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Jaffa is a lively area and one of the main attractions in Tel Aviv. Also known as Yafo or Joppa, it’s an ancient port city that was annexed by Tel Aviv on April 24, 1950.
Introduction to Jaffa
Jaffa is closely associated with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon, and St. Peter. It was also mentioned in the ancient Greek legend of Andromeda. The city had an Arab majority during the Ottoman period, but most of its Arab population fled or were expelled after the 1948 Palestine War. Today, it’s a dynamic area with a significant Arab population.
Unfortunately, we only had a few hours in the morning to explore Jaffa before our flight out of Israel. Thankfully, it’s easy to get around and see everything on foot. Sections of Jaffa include the Flea Market, Clock Tower Square, Old Jaffa, and Jaffa Port. I hope to spend more time there on a future trip.
Where to Stay in Jaffa
My experience in Jaffa lasted less than 24 hours, so I don’t have much to add about accommodation other than one hotel.
Joseph Hotel TLV
We stayed one night at the Joseph Hotel TLV, located on the boundary between Tel Aviv and Jaffa. It’s conveniently located a short walk from several restaurants, shops, and historic sites.
There are only 20 rooms in the hotel, which boasts a modern decor. We stayed in a classic room, which was small yet comfortable. However, we weren’t too thrilled about the cleanliness of the room or bathroom. The floor felt dirty and there were hairs on the towels. Fortunately, the quality of the shower was nice.
Staff was a mixed bag. When we arrived, the man who checked us in wasn’t very friendly. The man working the morning we checked out was extremely helpful and arranged our transportation to the airport.
Breakfast was included in our rate, but it left a lot to be desired. There were limited choices and the quality was mediocre. We could have had a much better breakfast outside the hotel.
Jaffa Flea Market
We started our exploration of Jaffa at the Jaffa Flea Market. Also known as Shuk HaPishpishim, it’s spread out over a series of streets and alleys running south from Clock Tower Square.
The flea market has been operating since about the early 20th century. It’s open during daylight hours from Sunday to Friday, and attracts both locals and tourists.
Many stalls and shops in the flea market sell junk, but there’s plenty of antiques, traditional Arabic pottery and ceramics, Hollywood memorabilia, carpets, musical instruments, art, and much more to be found. The many trendy restaurants, bars, and cafés make it a great place to hang out at any time of day.
Clock Tower Square
North of the Jaffa Flea Market is Clock Tower Square. During the late Ottoman period, it was the center of Ottoman government in the city.
Jaffa Clock Tower
In the center of Clock Tower Square is the Jaffa Clock Tower, which is one of the symbols of Jaffa. It was built between 1900 and 1903 to commemorate the 25th year of the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II. The clocks were designed by local Jewish businessman and clockmaker Moritz Schoenberg. It was renovated in 1966.
Saraya House
On the east side of Clock Tower Square are the remains of the Saraya House. It was built in 1897 as part of a new Ottoman government complex. The building served as the home of the Ottoman governor as well as a government building. It was designed by engineer Baruch Pepermeister.
The Saraya House was blown up on January 4, 1948, by members of the Lehi. Only the governors residence and a small part of the government building survived. The residence was renovated and the pillars of the government building were restored. The Old Saraya House is around the corner at the bottom of the HaPisgah Gardens.
Ottoman Prison
Opposite the Saraya House is The Setai Tel Aviv. This luxury hotel is made up of five buildings and once served as an Ottoman prison and police station.
Al-Mahmoudiya Mosque
Just around the corner we passed the al-Mahmoudiya Mosque. The mosque was commissioned in 1730 by Ottoman governor Sheikh Muhammad al-Khalili. It was completed in 1812 by Ottoman governor Muhammad Abu Nabbut, during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. Columns from ancient Caesarea and Ashkelon were used in the construction. It’s the largest mosque in Jaffa.
A fountain on the southern exterior wall of the mosque is attributed to Sulayman Pasha al-Adil (1760s-1819), the Ottoman governor of Acre in the early 19th century. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims.
Old Jaffa
As the name suggest, Old Jaffa is the oldest part of the ancient port city. It’s full of narrow alleys and historic homes and buildings.
Old Saraya House
Our first stop in Old Jaffa was the Old Saraya House. It served as the Ottoman government building before the new complex was built at Clock Tower Square.
The Old Saraya House contains the Arab-Hebrew Theatre, which provides a stage for two independent theatre companies. Teatron Mekomi was established in 1990 and produces works in Hebrew, while al-Saraya was established in 1998 and produces works in Arabic. They conduct plays together and independently.
Jaffa Museum
On the other side of the Old Saraya House is the Jaffa Museum. It was founded by Israeli archaeologist Dr. Jacob Kaplan, who excavated in and around Old Jaffa. It displays artifacts dating back to 6,000 BC. The museum was closed when we walked by.
Ottoman Hamam
Behind the Old Saraya House is a former Ottoman hamam. It operated during the 19th century and has been renovated for modern use as an event venue.
HaPisgah Gardens
The HaPisgah Gardens sit on a hill in the center of Old Jaffa. We first passed by an old Ottoman building through a set of arches and into the gardens.
After a few seconds, we came to a grassy hill with an amphitheater on its slope. The amphitheater hosts free concerts every Saturday night after 9pm in July and August.
Once we got up to the top of the hill, there were some fantastic views of Tel Aviv and the coastline. The tall skyscrapers making up the skyline were visible in the distance. There are also great views of St. Peter’s Church.
A large white sculpture sits in a small plaza at the very top of the hill. It depicts the fall of Jericho, the sacrifice of Isaac, and Jacob’s dream. We then walked around the gardens at the top of the hill for a few minutes.
Wishing Bridge
The Wishing Bridge connects the HaPisgah Gardens and Kedumim Square. The bridge is decorated with zodiac signs. Legend has it that anyone who touches their zodiac sign and looks at the sea, their wish will come true.
Kedumim Square
Kedumim Square is the main square of Old Jaffa and is surrounded by restaurants and cafés. There’s also a zodiac fountain erected in 2011 as well as the Old Jaffa Visitor’s Center. The fountain was under renovation when we walked through.
St. Peter’s Church
On the north side of Kedumim Square is St. Peter’s Church, which sits atop a 12th century citadel built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. The citadel was restored in the second half of the 13th century by Louis IX of France.
The original church was built in 1654 and dedicated to St. Peter, who raised St. Tabitha from the dead in Jaffa (Acts 9:36-43). The current church was built between 1888 and 1894 by Alfonso XIII of Spain and is the largest building in Old Jaffa. The stained glass windows were made in Munich by German artist Franz Xaver Zettler (1841-1916).
St. Peter’s Church is run by the Franciscans. Mass is held in English, Spanish, Polish, and Hebrew. St. Peter’s Monastery is attached to the church.
House of Simon the Tanner
In the narrow alleys of the neighborhood, above Jaffa Port we found the House of Simon the Tanner. According to Christian tradition, Simon the Tanner hosted St. Peter during his missionary work in the city (Acts 9:43, Acts 10:5-6, and Acts 10:31-32). The house is privately owned by the Zakarian family and cannot be visited.
House of Eli Ilan
Just up the stairs is the house of Israeli sculptor Eli Ilan (1928-1982). Ilan was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and emigrated to Israel in 1948. He lived and worked in the house for several years.
Southern Wall of Old Jaffa
From there, we walked up a set of stairs to the remains of the southern wall that once surrounded Old Jaffa. A wall was built around the city in the early 18th century and was dismantled from 1878 to 1888 to allow for expansion.
Ilana Goor Museum
Just above the southern wall is the Ilana Goor Museum. It was founded by Israeli artist Ilana Goor to display works she created or collected during her career. The building was originally built in 1742 as an inn to house Jewish pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. In the middle of the 19th century, it became a factory for olive oil soap. In 1949, a community of Libyan Jews converted part of the building into a synagogue.
Goor purchased the building in 1983 with the intention of turning it into a museum. The museum opened in September 1995. Adult admission is ₪45 (as of November 2023). We plan to visit on our next trip to Tel Aviv.
Uri Geller Museum
Next door is the Uri Geller Museum, which opened to the public in 2021. It includes items associated with Israeli illusionist Uri Geller and is currently open to private groups only. Private tours for up to 19 people cost ₪1,000 (as of November 2023). Geller personally leads the tours.
Whale Sculpture
A plaza just outside the southern wall features a sculpture of a whale. It was erected to commemorate the story of Jonah and the whale. According to biblical tradition, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell its residents they had sinned. He refused, and instead boarded a ship in Jaffa bound for Tarshish.
During the voyage, a huge storm broke out, which Jonah understands is punishment for disobeying God’s command. In order to stop the storm, he asked to be thrown into the sea. He was swallowed by a giant fish, which some interpret as a whale. Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale before God forgave him and the whale spit him out. He then went to Nineveh to fulfill God’s orders.
College of the Brothers of Jaffa
At the southern end of Louis Pasteur Street, we passed the College of the Brothers of Jaffa (Collège des Frères de Jaffa). It’s a French high school that opened in 1882 and serves students from preschool to the final year of high school. It’s one of six French international high school programs in Israel.
Tabeetha School
The final point of interest we passed during our short time in Old Jaffa was the Tabeetha School. It was founded in 1863 and is run by the Church of Scotland. The school “welcomes all children regardless of race, nationality, gender or religion”.
Jaffa Port
Along the seaside is Jaffa Port, which is one of the oldest ports in the world. It was the main port of Palestine until the middle of the British Mandate period. The British expanded and modernized the port in 1936.
Today, it’s used as a port for pleasure crafts and yachts. It also attracts tourists to its many fish and seafood restaurants. There are also a few historic attractions while walking along the port.
Getting to Jaffa Port
To get to Jaffa Port, we walked down a path to the seaside from St. Peter’s Church. On the way down, we enjoyed great views of Tel Aviv. We also passed an interpretive panel indicating the location of the Jews’ Compound. It was a building purchased in 1820 by Isaiah Ajiman, a Jew from Constantinople (now Istanbul), which he converted into a guesthouse and synagogue for Jewish pilgrims. The building was destroyed during riots in 1921.
Once at the bottom of the path, we reached a seaside road with more great views of Tel Aviv. Turning left, we began our walk to Jaffa Port.
Sea Mosque
The first landmark we passed was the Sea Mosque, or the al-Bahr Mosque. It was built as early as the 17th century out of limestone and is the oldest existing mosque in Jaffa. The mosque was used by Muslim sailors and fishermen before going out to sea.
St. Nicholas Monastery
Just past the Sea Mosque is St. Nicholas Monastery, which was founded before the 11th century. The monastery consists of a large complex containing living quarters and a church. It’s under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which leases some of the complex for residential and commercial purposes. The church serves as a parish church for local Armenians.
St. Nicholas Monastery served as a guesthouse for Armenian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land and was fortified in the 18th century. In March 1799, Napoleon’s army occupied Jaffa. When his soldiers were affected by the plague, the Armenian priests at the monastery treated them and cured many. Napoleon visited them at the monastery.
Northern Gate
Next, we passed the Northern Gate. It was built by the British in 1931 after they reclaimed land to the west and demolished the sea wall. Before that, the path between the sea and the buildings was extremely narrow.
Monastery of the Holy Archangels
A short walk past the Northern Gate is the Monastery of the Holy Archangels, which is administered by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It used to receive pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land from Orthodox countries such as Greece, Russia, Cyprus, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The pilgrims rested there before starting a six month journey on foot throughout the Holy Land. Once their pilgrimage was complete, they would return to the monastery and disembark on the next available ship to their country.
The Monastery of the Holy Archangels was restored in 1852 by Patriarch Cyril II (1792-1877) and once served a Greek Orthodox community of over 35,000. A few days before Christmas in 1961, the monastery was destroyed by fire. It remained mostly in ruins until a generous donation allowed for its reconstruction in 1994.
Consuls’ Neighborhood
After the monastery is a row of historic buildings facing the sea. An interpretive panel explains that the buildings made up the Consuls’ Neighborhood.
From the middle of the 19th century to World War I, subsidiary consulates of Spain, Greece, Great Britain, Germany, Persia, Russia, France, the United States, and Austria all operated in the Christian quarter of Old Jaffa, which sits just above Jaffa Port.
The subsidiary consulates would report on events occurring in Jaffa as well as intervene in matters involving their citizens. Steps up to Old Jaffa are located in one of the buildings.
Orange Steps
The Orange Steps are in front of the buildings and show how narrow the passage was in the past. The steps were built by the Ottomans in the late 19th century and ran parallel to the sea wall. They’re named for the crates of famous Jaffa oranges that were lowered from the steps down onto ships to be taken to Europe.
The point where the modern wooden platform meets the steps is where the sea used to be. The modern entrance to Jaffa Port is just beyond the platform.
Jaffa Light
Finally, Jaffa Light sits on a hill just above the port. The first lighthouse was built in 1865 by the Ottomans and designed by French engineers. It was made of wood and used kerosene for fuel.
The British built the current lighthouse in 1936 out of concrete in the courtyard of the home of the Armenian Zakarian family, who operate it to this day. Jaffa Light operated day and night until 1966, when the Port of Ashdod replaced Jaffa Port. Since then it has been used as a daylight navigation aid.
Where to Eat in Jaffa
One of the reasons we were so excited to stay in Jaffa is the variety of quality restaurants in the area. Although we only had one night in Tel Aviv, we knew we would at least have a good meal to finish our trip to Israel. We hope to visit again in the near future because there were lots of restaurants we would have been happy to try.
Before leaving our hotel, we narrowed down our search to a few restaurants in the flea market area. There were several mouth-watering choices. We couldn’t decide on one place, so we walked towards them to think about it on the way.
When we got to the flea market, some of the streets were jam packed with people sitting at outdoor cafés and restaurants. This was definitely a good sign. We checked out some of the menus and they all looked fantastic. Unfortunately, there was a long wait for every restaurant.
Raisa
In the end we were able to get a seat at the bar at Raisa after a five minute wait. It’s a lively place with a friendly staff and an appealing menu. They also had a decent selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.
Marisol tried the seafood fettuccine and I was craving the burger and fries. We washed it down with a bottle of Israeli wine. Both meals were excellent. The fettuccine had a good mix of flavors and textures while the burger was juicy and exactly what I was looking for.
Golda
It’s good we didn’t have room for dessert at Raisa, because just around the corner we spotted Golda. They make several different flavors of creamy gelato and frozen yogurt. If you can’t decide, you’ll be able to try some samples.
We visited Golda both after dinner at Raisa and the next day before heading to Ben Gurion Airport for our flight to Istanbul. We were very happy with all of the flavors we had.
Staff was friendly on our first visit but extremely rude the next day. I didn’t appreciate them throwing napkins at Marisol when she asked, or asking us when we were going to pay before we had even finished our orders. Even with the bad experience, we’d go back again.
