The best things to see and do in historic Jaffa (Israel)

When starting your trip to Israel, you know what Tel Aviv It is a modern city, with just over a century of history.

But Tel Aviv You also find a corner with a lot of history, the historic Jaffa port and Old City.

Did you know Jaffa is considered as one of the oldest ports in the world?

History of Old Jaffa

It is estimated that the natural harbor that forms Jaffa dates back to the time of the Bronze Age, and the enclave has been inhabited since 7500 BC

By Jaffa the Egyptians passed through and the historic city is mentioned in Bible and in the Jewish Torah. It was also occupied by the Babylonians and destroyed by the Romans during the Great Jewish Revolt 66 year.

Jaffa It was also managed by Byzantium and lived through the Muslim occupation, Crusaders and Saladino.

In later centuries it was under the control of the Christians and the Ottomans, and was attacked and destroyed by Napoleon in 1799.

De Jaffa In 1909, the first Hebrew families left who founded the Tel Aviv city, and later, during the British mandate, riding a Jaffa There were various conflicts between Arabs and Jews.

Once the state of Israel was declared, the Jaffa city It was the destination of thousands of Jews from Europe, and in 1954 it became part of the municipality of Tel Aviv, so that it is now known as Tel Aviv-Jafo.

What to see when visiting Old Jaffa

Currently, with just over 50.000 inhabitants, three quarters of the population of Jaffa They are Jews and a quarter are Arabs, Jews, Muslims and Christians coexisting.

Looking ahead to your visit, you should know that this Tel Aviv coastal neighborhood you will hear how it is called in Hebrew Yafo.

This visit will focus on a walk through the walled enclosure of the Jaffa Old City (Old Town), which is concentrated on a hill overlooking the historic port.

Precisely thanks to the elevation of the hill, Jaffa throughout history was a strategic enclave to spot possible attacks from the sea.

Now Jaffa, with its labyrinth of narrow alleys and passages, has become a tourist enclave, without a doubt a must-see during your stay in Tel Aviv.

En your walk through Jaffa you will find art galleries, restaurants, cafes and shops remembrances, and the building of the St. Peter's Church, 17th century.

In summary, Jaffa It is above all a set of beautiful corners, with architecture in the process of restoration, and where you can feel the atmosphere of the very long history of this area of ​​current Israel.

In fact, you will see that the visit the historic Old City of Jaffa It will be a great contrast to your Tel Aviv visit, where corners are combined with the modern architecture of a European city, with the often dilapidated architecture of the oldest neighborhoods of said capital.

Photos of Jaffa

In advance of your visit, here is more photos of the Old City of Jaffa.

How to get to Jaffa

Jaffa Today it has become one of the neighborhoods of the city of Tel Aviv, and is located on the waterfront about 20 minutes by car from the city center.