Metzitzim
Best for. Families with young children who want the calmest, shallowest water near the city centre, with a playground on the sand, a cafe, showers and seasonal lifeguards all close to hand.
Best spot. The shallow water in the lee of the breakwater near the lifeguard tower, a short walk from the sand playground, which is the genuinely easier choice in Tel Aviv for paddling toddlers.
Know this. Metzitzim is popular and the cafe and the sand fill fast on a summer weekend, so come early. If you want it quieter and stiller still, Tel Baruch further north sits in a calmer bay with more parking.
Metzitzim is the beach we point families to first in Tel Aviv when the children are small. It sits in the north of the city beside the old port, tucked into a sheltered cove behind a breakwater, and that breakwater does the work that matters most for a family. It takes the energy out of the waves, so the water near the shore stays calmer and shallower than the fully open central beaches, which is exactly the difference between a relaxed paddle and a parent standing waist deep with a hand on every child. The sand is soft and golden, there is a playground set right on it, and a cafe, showers and sunbeds are all close by, so a long, easy day needs very little planning.
The honest read is that Metzitzim earns its popularity, and popularity is its one real catch. It has been part of city life since the 1972 film that gave it its name, it is a genuine local favourite, and on a summer weekend the cafe, the sunbeds and the best patches of sand fill early. Come in the morning and you get the calmest water, the easiest parking by the port and your pick of the shaded spots near the playground. Arrive at midday on a Friday or Saturday and you join a busy, sociable scene. It is still the open Mediterranean beyond the shelter of the breakwater, so the calm is real but not a swimming pool. Keep little ones within reach, set up near the lifeguard tower, and read the flags, since conditions here are typical and never guaranteed and we make no promise about swimming safety.
So treat Metzitzim as the genuinely easier family beach near the centre, the one that rewards an early start. Pair the shallow, sheltered water with the playground for the gap between swims, keep hats and your own shade to hand since the natural cover is thin, and use the cafe for a long lunch rather than a packed bag. If you want it quieter and stiller still, Tel Baruch further north sits in a calmer bay with more parking and fewer crowds, while Hilton next door suits stronger swimmers and the surf. Cafe and sunbed prices are set locally and are to be confirmed.
A family cove with a cafe and sunbeds
Metzitzim carries a beach cafe and bar, sunbed and umbrella concessions and a playground on the sand, all set in the sheltered cove by the port. Names, opening and prices are set by the operators and change by season, so we describe what is typically there and mark the rest to be confirmed. See the Tel Aviv beach clubs guide for the full run.
Photo: Лариса Галинова via GoogleThe Metzitzim cove cafe and sunbeds
The Metzitzim cove is where the north of the seafront gathers its sunbeds, umbrellas and a popular beach cafe and bar, with a playground on the sand, showers and toilets close by, which is most of what a family wants for an easy day. It is sociable and lively rather than an exclusive scene, and the open sand between the concessions stays free for your own towel. Treat any sunbed or cafe rate as to be confirmed, since each operator sets the price by season, and come in the morning when the shaded spots near the playground go first.
In the north of the city by the old port
Metzitzim sits at the north end of the Tel Aviv promenade beside the old port, an easy walk from the northern hotels and reachable by bus, taxi or a short ride. The promenade behind the beach is wide and level, which suits a pushchair and a cool bag, and there are paid car parks near the port, but they fill through the middle of a summer day and on the weekend, so arrive early for the easiest parking and the calmest water.
The beach offers showers, toilets, sunbed and umbrella rentals, a playground on the sand and a cafe and bar, which makes a long family day far simpler. Bring hats and sun cover since natural shade is thin, check the lifeguard flags and any jellyfish notices in the warmest weeks, and if you want the quietest, stillest water in the city carry on north to the sheltered Tel Baruch beach.
Photo: Лариса Галинова via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can arrange a sunbed at Metzitzim or another organised Tel Aviv beach to match your day, from a calm family swim to a relaxed afternoon by the cafe. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Metzitzim
Is Metzitzim beach good for young children?
Metzitzim is one of the easiest beaches in Tel Aviv for young children. It sits behind a breakwater in the north of the city, so the water stays shallow and calmer than the open central beaches, and there is a playground on the sand, showers, toilets, sunbeds and a cafe close by. Lifeguards are on duty through the swimming season. The sea is still real sea, so keep little ones within reach and read the flags, since conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Why is Metzitzim calmer than the central Tel Aviv beaches?
Metzitzim sits in a sheltered cove by the old port, protected by a breakwater that takes the energy out of the waves, so the water near the shore is calmer and shallower than the fully open central beaches like Gordon and Jerusalem. That makes it gentler for toddlers and nervous swimmers. It is still the open Mediterranean beyond the shelter, so always judge the sea and watch children closely.
Does Metzitzim beach have facilities for families?
Yes. Metzitzim was renovated and is well set up for families, with showers, toilets, sunbed and umbrella rentals, a playground on the sand, sporting facilities and a beach cafe and bar. Seasonal lifeguards cover the swimming season. Names, opening and any rental prices are set locally and change by season, so we mark those to be confirmed for your dates.
Where is Metzitzim beach and is there parking?
Metzitzim is in the north of Tel Aviv beside the old port at the north end of the promenade, reachable on foot from the northern hotels, by bus, taxi or a short ride. There are paid car parks near the port, but they fill on a summer day and on the Friday and Saturday weekend, so arrive in the morning for the easiest parking and the calmest water.
Is Metzitzim or Tel Baruch better for toddlers?
Both are sheltered family beaches with calmer, shallower water than the central strip. Metzitzim is closer to the city and the port, with a lively cafe and a sand playground, so it suits families who want amenities and a short trip. Tel Baruch sits further north in a bay where the water is calmer still, with more parking and fewer crowds, which can suit the very youngest. Many families use Metzitzim for convenience and Tel Baruch for the quietest, stillest water.
