Discover the Jewish Ghetto of Rome on a Small Group Walking Tour
Description
Discover the beauty, mystery and history of the world’s oldest Jewish Ghetto and find the hidden treasures of Rome that most tourists never see. This tour of the more local side of Rome has you meet your friendly, expert guide in Piazza Venezia at Trajan's Column. You will get to walk through the majestic Piazza Venezia before you head into the famous Jewish Ghetto or Jewish Quarter. You will pass through ancient ruins and discover how the Jewish commuinity was a part of Ancient Rome. Discover one of the oldest and still functioning parts of Rome as your guide brings this area to life.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will begin at Trajan's columb and make our way through Piazza Venezia before walking up the gently sloping steps to Piazza del Campidoglio to see the marvelous design of the square that was all imagined by the great Michelangelo, and now home to the famous Capitoline Museums.
From here we walk to the Theater of Marcellus, often jokingly referred to as the little Colosseum. Though architecturally similar to the Colosseum, the Theatre of Marcellus is slightly older, dating all the way back to 12BC and it did not house any of the blood sports, and now is home to a few lucky residents who live in the apartments above the theater.
On our walk we will see the many restaurants in the neighborhood and stop for a taste of traditional Kosher gelato. Then we will have a short walk to the magnificent Fontana delle Tartarughe (The Turtle Fountain), a true masterpiece of the late Italian Renaissance, where you will discover how it was famously constructed in just one day.
Constructed in 1555, this is the oldest Jewish Ghetto. The pope revoked all rights granted to the Roman Jews, and barred them from all types of trade and the ability to own real estate. In spite of this, the Jewish community thrived inside developing business trade, a unique and wonderful cuisine inside their walls and even their own dialect of Italian. The Great Synagogue, still the third largest in Europe, functions today as a place of prayer and a vital cultural reference point for the entire Jewish community of Rome.
From here it is a very short walk to the Porticus Octaviae, an enormous structure built by the emperor Augustus in honor of his sister Octavia. From the 15th to early 20th century it was the home to Rome’s fish market. It is from here that we enter the Ghetto itself.
Concluding at Tiber Island where past and present slip seamlessly into one, the island was used by the ancient Romans as a hospital with the river helping them as a natural barrier aiding to stop the spread of disease, and one of Rome’s best hospitals can still be found on that site today. Giving a beautiful view of the river, the island is conveniently placed between the Ghetto and the local neighborhood of Trastevere and is well connected to get back to any part of the city.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(125)
Daniel was awesome . We learned so much about Roman history and about the Jewish quarter. Totally recommend using this tour group.
Ciao, Thank you so much for your kind words, we will make sure to pass the message to Daniel! Safe travels back home and hope to see you again soon!
James is an exceptionally knowledgeable guide. I highly recommend the tour and James for anyone looking for a great experience.
Ciao, Thank you so much for your kind review, we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with our tour guide! Safe travels! Kind regards, RomanVacations
Great tour and great tour guide Daniel! He was super knowledgeable and interesting and made the history understandable highly recommend
Ciao Franki! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Daniel is a wonderful guide and one who always makes his tours memorable. We hope to see you back in Rome soon. Safe travels!
I was very disappointed this tour was canceled with 20 minutes notice. As this was our only day in Rome left we were not able to reschedule.
Ciao, Thank you for your message. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation and completely understand your disappointment, especially as it was your last day in Rome. Unfortunately, our guide became unwell on the morning of the tour. Until the very last moment, they genuinely hoped they would be able to conduct the tour, which is why we were unable to provide earlier notice. As this was an early morning tour, the situation developed very quickly, leaving us with extremely limited time to react. As soon as it became clear that the tour could not operate, we immediately began searching for a replacement guide. Despite making every effort and contacting available guides, we were unfortunately unable to find someone qualified and available at such short notice. We fully understand that this situation affected your plans, and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience caused. While the circumstances were beyond our control, we did everything possible to avoid canceling the tour. Thank you for your understanding. Kind regards, Roman Vacations Team
Very informative and did a great job keeping everyone engaged and attentive throughout the Tour. We also appreciated the restaurant/cafe recommendations.
Ciao! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour with RomanVacations! We always work with the best guides to provide you an unforgettable experience in Rome. Safe travels and hope to see you again soon!
Our family had a wonderful experience on this tour - we learned a ton but Jamie kept it dynamic, humorous, and didn’t get too bogged down in the weeds. He made great use of our time. It was only us so appreciated the personal experience and ability to ask our questions, and he accommodated the 4 year old in our crew needing to stop a few times. Loved the emphasis on most Romans supporting their Jewish neighbors throughout history. It was heavy at points but also uplifting and he did a great job balancing those themes. Also the gelato was incredible. Highly recommend!
Ciao! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Jamie has such enthusiasm for the history of this city that it makes his tours really engaging and memorable. We hope to see you guys back in Rome soon. Safe travels!
James gave a great tour. Knowledgeable and personable throughout the tour. Thank you.
Ciao! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. James is a awesome guide with such a huge knowledge, and his experience means he knows how to give a memorable tour. We hope to see you back in Rome soon. Safe travels!
Great tour & guide. Very knowledgeable and talked about the deep history through the ages starting 100 BCE all the way up to today. Glad to have learnt so much from Paul.
Ciao David! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. There is so much to cover in this city, our guides to a great job of compressing that into such a short amount of time and Paul is one of the best. We hope to see you abck in Rome soon. Safe travels!
This tour started with a brief history of Rome/Italy. It was a great way get a better understanding of the beginning of the Jewish Ghetto. Our tour guide, Paul, was excellent! He's very knowledgeable and lead the tour at a nice pace.
Ciao Linda! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Paul is an excellent guide with a seriously impressive knowledge. His expereince of guiding in so many different locations means he knows what it takes to give memorable and engaging tours. We hope to see you back in Rome soon. Safe travels!
Our guide Jamie was fantastic! He shared his knowledge and stories with us in a way that brought history to life. What touched me was his personal passion from which he shared all this. In short: an experience I will not soon forget. Highly recommended!
Ciao! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the touer with Jamie. He truly has a passion for the history of the city, his knowledge and enthusiasm makes his tours engaging and memorable. We hope to see you back in Rome soon. Safe travels!
