Orientation
TEL AVIV
Tel Aviv sits at the center of Israel’s Mediterranean coast, 60km northwest of Jerusalem and 90km south of Haifa. While the city is large by Israel’s standards, much of it (the northern and central parts in particular) are organized in an easily navigable grid. Once you learn the main thoroughfares, it’ll be almost impossible to get lost in the mess of cobbled streets that lie between—recognizable landmarks are never more than 5min. away. The city is most easily divided into three main sections: the city center, north Tel Aviv, and south Tel Aviv.
CITY CENTER
The city center, which is a little grungy and a little dull, is built on a simple grid, which consists of five main roads running parallel to the coast. Along the coast is HaYarkon Street. Moving inland, Ben-Yehuda Street comes next, then Dizengoff Street, which swerves east past the Dizengoff Center and intersects with King George, which in turn cuts north toward Yitshak Rabin Sq., where it meets Ibn Gvirol Street, home to the city’s performing arts scene. The southern boundary of Tel Aviv’s city center begins at the intersection of Allenby Street and Ben-Yehuda St. A series of roads then cuts across perpendicularly as we progress north, including Bograshov Street (which eventually runs into the Dizengoff Center), Frischmann Street, Gordon Street, Ben-Gurion Boulevard, and Arlozorov Street.
NORTH TEL AVIV
The major thoroughfares of the city center (the ones running parallel to the coast) all continue into the more high-end north, home to the city’s chic. Jabotinsky Street and Nordau Boulevard are the two major roads cutting perpendicular to the thoroughfares, and the ritzy clubs in this area congregate in its northwest corner at the Tel Aviv Port. Just to the east of the port, Little Tel Aviv masses around the area where the major roads finally come together. Ramat Aviv and Tel Aviv University are located across the river.
SOUTH TEL AVIV
The grid breaks down as you descend into the city’s south, the more invitingly chaotic part of Tel Aviv. Ben-Yehuda St. turns into Allenby St., which leads into David Magen Square, the intersection of six roads and perhaps the busiest hub in all of Tel Aviv. To its west sits the Yemenite Quarter and the clamorous Carmel Market, while King Georgeheads north and Sheinkin Street branches east. Cutting a large ‘J’ across the south is Rothschild Boulevard, which intersects both Sheinkin St. and Allenby St. to form a triangle that contains many of Tel Aviv’s best restaurants and clubs. It eventually dead-ends at Herzl Street, which marksthe edge of Neve Tsedek. Herzl St. meanwhile penetrates into the Florentine, the district bordered by Eilat St. to the north, Elifelet St. to the west, and Shlomo St. to the south, which leads to the New Central Bus Station in the east.