Places to visit in Tel Aviv-Yafo
Walk Through History: From the Old Jaffa Station to the Sunset by the Sea
A two-hour walk through beautiful places, which will end with a meeting at sunset, is one of the most pleasant, refreshing, and calming events for those who live in or visit Tel Aviv. The walk begins at the old Jaffa train station, which completely changes the perception of Jaffa and the Middle East, forever opening a window to European lifestyles and even, you could say, to the exoticism that started with the development of the area near Old Jaffa, which eventually led to the creation of Tel Aviv. How this happened and all the details will be revealed on this walk, which will take us through Neve Tzedek and Neve Shalom, past significant places on Rothschild Boulevard, and will end at the Akhmed promenade, where the Carmel Market ends and the sea begins.
HaTachana, the Old Railway Station complex in Tel Aviv, is the perfect starting point for our journey—a walk that will lead us from history to the sea, from stone to sand, from memory to movement.
Built in 1892 under Ottoman rule, this was the departure point of the first railway in the Middle East, connecting the bustling port of Jaffa with the sacred heights of Jerusalem. Though trains no longer run, the spirit of departure lingers. After decades of silence, the station has been beautifully restored into a pedestrian-only cultural complex, preserving 22 historic buildings, original tracks, and railcars.
Wander among restored freight hangars turned into boutiques and galleries. Sit under the iron columns of the old platforms, now shaded cafés. Step into the past inside the multimedia carriages or stumble upon weekend designer markets, Friday organic stalls, or spontaneous street performances. This is no museum—it’s a living space where heritage meets lifestyle, where Ottoman stone walls now echo with music, laughter, and the scent of espresso and za’atar.
From here, our walk continues—not by train, but on foot—through the narrow alleyways of Neve Tzedek, past art studios and Bauhaus balconies, toward the open sky of the Mediterranean. HaTachana is not a destination; it is a beginning. And so we begin.
