Destinations.

This year marks the centenary of the foundation of the city of Tel Aviv, which was established in 1909 on the sand dunes of the Mediterranean by a small group of Jews who had migrated a couple of miles down the coast from the ancient, and predominately Arab, city of Jaffa.

The centenary is being celebrated with special events, concerts and exhibitions throughout the year. But probably the best month to visit is June, when Jews and Arabs unite to celebrate Tel Aviv and Jaffa, which were combined in the 1950s to form one city, Tel Aviv-Yaffo.

Israel Government Tourist Office director of Tourism Rafi Shalav said: "We have a programme of special events, from outdoor festivals to art and music shows, sporting events and historic exhibitions all year long.

"All the shows are free and accessible, and they aren't just celebrations for Tel Aviv and Jaffa, but for visitors from around the globe."

For a complete list of centennial events go to tlv100.co.il

Tel Aviv

For such a modern city, Tel Aviv has a surprisingly rich array of cultural highlights. The architectural gem of Tel Aviv is the White City (white-city.co.il), which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. But Tel Aviv also has more than 4,000 Bauhaus or international-style buildings. The best examples are to be found on Rothschild Boulevard and Dizengoff Circle. A free, guided walking tour is held every Saturday morning at 46 Rothschild Boulevard at 11am. The Bauhaus Center at 99 Dizengoff Street has fine examples of the Bauhaus style (bauhaus-center.com).