Exploring Old City Jaffa In Israel

Exploring the Old City of Jaffa is a fun and fascinating way to spend a day when visiting Israel. Also known as Yafo, Yafa, Japho, and Joppa, Jaffa is one of the oldest port cities in the world. Some say it’s over 4,000 years old!

Historically claimed by the Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, Ottomans, and many more, there’s an incredible depth of history and diversity here. Modern Tel Aviv grew out of this port city, eventually eclipsing Jaffa, which is now a neighborhood of Tel Aviv, officially called Tel-Aviv Yafo.

This area, rich with multiple conquests and re-conquests, from many cultures, is a hot travel destination. With beautiful Mediterranean beaches, fascinating historical sites, outstanding food, a cool flea market, boutique shops, interesting street art, plush new hotels, and many interesting and fun things to do, this city is drawing a hip new crowd.

This post covers the top things to do in Old City Jaffa, Israel.

Exploring Jaffa Old City

Jaffa Port

The old port of Jaffa, one of the oldest ports in the world, has some remarkable stories associated with its history. In addition to being considered the port that Jonah set off from in the biblical story, Jonah and the Whale, this was also the port used by King Solomon in the 10th century BC for importing Lebanese timber for building the ancient First Temple.

Even its name dates back to its Egyptian roots, noted in Egyptian documents as Yapu, or Yafet, possibly from Japheth, who was one of the sons of Noah, who built this city after the floods. And at the far end of the port, there’s a nod to a well-known story in Greek mythology, Andromeda’s Rocks. They’re named after the mythological rocks where King Jaffa supposedly chained his daughter, Andromeda. This was to appease Poseidon’s wrath upon hearing she was more beautiful than his daughters. Andromeda, saved by Perseus, son of Zeus, on his winged horse, went off to become the wife of her savior.

Today this port is a fascinating attraction, beautifully set with the stone buildings of the old city of Jaffa behind it, full of colorful boats, kayaks, locals, tourists, and fishermen. This is a key spot in old town Jaffa and can’t be missed. Especially in the late afternoon when the temperatures are cooler and people start gathering at the bars and restaurants lining the port area.

Jaffa Old City

The old city of Jaffa, behind the old port, full of twisting, cobblestoned alleyways, is one of my favorite places here. These meandering streets are full of art galleries and studios from leading area artists and historical sites, as well as great restaurants and nightclubs. A maze of discovery.

Some of the top things to see in the old city of Jaffa include:

Walk By The House of Simon the Tanner

Did you know the House of Simon the Tanner from the New Testament, is here? It became famous because Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, reportedly stayed in Simon’s house while doing missionary work in the area.

Today the house is privately owned, so cannot be visited, but you can walk by the front door.

This house is located near the lighthouse, here. Try to avoid walking by in the middle of the day as when tour groups are here, you won’t be able to see anything with a large crowd packed into the small area. In all honestly though, all you can see is the door.

See Saint Peter’s Church

Stately St. Peter’s church, dedicated to Saint Peter, was built here in the 17th century over a crusader fortress. It was destroyed and rebuilt twice in the 18th century.

The church honors St. Peter, recognizing his significance in ancient Jaffa as well his reported miracle of raising Tabitha, one of Jesus’ disciples, from the dead here. Panels in the interior highlight important scenes from his life and work. It’s also very beautiful.

Saint Peter’s Church is located just behind the old port.

Make A Wish At The Wishing Bridge By Gan HaPisga

Gan HaPisga means “summit” in Hebrew. This summit garden offers panoramic views of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean. I love the juxtaposition of the old walls of Jaffa with the modern skyline of Tel Aviv in the distance.

Make sure to look for the wooden Wishing Bridge here. They say your wish will come true if you stare at the sea while placing your hand on your zodiac sign on the bridge.

Visit Mahmoudiya Mosque

Built during the Ottoman rule of the 18th and 19th centuries, Mahmoudiya is the largest Mosque in Jaffa. This complex of buildings offers some peace from the bustling street area.

Although most of the Mosque is hidden by shops, one of its main visible features is this stunning, old fountain.

See The Old Clock Tower In Jaffa

Visit The Ilana Goor Museum

Stop in this home-turned-museum to see the eclectic art created and collected by Ilana Goor. You can find all kinds of art here, from traditional art to furniture, sculptures, jewelry, and more. This unique building was originally an 18th century inn for visiting pilgrims. Ilana purchased and refurbished it to create her residence/museum.

The Ilana Goor Museum is located in the historic part of old Jaffa. Make sure to visit the upper balcony for panoramic views of the Mediterranean. Entrance is 45 NIS; 35 for citizens of Tel Aviv.

Also check their website as sometimes live music programs are held here.

Shuk Hapishpishim Market

Visit Shuk Hapishpishim for more details.

Eat Hummus In Old City Jaffa: Possibly Best In Israel

Jaffa is where you’ll find some the best hummus you will ever eat. I’m serious. I read this before coming, but it really is true! Hummus everywhere else will never compare. In fact, the hummus alone is reason enough to visit Israel.

Reportedly, the best hummus in old city Jaffa, and possibly the best in Israel, is at Hummus Abu Hassan. It’s not fancy, just delicious.

Visit One of Jaffa’s Many Beaches

There are a variety beaches all along the promenade from Tel Aviv to Jaffa. Each area has its own vibe, so explore a few. These beaches are perfect for swimming, picnicking, people watching, surfing, kayaking, or just enjoying the sunset. 

Experience Jaffa’s Diversity

Jaffa is so ancient, it’s a melting pot of cultures, with a mix of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. One minute the city seems like a traditional, western city, the next, you think you’re in an Arabic country. Especially when you hear the call to prayer from one of its many Mosques.

You can see the diversity in the mix of food offerings, the multiple languages, the mix of religious buildings, as well as the diversity of the people. It really is a unique mix of both. If you love this (like I do), you’ll love Jaffa.

I did find one thing unique here. I try to learn a few words of the language in every country I visit. Just simple things like ‘hello’, ‘good day’ and ‘thank you’, stuff like that. This, however, is the first place where I’ve felt the need to learn two languages and guess which language I needed to use.

Basically, I had to decide if I was talking to someone who was Jewish or Arabic. Of course most people speak Hebrew, Arabic, and English, but I found that people really “beamed” when you acknowledged their true roots via language.

Best Time To Visit Jaffa

Jaffa has good weather year round, although it can get quite warm from June to October, with highs ranging up to 85-90 F (29-32 C). December to February has highs from 65-70 F (18-21 C), making it cooler, but it’s also more likely to rain. In April and May, highs range from 76-81 F (24-27 C).

Some years, of course, this can vary, so just use this as a guideline, not an absolute.

Where To Stay In Jaffa

I did not stay at any of the places noted below when I was here. I would add the place I stayed, but it’s no longer in business. All theee of the places below are located near the Old Town.

Budget

Jabitat Boutique Hostel Jaffa TLV, located in the heart of Old Town Jaffa, is a boutique hostel that gets really good reviews (for one of the most affordably priced places). It’s especially liked for its location. It says it’s a hostel, but I only see private rooms with a common kitchen, making it a great place to meet other travelers.

Moderate

Jaffo Tel-Aviv King Gallery Boutique Hotel gets high reviews for location as it’s within walking distance to beach and near Old Town harbor and restaurants. It also gets comments on its artful decor and the rooftop lounge.

Splurge

The Drisco – The Leading Hotels of The World is a 5-star historic, upscale, boutique hotel offers spectacular views of the sea from its rooftop terrace (and some of its rooms). One of the most prestigious hotels in the region in the late 1800’s it’s been meticulously renovated, reopening in 2018. Breakfast is included.

This post may use affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission if you choose to make a booking or purchase through one of these links. This is at no additional cost to you. If you find my content helpful, please consider booking through me as it is completely win win!

How To Get To Jaffa

Jaffa is about 2 miles south of downtown Tel Aviv. Walking along the beachside promenade is a beautiful way to get to Jaffa, but if you’re arriving with luggage, it’s best to catch a taxi.

Uber is available here. It was banned for a while as it did not always used licensed cab drivers, but they recently changed this and are now relaunching, no longe rising private drivers. Gett is another ride hailing app that you can download to your phone. Gett also only uses only drivers with an official license to transport passengers. This alternative was founded by Israeli entrepreneurs and operates in some countries outside Israel.

As the laws and details are always changing with rice hailing apps, check the most updated information before you visit. The information here was updated as of April 2023.

Buses are also available, but the taxi ride is only about 5-10 minutes, depending on your locations.

Want More Of Israel?

Israel truly is an amazing place, with so much to see and do and Old City Jaffa is definitely a great place to experience it. But there’s so much more here!

Of course, you can’t come to Israel without a visit to the holy city of Jerusalem. Located less than an hour southwest of Tel Aviv, it houses so much history and so many sacred sites, it’s staggering: the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Temple Mount, the Tower of David, and so much more.

And although few tourists add Palestine to their itinerary, it’s relatively easy to take a bus there from Jerusalem (or a tour) to see the religious sites, meet the Palestinian people, and see the Art on the West Bank Wall. An experience I found very enlightening and moving.

If you still want to learn more about Israel, see my post on 5 Impressive Facts on Israel. For such a small country, it has a lot of strengths!

For an overview of all the top spots in Israel, how to get around, logistics, money matters, and more, see my Ultimate Israel Travel Guide.

Travel Safe!

Julie