The Best Israeli Markets

In one of the oldest districts in Tel Aviv, adjacent to the Carmel Market, Nahalat Binyamin Street has a wonderful now-not-so-well-known secret, which makes itself known twice a week. Every Tuesday and Friday, the Arts and Crafts Fair brings around 220 creatives and makers together to sell their works. Each artist has a regular stall, so if you like the look of a piece of art, but don’t want to buy it just yet, you can always come back to the same spot the following week – although be careful, it may have already been snagged by another member of Tel Aviv’s art-hungry community. Each work of art is authentic and original, creating an extra-special atmosphere as you stroll through a sea of interesting people and wares. From stunning glass dinnerware, mezuzot, and ceramics to one-of-a-kind photography, jewelry, scarves, and wraps, this is the ultimate place to truly experience artisanal Israeli works - and check off gifts for friends and family back home.

Poor quality bric-a-brac lies alongside vintage treasures and antique furniture in Jaffa’s flea market. Of all the places to work your haggling skills, this is it. Even just wandering among the clothes stalls, traipsing around secondhand stores or grabbing some authentic street food is enough to make for a blissful day.

An intoxicating fusion of colors, scents and sounds, Mahane Yehuda is Jerusalem’s biggest and oldest market. The stalls here sell everything from fresh produce to clothing and in recent years, Mahane Yehuda has also become a yuppie hub with designer boutiques and top chef restaurants. 

Talpiot Market is housed in the historic Hadar HaCarmel building, built in the late 1930s. The fruit and vegetable market offers the best of Israeli produce, and is a pleasing experience for all of the senses. Here you can find farm-to-table produce, spices, fresh baked goods, and much more, all at a fair price. It has a long tradition of serving new immigrants, the city’s large religious community, as well as residents of more established neighborhoods. At Haifa’s main shuk you can also grab a great falafel or other local cuisine in a city famed for its coexistence.