Paris’ popular bicycle rental program, just 18 months old, is already encountering some rather discouraging bumps in the road: “Over half the original fleet of 15,000 specially made bicycles have disappeared, presumed stolen,” reports the BBC. Undeterred, Tel Aviv’s city planners are moving forward with a program that will allow tourists to pick up a bicycle at one of 25 rental stations in central locations around the city and drop it off near their destination. The Israeli Tourism website features an excellent 25k cycling itinerary that guides riders along the seafront, through the old city of Jaffa, and into heart of the “White City” (a UNESCO site chockablock with Bauhaus architecture). Click here to read our post about Tel Aviv’s year-long centennial celebration.

Fabulous Tel Aviv, dubbed the Miami of the Middle East, is easily Israel’s coolest city. Trimmed with gorgeous beaches, loaded with Bauhaus architecture, and populated with smartly dressed locals who have a fierce appreciation for art, cuisine, and nightlife, Tel Aviv is the hedonistic
antidote to historic, heady Jerusalem, which, despite being just about one hour away, is a world apart in every respect. The year 2009 heralds Tel Aviv’s 100th birthday, making the city older than Israel itself (which celebrated its 60th in 2008). Visitors can expect an amped-up festival schedule from April to December with fun events like a marathon through the city, a weeklong book fair, a flower carpet in Rabin Square, and an international film festival. Read the rest of this post »