Jaffa, which is also known as Yafa or Yafo, is considered to be one of the oldest settlements not only in Israel, but also in the world. Jaffa, which is an important port city of Israel as well as its being culture, art, trade and touristic center, stands out with its ancient buildings and ancient ruins in the Old Town area. Most of the population of Jaffa are Jews, Christians and Muslims.
There are many bazaars and modern shopping center in the city, especially Jaffa Flea Market, where you can find a variety of regional souvenirs special to Jaffa and Tel Aviv. In the afternoon of the weekdays, the Clock Tower Square and the streets gets crowded; eating & drinking and entertainment venues also serve until late at night.
Located in the southern part of Jaffa, Design Museum Holon is a unique contemporary art museum where hundreds of precious pieces are exhibited. Another place to visit in Jaffa is Weizmann Science Institute in Rehovot. According to some historians, the name of Jaffa comes from Japheth, the son of the founder Noah, and according to some others, it comes from ‘Hebrew yafeh’, which means ’beautiful’ in Hebrew. The main reason for Jaffa to have a crucial importance in history is that the city has Jaffa Port, which is one of the oldest ports in the world and has witnessed the most important events of the history.
If you walk from the city center to the flea market and then to the harbor, you will encounter interesting settlements such as Neve Tzedek and Florentine. What makes these two neighborhoods special is undoubtedly that they have hosted different civilizations throughout history. You can go to Tel Aviv Hayarkon Park, which is the greenest area of Jaffa and one of the greenest areas of Tel Aviv, and you can explore the streets of Tel Aviv throughout the day.
Jaffa, which has announced its reputation to the world as being the ancient port city of Tel Aviv, continues to increase its popularity day after day by attracting the attention of tourists in recent years. It offers visitors an unforgettable holiday with its narrow cobblestone streets, authentic bazaars, old buildings, art galleries, shopping stores, food bazaars, handcrafted shops, live music venues and eating and drinking areas.