Jaffa Marina

The sea entrance to Tel Aviv.

There are plenty of good reasons for a visit to this area. Perhaps you're a lover of the sea, of history, or of the outdoor life of this city. The old port of Jaffa is a great place to start on all three counts. Located on a southerly stretch of coast, it's not only Israel's primary point of arrivals and departures for sea voyages throughout the Mediterranean and beyond, but also a centre of the country's fishing fleet; from here, too, Tel Aviv's historic old town opens up. It's also the perfect point of departure for strolling the gardens along the coast and exploring seaside restaurants and cafés. (It's at this port, by the way, where the biblical Jonah set sail on the voyage that led to his legendary encounter with the whale.) If you can, get up to the lookout to watch the sun set over the city.