Thessaloniki Jewish Heritage Tours
Discover the story of Thessaloniki, once known as the “Jerusalem of the Balkans”, home to a great Sephardic Jewish community for centuries until the Holocaust. Jewish heritage tours trace synagogues, the Jewish Museum, the historic quarter and memorials, telling a moving and important chapter of the city’s past.
100 tours · prices per person, book with partner
Jewish Heritage in Thessaloniki — FAQ
Why was Thessaloniki called the Jerusalem of the Balkans?
For centuries Thessaloniki had one of the world’s largest Sephardic Jewish communities, who shaped its culture and commerce until the Holocaust devastated it; the city is often called the “Jerusalem of the Balkans” in memory of this heritage.
What can you see on a Thessaloniki Jewish heritage tour?
Jewish heritage tours visit surviving synagogues, the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, the historic quarter, memorials and sites of the former Jewish community, with a guide telling this moving history.
Is the Jewish heritage tour worth it?
Yes — a Jewish heritage tour offers a moving, important insight into Thessaloniki’s once-thriving Sephardic community and the tragedy of the Holocaust, a meaningful side of the city.