The beaches of Tel Aviv: religious, nude or public

The northernmost and the only private beach in Tel Aviv. In the summer, they charge 12 shekels so the place is almost all taken by rich locals. It's opened all year long and life guards are on duty even in winter. For this price you'll get free parking and playgrounds.

The beach is located by Sde Dov airport and is frequented by locals, they even have a special parking rate (when showing their ID). The place used to be the meeting point of prostitutes but things have changed – now it's clean, cozy, has a promenade and places to eat. Actually it has become one of the best family places.

Locals still call this beach Sheraton though the hotel has been moved southwards, closer to Gordon Street. Its new name Metzitzim comes from the iconic Peeping Tom comedy by Uri Zohar starring Arik Einstein – it take place here. Though the place has new free bathrooms and showers it's losing its appeal – the water and sand are dirty, the neighborhood is industrial and the sky packed with aircraft – too urban to relax.

This beach for Orthodox Jews is surrounded by a high wall separating it from the neighboring and has separate days for men and women: Women - Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday are the bathing days. Men - Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the bathing days. The women's days usually attract many of Tel Aviv's non religious girls, who want to sunbathe naked without being harassed by guys. Oddly, this doesn’t bother religious women at all. In the past it used to be open on Saturday for both sexes, but they have now restricted that. So an empty beach looks strange.

It's so funny – the gay beach borders the Orthodox one. Here you can meet mostly men – well groomed macho in revealing trunks, walking around as if modeling and admiring other hotties. The atmosphere is funky and funny so you are most likely to enjoy it even if you are straight.

Relaxed Israelis with their dogs are the kings of this narrow boardwalk by Hilton Hotel as it's the only dog beach in town. Tel Aviv folks love animals but are not that eager cleaning after them so if your pet is at home better choose something quieter and cleaner. Apart from dogs the place is adored by surfers who come here for the waves – they even have a club in the southern part of the breach that hosts various events including annual contests. You can try catching a wave with a personal coach and at night enjoy some nice reggae in a local bar.

The Gordon Beach is one of the cleanest and nicest spots in Tel Aviv frequented by all kinds of folks – local old men doing their morning exercise, tourists from nearby hotels and chilling youngsters.
The beach is clean and pleasant and not overcrowded on weekdays, but on weekends it's quite a different story. The beach is almost bursting with parties, music from the bar and people lining for ice cream. They rent affprdable lounge chairs and umbrellas but you can chill on a towel by the sea. They have one-shekel bathroom.You can join volleyball players or go to the Gordon Swimming pool is a lovely non-sea option in the area and a inseparable of Tel Aviv's summer culture. The water in the pool is salty, so you won't even know the difference from the sea :) The beach is opened till 6-7 pm.

This beach by Hotel Dan and the US Embassy in Frishman Street is really nice, clean and easy to access – both on foot or public transport. There you'll find locals with super tan however applying SPF lotions and white-skinned tourists in mini bikinis grabbing the every ray of the Sun lying on comfy beach chairs without thinking of any side effects.

Maybe the name of the beach was a pun (Jerusalem is a 40-minute ride from the sea) or a sign of respect but a legend has it that Tel Aviv's legendary mayor, Shlomo Lahat, presented this beach as a gift to Jerusalem's legendary mayor, Teddy Koleck on a famous television show. The legend is the only remarkable thing about this beach frequented by tourists and teens. It's quite spacious and broad but lacks charm and originality.

The beach was nicknamed after a nearby café, which is always packed but always has a seat for a sun-stricken tourist. The place is loved by young families and folks in their 30-40s for its panorama and basic facilities – they come to read or play Matkot a popular paddle ball game similar to beach tennis. And at night Banana Beach Cafe sets up huge screens showing free movies and sports – it's so nice to watch a US classics of the 1980s listening to the sea and sipping a sweet cocktail; the food is great and prices quite affordable for a location like this.

If you are young, crazy and funky and came to the city to get some sun, tan and fun your destination is the south. Take a couple of surfing classes to meet some curly-haired guys and then dance with them all night to the beats of drums to feel this after-dawn spirit of freedom, feast and never-ending music.

Located by the namesake park, this remote beach is a great chill out space – it often hosts concerts and other events, has places to have a bite and to rent a lounge chair and other gear.

Maybe the most quiet and the nicest beach of them all – the last Tel Aviv beach which in the south gives way to Jaffa ones. I love chilling on the sand under the midday sun and watching the old port of towers of Jaffa. The beach is very clean and wild – no gear rent or even a life guard, so swimming is not allowed (waves are too strong). In the morning it's occupied by yogis, during the day surfers come and in the evening Arab families have their BBQ. Right by the beach you'll find the famous Manta Ray seafood place where for 13 NIS you can get eggplants with cheese, sardines with thina or salmon tartar with home baked bread. Put it on the mat with cocktails from The Kiosk and plunge into Mediterranean nirvana.