Overview
Highlights include:
- Portico of Ottavia
- Theater of Marcellus
- The Great Synagogue
- The Tiber Island
This tour takes you through the streets of what used to be the gated Jewish Ghetto, to delve into one of the hidden chapters in Rome's history.
The Jewish community of Rome is the oldest in the world. There have been Jews in Rome since ancient times, and until 1555, they lived here peacefully. Then, the Pope decided to confine them to a small area of the city, which was frequently flooded.
During your tour through these few streets and many Roman ruins, you will see where the gates were and learn about what life was like there. Your guide will take you to a church where Jews were once forced to listen to weekly sermons designed to convert them to Christianity, and will tell you about the Cinque Scole, the synagogues built by Jews from different parts of the world.
There was a period of peace from Italian Unification in 1870 when Jews were granted citizenship until WWII. During this time, Rome's Great Synagogue, with its easily recognizable 'square' dome, was built next to the river.
Your tour will include the more modern history of Rome's Jewish population. Many people who live in the former Ghetto are the descendants of families who were deported to Auschwitz in 1943. You'll see where many of them lived, learn how they lost their rights under Fascism, and of how the Nazis promised to spare them from deportation in return for gold.
Although this is a moving tour, the ghetto today is a place of happy activity. Families and friends meet on the central street, where you can find Jewish bakeries and restaurants serving the Roman-Jewish cuisine created by housewives in a time of poverty. Make sure you stop to try some of this unique cuisine after your tour!
Hotel pick-up can be arranged upon request.
Map
Inclusions/Exclusions
Tour Highlights and What's Included
- Private English-speaking guide
- Entrance to the Museum of Jewish History
What's Not Included
- Gratuities of any type
Pricing & Availability
Please contact us today by either phone or email for assistance with this booking.
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