Netanya is famous for two things. The first is immediately obvious—a glorious 14km stretch of pristine Mediterranean beaches. These beaches actually brought about its second claim to fame—it’s also home to some of Israel’s most powerful families. Established in the 1920s as a collection of citrus farms and diamond factories (and, of course, those beaches),Netanya attracted boatloads of tourists, most of them French and Russian. Some of them stayed, and today Netanya has large French and Russian populations, meaning you’re much more likely to hear French than English—and, perhaps, than Hebrew—as you stroll on the midrakhov or sip your coffee in HaAtzma’ut Sq. That said, the city does generally observe Shabbat, with only a few restaurants remaining open then. Because of the many affluent, geriatric tourists, Netanya can strain the budget traveler’s wallet, but it’s worth paying for at least a night so you can enjoy the blue Mediterranean and the stunning purple sunsets.