Picture Venice in your mind and you’re probably imagining white-domed basilicas and ornate buildings surrounded by a maze of waterways and chic cafes. But, the depth of cultural history you can find here is just as fascinating as the city’s style. Your private walking tour focuses on the Jewish Quarter and its 500-year story so far. Andrea, a local guide explains, “you’ll be led through the narrow streets, known as calli, with buildings rising high on each side, giving you an idea of how densely packed families were in one of the very first areas of Jewish segregation, back in the deeply Catholic Venice of 1516.”
There are three distinct areas within the quiet alleys of the Jewish Quarter that developed over a 150-year period, and your guide will explain the rise of each one as you explore them. Known locally as the old, new and newest ghettos, different nationalities, like German, Italian and Spanish Jews, moved to the gated areas, building synagogues to serve each community. As you look around these sacred spaces, you might be surprised that the small and modest facades hide warm, ornate, scripture-filled spaces inside – look out for the particularly lavish Baroque-style Spanish synagogue.
Today, you’ll still find a strong Jewish presence and the waft of freshly baked challah bread and cinnamon pastries spilling from traditional Jewish bakeries, all nestled within a multicultural melting pot of communities living here. But it hasn’t always been this way. You’ll learn more about the segregation and limits placed on Jewish people, and how this took a more horrifying turn under Mussolini’s regime and in the Second World War. When you visit two bronze monuments that commemorate the victims of the Holocaust, you’ll hear stories of brave Venetians who played an important role during those years.
