Why is Rome home to the country’s most tight-knit and deep-rooted Jewish community? What’s so special about Trastevere, and why does everyone recommend visiting? Seize the day with Carpe Diem, and we’ll answer all your questions on this exclusive tour of the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere.

Rome’s Jewish community has been rooted here for thousands of years, even pre-dating the time of Julius Caesar. Through its ancient, medieval, and modern wonders – from the Theatre of Marcellus to the Great Synagogue – Rome’s Jewish Ghetto tells a fascinating story of segregation, persecution and resilience. To truly understand the city of Rome, you need to know how its various communities intersected with each other and how the City of the Caesars became the Rome of the Popes and then the Italian capital.

Uncover the secrets of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto

This tour fully immerses you in the history of the Jewish Ghetto. Discover the 1st-century remains of the Theatre of Marcellus and Portico of Octavia, the sister of the emperor Augustus. Experience the tight-knit community of Rome’s Jewish population, all centred around Ghetto’s Great Synagogue, Tempio Maggiore. And trace the outlines of the Ghetto’s medieval walls, which kept thousands of Jews in inhuman conditions until the Ghetto’s abolition in the 19th century. 

Cross over Tiber Island into the medieval quarter of Trastevere

After uncovering the secrets of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto, your expert, fluent guide will lead you across the River Tiber and into the artisan district of Trastevere. Your journey across the river takes you across the city’s oldest bridge, the Ponte Fabricio, which has connected the eastern bank of the city to Tiber Island since 62 BC.

As we explore Trastevere, your guide will lead you through the picture-perfect cobbled streets of this traditional medieval neighbourhood. Snap your photos and take your time to admire the unique architecture of this authentic neighbourhood (and hub of Roman nightlife).

Stumble upon the oldest church in Rome

Our final stop in Trastevere is Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches still standing in Rome. Incorporating columns retrieved from the nearby imperial Baths of Caracalla, this church is a masterpiece in Roman ingenuity and recycling. Here, you will have more than enough time to ask your expert guide everything you’d like to know about this ancient work of architectural and historical beauty.