Jewish Heritage Tour of Naples, Italy. Shore or land excursions. Modification can include Pompeii, Hercolaneum, Vesuvius, Capri and along the Amalfi coast.
Sophia’s Travel AKA Jewish Travel Agency is proud to present our Jewish Heritage tour of Naples
The history of the Naples’ Jewish Community is a very rich story, starting about 2000 years ago.
In fact, evidences of Jews existence were found in Pompeii and, during the middle ages, Jews were always active in the Naples history.
In the early XVI century, in Naples there were three “Giudeccas” (Jewish Quarters): one for Sicilian Jews, one for Spanish Jews and a larger one for the native Jews.
This coexistence was dramatically interrupted in the year 1541, with the banning of all the Jews from the Kingdom of Naples and from the South of Italy. Therefore Naples never had a ghetto, unlike Rome or Venice.
For about 350 years there were no Jewish communities in the South of Italy and, in the meantime, most Jewish sites went lost in several urban renewals in Calabria, Sicily and Naples.
The Community was revived only in the year 1864 after Italian unification and, nowadays, the Naples Jewish Community counts only 120 persons.
There is a synagogue, established in the year 1864 with the contribution of the bankers Rothschild, which is the only place where kosher food is available in the South of Italy and there is Minian on Shabbat.
The Naples Jewish Tour is included in an amazing “Naples old city” itinerary and consists in a walking tour in the ancient city center visiting the sites where Jews used to live since the Roman times and where two ancient synagogues inadvertently survived (because, in the XVI century, they were changed into churches), together with a few streets where Jews used to live. While touring, the history of the Naples Jewish community will be widely explained.
The present Synagogue, located in a different area of Naples, will be visited too. Note: Synagogue visits subject to booking due to reasons of security. Closed in August.
The tour starts from the Port of Naples or from your hotel at 9,00 am.
9:00 – 11: 30 am walking tour of the picturesque quarter named Pignasecca. Strolling in the very popular Spaccanapoli street with explanations on Naples History and visit to several monuments and sites of the largest ancient city center in Europe, a World UNESCO Heritage Site.
11:30-12:00 visit of the ex Jewish district of Portanova and view of the two ancient synagogues (presently non sacred churches) and a few slums where Jews used to live.
12:00 – 1:30pm driving to the present synagogue and visit
1:30 pm end of our tour
Times are approximate.
(depending on the opening hours of the Synagogue, timetable of the tour can be changed)
It is a sample Itinerary customizable for each client. It can be combines with tour to Pompeii, Hercolaneum, Vesuvius, Capri and Amalfi Coast.