Rome: Private Jewish Ghetto Tour – Lazio, Italy

EXPERIENCE

On this private tour of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto you will enjoy roughly 3-hours touring the oldest Jewish community in Europe, appreciating the legacy of the first Jewish merchants who traversed the Tiber into ancient Rome, the remnants of the communities they built, and the rich heritage of a neighborhood that has been a center of faith and worship since the Middle Ages. Stroll the streets of the quarter once designated as the only location Jews could live or work – a neighborhood once boxed in by walls and plagued by the constantly flooding waters of the Tiber river. 

Start your tour by walking the narrow streets that wind their way toward the river, where you will get to explore the Tiber Island before crossing to the other side and reaching Trastevere. The original home of Roman Jews from ancient times, here you will see the ruins of one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. Along the way, you will stop to enjoy some of the tempting delights at the Kosher bakeries and pizzerias in this historically rich section of Rome.

Get to see the remains of the ancient synagogue that once stood in this quaint community that remains one of Rome’s most characteristic quarters today. This tour will take you through narrow, cobblestone streets studded with kosher bakeries, restaurants, and make for one of the most atmospheric private tours in Rome. Discover the hidden Piazza Mattei, home to one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome. Marvel at Fountain of the Turtles, a 16th-century creation of Giacomo della Porta that is one of the great fountain sculptures of the Renaissance. 

Nearby, witness Via della Reginella, a place that offers a snapshot of what life in the Ghetto was like during the days of confinement. The narrow street is lined with buildings stretching seven stories high – a testament to the tenements Jews were forced to build upwards due to the cramped quarters of the ghetto. Further into the quarter is the piazza between Portico d’Ottavia and Tempo Maggiore, the gathering place for Jews being deported under Nazi occupation. See the plaque that commemorates this piazza as the location where some 8,000 Italian Jews were taken to become victims of the Holocaust.

Visit the Synagogue of Rome which sits on the Lungotevere and overlooks the river, a unique and beautiful structure completed in 1905. Witness the museum inside, chronicling the presence of Jews in the Eternal City, from the time before Christ through to the persecutions under Hitler. Enjoy a visit to the Teatro Marcellus, originally constructed by Julius Caesar and completed after his death in 11 B.C. by the emperor Augustus. This vast amphitheater, named after his favorite nephew and son-in-law, was one of the greatest theaters of ancient Rome.

HIGHLIGHTS

Learn about Europe’s oldest Jewish community
Walk the cobblestone streets and discover Kosher treats
Visit the Synagogue of Rome
Witness the legacy left by Rome’s Jews in the form of monuments and architecture

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