There is no way that you will be able to avoid Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv during your gap year in Israel, no matter which city you are living in. One of the city’s main streets, it is packed with shops, bars and cafes, and it runs all the way from the north end of Rothschild Boulevard up to the Tel Aviv Port.
No matter your tastes, you are bound to find something that appeals along Dizengoff. Whether you want to go shopping in the Dizengoff Center (Israel’s first shopping mall and home to more than 400 shops), mingle with locals in a coffee shop, or simply people watch as you take a stroll, a visit to Dizengoff is always an experience.
Beside the shops, one of Dizengoff Street’s main attractions is the Bauhaus Center. As you are no doubt aware, Tel Aviv is known as the “White City” due to its large number of whitewashed Bauhaus buildings. The Bauhaus Center was opened in 2000 and it is perfect if you want to learn more about the style’s art and architecture. The Center is home to both a museum and an exhibition space, and it is certainly worth a visit.
At some point, you will most likely visit the aforementioned Dizengoff Center. It is such a vast and confusing place that there is even an app to help you navigate it. Built in the 1970s, the mall is split into two parts, one on each side of the street, and there is a pedestrian bridge linking the two. If you do successfully navigate its many twists and turns, you will not only find all the shops you could ever possibly need, but also a rooftop swimming pool, a six-screen cinema, and much more.
Another major landmark is Dizengoff Square. The street is named after Tel Aviv’s founder and first mayor Meir Dizengoff and the square is named after his wife, Zina Brenner Dizengoff. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the street, then the square is the perfect refuge spot. Until a few years ago, Dizengoff Square was dominated by an enormous fountain; however, a calmer water feature that is certainly worth seeing has now replaced this. You will also find plenty of benches and deck chairs together with carefully cared for lawns, and these create the perfect tranquil atmosphere.
Unsurprisingly, coffee shops, restaurants and bars, surround Dizengoff Square and you are bound to find some favourites. In fact, the same can be said of the entire street. One gap year in Israel is probably not enough to explore everything that is on offer. No matter what style of food, clothing, drinks, or anything else you are after, it is sure to be there somewhere.
This brief blog post is nowhere near enough to do justice to one of Israel’s most vibrant streets. You should have plenty of free time on your gap year, so even if you don’t get to sample everything, be sure to devote some of your energy to exploring Dizengoff Street.
