No visit to Tel Aviv is complete without a seaside stroll, and after recent renovations to the city’s boardwalk (tayelet in Hebrew), it is an absolute must. The 14-kilometer-long Tel Aviv promenade is packed with bike paths and walkways, wooden amphitheater seating overlooking beach volleyball nets, playgrounds, exercise equipment, and comfortable cafes. With the fresh, salty air of the Mediterranean and Old Jaffa stamping the horizon to the south and the city’s skyscrapers to the north – it’s no wonder the Tel Aviv boardwalk is considered one of the world’s most beautiful.
Notice the subtle changes as you venture from beach to beach, from family-friendly to gay-friendly, exercise-focused, and more. Here is a quick description of each one of Tel Aviv’s beaches.
Beaches in Tel Aviv
The Northern Strip
The Cliff Beach (Hof HaTzuk) was previously owned by the Ramat Hasharon Municipality, transferred to the Tel Aviv Municipality, and divided into a northern and southern beach.
Tel Baruch Beach is the first beach in Tel Aviv where a breakwater was built. It was closed for bathing for many years due to water pollution but was cleaned and reopened in the early 1990s. A promenade was built on the site, which was connected at the beginning of 2010 to the Yarkon estuary (and Park) and the Tel Aviv port via a bridge over the Reading anchorage.
The Central Strip
Metzitzim Beach (Sheraton) – The beach south of the Tel Aviv port, was formerly named after the nearby Sheraton Hotel and was previously named Zevulun Beach after the Zevulun Maritime School, the first naval school in the country (1928). The beach has been renovated and upgraded in recent years. It gained a lot of publicity when the Israeli cult film “Metzitzim” was shot there in 1972 and has since been named after it.
The separate beach (Nordau Beach) – a separate bathing beach assigned to the religious population, where the days of the week are divided into separate bathing days for men and women (Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays for women, Mondays, Wednesdays, and men).
Hilton Beach – The beach below Independence Park and the Hilton Hotel. Divides into a northern beach, which is characterized by the LGBT population that gathers there, especially on weekends, and a narrow south coast (due to the blockage of sand caused by the marina), known as the surfer’s beach. Between the separate beach and Hilton Beach, there is another undeclared strip where it is allowed to let dogs run free, and is known as ‘the dog’s beach’.
Gordon Beach – Opposite Gordon Street, south of the marina and Atarim Square, it is the widest of the beaches in Tel Aviv and a popular diving site.
Frishman Beach – Opposite Frishman Street.
Bograshov Beach – Opposite Bograshov Street and London Garden. There is a monument there marking the historic ship Altalena.
Trumpeldor Beach
Jerusalem Beach (Allenby) – Tel Aviv’s first bathing beach, in front of Knesset Square. In the past, Gali Aviv Casino was located on the site. In 1987, the beach name was converted to Jerusalem Beach as a tribute to the Jerusalem Municipality, on the twentieth anniversary of its unification.
Geula Beach – Near Geula Street. Due to the cancellation of the rescue station there, it is now considered a part of Jerusalem Beach.
Aviv Beach – North of the Dolphinarium and Charles Clore Park, also known as the ‘Drummers Beach’, due to the activities that take place there on Fridays.
Charles Clore Beach – A narrow beach, opposite the southern part of Charles Clore Park, one of the few beaches without a breakwater.
Southern Strip (Jaffa)
Givat Aliya Beach – The only declared bathing beach in Jaffa, opposite the Givat Aliya neighborhood. Found on the southernmost coast of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, where the city borders Bat Yam, Givat Aliya Beach is a hidden gem offering a unique blend of natural beauty and thoughtful design. Unlike the bustling beaches of Tel Aviv, Givat Aliya stands out with its “oriental” style, characterized by arches, palm trees, and limestone walls.
