts of different things that are in the general area that kids a love like mini Israel, which is basically a little Israel in minutes.

Kind of like a think a Lego land without the Legos. However, it probably would be a little bit funner for adults not to have kids a lot. Cause cause you can go out and have a very good time there. Yeah. It sounds like there's a, there's lots to do and lots to see just for adults alone. So going back to the LGBT, um, friendly side of, of Israel, um, I know that Televiv hosts the only public.

Pride parade in the entire middle east. So is that always held only on the first weekend of June? I guess it gets really, really busy. Um, normally it's the first weekend, however, in the last 12 years, I think once it's actually was actually at the end of may. So, but it's always in that general time period, because June is worldwide is LGBT month is pride month.

You don't have to come for pride. To, um, enjoy the LGBTQ characteristics of Televiv. Um, first of all, rainbow flags fly year round. Um, I've yet to be in Tel Aviv without seeing two women walking down the street, holding hands or two men walking down the streets, holding hands. It is a very accepting society.

Nobody blinks an eye. It's sort of an, anything goes as long as, as long as you're nice and you're not hurting anybody. Hey, enjoy yourself. That's kind of the attitude. So talk about shopping cause I love shopping. Um, where's the best place to get some retail therapy and okay. There are, first of all, there are a couple really good malls.

Um, decent golf mall is a multilevel tons of different shops, but for really something unique you want to go someplace like, um, there is one of my favorite, favorite markets is called the NACA. It is held every Tuesday and Friday. And basically it is right. It's you come to the end of caramel market and then you go off to another road and it is the arts and crafts market.

But do not think church fate, okay. This is not church faith stuff. The meaning of this market. When you go there, the artists themselves, man, they're boots. That is one of the big things. They want the local artists to be able to interact with there, with the people who want to buy and be able to display their wares.

Now this place, if you ever wanted to go unbelievable Christmas shopping. Definitely hit this market. Go book your December trip. Make sure you're there on a Friday because you will be so happy with what's available. We're talking jewelry and different RD type stuff. It just. And you get to talk to the actual artist who made it, but you've also got beautiful shops.

You've got lovely area around nubs dedic with a lot of like chic boutiques and things like that. But one of the funnest place is the, a flea market. The Java flea market. Yes, it is a flea market. You will literally go there and people will. Out on blankets, you know, all the trash they're trying to sell, but it also has a lot of like individual shops where you can just buy the weirdest stuff.

But as far as Chris just finding a bargain and that is where if you like to haggle, you can definitely haggle at the flea market, but it's really, really cool. So retail wise? Yeah. You're, you're going to be. Because you're not going to have any money. So you mentioned about the weekend for Israelis, like Saturday, Friday and Saturday.

Does that affect the trading hours? Um, in the shops as well as the bars and restaurants. So Saturdays, um, you will get some of the shops that close early on Fridays and may not open till later on Saturdays, all depending on the time of year. Tel Aviv is the one where you will be able to find places during the Sabbath.

Um, it's not as strict as some of the other areas of the country are, so you'll be able to find it. Yeah. But it'll be like, you have to think there Saturday is sort of like. So think Saturday shopping is sort of Sunday shopping, but yeah, you'll be able to trust me, you'll be able to find places to buy stuff.

Uh, and he's, Televiv accessible for people with mobility issues. Cause I know it's quite absolutely. And not only that, I mean, one of the big things they did in red at the beginning, I think of 2020. Worked very hard on making the Tel-Aviv beaches, assessable to wheelchairs. They now have the ramps that go down.

They have a special, big wheeled wheelchairs that can, you know, that you can transfer over. And it's like, it's like a wheelchair, but they have really huge wheels, like bolt almost like a ball, like a hamster ball, but they have that, that you can go in. It is very up on that. And you will always find places.

I mean, It's a modern country. So it's a first world country. So they will just like every other place. You have to have certain things planned out. So wheelchair accessible people will find it decent. And what's really cool as well is if they want still wanted to go over to Jerusalem, they have now basically done routes through the old city that are wheelchairs.

If you ever walk around the old city, you know, how, what a feat that is because there are a lot of steps in the old city, lots of them, but now they have th they, they basically have made it wheelchair accessible so people can enjoy it as an expert on Televiv. What would be your top tip when visiting Televiv?

My top tip is to one. Make sure you have sunscreen. You're also going to want to have a bottle of water with you at all times. Now this is not maybe not for everybody, but this is for me, literally, when I land in, I have a water bottle with me at all times because the air is so much trier down there. Even when it's humid in the summer, it's still dry and you end up drinking lots and lots of water for Tel Aviv.

I would definitely say, give yourself a day. To just chill on the beach because it is, it's just a wonderful experience. The weather is great. The people watching is absolutely incredible. Um, and you get to warm. You just go into the Mediterranean up. I was in August once, and it just is like, gorgeous. Keep an open mind, get a lot of coffee in you because.

You are going to be going, if anybody is ever born in Tel Aviv, that means they're probably dead because Tel Aviv is a place that you just you're going 24 7. It's the type you don't. Sometimes you have to make yourself relax and enjoy the scenery because there's so much to see. And do you don't want to stop?

It sounds like Tel Aviv is city. That's got something for everyone. So thanks so much, Michelle, for joining us today and sharing your expertise and insight on all things Tel Aviv oh, it has been my total pleasure. Thank you so much. And just waiting for you to Tel Aviv fact sheet on visiting Tel Aviv with some great hints and tips.

Visit my website. At travelcounsellors.co.uk/may.swan-easton. and request by email and don't worry if that's a complicated web address, I've included it in the show notes on this podcast. So you can click from there.