Visitors to Israel can use resources available on ISRAEL21c to learn about the country, where to go and what to do before boarding the airplane. To get an added insider perspective on what’s trendy, where to shop and party, and the best places for food and culture, blogs are the best way to stay au courant.
Many of the blogs aimed at giving tourists a local flavor of what’s hot in Israel are written by immigrants keen on sharing their love for this country with everyone in the blogosphere.
Here are eight blogs offering a wide range of ideas for your next Israel visit:
Telavivian
The Telavivian blog is a must-read for visitors (and locals) in the Non-Stop City, with posts about people, places and events – such as hot designers, top eats, best art exhibits, trendiest bars and guided tours.
The site’s city guide is a compilation of everything you need to know in Tel Aviv. There’s a huge and passionate content team behind this blog, which was launched in 2012.
Tel Aveat
Tel Aveat, as its name suggests, is a foodie blog about all the scrumptious things to eat in Tel Aviv. The photos will make you want to take a bite through your computer screen. Natalie Kanfer and Leah Berwald, two young immigrants from London, started Tel Aveat as an Instagram account and made the switch to blog site in 2014.
They suggest best eats of the week, cheap eats, best burgers, date night, family affairs, fine dining and late-night munchies options as well as dozens of other ideas for tourists. And to make sure you don’t get lost, the photos have location tags to help navigate you to your next meal.
IGoogledIsrael
It’s not just a catch phrase. IGoogledIsrael is an online travel guide, restaurant reviewer and events calendar all rolled into one. Founder Ashley Pearson trumps the likes of Lonely Planet and Let’s Go with his up-to-date, edgy and fun reports on all things Israel.
Pearson, who left the UK for an adventure to the Holy Land and then stayed, reports that his blog now attracts more than 50,000 monthly visitors. Since starting IGoogledIsrael in 2008, Pearson has ensured that whether he’s writing about Israeli customs or recommended touring spots, he will always serve the content with a heaping spoonful of British humor.
Tourist Israel
Tourist Israel, an information resource for independent travelers, was also started in 2008 by a British guy. Actually, Ben Julius was just 18 years old when he launched his online guide for “non-religious visitors who would like to explore Israel off the beaten track and enjoy the same spots that locals do.” Julius, now 25 and living in Tel Aviv since 2012, tells ISRAEL21c that all the information on his site is organic and there is no sponsored content.
Midnight East
Midnight East is the ultimate English-language culture blog in Israel. Ayelet Dekel founded her non-commercial blog in March 2009 to give Israel’s cultural scene some much-needed attention.
“There is no agenda other than a love for the arts and the thrill of typing many words late at night,” she writes. Midnight East will introduce you to new talents and give you insight into established ones. Theater, dance, music, cinema, alternative performing arts and visual arts are all given a warm home on this blog.
FUN Blog
The FUN Blog is part of the Fun In Jerusalem travel website started as a mommy blog in 2007 by Joanna Shebson, a mother of three who immigrated to Israel from Los Angeles. The blog was so popular that it turned into a successful tourism website. Now the FUN Blog keeps tourists and English-speaking Israelis in the know about the latest activities, attractions, events and seasonal fun for families in the Jerusalem area.
Happy in Tel Aviv
Happy in Tel Aviv is the place to keep up to date with the White City’s music, events, bars,art, food and fashion fads. French immigrant Emmanuel Schwab founded Happy in Tel Aviv in February 2014 to give readers “the best of what really makes Tel Aviv so special.” The site has two versions – in English and French.
Dreed*Tea
Come with room in your suitcase because shopping opportunities in Israel are aplenty. There are malls and markets, boutique shops and local designers everywhere. The Dreed*Tea blog will help you navigate the trends of Israeli fashion and lifestyle design.
The blogazine, running since 2011, is based in Tel Aviv and “promotes independent Israeli fashion designers, professionals, bloggers, events, design schools as well as all that is fashion world related.”