Jaffa - The Ancient and Romantic Side of Tel Aviv
The first thing you will notice about Jaffa is that it is extremely romantic. When my sister and her husband chose to have their wedding there I thought it was a perfect setting. The Mediterranean Sea close by and the pictorial port, the old city and the multitude of galleries makes it that you simply can’t afford to miss it while in Tel Aviv. It is after all the ancient part of the bigger city.Jaffa or Yaffo is old. Really old. In fact it is one of the oldest cities in the world. The city itself is at least 4000 years old; however people have been living there for over 10,000 years. Some sort of people… The name of the city might have come from a Hebrew word meaning “beauty”. Others say it was named after Japheth the son of the biblical Noah, who supposedly built it after the well known great flood. The city changed hands many times mainly due to its strategically located port and the commanding views it has over the sea. Among the cultures that controlled it you can find the Canaanites, Egyptians, Israelites – including King David and his son King Solomon, Assyrians, Romans and a bunch of other cultures (including Napoleon who ruined it…) until modern days. Christianity’s main connection to the city is St. Peter’s miracles that were performed there. 
Aiming at Tel Aviv. A couple of ancient Cannons at the old city. Like Haifa and Akko, this city also has a mix of Jewish residents and Arabs - both Muslims and Christians. What are the main attractions?
St. Peter's church. It is quite impressive from the inside - unfortunately it is not allowed to take pictures. So, just take my word - and visit... 
The Old Port. Picture by Or Hiltch. Return from Jaffa to the Tel Aviv main page Return to the Home Page |