I am one of those people who, on the question "what do you prefer? Jerusalem or Tel Aviv? have no clear answer. Of course, I like Mitzpe Ramon and the great desert most in Israel. If I were to recommend one of the most important cities to visit, I would bet on Jerusalem. After all, it is it that is the cradle of our civilisation. It is her attractions that drive her into the ground.
But if I were to spend more time in Israel and choose a place where I would live for a month or six months, it would be Tel Aviv.
Why? Because Tel Aviv is a paradise for Los Angeles. It is a modern, lively metropolis at the very beachfront. The city, where it is hot all year round, where there are beautiful beaches and, at the same time, full of everyday life and creativity.
Did you know that Tel Aviv is the city where most startups are born in the world? Seriously! Sometimes you can sit on the English-language side, expect that its creators are from NYC or London, and after searching for deeper data, it turns out that it is the telavivians.
I try to think about Europe and find such a vibrant city that is both warm and lively. Of course, I have to focus on the Mediterranean - we will not say that there is warmth in London or Berlin;). Would that be something in Italy? Rome is not really on the sea. Palermo, Bari and Naples are cities whose modernity is far beyond Warsaw or Wroc?aw. Athens? Free jokes. Maybe it is Lisbon? Do not, for free. Marseille too ugly. Alternatively, I think about Barcelona, but I just don't like it. So I leave the European coast and fly south-east. My choice was on Tel Aviv!
I was incredibly lucky. In Tel Aviv I wasn't just a tourist who is registered in the hostel (I recommend Abraham hostel!) and goes on a tour of the city with a paper guide in the hand. I had a very good friend Michal in the city (yes, it was a popular woman's name here), who stayed with me for a couple of days, and whose boy - a lover of the city - showed me them with his own paths. We spent the evenings on happy hour with their friends, or on a Shabbat dinner with his father.
Therefore, instead of writing the post "Tel Aviv: the greatest attractions", which I thought about yesterday, I found it a shame to the potential and much better talk about visiting the city along local paths. After all, what is the most impressive is often inaccessible at first glance to tourists.