Promenades became popular in Victorian times, when people wanted to be seen walking along the sea shore without getting their feet wet.  When Lord Herbert Samuel, the British High Commissioner for Mandatory Palestine, visited the Tel Aviv seashore in 1920 and recommended that the city turn the Allenby area into a promenade, he had no idea just how far his suggestion would go.

Nowadays, everybody loves the Shlomo Lahat Tayelet (promenade), especially on hot summer nights. You’ll find slim-legged mom’s jogging behind high-tech strollers, bicyclers and scooters navigating the crowds, fully-cloaked Arab women speed-walking in Nikes, hairy-chested sprinters sweating in Speedos, religious families, people-watchers, sun-kissed surfers, sunset gazers, sweet sixteen bikinis followed by tank-topped teens, cats, dogs, motorcycles, kites and kids.

And why not? It’s free, as are the cool sea breezes after sunset, and Israelis love freebies. But promenading is only part of the Tayelet fun. You can also stretch with Pilates on Sunday and Wednesday mornings at Gordon Beach, folk dance after the Sabbath behind the Renaissance Hotel, or meditate to...

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