National Geographic Traveler - USA (2019-12 & 2020-01)

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City seducers (clockwise

from top): a roof with

a view; fresh fruit in

Carmel Market; Tel Aviv

Museum of Art; tuna with

eggplant cream at kosher

restaurant Herbert

Samuel, north of Tel Aviv

Stay

GREEN AND GLAM

The days when tired old

chain hotels dominated

the scene are long gone.

Instead, local hoteliers are

setting a new standard

for service, style, and

sustainability. Check into

The Vera, one of Tel Aviv’s

most eco-conscious hotels,

which has eliminated

single-use plastics and

installed an ultra-efficient

air conditioning system,

or Hotel Saul, with its firm

rooting in the local com-

munity. Looking for a little

luxury? Indulge yourself

at The Jaffa, The Setai,

or The Drisco, dazzling

five-stars that have linked

modern-day Tel Aviv to its

rich past by giving new

life to some of the city’s

historic buildings.

Eat

PLANT LOVE

With some 5 percent of

Israelis following a vegan

diet, and many of them in

Tel Aviv, green restaurants

have become red-hot. You

won’t miss the meat when

you dig into Dosa Bar’s

namesake savory, Bana’s

Mediterranean-inspired

fare (go for brunch), or

Opa’s vegan tasting menu

(try eggplant with tomato

compote and smoked pine

nuts). At Meshek Barzilay,

vegetarian dishes are

served on a leafy terrace in

Tel Aviv’s gorgeous Neve

Tzedek neighborhood.

Sample the street food,

too—it’s a mix of Middle

Eastern favorites, from

hummus to falafel.

Play

ON THE MOVE

Take a cue from the

locals and opt for outdoor

pursuits such as renting

wheels from the city’s

Tel-O-Fun system to pedal

some of the 80 miles of

designated bike lanes. Or

explore the Mediterranean

on a surf- or SUP-board

with Topsea. Once you’ve

worked up an appetite, join

the culinary experts of

Delicious Israel for their

tour of Tel Aviv’s organic,

vegan, and local food

scene. History buffs can

time travel in the narrow

alleyways of Old Jaffa, the

ancient port city, and with

Bauhaus Center’s tours

of the White City, modern

movement–style buildings

designated a UNESCO

World Heritage site.

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

100 mi

100 km

Tel Aviv

EGYPT

GAZA

STRIP

WEST BANKWEST BANK

LEBANON

ISRAEL

SYRIA

JORDAN

Medit. Sea

JerusalemJerusalem

Shop

GOODS THAT DO GOOD

Skip the global brands,

and explore the intriguing

world of Israeli artisans

and designers. KitePride

employs people who have

fled from human trafficking

and modern-day slavery

to repurpose kites and

surfing materials into

trendy, durable bags, while

Junktion upcycles “junk”

from flea markets into chic

home decor. For elegant

eco-fashions, stop by

Repelle, then accessorize

with jewelry handmade

by one of ChomerTov‘s

15 artists, who also create

whimsical ceramics.