Tel Aviv

Where to stay

Budget travelers cluster in Florentin, in south Tel Aviv, where the streets around Levinsky Market are cheaper and more local than the tourist strip. The blocks near Allenby Street also have a solid concentration of hostels, close enough to the beach to walk.

Getting around

• Take the train from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv Savidor Center station instead of a taxi. It runs frequently, costs a fraction of the fare, and the machines at the airport sell a Rav-Kav transit card you can load on the spot.
• Eat lunch at Shuk HaCarmel. A sabich or falafel from a market stall runs well under 30 shekels, and the produce vendors are cheap for self-catering. Avoid the same spots at dinner when prices creep up.
• Shabbat runs from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, and most shops, markets, and restaurants close. Stock up on food Thursday night or Friday morning or you will be paying convenience store prices for the gap.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest from November through February. They fill up fast in July and August and again around Passover (March or April) and the High Holidays (September or October), when prices spike and availability gets tight.