The Underbelly of the beast – the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station

Tel Aviv’s “new” central bus station, is the second largest bus station in the world. The megalomaniac dream of its designers, soon became a nightmare for the shop owners and the surrounding neighborhood, as crime and poverty came in.

Out of the 7 floors of the structure, now 2 are completely abandoned, and over 45% of it is unused.
This mammoth of a structure is featuring 2 synagogues, 2 churches, a atomic shelter that can protect over 16,000 people, a generator room that can power all of Tel Aviv, a shaft housing thousands of bats, and many many other surprises.

In this grim setting, life is yet finding a way to flourish with many unique small businesses serving the different immigrant communities, art projects and urban gardens.

Neve Sha’anan

In the 1920s, the overcrowding in Jaffa and the newly established Tel Aviv was overwhelming. As a result, a few families decided to push eastward and establish a new neighborhood which would be used as an agricultural outpost to compete with the German Templar colony of Sarona in supplying the city with local produce.

Today, this area is famous for its multiethnic communities of foreign workers and refugees who have brought some of their local traditions and culture from afar.

The grand tour

• Central Bus Station
• Neve Sha’anan
• Food Tasting with local vendors (Sudanese, Filipino)
• The tour will include a visit to the underbelly of the central bus station complete with the atomic shelter as well as the upper levels and the local movements taking place in this structure.
• After, we will tour Neve Shaanan while sampling some delicious Sudanese food and become familiar with a local niche for Shisha, Tea and Football!
• Included in the price is a Sudanese vegetarian dinner: assortment of salads and stews with a traditional Sudanese flatbread made of sorghum flour called “Kisra”, a cup of tea at the youth club (there will be a option to pay for flavored Shisha) and other treats and surprises!