History of the Jewish Ghetto in Rome Audio Guide

Learn about life in Rome’s ghetto where Jews were contained for almost 300 years

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US$20

Audio Guide Details

Duration: 1 hour
Product Type: Audio Guide
Venues: Synagogue and Jewish Museum

Portico D'ottavia

Jewish Ghetto Neighborhood

Trastevere Neighborhood

Preview History of the Jewish Ghetto in Rome Audio Guide

Start: Turtle Fountain

Chiesa di Sant'Ambrogio della Massima

Pasticceria Boccione

Photos & Highlights

Audio Guide Description

Put your map away as you learn the history of this important neighborhood in Rome's history from a local — and do it on your own schedule
Hit play together and stroll the city or wander solo, but always with an expert in your ear as your personal guide

Jews first made their way to Rome and began settling as maritime merchants soon after erecting the very first synagogue outside of the Holy Land in the ancient Italian port town of Ostia. A few centuries later, in 1555, Jewish Romans were bound to a seven-acre site which became their only designated home. On this self-paced audio guide tour with professor and Context Travel expert, Andrew Kranis, you'll explore parts of the Jewish ghetto.

Starting in front of Turtle Fountain in Piazza Mattei, this tour will take you on a journey through Rome’s very complex Jewish history. You'll find out how, for almost 300 years, Jews in Rome had no access to fresh drinking water. As you make your way through the Jewish Ghetto, across Isola Tiberina (Tiber Island) to the Trastevere neighborhood, you'll explore the many churches that were constructed in the 1500s to antagonize the area’s Jewish residents. You’ll discover how Jews were continually offered the option of converting to Roman Catholicism as a way out of their imprisonment, and to have their citizenship fully restored. Along the way, Andrew will show you several memorials commemorating the Jews who died in the Holocaust and reveal the significance of Largo 16 Novembre 1943, the date Roman Jews were rounded up for deportation to Nazi concentration camps.

As you make your way to Piazza Sidney Sonnino where the audio tour ends, you'll have a chance to:

• Retrace the steps of Jews who lived freely in this city before the Renaissance

• Learn about Stolpersteine (Stumbling Stones) the cobblestone-sized plaques placed all over Europe to serve as a perpetual reminder of the atrocities and assassinations that took place following the deportation of Jews in World War II

• Gaze upon Portico of Octavia, an ancient Roman structure that perfectly demonstrates how the ghetto was exposed to the lapping currents of the Tiber River

• Dive deep into the construction and renovation of Rome’s Jewish ghetto and find out how it became a form of house arrest for this community for almost 300 years

• Tuck into Jewish-Italian foods at Pasticceria Boccione bakery, Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti bakery and the Da Gigetto restaurant
• Travel through the Trastevere neighborhood where you’ll learn about Jewish merchants’ strong presence in maritime trade along the Tiber River

• Take in the oldest synagogue in Rome, la Vecchia Sinagoga, which dates back to the 10th century

• Cross Ponte Cestio and Ponte Fabricio, the very oldest crossings over the Tiber River

• See Tempio Maggiore, the central administrative headquarters for the Jewish community of Rome and its modern place of worship

Travelers will have the option to visit the Shoah Museum and the Jewish Museum of Rome. The Shoah Museum has free admission and is open from 10 AM to 7 PM from Sunday to Thursday and 10 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. Access to the Jewish Museum of Rome is 10 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Fridays. You'll need to pay for ticketed entry.

You'll also be able to enjoy a snack at the Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti bakery, open from 8 AM to 7:30 PM Monday to Saturday, Pasticceria Boccione, open from 7 AM to 6 PM every day except Saturday, or the Jewish ghetto’s most loved restaurant, Da Gigetto, which is open from 12:30 to 3 PM and 7:30 to 11 PM every day.

By the end of this hour-long audio guide tour through Rome, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the oppression the city’s Jews faced and the differences between ancient Roman and Jewish architectural styles. You’ll also have an opportunity to gorge on delicious kosher and Jewish cuisine.

Meet Your Expert

Andrew

Andrew, a New York City native, is a LEED-accredited architect who came to Rome as a Fellow of the American Academy. He holds a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University and a B.A. from Duke University. Here in Rome, he currently teaches architecture and researches ecology and urbanism in support of sustainable design projects such as his "Green Piazza" proposal for Rome. He has a varied background in design and historic preservation, which includes masonry conservation of landmark buildings in New York City as well as retail design for Whole Foods Market. Earlier in his career, he has even worked as a theater director and as a design manager for Japanese dance troupes touring in North America and Europe.

How do I access the audio guide and download it for offline use?

Once you complete your purchase, you will receive a voucher code for your Audio Guide. You must download the Voicemap app and enter the code.

Install VoiceMap from the Apple App Store or Google Play
Create an account
Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes
Enter your Voucher Code
Select Download Now

Is closed captioning (i.e. subtitles) available?

Yes! All of our audio guides have the option to turn on closed captioning should you have difficulty hearing the expert.

How long does each event last?

Our recorded audio guides typically run for 75 minutes.

How can I share this audio guide with friends or family?

You are welcome to listen together with friends or family, but each person listening to the guide on their own device will need to purchase the audio guide individually.

How long does my access to the audio guide last?

Once you purchase an audio guide, you are welcome to listen to it as many times as you would like. Your access to a purchased audio guide does not expire.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Sales for recorded audio guides are final upon purchase. Please contact us at digital@contexttravel.com if you have any questions or concerns about your purchase.

Can I purchase a gift card for a friend who is traveling?

Absolutely! Gift cards can be purchased here. Gift cards are good for 365 days from the date of purchase.

8 Reviews – (4.88)

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

This was fantastic! Wonderful tour.

Jocelyn

Jan. 28, 2024

We've been long time users of Context's in-person guides back from their inception so we were excited to give the audio guide a try. First, the VoiceMap app which Context utilizes is a fantastic app in its own right. Easy to use and more importantly, it's easy to follow the map to guide you on your walk. If you're off course, a voice will prompt you as such and you can quickly course correct. We've taken many tours of the Jewish Ghetto so I was eager to find out if I would learn something new. The audio guide didn't disappoint. Most tours we've taken focus on the side of the river in which the Temple resides. While this tour certainly focused much of it's content in this important area, it also takes you across the river to the old Ghetto that's often forgotten by other tours. By the tour's conclusion, we came away with a lot of new knowledge. While an audio guide can't replace the give/take interaction with a live person, this is a very good alternative for those looking for something more economical or as a last minute selection in case a live tour is not available. We're eager to try more of their audio tours the next time we're in Rome and hope that Context expands this concept to other cities.

Ralph

Jan. 9, 2024