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ERETZ Magazine
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Stayput Sharon
With a beautiful Mediterranean
coastline with dozens of beaches, and its proximity to Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem, and Haifa, the Sharon is one of the best locations in
Israel for a stayput holiday. Even if you limit yourself to the
Sharon, every day can be spent at a different beach.
The lilies of the Sharon were a famous example of beauty in the
ancient world. With a beautiful Mediterranean coastline with dozens
of beaches, and its proximity to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, the
Sharon is one of the best locations in Israel for a stayput holiday.
Even if you limit yourself to the Sharon, every day can be spent at
a different beach and every night at one of the best nightspots that
Israel has to offer. And, of course, if you venture beyond the
Sharon, you can spend the days exploring the ancient and modern
cities of the land, from Nazareth in the Galilee to Avdat in the
Negev, or the varied landscape of Israel, from the summit of
snow-clad Mount Hermon to the hot desert climate of Masada. All this
may be why the Sharon is one of the most densely populated parts of
Israel.
The beaches of the Sharon run along the bottom of the coastal
ridge. Along the beach and the ridge runs the Israel Trail, the
900-kilometer hiking trail from the Hermon to Eilat. You don’t have
to hike the whole trail to enjoy the portion of it along the Sharon
Coast. For the walker and the jogger, there is nothing better than a
summer jaunt along the coastal plain – even at night, when parts of
the beach are lit up.
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Shopping in Herzliya
The Arena Mall is located right next to the Herzliya Marina. This
relatively new mall is highly designed, with a nautical and
fantasyland theme. It i s
home to a host of Israeli and international designer stores, from
BEBE to Kenneth Cole to Ralph Lauren. The fashionable Razili
boutique serves as a showcase for the work of young Israeli
designers and for the latest trends sweeping the Israeli fashion
world (Hashonit 2, Arena Mall, Tel. (09) 950-7365).
The Tirosh Gallery carries an impressive selection of art, antiques,
jewelry, and Judaica. The gallery holds auctions regularly. In
addition, you can visit its exhibition hall and purchase items on
days when auctions are not scheduled (De Shalit Square, Tel. (09)
950-9893).
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Dining in Herzliya
Dozens of excellent restaurants are located in Herzliya. Many of
Tel Aviv’s leading restaurants opened branches in Herzliya that
offer the same cuisine that they are famous for in a more upscale
and tranquil environment. Mina Tomei, which conquered Tel Aviv with
its creative Asian cuisine, offers some unique entrees in its
Herzliya location such as grilled entrecote with stir-fried rice,
grape leaves, and spinach in truffle sauce (8 Abba Eben Street, Tel.
(09) 961-8877, not kosher).
As its name implies, Meat and Wine serves high-quality wine and meat
that is aged on the premises. It has an extensive menu, but don’t
miss out on its flagship dish, a juicy steak and a glass of red wine
(16 Shenkar Street, Tel. (09) 956-7006, kosher).
For Italian cuisine, head to Joya, another import from Tel Aviv,
which serves up delicious salads, pizzas, and pastas, such as shrimp
and mascarpone ravioli in pepper sauce (9 Shenkar Street, Tel. (09)
956-6299, not kosher).
Finally, don’t skip the opportunity to visit the local chocolate
temple – Max Brenner’s chocolate house, which offers a wealth of
chocolate drinks and desserts (8 Hamanofim Street, Tel. (09)
972-5678, not kosher).
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Apollonia
The city of Apollonia is located on a cliff overlooking the sea
at the northernmost edge of Herzliya.The first to settle here were
the Phoenicians, who called their settlement Arsuf in honor of
Reshef, the god of war. The Greeks changed the name to Apollonia –
after Apollo the Greek version of Reshef. The Crusaders built a huge
fortress here with a harbor on the beach below the cliff. The walls
have since collapsed into the sea underneath. Not much remains to be
seen in Apollonia, but a climb over the remains of the tumbled
remains of the wall make for a nice walk along the beach. The
Apollonia beach, also referred to Sidney Ali beach after the
twelfth-century mosque standing on the cliff, is one of the nicest
parts of the Sharon coast. Make your way down the steps to the beach
and walk north. Climb over the remains of the walls of Apollonia,
which create a few nice secluded spots on the beach, to reach a part
of the beach which is usually completely deserted, even at the
height of summer.
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Itinerary
Day 1: The Beauty of Jaffa
Start at the clock tower plaza, the heart of Ottoman Jaffa. Walk
up Mifratz Shlomo Street to Kedumim Square and the grand Franciscan
church of St. Peter. Walk through the artists’ colony to the port.
Walk back along Yefet Street to the flea market around Beit Eshel
Street. At 3 Beit Eshel Street, you’ll find the Dr. Shakshouka
Restaurant with Tripolitan food. Pua (8 Rabbi Yohanan Street) is
also an interesting restaurant.
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Day 2: Historic Tel Aviv
Start at the northern end of Herzl Street. On the corner of Ahad
Ha’am Street stands Akiva Arieh Weiss’ house, the first building in
Tel Aviv. Across the street stands the now dilapidated Shalom Tower,
the first high-rise in the city. Walk to Nahalat Benjamin, a
neighborhood built in 1911. The 1920s houses along the street, with
their “Hebrew” motives are a great backdrop for the art and craft
fair, which is held here on Tuesdays and Fridays. The favorite
haunts of old-timers, like Café Birnbaum and the Robinson antique
bookstore, are always worth a visit. Stroll down Allenby Street and
look at the houses decorated with the famous Bezalel mosaic panels.
Allenby also sports a lot of second-hand stores, cheap clothing
outlets, and more. Rothschild Boulevard connects the historic center
of Tel Aviv to the old cultural center at Habimah Theater. Strolling
along Rothschild, the building styles gradually progress from
fantasy dream houses of the 1920s to early Israeli style of the
1950s.
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Day 3: Neve Tzedek
The 120-year-old Neve Tzedek quarter has become a popular address
for the upscale Tel Avivian. Rokach House (36 Rokach Street) was the
most elaborate of the neighborhood’s buildings. The building houses
a period museum. The Nachum Gutman Museum of Art (39 Neve Tzedek
Street) presents the works of Gutman, a Tel Aviv artist. Shabazi
Street, the neighborhood’s main street is full of small stores and
restaurants. The street leads to the Suzanne Dallal Center, home of
the Batsheva Dance Company. Not far from here is Lillenblum Street,
with its lively bar scene.
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Day 4: Jerusalem
Start at the Tower of David Museum on the history of Jerusalem,
at the Jaffa Gate. Walk down David Street. Turn left onto Christian
Quarter Street and walk to the alley of Saint Helena that leads down
to the Holy Sepulcher. Tour the churches around the Tomb of Jesus.
Exit by the small doorway to the Muristan Market. Walk to the market
street of Khan e-Zeit. Turn right and walk down the ancient Crusader
markets. Turn left on David Street and make your way round the
corner to Sisileh Street. Walk down the street to the street turning
to the Kotel. After visitng the Kotel, take the Rabbi Yehudah Halevi
steps up to the Jewish Quarter. Make your way through the quarter to
Zion Gate, walk out the gate, turn right, and walk to the Jaffa
Gate.
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Day 5: Along the Coast
Take Route 2 to Haifa. On the way, drop in on the archaeology
park at ancient Caesarea. In Haifa, visit the Bahai gardens and the
German Colony. Continue north to Acre for a visit to the Old City
and to Rosh Hanikra for a visit to the sea grottos. On the way back,
stop off at Zichron Ya’acov. Chocolate cake at the restaurant in the
pink house is a must.
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Day 6: To the Negev
Take Route 4 to Yad Mordechai. Take Route 34 to Route 232, go
left on Route 25 and right on Route 232. Take Route 222 to Route 40
and drive to Midreshet Sde Boker to visit Ben-Gurion’s grave.
Continue to the ancient Nabatean city of Avdat and Mitzpe Ramon. At
the traffic circle at the entrance to Mitzpe Ramon, go left on the
dirt road to the Sculpture Park. Return to Mitzpe Ramon and drive
through it to Camel Hill to watch the sun set over the Ramon Crater.
Stop at the restaurant at the visitors’ center and then drive back
to Herzliya.
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Dan Accadia Herzliya
The Dan Accadia Herzliya is a paradise for sports lovers with a
round-the-clock tennis club and a beach ideal for swimming, wind
surfing, scuba diving, and sailing. Indeed, it is one of the most
popular resort hotels in the Middle East, attracting athletes,
celebrities, and businesspeople from Israel and abroad, as well as
families on holiday. The hotel’s unique position and direct access
to one of the best beaches in Israel allows guests to enjoy a
variety of water sports or to simply relax and listen to the
soothing rhythm of the sea.
When it was built in 1958 on the sand dunes of Herzliya above the
Mediterranean Sea, the Dan Accadia was Israel’s first modern resort.
It is designed to provide a complete vacation by offering all of the
recreational activities a guest could want on its premises. Unlike
the many high-rise hotels that have been built in Herzliya since,
the Dan Accadia consists of low buildings and recreational
facilities spread over a dozen acres, creating a sense of privacy
and spaciousness. Intended for guests who enjoy sports and active
vacations, the grounds include six tennis courts, a soccer f ield,
a swimming pool, a spa, broad lawns, and manicured gardens, which
stretch down to the beach. A diving club, which offers lessons and
rents diving equipment, kayaks, and boats, is also located on the
grounds. El Bustan restaurant serves gourmet oriental cuisine. The
hotel has 207 rooms, of which 11 are suites and 41 are garden rooms
that are adjacent to the gardens and have their own private outdoor
jacuzzis.
The Dan Accadia Herzliya’s tennis club attracts tennis lovers from
all over the world. Diplomats, businesspeople, and professionals who
live in the area join hotel guests at the club. The club includes a
shop which sells racquets, clothing, and other equipment.
Herzliya’s beachfront promenade, the Herzliya Marina and mall, and
the ancient city of Apollonia are all a short bike ride from the Dan
Accadia.
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