Israel : Safety by City
Israel - safety as a country Tel Aviv is the second-largest city in Israel.
Because it is the most liberal city in Israel, and one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, it becomes famous for the nickname “The Miami Of The Middle East”.
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and the 60 Tel Aviv founders started building the first mid-eastern urban center with running water.
Tel Aviv grew steadily and became the center of culture, commerce and light industry – the Israeli metropolis with 3.1 million people.
Tel Aviv was declared a cultural UNESCO World Heritage site and due to the style which emphasized simplicity and the white color, it has got a nickname the White City.
Warnings & Dangers in Tel Aviv
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
Tel Aviv can be considered an overall safe city in terms of crime. However, frequent terrorist attacks, making it more dangerous than it is.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Drivers need to be watchful since there are numerous car accidents. Make sure that you get insured before trying to drive in Tel Aviv. It is not safe to hitchhike either. Public transport is safe and reliable, as long as you are vigilant when it comes to thieves that frequently operate there. Be aware of the fact that public transport might be the target number one among terrorists. The bus drivers in Tel Aviv speak and understand English, and will answer questions about the destination of their bus.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
Since there are some areas where pickpocketing is frequent, tourists should not leave belongings unattended. Serious crime is generally not a problem in Israel since most visits to Tel Aviv are trouble-free, but the theft of passports, credit cards, and valuables from public beaches is common.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Tel Aviv is located in the area prone to seismic activity, so earthquakes are possible. During extreme rain, the flood might happen. Drivers are advised to monitor local weather reports before coming to Tel Aviv by car.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
When the mugging and kidnapping risk is in question, Tel Aviv is pretty safe. However, kidnapping is an issue near the border with Egypt.
TERRORISM RISK: HIGH
Some of the most active terrorist groups are Gaza-based organizations and numerous terrorist attacks occurred in the region recently, so the risk is extremely high. In case you happen to be in the middle of a terrorist attack, you need to follow advice from local authorities.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Scam risks in Tel Aviv have not been reported.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Women can feel relatively safe in Tel Aviv, except in one district which should not be visited even during the day. All the other parts of the city are trouble-free. Women need to keep in mind local expectations regarding modest clothing, like long skirts, long-sleeved shirts, and trousers. The scarf is obligatory when entering the Holy sites.
So... How Safe Is Tel Aviv Really?
The security situation in Israel is tense and unpredictable.
Tel Aviv remains a very safe city to visit, but travelers need to be aware of the possibility and high risk of terrorist threats.
The local police are generally very friendly.
Pickpockets, like in every big city, operate at the old and new central bus stations, the beach promenade and bag and bicycle thefts are common.
Crime rates are much lower in Tel Aviv than in most other cities of similar size.
Buses are the best way to tour the city and a very safe way to travel.
Street crime is rare all around Tel Aviv, but late at night, some southern neighborhoods might become dangerous.
The Northern parts, as well as the center, are safe areas in terms of serious crime, but even during the day, there are a lot of pick-pocketers.
Tourist infrastructure in this city is excellent because it is a financial and technological hub of the country and it is very worth visiting.
How Does Tel Aviv Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Tel Aviv | 64 |
| Jerusalem | 61 |
| Haifa | 67 |
| Eilat | 47 |
| Nazareth | 58 |
| Dead Sea | 65 |
| Golan Heights | 55 |
| Melbourne (Australia) | 80 |
| Montreal (Canada) | 81 |
| Sydney (Australia) | 80 |
| Santiago de Chile (Chile) | 71 |
| Vienna (Austria) | 88 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 70 |
Useful Information
Visas
The people from the U.S., Australia, Europe and Canadian have the right to stay in Israel for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa. There have been instances where passports have been stamped for entry purposes. If you have any questions about visas or entry into Israel, you should contact the Israel Embassy.
Currency
The official currency of Israel is the New Israel Shekel. Be aware that some sellers might give you the old version of the Shekel and these notes have no value. The ATMs accept international cards and money transfer through Western Union to a local Israeli post office normally takes 3-4 hours.
Weather
Tel Aviv has a Mediterranean climate characterized by long, hot summers and short winters. The best time to visit the city is summer. Winters are warm and the only snowfall in the city's history occurred once. UV radiation near the beach can be extremely high.
Airports
Ben Gurion Airport is the busiest airport in the whole country located 19 km southeast of Tel Aviv. It was named after Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Some other international airports that can be used when coming to Israel include Eilat-Ramon, Haifa-U. Michaeli and Eilat-Uvda.
Travel Insurance
It is always advisable for travelers to get a travel insurance policy before going abroad, no matter how safe the county they are going to is.
Tel Aviv Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 18 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 23 | 19 |
| Low °C | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 11 |
| High °F | 64 | 64 | 68 | 73 | 75 | 81 | 84 | 86 | 84 | 81 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | 50 | 50 | 54 | 57 | 63 | 68 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 66 | 57 | 52 |
Israel - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Acre | 46 |
| Dead Sea | 65 |
| Eilat | 47 |
| Golan Heights | 55 |
| Haifa | 67 |
| Jerusalem | 61 |
| Nazareth | 58 |
| Tel Aviv | 64 |
“Women need to keep in mind local expectations regarding modest clothing, like long skirts, long sleeved shirts and trousers. The scarf is obligatory when entering the Holy sites.”
Who wrote this review?? Obviously have never been to TLV. Nobody is “modest” in TLV it is a beach town…
Also, in Jerusalem for example scarf is not obligatory really in holy sites and women can AND SHOULD generally wear what the like.
“Extremely high” risk of terror attacks? I think that Paris and London have higher risk of attacks than Tel Aviv.
Some facts, which most Tel Avivians will agree upon:
– Modesty does not exist in Tel Aviv.
– Violent crime does, in very specific areas, which tourists not often visit (me neither).
– Taxi driver WILL rip you off.
– There’s a risk for new comers to be lost in the Dizengoff Center shopping mall. Some people entered there as kids, lost their way and still live there as adults.
Its safe. Dont read this article
Was in Israel 2019 as a women travelling alone. Never felt safer somewhere else. But damn … i did not know about the dizengoff center. I have to revisit soon. I normally dont visit a city twice for a holiday ( too many on my bucketlist) but Israel is on the list again!!!
As a local I can tell you, tel aviv is the young tourist heaven. Excellent food, beautiful women and men, amazing beach and promenade, pot is allowed and easy to buy.
Having gone to Tel Aviv in 2019, I am not sure I can agree. While it is mostly safe at the heart of the city, there is risk surrounding the entire area. I was advised against going to several different places for safety concerns. I mean this was BY the locals. I don’t know. Maybe it is all about perspective? I didn’t feel unsafe but also wasn’t completely relaxed either.
Lol tel aviv is super safe terrorist attacks is a joke its super rare and happens on times of war.. most of the time just some dude running with knife yelling in arabic and gets shot after a few seconds from the many police officers, or mandatory soldiers.
No place safer.
The Man who wrote this never visited Tel Aviv
There is no safer than Tel Aviv when speaking of terrorist attacks, Paris and London have a much higher probability.
Pickpocketing only at the beach
Tel Aviv is safe!
Tel Aviv (and Israel as a country in general) is one of the safest places in the world. How many terrorist incidents have been in Tel Aviv during the recent years? There was a shooting incident and 3 people were killed but it happened once during the last 6 years (and before that there was a similar incident happened once in a decade maybe). The security forces in Israel are the one of the best in the world and they work 24/7 to maintain security. Crime is low and you can walk the streets of Tel Aviv even late at night without fear
best city in the world,
as a teen living here for 17 years, there’s no better place to hang around, always near a beach, parties everywhere at night, beautiful rebel styled women, and rich and wealthy men, the language is beautiful and easy to learn and at night the whole city turns into a place to live your best life, been in 14 other capital cities like Paris and Madrid, and it doesn’t beat the vivid and teen feeling of Tel Aviv, occasional terrorist attacks but strong army and nothing to worry about, this city changes your life for the better and gives you a different view in life, maybe it’s why it’s one of the most expensive cities too.
definately worth a visit.