Venice synagogues: a guided tour!

Visiting the Jewish quarter of Venice is one of the experiences we recommend to really get to know the city; by visiting the Jewish Ghetto, Venice will reveal an ever-present side of it, yesterday as today: that of multiculturalism and openness to peoples.

Visiting the Jewish quarter and the Venetian Synagogues is a fascinating experience; we suggest you start with an outdoor tour of the Ghetto and then explore the hidden treasure of the Venetian Synagogues.

The synagogues appear as normal buildings apparently used as apartments, inconspicuous and hardly recognizable from the outside. They can only be recognized by the presence of five large aligned windows (the number “5” recalls the Torah books) or thanks to the Hebrew writing on the walls.

All the Synagogues are on the top floor of pre-existing buildings, a place not chosen by chance, because “there can not be anything above the synagogue”.

The synagogues are located between Ghetto Vecchio and the Ghetto Nuovo and are open to the public by guided tour only. Visits are the ideal way to grasp the essence, peculiarities and details that could not be noticed from the outside.

There are in total 5 synagogues in the Ghetto di Venezia:

• The Scola Grande Tedesca (1528) – German synagogue
• the Scola Canton (1531)
• the Scola Italiana (1575) – Italian Synagogue
• the Scola Levantina (1541) – Levantine Synagogue
• the Scola Spagnola or Ponentina (1580) – Spanish Synagogue

The small Venetian Jewish community maintains its traditional customs and traditions. Even today, it meets and uses the Synagogues as a place of worship. This aspect can also influence the itinerary of visits.

Venice Synagogue guided tours: private or shared?

The guided tour of the synagogues in Venice lasts about 1 hour and is obviously open to the curiosity of the participants, which is certainly welcome. In this period the visit includes entrance to 2 synagogues, the Scola Spagnola and the Scola Levantina.

The guided tours can be shared with other people and start at set times, or they can be private and exclusive; in the latter case there is greater freedom of choice in the timetable and in addition to the 2 synagogues it is also possible to visit a midrash, a reading and prayer room.

Visits to the Synagogues in Venice are not available on Saturdays and on Jewish holidays. Furthermore, on Friday afternoons visits include entry to only one synagogue and 1 midrash.

Synagogue visit plus Ghetto walking tour: 2-hour guided tour

In addition to a visit to the synagogues, a discovery tour of the Jewish Quarter must also include an exterior tour of the Ghetto. The 2-hour tour we recommend includes a 1-hour private tour of the Ghetto and a guided tour of the synagogues (private or shared). It is done with 2 different guides and will give you a truly comprehensive overview of the Ghetto and its history and Jewish culture.

You will start with the exterior visit to learn the keys to understanding the place and then continue with the interior. You will learn to recognise the synagogues from the outside to admire the splendour they conceal inside with more awareness.

One hour private tour of the Ghetto with guide

If you are short on time and more interested in the historical aspects of the ghetto and its community, then you might be interested in the private outdoor tour only. You can also book it directly on this page or find out more at the following link: the outdoor ghetto tour lasts about 1 hour and is a private tour.

Please note that, at the moment, the Jewish Museum is being restored and therefore closed to the public.

How to reach the Jewish Quarter in Venice

The Ghetto of Venice is located in Cannaregio, about 5-8 minutes walk from Piazzale Roma. It is reached by crossing Ponte delle Guglie and turning immediately left into Fondamenta San Giobbe. On the right, take the Sotoportego del Ghetto after 50 meters. You can also access the Ghetto from Fondamenta degli Ormesini, across the iron bridge that connects it with Campo del Ghetto Nuovo.
By boat you can get off at the “Guglie” and “San Marcuola” stops.