The heart of Tel Aviv saw rapid development between 1920 and 1940, when German-Jewish émigré architects built thousands of buildings in the Bauhaus style. Check out Tel Aviv’s ‘White City,’ which received Unesco World Heritage Site status in 2003, on a tour organised by Bauhaus Center for architecture and design.

Begin your hummus explorations in the Yemenite neighbourhood of Kerem Hatimanim. Shlomo & Doron is one of the most popular spots in town, and has been perfecting its version of the creamy chickpea dip since 1937. In Jaffa, Abu Hassan serves up warm plates of masabacha (a textured, paprika-topped hummus) as they have done for more than half a century.

Top of the list of Tel Aviv’s must-sees are its 14 kilometres of pristine coastline and 13 official beaches, connected by a bike-friendly promenade. Gordon, Frishman and Dolphinarium Beaches draw the biggest crowds, Aviv Beach has the perfect wind conditions for watersports, Hilton Beach is LGBTQ+ friendly, and Nordau Beach is sex-segregated for the city’s religious residents.

This southern neighbourhood of Tel Aviv suffered from urban poverty and decay until artists transformed Florentin into a Levantine Brooklyn in the ’90s, bringing in boutique shops, art galleries, tattoo parlours and some of the best bars in town. These days locals flock to Florentin for laid-back cocktails, craft beer and live music, making it a top Tel Aviv attraction.

With its swooping steel exterior, the Design Museum Holon is industrial designer Ron Arad’s rust-hued modernist masterpiece, well worth travelling to the outskirts of Tel Aviv to visit. In town, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art boasts an impressive collection by Israeli and international artists, while the ANU (Hebrew for ‘we’) Museum of the Jewish People chronicles their 4,000-plus year history.

Dive into the vibrant bustle of Israel’s largest market, Shuk Hacarmel, where traders boast about their spices and ripe piles of fruit. Next door, more than 200 artists congregate to sell their work at the stalls of the Nahalat Binyamin Art Fair. Foodies will love the Levinsky market in Florentin and upmarket food hall inside the Shuk Tzafon.

This Arab neighbourhood, which has existed for more than 4,000 years, has gone from a gritty port into an arty enclave. Its Ottoman-era landmarks now sit between boutique shops, restaurants and the famous Jaffa Flea Market, where you’ll find a treasure trove of antiques and second-hand goods in stalls which are sheltered by the of the ancient town.

With its historic, saffron-hued buildings dating back to the 1800s, Tel Aviv’s first neighbourhood of Neve Tzedek retains the feel of a village. But between quiet, picturesque streets lies the boundary-pushing Suzanne Dellal Center, home to the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company, which presents contemporary dance performances most nights.

Just an hour from Tel Aviv lies one of the world’s oldest cities, considered holy by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. Its rich history is certainly Jerusalem’s draw, with landmarks that include the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall and Damascus Gate – but modern restaurants, stylish rooftop bars and cutting-edge museums have also sprouted up in recent years.