Most questions we get before arrival are not about the apartments — they are about Israel: where to park, what the reinforced room is for, whether the tap water is fine and why everything is closed on Saturday. Here are the answers we send our guests, in one place.
How does parking work in central Netanya?
Street parking in Israel is colour-coded on the kerb. Blue-and-white means paid parking during the hours shown on the sign, and you pay through the Pango or Cellopark app; red-and-white means no parking at any time; unmarked kerb is free unless a sign says otherwise. The sign at the start of each street is the authority, and it varies street by street.
| Kerb marking | Meaning | How to pay |
|---|---|---|
| Blue and white | Paid parking during the hours on the sign; often free at night and on Shabbat — check the sign | Pango or Cellopark app, or a meter where there is one |
| Red and white | No parking at any time — towing and fines | — |
| No marking | Free, unless a sign says otherwise | — |
| Resident sign | Reserved for residents with a sticker during the stated hours | Not available to visitors |
Pango and Cellopark are the two apps everyone in Israel uses: register the car's plate, then start and stop the parking from your phone. Foreign cards are generally accepted — set the app up before you need it. Around Kikar HaAtzmaut there are public car parks, including one under the square, and the main beaches have lots at sea level in season. In the centre, street spaces are scarce on summer evenings and on Friday morning.
At our apartments: Park & Sea Tower and Seafront Panorama both have free parking on the premises. For the Ussishkin Rooftop and the Sunset Jacuzzi Residence, tell us you are coming by car and we will confirm the parking option for that apartment before you book. Many guests in the centre never use a car — the beach, Kikar HaAtzmaut and the shops are all on foot.
What is a mamad, and what do you do when a siren sounds?
A mamad is a reinforced-concrete safe room inside an Israeli apartment, with a heavy blast door and a steel shutter over the window, required in every new Israeli apartment since the early 1990s. In daily life it is simply a bedroom or a study. When a siren sounds you go into it, close the door and the window shutter, and stay for ten minutes after the alert ends. All four of our apartments have one.
You do not need to go down to a public shelter, which is the main practical advantage of a mamad apartment over an older building. The Home Front Command app tells you how many seconds you have to reach a protected space in your area — check the figure for Netanya in the app when you arrive. At check-in we show you where the mamad is and how the door and shutter close, so nobody is reading instructions in the dark.
Which app warns you about alerts in Israel?
The free Home Front Command app (Pikud HaOref), published by the Israeli Home Front Command and available on the App Store and Google Play. Install it before you travel, select Netanya in the alert areas and allow notifications. It is available in Hebrew, English, Russian and Arabic, sends the same alerts as the sirens, tells you how long you have, and explains what to do in plain language. The information line is 104.
Do you need a plug adapter, and is the tap water safe?
Israel runs on 230 V, 50 Hz with type H sockets, which also accept the European two-round-pin type C plug — so UK and US visitors need an adapter, and US appliances that are not dual-voltage also need a converter. Tap water in Netanya is safe to drink; many Israelis prefer it filtered or chilled for taste, but bottled water is not necessary.
- Air conditioning: in every apartment, in the living room and the bedrooms (every room at Seafront Panorama), included in the price. The same split units heat in winter.
- Wi-Fi: fast and free in all four apartments, good enough for video calls and remote work; the Ussishkin Rooftop also has an Ethernet port.
- Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. Sockets take Israeli type H plugs and European type C. Phone and laptop chargers are almost always dual-voltage.
- Water: tap water is safe to drink throughout Netanya. Israeli apartments often have a solar boiler with an electric switch for cloudy days; we show you where it is at check-in.
- Laundry: a washing machine in every apartment; Seafront Panorama also has a dryer.
- Safety: a mamad safe room inside every one of our four apartments.
Is anything open on Saturday in Netanya?
Very little. Israel's weekend is Friday afternoon and Saturday: shops, supermarkets, malls and the city market close a few hours before sunset on Friday and reopen on Saturday night or Sunday morning. Public buses and trains stop for Shabbat; taxis keep running. A few cafés and restaurants around Kikar HaAtzmaut stay open on Saturday, but do not count on it — shop on Friday morning.
Sunday is a normal working day in Israel, which surprises most European visitors. Holiday eves follow the same pattern as Friday, so the day before Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach or Sukkot closes early too. Treat Saturday as a beach-and-promenade day: the beaches stay open and the promenade is at its best.
On the first evening: save our WhatsApp number, install the Home Front Command app, find the mamad door, set up Pango if you have a car, and note where the nearest supermarket is and when it closes on Friday.
Which emergency numbers do you need in Israel?
100 for police, 101 for the Magen David Adom ambulance service, 102 for the fire brigade and 104 for the Home Front Command information line; 112 also connects to the emergency services. The nearest hospital with an emergency department is Laniado Hospital in Kiryat Sanz, in the north of Netanya. Save these before you need them.
- 100 — Police. 101 — Magen David Adom ambulance. 102 — Fire brigade. 104 — Home Front Command information line. 112 also connects to the emergency services.
- Hospital: Laniado Hospital in Kiryat Sanz, north Netanya, has an emergency department.
- Pharmacies: chain pharmacies in the centre keep long weekday hours; ask us or the pharmacy which one is on duty on Shabbat.
- Travel insurance covering medical care in Israel is strongly advised for visitors.
- Sun: between May and October the UV index is high by 10:00 — hats, sunscreen and water, especially for children.
Practical questions guests ask
Is parking free at your Netanya apartments?
At Park & Sea Tower and Seafront Panorama, yes — free parking on the premises. For the Ussishkin Rooftop and the Sunset Jacuzzi Residence, tell us you are arriving by car and we will confirm the parking option for that apartment before you book. Street parking in central Netanya is in blue-and-white paid zones, paid through the Pango or Cellopark app.
What is a mamad?
A mamad is a reinforced-concrete safe room inside an Israeli apartment, with a blast door and a steel window shutter, required in new buildings since the early 1990s. When a siren sounds you go in, close the door and the shutter, and wait ten minutes after the alert ends; there is no need to go down to a public shelter. All four of our Netanya apartments have one inside the apartment.
How do you pay for street parking in Netanya?
Through the Pango or Cellopark app, or at a meter where one exists. Blue-and-white kerb markings mean paid parking during the hours shown on the sign at the start of the street; red-and-white means no parking at any time; an unmarked kerb is free unless a sign says otherwise. Register your car's plate in the app before you arrive.
Do I need a plug adapter in Israel?
Israel uses 230 V, 50 Hz with type H sockets, which also accept the European two-round-pin type C plug. Visitors from the UK, the US and other countries need an adapter; US appliances that are not dual-voltage also need a converter. Phone and laptop chargers are almost always dual-voltage and need only the adapter.
Can I drink the tap water in Netanya?
Yes. Tap water in Netanya, as across Israel, is safe to drink. Many locals prefer it filtered or chilled for taste, but bottled water is not necessary.
Are shops open on Saturday in Netanya?
Mostly not. Shops, supermarkets, malls and the market close a few hours before sunset on Friday and reopen on Saturday night or Sunday; buses and trains also stop for Shabbat. A few cafés and restaurants around Kikar HaAtzmaut stay open on Saturday, and taxis run. Shop on Friday morning, and treat Saturday as a beach day.
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