Nightlife in Tel Aviv

As the Israeli saying goes, ‘Jerusalem prays and Tel Aviv plays’. Tel Aviv is undoubtedly the social hub of Israel and its range of entertainment from highbrow to hip cannot be matched anywhere else. Israelis of all ages and tastes take their weekend fun and socialising very seriously. Young people especially like to party with all their energy, especially those under 21 who are consigned to the army during the rest of the week (Israeli men and women continue to serve a mandatory three-year period of service until they reach their 21st birthday).

There is little evidence in Tel Aviv of Shabbat as a time of quiet rest and prayer: in fact, nightlife is at its most vibrant after Shabbat starts on Friday night (the working week runs from Sunday to mid-afternoon Friday), while Thursday is another big night out. Strangely enough, though, drunkenness is rare - most Israeli kids think it’s uncool to drink. There is no bar-hopping or pub-crawling and while there is plenty of exuberance and noise, violent behaviour is almost unheard of in Tel Aviv.

Clubs and pubs come and go fast, with famous names disappearing overnight. Allenby Street is the central spot for bars and clubs, with more than 20 clubs within one small area, offering house, funk, disco and techno. A number of venues are gay. The scene here looks like Amsterdam, with a very international crowd keeping very late hours, sometimes aided by various stimulants.

As in most cosmopolitan cities, the dress code varies from one club to another, however, in Tel Aviv casual wear is pretty much acceptable in most places. The chic and stylish ones, though, employ a ’selectorit’ - a daunting doorwoman who decides if she thinks you’re cool enough to come in. For a more sophisticated or older crowd, plenty of other venues offer cabaret, as well as rock, jazz and folk music.

Most bars are usually open and licensed until 0300/0400, while clubs will keep their doors open until 0600/0700, charging anything from NIS50 to NIS80 cover charge. As a rule of thumb, most clubs in the city will not start warming up until after 0200 and not peak until 0400. The legal drinking age in Israel is 18 years and the average price for a drink is between NIS15 and NIS30.

Bars: Camelot, 16 Shalom Aleikhem Street, is stylish (dress up for this one) and famous for great live jazz and rock from Israeli bands. M.A.S.H., Dizengoff Street, is a favourite English hangout for a drink and burger, while sports-TV bar Wrigley, 114 Hayarkon Street, is popular with Americans. Allenby Street is hugely popular for nightlife.

Joey’s Brothers Bar, at number 16, is an English pub complete with English beers - and English customers. For something more authentically Israeli, brace yourself for the decibels at My Coffee Shop - Bar 39, 39 Allenby Street, a hectic, fashionable all-day and all-night music bar. Sheinkin Street also hosts a selection of ultra-stylish cafe-bars - in recent years, this area has also become a fashionable shopping haunt for ultra-hip Israelis.

Casinos: Gambling is not permitted anywhere in Israel.

Clubs: The club scene will change from week to week and month to month - check local listings to find out what’s really hot. The section of Allenby Street close to Carmel market remains the heart of Tel Aviv’s clubland (though you’d never know it until about 2am). Allenby 58, 58 Allenby Street, Tel Aviv’s most famous nightclub, switches between its original venue at 58 Allenby Street and its summer venue, at Octopus in the Old Tel Aviv Port. Nearby, The Scene, at 56 Allenby Street, on Mondays is the number one spot for young gay Israelis and their friends, playing uplifting house in intimate surroundings.

Fetish, 15 Rambam Street off Nachalat Binyamin, draws the crowds for deep house, jazz and funk (especially Saturday and Wednesday). The Dolphinarium, HaYarkon Street, now repaired after bomb damage, hosts FFF on Friday night, right beside the sea. Dinamo Dvash, 59 Abarbanel Street , is a small very underground club in the heart of the trendy Florentin section of Tel Aviv.

It is considered the place to go for cutting-edge electronic music, with international guest DJs. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night are crowded for techno, funk, groove and trance. The venue only holds 450 people, so it is best to arrive early. Lemon, also in the Florentin district at 17 Hanagarim Street, is an intimate space in vibrant surroundings, with an open terrace. It has gay nights (usually Mondays), as well as ‘over-28′ nights (usually Thursdays). Go further south into Jaffa for Moadon Hateatron, 10 Jerusalem Boulevard, popular with the younger end, this is a vast dance space and bar, sometimes hosting live bands.

Live music: Large-scale open-air rock and pop concerts by international stars are often staged at Yehoshua Gardens, Rokach Boulevard, close to the University. Logos, Nahalat Binyamin, features Israeli rock and blues performances every night from 2300.