Tourist’s guide to Ramat Gan – one of the most happy cities in Israel

Ramat Gan bears the title of the most happy city in Israel. In terms of happiness index, level of education and life expectancy, it surpasses Haifa, Hadera, Tel Aviv and other Israeli large settlements.

Ramat Gan city

General information

Ramat Gan (translated from Hebrew as “a garden on a hill”) is a small city located in Gush Dan, the central agglomeration of Israel. Green streets with low-rise buildings are diluted with skyscrapers, sports facilities, private mansions and elite clubs and restaurants.

If you look at the map, you can see that Ramat Gan is a satellite of the cosmopolitan Tel Aviv – only Ayalon hwy, the country’s largest highway, separates it from the famous metropolis of Israel. For this reason, Ramat Gan and Tel Aviv are part of the same tourist route, which is in great demand among modern tourists.

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Evening Ramat Gan
Sport life

Despite its relatively modest size (according to 2018, a little more than 150 thousand people live in the city), Ramat Gan boasts a number of noteworthy places. The first thing worth noting is the stadium, designed for 42 thousand spectators. This is not only the largest football field in the country, but also one of the 3 sports facilities in Israel with a high UEFA rating.

In addition to the main arena in the stadium there are 2 training fields, restaurants and cafes, parking for 4 thousand cars and many other structures. The developed infrastructure and excellent coverage made it the main venue for the games of the national team of the country, as well as various world matches and championships (including the opening of Maccabiads, international sports games). In addition, concerts and other celebrations are regularly held here.

Sports Arena in Ramat Gan

Another important sports destination for Ramat Gan is Marom Nave, a city complex designed for training and competitions in volleyball, handball, futsal, basketball and other sports. Here you can play tennis or swim in the pool.

Education

The scientific life of Ramat Gan deserves no less attention. So, on its territory there are several educational institutions at once – the University. Bar-Ilana, Academic College of Textile Technology and Fashion named after A. Shenkara (the only one in Israel!) And Beit Zvi Higher School of Performing Arts. In addition, the city has:

  • 30 elementary schools,
  • 154 kindergartens,
  • 10 gymnasiums.
University named after  Bar Ilana

All educational institutions are equipped with air conditioning, educational laboratories, modern computers and a library fund.

Nature and parks

Looking at the photos of Ramat Gan in tourist avenues, you will surely notice another important city attraction. We are talking about the Leumi National Park, 2 km2 of which is a picturesque lake (they say 12 kg of carps live in its waters!) And a huge number of flowers, palm trees, oaks and eucalyptus trees. This is a favorite vacation spot not only for local residents, but also for most tourists. Here, the truth is very beautiful – this is especially felt in February, when after rainy winters characteristic of the middle latitudes, you find yourself in the realm of evergreen summer.

Park in Ramat Gan

Finally, we note that in the city there are about a thousand enterprises and a large medical center “Sheba”, providing jobs for more than 5 thousand people. All this makes Ramat Gan one of the most economically and socially prosperous regions of the country.

Attractions and entertainment

Various cultural and recreational events are regularly organized in Ramat Gan. The city theater and the Palace of Culture often hold lectures, exhibitions, performances, concerts and other large-scale events. Admirers of panopticons should visit the numerous city museums. Night party people will also find something to do – there are a lot of bars and clubs in Ramat Gan, it is not necessary to go to Tel Aviv located next door. However, two city objects at once enjoy the greatest tourist popularity – a zoological safari park and a diamond exchange. We’ll talk about them.

Safari Park
Elephant in Ramat Gan Safari Park

Safari Park Ramat Ghana, without exaggeration, can be called the most famous attraction of this small city. Being the largest zoological center of Israel, it accommodates about 1600 animals, of which:

  • 25 species – reptiles,
  • 68 – mammals,
  • 130 – birds.

The safari center itself, whose area is about 100 hectares, is divided into 3 parts. The first, standard, is represented by a free zone in which rhinos and hippos, zebras and ostriches, kangaroos and other harmless inhabitants stay in the most natural conditions. In the second zone, you can see elephants, monkeys, giraffes, crocodiles and bears, tigers and other animals, most of which live in separate enclosed enclosures. The third is the area of ​​lions. You can get into it exclusively on safari jeeps with raised windows. In addition, there are playgrounds and various attractions on the territory of the safari park.

Employees of the zoological safari center in Ramat Gan are doing everything to protect the wildlife and preserve rare and endangered species. Animals even breed here, which is a rare occurrence among animals living in captivity. Although the captive conditions of this zoo can not be called. Its inhabitants feel quite at ease, which allows visitors to observe all stages of animal life – from food to finding a family companion, mating games, offspring and physical competitions for a place in the sun.

You can move around the territory of the park’s safari both on foot and by personal transport or by a rented electric car. In addition, you can purchase a ticket for a special bus that stops at the most popular venues in the complex. As a rule, it contains a guide telling interesting stories from the life of local residents. The most popular tours include:

  • Memories from Africa is a fascinating journey, during which you will learn all about forgotten tribes and endangered animals;
  • Morning safari – starts before the opening of the complex (approximately at 07:30);
  • Night safari – a walk through the open area, allowing you to get acquainted with the life of the night inhabitants of the zoo;
  • Midnight safari – is an analogue of the previous option, but is held a little later.

Before visiting the center’s safari, visitors are told the rules of safety and behavior, one of which prohibits feeding animals with food brought with them.

Zebras in Ramat Gan Safari Park

Practical information

The hours of a safari in Ramat Gan are affected by the time of year. If in winter it is open from 09:00 to 17:00, then with the onset of summer it closes no later than 19:00. It’s worth arriving early. Entrance stops 2 hours before closing. The park works seven days a week. The exception is only a few Jewish holidays and cases of bad weather (for example, long rains).

Cost of visit:

  • Regular ticket (children from 2 years old with a birth certificate and adults) – 74 ILS;
  • At a discount (students, invalids, pensioners, veterans, etc.) – 67 ILS.
Diamond Exchange and Museum
Diamond exchange

Another important attraction of Ramat Gan is the Diamond Exchange, a private company located in the business center of the city and providing diamond processing and diamond trading services. Realizing more than 50% of all stones mined on the planet, for 50 years it remains the largest not only in Israel, but throughout the world.

The Diamond Exchange occupies a complex of 4 buildings, headed by Moshe Aviv or the so-called City Gate. 74 floors, soaring into the sky to a height of 244 m, made the Israel Diamond Exchange the country’s highest and most recognizable skyscraper.

Diamond museum

One of the premises of the exchange houses the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, a thematic institution named after one of the leaders of the diamond processing corporation. The permanent collection of the museum is represented by unique diamonds, rough gemstones and various jewelry. At the same time, the most famous exhibitions include:

  • Call of Diamonds – tells about the history of mining and methods of processing diamonds, contains about 60 diamond jewelry created by Israeli craftsmen for folk art contests;
  • Silver images of Golden apples – a collection of ancient diamond jewelry found during archaeological excavations;
  • Indian legend – shows jewelry of Indian Maharajas;
  • Breathe life into stone – an exhibition of original jewelry created by the best world craftsmen.
Hourglass diamond

The main pride of this place is the inlaid model of the helicopter, strewn with small precious stones, a fountain pen made of multi-colored diamonds, and an hourglass diamond turning over every half hour.

You can get to the Diamond Exchange Museum only as part of an excursion group. After visiting the exhibits, visitors are transferred to the trading floor, where everyone can buy something for themselves as a keepsake.

Today, the Ramat Ghana Diamond Exchange is as honest and open as possible. More than 6 thousand people visit it daily. Entrance for tourists is free. In addition to visiting museum exhibits, most of them strive to the central hall in order to observe the negotiations of brokers, businessmen and buyers.

Where to stay?

The city of Ramat Gan in Israel is not the largest choice of accommodation, because most tourists who come here prefer to stay in Tel Aviv, located next door. As for prices in high season (May-October):

  • a double room in a 4 * hotel will cost 900 ILS per day,
  • staying in a guest house will be a little cheaper – about 400 ILS,
  • the cost of an apartment or apartments will be at least 230 ILS.
Hotel Room in Ramat Gan

Note: What to see in Tel Aviv are the main attractions of the city .

Food

In Ramat Gan there are many bars, restaurants and cafes, belonging to the most different price categories. So, in the area of ​​the Diamond Exchange you can find several respectable establishments offering Lebanese, Chinese, American, Italian and Syrian cuisine.

Would you like to save? Go to any food court – they serve both traditional European and national Israeli dishes, presented with foreshmak, tsimes, falafel, hummus and various sweets.

Cafe in Ramat Gan

Street food is no less in demand – it is as tasty as restaurant food. The difference is only in the pitch. By the way, in most urban establishments kashrut is observed – cooking according to the Jewish canons (without certain seafood, pork meat and other prohibited ingredients).

If we talk about cost, then:

  • lunch or dinner for 2 in a middle-class restaurant will cost 220 ILS,
  • a cheap cafe menu will delay 96 ILS,
  • a snack at McDonald’s will cost even less – about 50 ILS.

Regarding street food:

  • the cost of coffee with a bun will be about 20 ILS,
  • The price of shawarma starts at 15 ILS depending on size and ingredients.

All prices on the page are for August 2019.

Weather and climate

Monthly Weather in Ramat Gan

The mild climate and comfortable temperature make Ramat Gan a great vacation spot at any time of the year. The average annual temperature is + 24 ° C during the day and + 18 ° C at night. The hottest months are July, August and September (+ 30 ° C), and the coldest and wettest are December, January and February (+ 17 ° C). The least amount of precipitation falls in the summer months, and the high season falls in November, April and May – at this time the air in Ramat Gan warms up to + 22- + 25 ° C.

See also: Overview of the beaches of Tel Aviv – where better to relax .

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Interesting Facts

The biography of the city of Ramat Gan (Israel) is fraught with many interesting facts. Here are just a few of them:

Hotel chain "Leonardo"
  1. The hotel chain “Leonardo”, considered the best in the country, made it the “residence” of one of its hotels.
  2. Ramat Gan is the oldest city in Israel – 10% of its population has crossed the 75-year border.
  3. The mayor of the city of Abraham Krinitsi won the city elections 12 times in a row. Moreover, for all 43 years of his leadership (from 1926 to 1969), he did not receive a single salary, since he refused it on the first working day. Perhaps Krinitsi would remain the head of the city until this time, if not for a premature death in a car accident.
  4. Initially, Ramat Gan was called Ir-Ganin.

Safari Park in Ramat Gan:


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