World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Jerusalem  - Nightlife
Nightlife

Jerusalem is not exactly known for its wild nightlife and if you're looking to dance the night away then your best bet would be to follow the example of many Jerusalemites and take a sherut or drive the 60km (37 miles) to Tel Aviv. The nightclubs that do exist in Jerusalem tend to be located in the Talpiot area, and are expensive and operate dress codes. East Jerusalem is particularly quiet after dark, due to pressures from Islamists and its isolation from the West Bank. Bars: With a few exceptions, alcoholic drinks are not available in East Jerusalem or in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. It is no surprise that most bars are located in West Jerusalem, with a few to be found in the Christian and Armenian Quarters of the Old City. The most popular is the Tabasco Tea Room, 8 Aqabat al-Taqiya (open 0800-2400). Friday night's Punch Party allows you to drink as much punch as you like for around NIS12. If you do want alcohol in East Jerusalem head for the Cellar Bar, at the American Colony Hotel, Nablus Road, a venue popular with ex-pats and journalists and open until 0330. Jerusalem's first internet bar, Strudel, 11 Monbaz, is also good for food and drink and open until midnight. If it's chic you want, try Zanzibar, 13 Shamai, which caters for a sophisticated yuppie clientele and is open until 0300. Clubs: Again located primarily in West Jerusalem, up-to-date listings for club nights can be found in The Traveller magazine and the Friday supplement of the Jerusalem Post. With two rooms of music, one rock and one dance, Underground, 1 Yoel Salomon, attracts Israelis and travellers alike although it has a tendency to go in and out of favour. Haoman 17 (web site: www.haoman.com/main.html), at 17 Haoman Street, attracts international DJs and boasts two dancefloors where you can groove the night away to a mixture of house and techno. A little further up the road, at 30 Hauman Street, you'll find Campus which caters for an enthusiastic dance crowd. Live music: Although a good selection of music venues can be found in both East and West Jerusalem, what's on offer could hardly be described as exciting. Jazz is popular and often very good, check out the Pargod Theatre, 94 Betzalel, for a Friday afternoon jam session. Tmol Shilshom Bookstore Cafe, 5 Yoel Salomon, has jazz on Mondays and folk on Tuesdays, both from 2300. Folk musicians perform at the AACI, 11 Pinsker, in Talbiya. Pop concerts by both Israeli and foreign groups are sometimes held at the Jerusalem Theatre, 20 David Marcus Street, in Talbiya. For live rock bands try the downstairs bar at Arizona, 37 Jaffa Road, or Mike's, Horkanos Street, which has live rock and blues music nightly from 2230.

Theatres & Concerts

Jerusalem's most innovative theatre for new plays and drama is probably the Khan Theatre, 2 David Remez Square (tel: (02) 671 8281), which performs five or six plays every season. The repertory is divided between new plays from Israel and around the world, classics and adaptations. Performances are mainly in Hebrew. Arabic speakers shouldn't miss the critically acclaimed Palestinian National Theatre (tel: (02) 628 0957) in East Jerusalem near the American Colony Hotel, at Nuzha, off Salah al-Din. The work performed usually has a highly political content. English translation is sometimes available. Devotees of experimental and avant-garde theatre should try to catch performances at the Habamah Theatre, a 96-seat studio at Floor 4, 4 Yad Harozim (tel: (02) 673 3814).



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