Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv By Norwegian Over 14kms of beach, 1,100 restaurants and one of the world’s most exciting tech hubs mean Israel’s secondlargest city has more to offer than just really great falafel Words⁄Florence
Derrick
The souvenir
ETROG
No, not a nobbly lemon - the etrog is a citrus fruit unique to the region. Used as part of the Jewish festival of Sukkot for centuries, it’s found new popularity in recent years at Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda Market, where third-generation healer, spiritual advisor and medicine man Uzi-Eli - the Etrog Man - peddles juices and cosmetics made from the fruit. A second stall in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, just opened, means visitors to this city can now slurp his famous, energy-giving elixir, gargle with his ginseng-honey-cardamom headache cure or bring home a bottle of his ginger, mint and etrog massage serum. etrogman.com 078\n
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The basics sics ! Some 426,100 peop people live in Israel’s second city ! The local language is Hebrew, in which tel means ““ancient mound”, while aviv means “spring” ! One Israeli New Shekel is worth around NOK2.20 ! Norwegian flies to Tel Aviv from Copenhagen and Stockholm
Tel Aviv
Israel
The key areas Dizengoff Street Once nicknamed the ChampsÉlysées of Tel Aviv, this shabby-chic boulevard is a central hotspot of café culture and commerce. Its eponymous fountain serves as a navigation point for visitors on the hunt for the Dizengoff Square antiques market, the famous Spicehaus cocktail bar (at 117) or understated dining spots, which are just as popular with locals. Florentin The graffiti-daubed southern quarter is the city’s counterculture hub, where young creatives live, work and hang out in the many art galleries, indie boutiques and late-night bars, such as Mexican-themed Mezcal. Levinksy Market is nearby, and the air is heady with spice. mezcal.rest.co.il Jaffa Once a separate town, this ancient seaport has been enveloped into Tel Aviv’s sprawl. It’s the place to go for ancient, bustling souks – by day, they flog colourful bric-a-brac, at night they transform into a maze of fairy-lit restaurants and wellstocked craft-beer bars. Rothschild Boulevard This iconic, tree-lined avenue of shiny office blocks, icedcoffee kiosks and white-painted Bauhaus homes is a favourite locals’ hang-out. Israel’s Habima national theatre, and live-music venue Rothschild 12 cater to cultural cravings here, too. habima.co.il, rothschild12.co.il The Tayelet In English, the Promenade: this beachside strip is chiefly used for exercise, and showing off. The 14km-long beach is the prime place to jog, surf, rollerskate and cycle, while restaurants, cafés and icecream parlours cater for a more mainstream crowd.
The postcard
BAUHAUS
Tel Aviv is home to more than 4,000 Bauhaus buildings – the highest concentration in the world. The architectural style is recognisable for its simple, functional designs and white-painted exteriors. A visitors’ centre to highlight ongoing conservation work in the White City is due to open in 2017. bauhaus-center.com n/
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Cook like a local
The chef
More than 100 of Tel Aviv’s finest restaurants are participating in this month’s Open Restaurants event, 9-12 March. Cooking workshops, demonstrations and food tastings will take place across the city, and tourists can attend an innovative food-technology event, as well as a shopping trip to the market, at dawn, guided by a local chef. open-restaurants.co.il
HAKOSEM “A real street-food experience. Once you’ve tried it you’ll understand the name, which means ‘magician’ in Hebrew. The falafel and fried eggplant is an absolute must.” 1 Shlomo Hamelch
OMER MILLER
The roots of Omer Miller’s dynamic modern-Israeli cuisine can be attributed to two years of training in New York, backed by the tradition of communal dining at the kibbutz where he grew up. The latter inspired the design and atmosphere of Miller’s flagship restaurant, The Dining Hall – while his second, Shulchan, combines minimalist presentation, eclectic ingredients and urban decor. Here he chooses his four top places for a quick bite...
MINZAR “For a casual kickback with friends on a sunny weekend afternoon, order a toasted-cheese sandwich and a locally brewed, ice-cold beer to wash it down.” Corner of Hilel Zaken and Gedera
thedininghall.rest-e.co.il, 2eat.co.il/ shulchan
The dish
EVERYTHING IN A PITTA Street food is a big part of the Israeli experience, but chef Eyal Shani has pimped the standard hummusand-falafel at his “gourmet fast-food” restaurant, Miznon. His trick? Serve absolutely everything in pitta – from minute steak to ratatouille – all with salsa and tahini. His signature, slow-roasted, whole cauliflower, is legendary among locals. 21 Ibn Gabirol, +972 3716 8977
The chart MEAT-FREE EAT-FREE DINING
AD HA’ETZEM EXPRESS “For comfort food I head here for a pickme-up hamburger and fries. Warning: a food coma will absolutely ensue.” adhaetzem. rest.co.il
The Th he city citty has ha as an n astonishing asto on nisshing hn hing hi ng g 1,178 restaurants restaurants - of which which w h 1,178 400 are vegan friendly
BEIT THAILANDI “Meaning Thai House, this has the best Thai food in Tel Aviv. I love the laab pla: fried sea bass with mint leaves, coriander, lemongrass and dried chilli.” thai-house.co.il
n/
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Secret cocktails
The shabby Imperial Hotel might look like it’s been awaiting renovation since the 1970s – but go through the lobby and you’ll find a tiny speakeasy, currently ranked 17 in the 50 Best Bars in the World. There are 150 cocktails on the menu, all inspired by the fruits and flavours of former South-East Asia colonies. Well, the bar is called Imperial Craft. imperialhotel.co.il
The day trip YAD VASHEM
Israel’s Holocaust History Museum is on the outskirts of Jerusalem but, at only an hour’s drive from Ben Gurion Airport, it’s well worth a detour. Its sculptural memorials are curated across a huge, openair complex, designed by Moshe Safdie, making for a beautiful, if sobering experience. yadvashem.org, msafdie.com
The kids URBAN FARM
Tel Aviv’s child-friendly culture mean families will feel welcome almost everywhere, but the city farm in Yarkon Park, with its public allotments, petting zoo and Friday farmers’ market, is a particularly good day out. visit-tel-aviv.com
The stay
BROWN BEACH HOUSE
Local knowledge
Tel Aviv has been cycle crazy since its Tel-O-Fun bike-hire scheme launched in 2011, but now it’s all about electric bikes – essential in 40oC summer heat. Rent them from Pole Position. polepositiontlv.com
Take some time out at the Kabbalah Centre, where meditation can be paired with a bit of celeb-watching. Demi Moore, Madonna and Ashton Kutcher have all made a pilgrimage. kabbalah.com/tel-aviv
For an alternative start to Shabbat, join the jam session at Dolphinarium Beach every Friday at sunset. Dancing and capoeria are accompanied by a cacophony of darbuka drums and tin cans.
There are tonnes of boutique hotels, but this place, which opened last summer, takes our first prize for understated yet immaculate design. We love its geometric floors, four-poster beds and sea-view balconies, decked out with cocoon-like sun loungers. browntlv.com
n/
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T I M O T H Y H U R S L E Y ( Y A D VA S H E M ) ; K F I R Z I V ( M E R A V O R E N ) ; Y A R O N B R E N E R ; B E N Y U S T E ; H A I M Y A F I M B A R B A L AT ; A S S A F P I N C H U K ; A L A M Y ; P H O T O S H O T ; R A N B ; R O B E R T H A R D I N G
Pride of place
It might not be much of a surprise that Tel Aviv’s gay pride parade is the biggest in the Middle East, but its size is still impressive. More than 180,000 people – almost half the number of citizens – will cram onto the beach on 3 June to dance from 3pm until sunset. The famously gayfriendly beach at the foot of the Hilton hotel shares an inlet of the bay with the Jewish Orthodox section – separated by a wooden partition – gaytelaviv.atraf.com showing the intimacy and diversity of the city.
COFFEE AND WIFI “Loveat, in the heart of the Nachlat Binyamin mall, makes a great working space. There’s also a student bar on the first floor where it’s possible to study.” loveat.co.il
TA. url
The face
MERAV OREN
Tech is a massive part of Tel Aviv life today. As one of the top five hubs for startups outside Silicon Valley, the city has earned the nickname “Silicon Wadi”. One guru of the start-up industry is Merav Oren, who is both CEO of Agora, a company that uses public spaces to launch projects to serve the community, and the brains behind WMN, a co-working space dedicated to start-ups run by women. She shares her tips for remote working in the city (see right). wmn.co.il
CO-WORKING SPACE “The Library hosts networking events and professional meetups. The start-up hub was established by local government in 2011 in a former public library.” thelibrary.co.il
TA. url
The numbers
SILICON WADI VS SILICON VALLEY
Tel Aviv
San Francisco 52 km2
972
NUMBER OF START-UPS
20% 33.6 $132bn (NOK115bn)
121km2
SIZE
21,954 24%
WOMAN FOUNDERS
36.2
AVERAGE FOUNDER AGE METROPOLITAN GDP
$535bn
WORKING LUNCH “The Streets, an art gallery and coffee shop, stays open until 2am. There’s a steady buzz of business lunches throughout the day.” thestreets.co.il
n/
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Derrick
The souvenir
ETROG
No, not a nobbly lemon - the etrog is a citrus fruit unique to the region. Used as part of the Jewish festival of Sukkot for centuries, it’s found new popularity in recent years at Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda Market, where third-generation healer, spiritual advisor and medicine man Uzi-Eli - the Etrog Man - peddles juices and cosmetics made from the fruit. A second stall in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market, just opened, means visitors to this city can now slurp his famous, energy-giving elixir, gargle with his ginseng-honey-cardamom headache cure or bring home a bottle of his ginger, mint and etrog massage serum. etrogman.com 078\n
N-078-085_ByNorwegian.indd 078
11/02/2016 14:59
The basics sics ! Some 426,100 peop people live in Israel’s second city ! The local language is Hebrew, in which tel means ““ancient mound”, while aviv means “spring” ! One Israeli New Shekel is worth around NOK2.20 ! Norwegian flies to Tel Aviv from Copenhagen and Stockholm
Tel Aviv
Israel
The key areas Dizengoff Street Once nicknamed the ChampsÉlysées of Tel Aviv, this shabby-chic boulevard is a central hotspot of café culture and commerce. Its eponymous fountain serves as a navigation point for visitors on the hunt for the Dizengoff Square antiques market, the famous Spicehaus cocktail bar (at 117) or understated dining spots, which are just as popular with locals. Florentin The graffiti-daubed southern quarter is the city’s counterculture hub, where young creatives live, work and hang out in the many art galleries, indie boutiques and late-night bars, such as Mexican-themed Mezcal. Levinksy Market is nearby, and the air is heady with spice. mezcal.rest.co.il Jaffa Once a separate town, this ancient seaport has been enveloped into Tel Aviv’s sprawl. It’s the place to go for ancient, bustling souks – by day, they flog colourful bric-a-brac, at night they transform into a maze of fairy-lit restaurants and wellstocked craft-beer bars. Rothschild Boulevard This iconic, tree-lined avenue of shiny office blocks, icedcoffee kiosks and white-painted Bauhaus homes is a favourite locals’ hang-out. Israel’s Habima national theatre, and live-music venue Rothschild 12 cater to cultural cravings here, too. habima.co.il, rothschild12.co.il The Tayelet In English, the Promenade: this beachside strip is chiefly used for exercise, and showing off. The 14km-long beach is the prime place to jog, surf, rollerskate and cycle, while restaurants, cafés and icecream parlours cater for a more mainstream crowd.
The postcard
BAUHAUS
Tel Aviv is home to more than 4,000 Bauhaus buildings – the highest concentration in the world. The architectural style is recognisable for its simple, functional designs and white-painted exteriors. A visitors’ centre to highlight ongoing conservation work in the White City is due to open in 2017. bauhaus-center.com n/
N-078-085_ByNorwegian_NEW.indd 079
079
12/02/2016 11:39
Cook like a local
The chef
More than 100 of Tel Aviv’s finest restaurants are participating in this month’s Open Restaurants event, 9-12 March. Cooking workshops, demonstrations and food tastings will take place across the city, and tourists can attend an innovative food-technology event, as well as a shopping trip to the market, at dawn, guided by a local chef. open-restaurants.co.il
HAKOSEM “A real street-food experience. Once you’ve tried it you’ll understand the name, which means ‘magician’ in Hebrew. The falafel and fried eggplant is an absolute must.” 1 Shlomo Hamelch
OMER MILLER
The roots of Omer Miller’s dynamic modern-Israeli cuisine can be attributed to two years of training in New York, backed by the tradition of communal dining at the kibbutz where he grew up. The latter inspired the design and atmosphere of Miller’s flagship restaurant, The Dining Hall – while his second, Shulchan, combines minimalist presentation, eclectic ingredients and urban decor. Here he chooses his four top places for a quick bite...
MINZAR “For a casual kickback with friends on a sunny weekend afternoon, order a toasted-cheese sandwich and a locally brewed, ice-cold beer to wash it down.” Corner of Hilel Zaken and Gedera
thedininghall.rest-e.co.il, 2eat.co.il/ shulchan
The dish
EVERYTHING IN A PITTA Street food is a big part of the Israeli experience, but chef Eyal Shani has pimped the standard hummusand-falafel at his “gourmet fast-food” restaurant, Miznon. His trick? Serve absolutely everything in pitta – from minute steak to ratatouille – all with salsa and tahini. His signature, slow-roasted, whole cauliflower, is legendary among locals. 21 Ibn Gabirol, +972 3716 8977
The chart MEAT-FREE EAT-FREE DINING
AD HA’ETZEM EXPRESS “For comfort food I head here for a pickme-up hamburger and fries. Warning: a food coma will absolutely ensue.” adhaetzem. rest.co.il
The Th he city citty has ha as an n astonishing asto on nisshing hn hing hi ng g 1,178 restaurants restaurants - of which which w h 1,178 400 are vegan friendly
BEIT THAILANDI “Meaning Thai House, this has the best Thai food in Tel Aviv. I love the laab pla: fried sea bass with mint leaves, coriander, lemongrass and dried chilli.” thai-house.co.il
n/
N-078-085_ByNorwegian.indd 081
081
11/02/2016 15:00
Secret cocktails
The shabby Imperial Hotel might look like it’s been awaiting renovation since the 1970s – but go through the lobby and you’ll find a tiny speakeasy, currently ranked 17 in the 50 Best Bars in the World. There are 150 cocktails on the menu, all inspired by the fruits and flavours of former South-East Asia colonies. Well, the bar is called Imperial Craft. imperialhotel.co.il
The day trip YAD VASHEM
Israel’s Holocaust History Museum is on the outskirts of Jerusalem but, at only an hour’s drive from Ben Gurion Airport, it’s well worth a detour. Its sculptural memorials are curated across a huge, openair complex, designed by Moshe Safdie, making for a beautiful, if sobering experience. yadvashem.org, msafdie.com
The kids URBAN FARM
Tel Aviv’s child-friendly culture mean families will feel welcome almost everywhere, but the city farm in Yarkon Park, with its public allotments, petting zoo and Friday farmers’ market, is a particularly good day out. visit-tel-aviv.com
The stay
BROWN BEACH HOUSE
Local knowledge
Tel Aviv has been cycle crazy since its Tel-O-Fun bike-hire scheme launched in 2011, but now it’s all about electric bikes – essential in 40oC summer heat. Rent them from Pole Position. polepositiontlv.com
Take some time out at the Kabbalah Centre, where meditation can be paired with a bit of celeb-watching. Demi Moore, Madonna and Ashton Kutcher have all made a pilgrimage. kabbalah.com/tel-aviv
For an alternative start to Shabbat, join the jam session at Dolphinarium Beach every Friday at sunset. Dancing and capoeria are accompanied by a cacophony of darbuka drums and tin cans.
There are tonnes of boutique hotels, but this place, which opened last summer, takes our first prize for understated yet immaculate design. We love its geometric floors, four-poster beds and sea-view balconies, decked out with cocoon-like sun loungers. browntlv.com
n/
N-078-085_ByNorwegian.indd 083
083
11/02/2016 15:01
T I M O T H Y H U R S L E Y ( Y A D VA S H E M ) ; K F I R Z I V ( M E R A V O R E N ) ; Y A R O N B R E N E R ; B E N Y U S T E ; H A I M Y A F I M B A R B A L AT ; A S S A F P I N C H U K ; A L A M Y ; P H O T O S H O T ; R A N B ; R O B E R T H A R D I N G
Pride of place
It might not be much of a surprise that Tel Aviv’s gay pride parade is the biggest in the Middle East, but its size is still impressive. More than 180,000 people – almost half the number of citizens – will cram onto the beach on 3 June to dance from 3pm until sunset. The famously gayfriendly beach at the foot of the Hilton hotel shares an inlet of the bay with the Jewish Orthodox section – separated by a wooden partition – gaytelaviv.atraf.com showing the intimacy and diversity of the city.
COFFEE AND WIFI “Loveat, in the heart of the Nachlat Binyamin mall, makes a great working space. There’s also a student bar on the first floor where it’s possible to study.” loveat.co.il
TA. url
The face
MERAV OREN
Tech is a massive part of Tel Aviv life today. As one of the top five hubs for startups outside Silicon Valley, the city has earned the nickname “Silicon Wadi”. One guru of the start-up industry is Merav Oren, who is both CEO of Agora, a company that uses public spaces to launch projects to serve the community, and the brains behind WMN, a co-working space dedicated to start-ups run by women. She shares her tips for remote working in the city (see right). wmn.co.il
CO-WORKING SPACE “The Library hosts networking events and professional meetups. The start-up hub was established by local government in 2011 in a former public library.” thelibrary.co.il
TA. url
The numbers
SILICON WADI VS SILICON VALLEY
Tel Aviv
San Francisco 52 km2
972
NUMBER OF START-UPS
20% 33.6 $132bn (NOK115bn)
121km2
SIZE
21,954 24%
WOMAN FOUNDERS
36.2
AVERAGE FOUNDER AGE METROPOLITAN GDP
$535bn
WORKING LUNCH “The Streets, an art gallery and coffee shop, stays open until 2am. There’s a steady buzz of business lunches throughout the day.” thestreets.co.il
n/
N-078-085_ByNorwegian.indd 085
085
11/02/2016 15:01
