S
tretched along the Mediterranean coastline, Tel
Aviv thrives with an ever-eclectic vibe. Buildings stand tall,
contemporary and proper, juxtaposed by demure, charming
and culturally stated structures dotted in between. Crystalline
sapphire waters are fringed with ivory soft sand, just steps
from the bustling metropolis. Coined as the Miami of the
Middle East by travel aficionados, Tel Aviv has effectively
garnered bucket-list status.
Israel’s second largest city — on the heels of Jerusalem — Tel Aviv
is comprised of nearly 400,000 diverse, progressive inhabitants
and boasts one of the most gay-friendly cultures in the world.
While Tel Aviv’s population is progressive and accepting, Israel is a
religious state, and religion has both a direct and indirect influence
in Tel Aviv. In addition to its eclecticism, Tel Aviv is a global leader
in technology and innovation. Driving north along the coast,
the long strip of technology clusters known as Silicon Wadi is
attention-getting. The city and its surrounding areas are home to
hundreds of venture capital firms and global tech giant operations
like Google, IBM, Microsoft and Facebook.
With pockets of old and new architecture, culturally-rich
neighborhoods, popular beaches, phenomenal shopping,
impressive eats and unique surrounding cities, there are plenty
of reasons to think of Tel Aviv as a vacation hotspot.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
WINTER 2018/19 25 FLYWASHINGTON.COM