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See the Sights I Eat, Travel, Enjoy

neighborhood, opening pretty little stores selling flowers or jewelry and fashionable cafés, “gazoz” stalls selling artisan flavored bubbly water, nightlife venues and more. Levinsky market has become so popular, its main street was made pedestrian only, with café tables spilling out on the road, to the delight of tourists and locals alike. Don’t miss: the opportunity to go on a food tour with one of the many guides working here. 06 HaMesila Park A green lung in the heart of the city Built on the route of the old Ottoman railway, once used to connect Jaffa to Jerusalem, HaMesila Park is a great place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Today, the park extends between Nahalat Binyamin st. to Jaffa’s Jerusalem Blvd., right in front of the beach promenade. It has walking and cycling paths all along it, as well as playground facilities, shaded seating areas, cafés and restaurants. The new light rail’s Elifelet station is located at the center of the park, and right beside it, where the old 19 th century station used to be, there are many cafés and hangout spots to enjoy. Don’t miss: getting a slice of pizza at the “Teder” restaurant, or an ice cream at the excellent “Cassata” ice cream parlor, both establishments belonging to famous chef Eyal Shani. 07 Café Asif A rooftop eco-garden Asif is a culinary hub that’s not only a café, restaurant, and artisan deli, but also a culinary library, gallery, and above all, a one-of-a-kind eco-farm in the heart of the city. Founded with the goal to research and document the Israeli culinary landscape, it also has its own rooftop garden, where traditional regional plants are grown thanks to cutting-edge agritech

Café Asif I Photo: Ariela Aflalo

Ariel Sharon Park I Photo: Uri Aharon

technologies. Every detail here has been meticulously curated, with a special focus on the quality of the ingredients. Don’t miss: a guided tour of the rooftop eco-farm where fruit and vegetables are grown, as well as fresh herbs including seven types of za’atar, Israeli garlic, and a rare breed of fig tree of which there are but a few specimens in the world. 08 Ariel Sharon Park Israel’s metropolitan park Ariel Sharon Park is one of the biggest environmental rehabilitation projects in the world. It is unique in

that the plot of land on which it was built, was polluted and neglected for decades, and turned into a flourishing metropolitan park that spreads across 2 acres of land. It is a veritable green lung in the southern side of the city. The park is open to the general public and has a network of hiking trails and bicycle paths across open areas, along riverbanks, and through shaded groves, as well as areas for leisure and recreation activities. Don’t miss: taking a walk around the eco-lake and birdwatching garden where more than 200 bird species can be spotted. ˆ

22 ATMOSPHERE AUGUST 2024