Jetsettersblog

Tel Aviv, Israel’s modern urban Mediterranean coastal town and one of Lonely Planet’s Top Ten Cities for 2011, released a selection of art, culture, music and sport festivals for travelers to the Mediterranean coastal city through 2011. The events include the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival (Feb. 15 to 18), an annual highlight in Israel which will showcase top international and Israeli jazz musicians in more than 20 performances at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque. For more information, visit www.jazzfest.co.il.

The annual TLV RUN TLV marathon (April will bring runners through the beaches, parks and hip Bauhaus neighborhoods of the White City, with a selection of 2.6-, 6.2-, 13- or 26-mile races beginning at the Charles Clore Park on the shore. For more information, visit www.tlvmarathon.co.il.

Open House Tel Aviv-Jaffa (May 20 to 21) offers travelers the opportunity to explore historically significant residences, buildings and landmarks throughout the city. For more information, visit www.batim-il.org.

The Tel Aviv Gay Pride (June 10) brings an endless weekend of parades and celebrations, during which travelers and locals alike can enjoy the city’s relaxed lifestyle, lively bars, cafes and clubs along the Mediterranean shore. For more information, visit www.gayisrael.org.il.

The annual White Night Festival (June 30) celebrates the July 2003 UNESCO designation of the White City of Tel Aviv and its exceptional collection of Bauhaus architecture. The event brings tens of thousands of residents and travelers into the city’s streets for various cultural events, concerts and street theater performances, as well as free entry to museums and art galleries and special happenings at some of the city’s top restaurants. For more information, visit www.visit-tlv.co.il.

Opera in the Park (July 14) features the Israel Opera Choir alongside international and Israeli soloists in a performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute conducted by Maestro David Stern in the heart of the city’s Hayarkon Park. For more information, visit www.israel-opera.co.il/eng.

Loving Art. Making Art. (Sept. 8 to 10) is an art-centric festival that will kick off the city’s gallery exhibition season with more than 75 museums and art galleries remaining open late, in addition to a selection of special outdoor art displays, free of charge. For more information, visit www.visit-tlv.co.il For general destination information, visit www.goisrael.com