HotspOTs Israel

Copyright © 2014 International Hotspots Publishers

Authors: Joanne Nihom and Esther Voet

Print: Pumbo.nl

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

HotspOTs Israel

International Hotspots Publishers

Table of Contents

Welcome to HotspOts Israel 2014/2015

Tel Aviv

1. All that Jazz!

2. The place to be

3. Bauhaus

4. Designmecca

5. History in Photographs

6. Young Genius

7. Cool

8. Tel Aviv Handmade

9. French Chic

10. Unpredictable

11. A Colorful Cocktail

12. Everything from the Tree

13. Thai in Tel Aviv

14. Dark Underground

15. Solidified Passion

16. Newsweek

17. Hip Cuisine

18. A New Experience

19. Fire

20. Going Oriental

21. Legendary

22. Nostalgic Hip

23. Feminine and Comfortable

24. Garden of Eden

25. Good Night…

26. Shabby Chic

27. Stylish Nostalgic

28. The Tel Aviv Experience

29. To Encounter

30. With a Message

31. See and Be Seen

32. Classic Punk Rock

33. World Restaurant

34. Figurative Art

35. Made in Israel

36. A Real Treat!

37. A Coffee Bar Where You Can Eat

38. Japanese Femininity

Mediterranean Ambiance

39. Not to Be Missed!

40. Tapas, Tapas, Tapas

41. Sleeping in Flowers

42. Culinary Melting Pot

43. Modern Art

44. Good Company

Jaffa: History Has a New Look

45. A Special Touch

46. A Fan of Yona

47. Relax!

48. Ceramics and Vintage

49. Living-Room Dining

50. Culinary One-Stop-Shop

51. Israeli with an Italian Twist

52. Southern Italy on the Coast

53. Yayin VeOchel (Wine and Food)

54. Israeli Design

55. From Buttons to Gold

56. The Best Hummus in Town

57. Be Creative!

58. Colorful in an Oriental Way

59. For the Real Vegan

60. Two Sisters

61. Tipsy in Tipsy

62. Recycled Fashion

Jerusalem

1. Groundbreaking

2. Trendy

3. Holistic Balance

4. Za’atar and Jerusalem Sage

5. Buon Apetito!

6. Perfection

7. Colonial Vibe

8. Culinary Tour

9. High-Quality Art

10. Master Chef

11. Sweet Delight

12. The Good Vibes!

13. Casual Atmosphere

14. Networking

15. Modern Halachic

16. Outlook on the Future

17. Exclusively Israeli

18. Dancing

19. Antique Hunting

20. Romance

21. Awesome Gifts!

22. Shabbat Shalom

23. Arab-Jewish

24. Idyll Near the Old City

Central Israel

1. A Little Bit of France…

2. A Mediterranean Touch

3. Boker Tov!

4. Arabian Nights

5. Colorful

6. Exclusive Restaurants

7. Arab Haute Cuisine

8. Floating in Wine

9. Drinks and Bites in Herzliya

10. Vegetarian Delights

11. Dream Away in a Cave

12. View of Mt. Gilboa

13. Culinary Experiment

14. Spiritual Jewelry

The North

1. Thanks to Mom

2. Everybody’s Welcome

3. Deep into the Night

4. For the True Carnivores Among Us

5. Druze Hospitality

6. Wine and Honey

7. Not for Snobs

8. Historical Enjoyment

9. A Meaningful Gift

10. Daydreaming

11. Headstrong

12. Cranberries and Walnuts

13. For the True Art Lover

14. Two Cultures Cooperate

15. One-Day Show

16. Silence!

17. Oriental Atmosphere

18. Modern and Classic

19. Exclusive

20. Paradise

21. Kayaking Before Lunch

22. Jewish-Arab Fusion

23. A Must in Winter and Summer!

24. Two for One

Ecological Klil

25. Tabun

26. Café Klil

27. In the Middle of Nowhere

28. Ceramics

29. Among the Olives

30. Cooking in Klil

31. Hip and Trendy

32. Soft Skin

33. Dining at the Railroad

34. Kibbutz Life

35. Hot Springs

36. Genuine Gastronomic Culture

37. Weaving for Peace

The Golan Heights

38. Wine Coronary

39. Yippee ki-yay!

40. Own Made

41. Ramot Ranch

42. Floating

43. Past and Present

44. Hummus and Shawarma

45. Homemade Bread

46. Luxury

47. Happy, Light, and Wonderful!

48. Besaha (‘To Tour Health’ in Arabic)

49. Art and Café

50. Two Eyes are Not Enough!

51. In Love with Cheese

52. Love Boat

53. Partying in the North

54. Too Much to Buy

55. Don’t Eat Beforehand

The South

1a. Embroidery in the Desert

1b. Weaving in Desert

2. Art in the Desert

3. Singing Books

4. Desert Daughter

5. Du pain, du Vin, du ‘Gvina’

6. Des(s)ert Wine

7. Stargazing

8. For the Backpacker!

9. Unwinding

10. An Oasis in the Desert

11. Llama Picnic

12. Back to the Roots

13. Freedom, Silence, and Desert

14. Fata Morgana

15. Eat, Drink, and Dance in the Harbor

16. Healthy and Delicious

17. Top Designers

18. Party Heaven

19. Asian Fusion

20. Float, or Take a Dip?

21. Partying Among the Camels

22. By Tuk Tuk

23. Divine Location

24. Tour de Desert

25. Partying and Meditation in the Desert

26. Sof Haolam (End of the World)

27. Beauty From a Jar

28. Relaxed Breakfast

10 Must-See Museums

1. Israel Museum

2. Yad Vashem

3. The Museum for Islamic Art

4. Beit Hatfutsot

5. Design in Holon

6. Ilana Goor Museum

7. Artistic Breeding Ground

8. Artistic Kibbutz

9. Open-Air Museum

10. Art in the Negev

10 Must-See Places

1. Tel Dan

2. The Hills of Galilee and Israel’s Northern Border

3. Caesarea

4. The Jerusalem Walls

5. Soreq Cave

6. Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea

7. Masada

8. Yeruham

9. Makhtesh Ramon

10. Timna Park

The Specials!

1. The Israel National Trail

2. Go Wild!

3. L’chaim!

4. For the Gourmet

5. For Architecture Lovers

6. For Fashionistas!

7. A Night on the Town

8. No Mainstream

9. Discover Klil

10. The Secrets of the Desert

11. Bedouin Hospitality

12. Treasure Hunt

13. Theatre Guide!

14. Romantic Adventure

15. Ecological Tours

16. When All-round is a Specialty!

HotspOTs Israel

Welcome to HotspOTs Israel

When thinking of Israel, most people have a political or biblical image. Let us enlighten you: that image is not complete. Tel Aviv was named Gay Capital of the World in 2011. World-famous trend watcher Lidewij Edelkoort has exhibited in the brand new Design Museum Holon. DJ Armin van Buuren performs regularly at nocturnal house parties in the Negev Desert. 

Israeli women have definitively substituted their standard garb of T-shirt, denim shorts, and sandals that they wore until the 1980s, for high heels and designer sunglasses. Designers are opening shop after shop for a true shop-till-you-drop experience. Award-winning restaurants keep popping up as well as boutique hotels, there are reputable galleries all over the country, and the beach bars along the sunny coasts do not fall short of the hottest European ones! There are eco-friendly villages with a focus on reflection, peace, and quiet, and numerous organic, vegetarian restaurants; the country is among the top 5 most vegetarian-friendly countries.

Israel buzzes!

And that is the Israel we want to show you in this guide. Because we think that only with this Israel your image of the country is complete. Israel has become an ultimate holiday destination, where you can still ski until April on Mount Hermon, float in the Dead Sea or get treatments throughout the year, or swim in the azure blue water of the Red Sea, spangled with corals and tropical fish. It is a country through which you can hike in a constantly changing landscape, and all this without having to drive hundreds of kilometers. The hills of Northern Galilee are covered with forests and woodland, the Jezreel Valley offers stunning views, and then there is the Negev Desert which will enchant you. In addition, there are, if you feel inclined, ancient archaeological sites and unique geological phenomena. But everywhere you go, you will find original places to stay or unexpected eateries for a fantastic meal. That is the Israel we have tried to capture in this booklet. Dive into Tel Aviv’s nightlife, gaze at the Bauhaus architecture in the daytime, or take a wine tour in the Golan Heights. Soar in a hot air balloon over the desert, or miss a couple of hours of sleep for a glance at the magical star-studded skies. With this guide you can discover the true Israel, the Israel of the 21st century, which perhaps has more to offer than all the stories of the past put together.

Esther Voet & Joanne Nihom

Tel Aviv:

Shopping, partying, and lying on the beach

In 1910 Tel Aviv, which in Hebrew means Hill of Spring, was nothing more than a sandy dune. Now it is a vibrant metropolis that in more than one respect surpasses many European cities. The city is located about 60 kilometers from the religious center of the world, Jerusalem, but reflects a completely different atmosphere. This is the city for anybody seeking a vibrant nightlife, ‘funtastic’ bars and places to meet, boutique hotels, and wonderful beaches, and it is a Mecca for design freaks and fashionistas. The Lonely Planet guide proclaimed Tel Aviv one of the 10 best cities in the world for nightlife, and it has also been mentioned in the Top 10 Hedonistic City Breaks. In addition, in the past few years a number of Tel Aviv’s older neighborhoods have been transformed from rundown places to places well-worth visiting. An example is Neve Tzedek. Israel HotspOTs describes these locations separately, so if you fancy a day in Jaffa, all the must-see’s are listed there. Israel HotspOTs immersed itself in the world known as Tel Aviv. These are our recommendations!

1. All that Jazz!

Shablul Jazz Club is unrivalled as the home of contemporary Israeli jazz, and the place to experience the best of jazz on offer in Tel Aviv. This cozy, intimate club is located in the renovated Tel Aviv Port. The brick walls are covered in black and white prints depicting jazz legends. Curious to find out what Israeli jazz has to offer? 

This is the place to be! And if you enjoy having eye contact with the musicians on stage, come early since seating is limited. During the live performances drinks and bites will be served at your table. Performances start at 21.00, and a free-of-charge performance is held every Friday at 17.00.

Shablul Jazz Club, Hangar 13, Tel Aviv Port

Tel. 03-546 1891, www.shabluljazz.com

2. The place to be

Tel Aviv’s hottest club is “open for business and making waves”. The two owners, Oshri Cohen and Itay Turgeman, are well-known actors from the Israeli film scene. The Dizengoff Club is the place to see and be seen!

The Dizengoff Club, 9 Dizengoff Square, Tel Aviv

Tel: 054-333 3351

3. Bauhaus

Tel Aviv was founded during the heyday of Bauhaus architecture, which can be seen all over the city. The architectural style gave the city an entry on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003.

In the Bauhaus Center you can learn about this architectural period from books, pictures, and curiosities, as well as special designs by Israeli designers.

Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv, 99 Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv

Tel: 03-522 0249,  www.bauhaus-center.com, 

www.facebook.com/bauhaus.center