It is hard to believe that this vivacious, sophisticated Mediterranean city has not yet celebrated its first centenary.

Born out of the sands, the modern metropolis of Tel Aviv was founded in 1909, when a small group of Jewish families moved from the overcrowded, insanitary and hostile Arab town of Jaffa to a selected desert spot where the construction of Tel Aviv began.

Since then, the city has sprung up beside the Mediterranean coast at a dizzying speed its first generation residents are as old as the city itself.

Tel Aviv has an astonishing diversity in the array of distinct neighbourhoods merging together but also in these extremes of old and new.

This can be noticed with the elderly relaxing on the beach promenade and chatting in a multitude of languages.

Next to the elderly relaxing, you will find the younger generation shouting in Hebrew and enjoying playing beach sports on the sand.

Above all, Tel Aviv is a beach city; a broad expanse of fine sand extends more than 10km or 6 miles along the seashore. City residents pour onto the beach for air, space and relaxation every weekend and at any opportunity during the day.

Tel Aviv has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers, pleasant springs and autumns, and cool, rainy winters.

Humidity tends to be high all year round, and rain usually occurs between October to May. In winter, temperatures seldom drop below 5 C and are more likely to be in the region of 10 C to 15 C , while in summer the average is 26 C.

The average annual rainfall is 530 millimetres which is 20.9 in. Tel Aviv boasts on average over 300 sunny days a year.

The autumn and spring periods are short, and with climate change appear to be shrinking. Many see the best time of year in Tel Aviv as April when the sun is bright and not so hot, temperatures are moderate, humidity is down, and the flowers are in bloom.

Visiting the Antiques Fair in Dizengoff is an experience similar to being abroad, for a few enjoyable and moving hours.

The market is spectacular in its beauty and its character, and in it can be found rare antique collections.

Individual items that you may find here are objects of Judaica, pictures, old hand tools, musical instruments, rare books, house ware, toys, rare collections, and apparatus for film and theatre directors.