Jewish Ghetto In Venice Tour with Synagogues Tour Option

Explore Jewish Venice and the Cannaregio District on a Venice Jewish Ghetto Tour

See a side of Venice that is missed by most visitors on this walking tour of the Jewish Ghetto and the Cannaregio district. Join a small-group tour on a leisurely stroll around landmarks such as the Deportation Memorial and Synagogues, accompanied by stories that will deepen your understanding of Venice’s Jewish history.

Explore a wealth of stories, wonderful food, and surprising landmarks that few visitors ever discover in Venice.

Discover the Cannaregio district first, now a handsome and intriguing residential area in the northern part of the city. You’ll notice the historic Jewish influence the minute you enter this area, where yellow signs in both Hebrew and Italian direct you towards the Synagogue. This charming Ghetto Vecchio (Old Ghetto district) is teeming with artisan workshops, galleries, shops, and delis, all of which we explore at a leisurely pace.

Cross the bridge into Campo del Ghetto Nuovo (New Ghetto Square), founded as a fortified island in 1516. Hear how and why the Venetian Jews were confined to the island, which became densely populated. The resourceful residents found the solution to the overcrowded conditions: building tenement blocks up to six stories high–an innovative novelty in 16th-century Europe!

Walk past the Deportation Memorial, the Levantine Synagogue, and the Jewish Museum of Venice on this captivating Jewish Ghetto tour. Peek at the treasures inside the famous Antichita al Ghetto antique store, and see the Library Renato Maestro brimming with ancient manuscripts and dusty archives.

One of the most significant highlights of your Jewish Ghetto Venice tour is a series of bas-reliefs in the Campo del Ghetto Nuovo–and your guide will tell you why. Sadly, it’s a sight most visitors to Venice often miss.

Learn how Napoleon tore down the gates of the Jewish Ghetto, finally giving Jews the right to live anywhere in this grand “Floating City.” Although only a small percentage of the present-day residents are Jewish, the district is still awash with Jewish culture, bakeries, restaurants, and handicraft stores.

This hidden niche of cultural life in Venice will come vividly to life as your local guide escorts you from one fascinating corner to the next. The tales you hear will stick with you, adding a rich undertone to the rest of your visit to Venice.

Join the Synagogues tour organized by the Jewish Museum.

Finally, in the second half of the tour, you can choose to include the Synagogues tour. Although the Museum itself is under restoration and closed for visits, you can still visit the Levantine Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogues with their dedicated guides.