Tel Aviv, Israel: A New Year’s City Break and Walks Around Jaffa

Written by Loredana Arion in Travel

Palm trees and lawn in Jaffa’s Abrasha Park, overlooking the Mediterranean and Tel Aviv’s waterfront buildings

We’re quite spontaneous when it comes to travelling, and we never have plans for New Year’s Eve. Or almost never, just to leave room for exceptions. 😁 This time, with nothing arranged, we decided on a quick trip to Tel Aviv.

There was a direct flight from Cluj, which made a city break in Tel Aviv very easy to organise. It also helped that we knew Israel would be warmer than Romania at that time of year. A New Year’s break without snow sounded pretty good to me, so I didn’t need much convincing.

We stayed for two nights, with time for walks along the Mediterranean, a visit to Jaffa and plenty of hummus. A schedule with room for breaks, too. 😀

What Was the Weather Like in Tel Aviv Around New Year?

The weather was one of the things we enjoyed most. Temperatures were around 18–20°C (64–68°F), which felt lovely for that time of year.

Footprints in the sand on Tel Aviv’s beach, with white breaking waves and offshore breakwaters beneath a blue sky

Rocky waterfront promenade with Mediterranean waves and the old buildings of Jaffa in the distance

During the day, we could even walk around in short sleeves, although our jackets and scarves were always close at hand. Not quite summer, but warm enough to spend time outside, on the beach and at outdoor restaurant tables.

Some braver souls even went into the sea. We stuck to walks on the sand and taking photos. Everyone has their own level of enthusiasm. 😅

What we did in Tel Aviv:

The Beach and Promenade

We spent some of our time walking by the sea, sometimes along the promenade, sometimes right on the sand. There was no need for much of a plan: we could simply head out and already have somewhere to go.

Loredana walking on the sand in a brown jacket and white trousers, with Mediterranean waves behind her

The beach is right alongside the city. You have the sea on one side and hotels and tall buildings on the other, with places to walk, take a break and eat in between. With only two nights there, having all of this nearby made a difference.

There are also spots along the promenade where you can sit facing the water and simply enjoy the view. Not every stop needs to be a tourist attraction. Sometimes, a well-placed bench is enough. 😁

Loredana sitting on a wooden bench along Tel Aviv’s promenade, with palm trees and tall buildings behind her

Even without swimming or sunbathing, the beach was an important part of our trip. We enjoyed it on foot, with the camera close at hand.

Exploring Jaffa, the Old Part of the City

Jaffa, also known as Yafo, is the old part of Tel Aviv-Yafo. It’s home to the Wishing Bridge, Abrasha Park and the Gate of Faith, so these stops fit naturally into a single walk.

The area has a much longer history than modern Tel Aviv, and its stone lanes and buildings offer a change of scenery from the hotels along the promenade. From up on the hill, you can look back towards the coast and the city’s tall buildings. The contrast between old and new is especially clear from here.

The Wishing Bridge

One of our stops was the Wishing Bridge. The zodiac signs are displayed along its railings, and of course we took photos with Libra.

Hebrew and English sign displaying the name and legend of Jaffa’s Wishing Bridge, beside palm trees and stone steps

Metal plaque depicting the Libra scales on Jaffa’s Wishing Bridge, with palm trees and the sea in the background

Legend has it that if you touch your zodiac sign and look out towards the sea while making a wish, it will come true.

It’s a fitting stop for a New Year’s trip: since it’s already the season for making plans for the year ahead, you might as well have a place dedicated to wishes. 😁

Abrasha Park and the Gate of Faith

We also walked through Abrasha Park, among palm trees, stone paths and viewpoints overlooking the sea. The park is also known as Gan HaPisga.

Stone sign bearing the name Abrasha Park in Hebrew and English, with greenery and a church tower in the background

Le husband walking down stone steps in Jaffa, with palm trees and St Peter’s Church in the background

Here, we saw the gate-shaped sculpture known as the Gate of Faith, created by Daniel Kafri. Its two pillars and connecting beam feature biblical scenes: the Binding of Isaac, Jacob’s Dream and the conquest of Jericho. It’s a modern sculpture, although its shape fits beautifully into the surroundings of Old Jaffa.

Gate of Faith in Jaffa, a pale stone sculpture with carved figures on two pillars and a lintel, framed by palm trees

The park offers a lovely view of Tel Aviv’s coastline, with the beach curving towards the tall buildings. It’s also a good place to pause during your walk, especially if you want a photo with both the sea and the city in the frame.

Stone paths, palm trees and flowering shrubs in Jaffa’s Abrasha Park, with the Mediterranean Sea in the background

Stone steps between greenery and buildings in Jaffa, overlooking the sea and Tel Aviv’s waterfront skyline

What We Ate in Tel Aviv

Hummus. And salads. And a little more hummus, because it was all absolutely delicious. 😋

Apart from breakfast and snacks at the hotel, we ate at beachfront restaurants, sitting outside. We chose traditional dishes and ate very well.

Sandwich cut in half beside a glass bowl of lettuce, tomato and radish salad on a metal tray

I sometimes feel that salads are treated as something you order on the side, just to get a few vegetables onto the table. Here, they were among the things we enjoyed most, alongside all the different versions of hummus we tried.

With pita bread on the side, we had everything we needed to keep sampling a little from each plate. And that’s exactly what we did.

Plate of hummus topped with chickpeas, egg and herbs, served alongside pita bread and tomato and cucumber salad

I didn’t keep track of the restaurant names, so I don’t have a list of places to share here. But those beachfront meals, with tasty food and weather warm enough to sit outside, were a very enjoyable part of the trip.

Where We Stayed: Renaissance Tel Aviv

We stayed for two nights at the Renaissance hotel, right on the beach. Its location suited the way we spent our time: walks along the promenade, time on the sand and meals nearby.

Breakfast and lounge access were included in our stay. The lounge was on the top floor and offered small sandwiches and desserts. A welcome addition between meals. Especially the desserts. 😁

Elevated view of Tel Aviv’s sandy beach, with palm trees along the promenade and breakwaters in the Mediterranean Sea

Sun above the horizon casting orange reflections on the waves, with Tel Aviv’s beach and promenade in the foreground

Our room had a beautiful sea view, and we caught some spectacular sunsets. On a trip where we spent so much time by the Mediterranean, we could keep enjoying it even after returning to the hotel.

Our Tel Aviv City Break: Final Thoughts

❤️ What We (Well, I) Loved

The weather around New Year. We were able to spend plenty of time outdoors. A New Year’s break without snow: checked. 😀
The food. Hummus, pita and salads were among the highlights of our visit.
Staying by the sea and the view from our room. The sunsets were a lovely addition to our two nights here.

💔 What We (Okay, I) Didn’t Like

Our airport transfer experience. The driver didn’t arrive at the hotel on time, even though we’d booked the transfer when we arranged the trip. Because of the delay, we nearly missed our flight home. Booked well in advance, stressed at the last minute. 😅

We’ve decided we’d like to return in summer. If we enjoyed the promenade walks and beachfront meals this much around New Year, I can only imagine how nice the summer vibe must be here.

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