Tel Aviv has 14 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline, and the beaches are not just a feature of the city, they are the city’s defining characteristic. The beach is where Tel Aviv exercises, socializes, watches the sunset, and reminds itself that it is, before anything else, a Mediterranean city.
Main Beaches
Gordon Beach: The most popular beach, with a large swimming pool (the Gordon Pool), beach volleyball courts, and a wide stretch of sand. This is where tourists and locals mix most freely.
Frishman Beach: A central beach with a relaxed atmosphere, good for swimming and people-watching. The promenade above is lined with hotels and cafes.
Metzitzim Beach: A sheltered beach near the northern end of the promenade, popular with families because of its calm waters protected by a breakwater.
Alma/Nordau Beach: A separate-gender beach during the week (for the religious community) and an LGBTQ+ friendly beach on weekends. Tel Aviv’s inclusivity is visible in its beach culture.
Banana Beach: An upscale beach with a beach bar, lounge chairs, and DJ sets at sunset. The Friday afternoon scene here is quintessential Tel Aviv.
Drummers’ Beach (Dolphinarium): On Friday afternoons, drummers gather for an impromptu drum circle that draws hundreds of people. The drumming, the sunset, and the energy of the crowd create one of the most memorable free experiences in the city.
Promenade
The Tayelet (promenade) runs along the entire coastline from the northern beaches to Jaffa in the south. Runners, cyclists, dog walkers, and strollers share the wide path, and the view of the sunset over the Mediterranean is a daily ritual for thousands of residents. The promenade connects the modern city to the ancient port, and walking its full length is walking through the story of Tel Aviv.
Promenade (Tayelet)
Walk
Walking the full length of the promenade, from the Port in the north to Jaffa in the south, takes about two hours at a comfortable pace and passes every significant beach, park, and waterfront landmark in the city. The northern section passes the upscale hotels and Gordon Beach. The central section passes the Carmel Market area and the Yemenite Quarter. The southern section passes the Dolphinarium site (where the drummers gather on Fridays) and climbs into the ancient streets of Jaffa.
Sunset
The Tel Aviv sunset is not just a meteorological event; it is a social institution. Thousands of people gather on the promenade and the beaches every evening to watch the sun descend into the Mediterranean. The light turns the city’s white Bauhaus buildings golden, the sky transitions through orange, pink, and purple, and the atmosphere shifts from the energy of the day to the warmth of the evening. The sunset walk from Tel Aviv to Jaffa, arriving at the ancient port as darkness falls, is one of the finest urban walks in the world.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The beaches are where Tel Aviv is most itself. Hoshen Tours includes beach time in Tel Aviv itineraries, especially the sunset walk along the Tayelet from the city to Jaffa.