Much of the original Tel Aviv, around the popular Rothschild Boulevard, was built in the pre-war Bauhaus or internationalist style. The city now has the world's largest surviving collection of Bauhaus buildings, thousands of them currently being handsomely restored and returned to their original gleaming white colour. The unique urban and historical fabric of Tel Aviv-Jaffa has been recognised by UNESCO, under the name 'The White City', a World Cultural Heritage site.

As well as having a multitude of attractions of its own, Tel Aviv is well-placed as a base for day trips to Jerusalem and Caesarea, while even the Dead Sea and the Galilee are within a two-hour drive of the city.

The Tel Aviv-Jaffa city centre is a long, narrow strip beside a very attractive beach, with a waterside promenade reaching from the Marina in North Tel Aviv as far as Jaffa (locally called, and written, Yafo) at the southern edge of the city, with a host of galleries, craft shops and cafes. Ramat Aviv, home of Tel Aviv University and the extensive Eretz Israel Museum, are located on the outskirts of north Tel Aviv on the other side of the river Yarkon.

South of the city centre, the large and busy Carmel Market (the city's main open-air food market) runs alongside the atmospheric old Yemenite Quarter (originally home to Jewish refugees from Yemen). Neve Zedek was the first Jewish neighbourhood outside Jaffa (established in 1867) and it is currently benefiting from extensive restoration. Over the years, it has served as a home for numerous artists and now houses various different galleries.

Tel Aviv's major sights are its diverse and unusual museums, some focusing on Israel's ancient history, some on landmarks in its 20th-century Zionist history, with very poignant records of the struggles of Jewish refugees, the conflict with the British and with the Arabs, and the first steps of the new state.

Among the most impressive is the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora, while in the old town of Jaffa, there are remnants of the history of the world's oldest port, as well as another important museum.

When sightseeing or just exploring, visitors may be anxious about the intense campaign of terrorism that has been waged against Israel by its Arab neighbours. However, these attacks have been halted by the security barrier separating Israel from the Palestinian territories. In addition, security guards are now routinely posted at entrances to all public venues.

Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo/Association for Tourism
Tel Aviv Promenade at 46 Herbert Samuel Street (corner of 2 Geula Street)
Tel: (03) 516 6188.
Website: www.tel-aviv.gov.il

There are also tourist information desks in the City Hall Lobby, at the Central Bus Station (sixth floor) and at Ben Gurion International Airport.