Tel Aviv – The City that Never Sleeps Tel Aviv is Israel’s most cosmopolitan city, its financial, cultural and social center. Whereas Jerusalem is the “holy” city, Tel Aviv is where the action is. Home to big business, the stock exchange and the major banks, Tel Aviv also hosts the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Opera, theater companies, dance troupes and museums. Its Mediterranean beachfront -- lined with excellent hotels, lively cafes and a modern boardwalk -- draws crowds of tourists and residents alike. Tel Aviv’s nightlife hops – with restaurants, bars and clubs open all hours of the night. And its shopping – from open-air markets to high-end boutiques – is the best in the country. The Tel Aviv metropolitan area – which includes Ramat Gan and other municipalities – contains 2.5 million people, almost a third of Israel’s population. Moreover, about one million people visit the city daily. Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 by European settlers on the sandy stretches north of the ancient port of Jaffa. Proclaimed a world heritage site by Unesco, the “White City” is rich in Bauhaus-style architectural treasures.