Skip-the-line Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum Private Tour
Description
Explore the Jewish history, culture and heritage on a private tour of the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum. Learn about Florence's Jewish community, Judaism, Holocaust and more. Extended option: walking tour of the Jewish Quarter. 2-hour: Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum Tour Book a guided tour of the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum with skip-the-line tickets and see the highlights of Florence's Jewish Quarter. 3-hour: Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum Tour & Transfers Book a 1-hour round-trip transfer and a 2-hour guided tour of the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum with skip-the-line tickets and see the highlights of Florence's Jewish Quarter. Enjoy the excellent exhibits and follow the history of Florence’s Jewish community through the turbulent Middle Ages, the Holocaust, and the present day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide in front of Florentia Pelle, Piazza di Santa Croce, 2, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy. Please do not enter the store, it is only a meeting point and the staff is not informed about the tour.
Take a moment to admire the amazing Moorish architecture and grand dome of the Great Synagogue, one of the largest synagogues in South-central Europe. Learn about its construction in the age of the Jewish emancipation and step inside to discover the opulent interior covered with colored designs. The Jewish Museum is housed within the synagogue’s walls, displaying a collection of ancient objects of Jewish ceremonial art as well as old photographs, films and objects illustrating the history of Florence’s Jews. Your Expert Guide will help you understand the exhibits and answer all your questions about the political, religious and social life of Jewish people in Florence. On this walking tour you will discover more places important to the local Jewish community, such as the Balagan Café and other kosher shops, restaurants and cafes. You will also discover Jewish symbols hidden in the Old Town, such as the Star of David on the facade of the Santa Croce Basilica.
You will also see Palazzo Vecchio, Duomo and other highlights of Florence while learning about the first Jewish settlements in the 15th century, the Holocaust, and the post-war reconstruction.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please check your email the day before the tour to receive important information.
- Please note that the number of attractions depends on the selected option. The walking tour of the Jewish Quarter is not included in the basic 2-hour option.
- Skip-the-line tickets to the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum grant you immediate entry at your booked time, without waiting in line at the ticket office. Please arrive on time.
- The Great Synagogue is an active place of worship, so interior tours during scheduled events (such as the Sabbath, prayer times, concerts etc) are limited. Please dress and act appropriately. Yarmulkes (the proper attire to visit the synagogue) are available on site free of charge.
- For the comfort of all guests, it is best to have 1 licensed guide per maximum of 25 guests. If there are 26-50 people in your group, we will provide the service of 2 licensed guides so that all guests can get the best experience, ask questions and hear the guide well.
- The 3-hour option includes an estimated 1-hour round-trip transfer between the meeting point and the accommodation address provided when booking. Please note that the transfer time quoted is for information purposes only and can take longer or shorter depending on the distance and traffic.
- We will arrange private transfers in a standard car (sedan) for groups of 1-4 people, and in a larger van for groups of 5 people and more. If you're traveling in a smaller group but want to travel in a more spacious car, we recommend booking a 5-people tour to take advantage of a larger vehicle.
Reviews(8)
This tour may have been our favorite activity that we did while in Florence this trip. My husband is Jewish, I am not, and our guide (Alessandro) and my husband had some lively conversations about Jewish history and protocols, as our wonderful and very knowledgeable guide explained the history of the Synagogue and story of the surrounding former "Jewish ghetto" and took us inside to see the many, many artifacts which have been donated to the museum. Respectful clothing is required, and to enter the actual Synagogue's sanctuary you pick up a kippah (Hebrew) / yarmulke (Yiddish) on the way in and leave it on your way out. I cannot express how knowledgeable our guide Alessandro was, just fantastic! He is Catholic, not Jewish, but as I understood it has a dear friend who is Jewish and is an expert in the Jewish history of Florence. After the tour, he led us to a wonderful kosher (and vegetarian) restaurant, Ruth's, where we enjoyed a small bite before walking back to the city center on our own. The BEST falafel and tahini I've had in my LIFE! We highly recommend this tour, we had the guide to ourselves and it was just so historically informative and interesting, not your typical tour in Florence, but experiencing a part of the city most never see and I would consider a not-to-miss if you're at all interested in the Jewish side of the history of Florence. Just the fact that this breathtakingly gorgeous Synagogue was spared in the war, only one side of it was damaged and rebuilt, is somewhat of a miracle. All the pews are each individually hand carved and just exquisite, and the gardens outside are so pretty, complete with blooming pomegranate trees! Hope you book it and enjoy as much as we did!
Dear CYNTHIA_B, Thanks for capturing the spirit of this experience so beautifully. Exploring Florence’s Jewish heritage is truly something special, and we’re delighted Alessandro helped make it both enlightening and personal for you both. It would be our pleasure to guide you through another hidden side of the city next time. Regards, Rosotravel Team
This was an amazing way to see and taste Rome. Francesca was brilliant, and our group really enjoyed ourselves. We loved the history and the food alike, and she was knowledgable and fun. If you like to eat and learn history at the same time, this isn't to be missed!
Dear Molly, Thank you for your positive feedback. We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our tour! We hope that you will use our services again in the future. We look forward to welcoming you back on another tour! Best regards. Rosotravel Team
Alessandro was the perfect tour guide for us. He's knowledgable, passionate, and we loved the whole tour! We learned a lot, he made great recommendations for what else to see, and just made our trip so worthwhile!
Dear Client, Thank you for your amazing feedback. We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our tour and the time spent with our guide! We hope that you will use our services again in the future. We look forward to welcoming you back on another tour! Best regards. Rosotravel Team
What a gorgeous experience at the most beautiful synagogue my family had ever seen. The history of the building as well as the Jewish community of Florence was enthralling. The artifacts and even the brief film reinactment of the original architectural process are not to be missed.
Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt review! 😊 We're so glad your family had a meaningful experience and found the history and beauty of the synagogue in Florence so captivating. It’s truly a special place—hope to welcome you again in the future! ✨
Michele was a really great and informative tour guide!! He showed me all around the Jewish areas of the city and informed of a lot of information I had not previously known
Thank you for your kind words! 😊 We're so glad Michele provided you with an informative and enriching experience around the Jewish areas of the city. It's always a pleasure to share lesser-known history. Hope to see you again soon! ✨
Finding out that our private tour was NOT cancelled despite alarming emails that it might be cancelled, RUINING the whole exoerience for us!
The synagogue is beautiful, when we went there wasn't much of a queue, so it would be possible to buy tickets on the spot. It is important to observe the way you dress for this visit, as well as to take as little luggage as possible, as bags are stored in a locker at the entrance. The synagogue was undergoing renovations.
Rachel has a tremendous depth of knowledge about the Jewish history in Florence, both from her studying the subject as well as personal research in the city’s archives. The four hours with her flew by
