Weizmann Institute: Travel and Local Information

By Oded Goldreich (written Oct'13)

The Weizmann Institute of Science resides in a very nice campus, which is located about 25Km (15 miles) of Tel-Aviv, 55Km of Jerusalem, and 15Km of Israel's main international airport (Ben-Gurion).

A taxi from Ben-Gurion airport to Weizmann Institute should cost 125-140NIS (approximately 40USD), and I advise it. Other options seem a real pain, but details about them and about other things is available HERE.

The Lopatie center has a cafe/restrurant and there are a few add'l eateries on campus, but I prefer three places that are outside the campus at a distance of 50-100 meters from the main gate. Just cross Herzel street and Derek Yavne and you will see Vinona (a cafe at the corner), Ha-Nasich (a middle-easter place next to it). A few additonal house to the same direction (south), there is another cafe.

Tel-Aviv (TLV) prides itself to be a small New York (NYC). I think the claim is justified in the sense that you will like TLV if and only if you like NYC. I happen to love both.

The simplest way to get to TLV is to take a taxi. The cost shoould be 140-150NIS (depending on timing), and if you share it among 3-4 rides this seems comparable to other alternatives in cost, but far faster... I once used a driver called Avshalom (phone: 0523 658441).

A few of the popular outing areas in TLV include

Rothschild Boulvard between Herzel and Yavneh.
The old Jaffa port (in the south), and the newer Tel-Aviv Port (in the north).
Both are not operating any more, but hosts lots of places.
The beach from Jaffa Port till Tel-Aviv Port is dotted with places.
The former flee market in Jaffa (not far from its port).

Although popular, these areas host some reasonable places like

Rojet (near the clock tower in Jaffa)
Puaa (at the former flee market of Jaffa).
Pronto (an Italian resturant close to Rothchild and Herzel, kind of "approved" by the Italian consulate (but not by Silvio)).
Comme Il Faut (in the north of Tel-Aviv Port).

(All websites are in Hebrew, but you could easily find entries on these and other resturants in gudes like Frommer's.)
Of course, the hipsters go elsewhere...

To the web-page of the Weizmann Institute of Science, the web-page of TOC at WIS page, and to Oded Goldreich's homepage.