2 hours long tour about the essential Jewish district! If visiting Rome for you is a little more than just admiring the monuments, or you would like to know more about past and present history avoiding the beaten track, you'll love to travel in time and cultures not moving from one neighborhood, while learning about our multicultural city. The Jewish district tour is a tour you cannot miss. For approximately 2 hours, you can learn from your art historian guide about the rich history of the Jewish culture in Italy while walking through what was once a restrictive environment.
Private
The Jewish community was among the first settlers in Rome almost 2000 years ago in the heart of the city. The community lived in harmony with the rest of the population and enjoyed considerable freedom — an example of religious tolerance that unfortunately was not later extended to any of the reformed Christian creeds. Roman Jews by contrast, were forced to live enclosed in the ghetto between the 1500s and 1800s, had an imposed curfew, and several other restrictions. The sad, crumbling remains of this walled district known as "Ghetto," was torn down only in the 19th century.
The Jewish community was among the first settlers in Rome almost 2000 years ago in the heart of the city. The community lived in harmony with the rest of the population and enjoyed considerable freedom — an example of religious tolerance that unfortunately was not later extended to any of the reformed Christian creeds. Roman Jews by contrast, were forced to live enclosed in the ghetto between the 1500s and 1800s, had an imposed curfew, and several other restrictions. The sad, crumbling remains of this walled district known as "Ghetto," was torn down only in the 19th century.
This tour will guide you through one of the most interesting parts of the city, and you will visit the remains of the Porch of Octavia, an imposing structure built by the emperor Augustus for his sister and where, in the middle ages, the most important fish market of the city was located. In this market, Jewish women used to collect the market waste in order to cook their famous fish broth. We will travel from the Roman age through the Middle ages and the Renaissance when important Roman families settled there and built their noble palaces. On the inscriptions all over this area, you can read about the horrible events that occurred during the Nazi occupation of Rome in 1943-44. This tour will give you a chance to walk through fascinating buildings and revive tragic but important memories of the past. You’ll appreciate the vivid atmosphere of the neighborhood today, where you can still have a glimpse of the past, tasting some of the delicatessen, typical Jewish pastry, or the famous fried artichokes.
You will make your own way to the meeting points
IMPORTANT: We are unable to accommodate late arrivals. In case you miss the tour due to your being late, no refunds will be done. • Jewish food tasting available on request (not included in the cost of the tour). • Dress code is smart casual (please cover your shoulders and knees if you mean to enter the Synagogue after the tour) • The Synagogue and the Jewish Museums are not included in the tour. You can visit them on your own after the end of the tour. • The guide will be at meeting point 10 minutes before the tour departure time holding a sign that reads, "Joy of Rome."