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Private tour · Jewish Venice and Cannaregio
Venice Jewish Ghetto & Cannaregio Private Tour
A Venice Jewish Ghetto tour of about 2.5–3 hours in Venice, Italy: the Ghetto established in 1516, its tall houses and historic synagogues, then Cannaregio, from Madonna dell'Orto and Tintoretto's tomb to Campo dei Mori.
- Licensed guide no. 05000058
- Guiding since 2008
- Private tours only
- EN · IT · FR
In short
What is the Venice Jewish Ghetto tour?
The Venice Jewish Ghetto tour is a private walk of about 2.5–3 hours through the Ghetto Nuovo, Ghetto Vecchio and Ghetto Novissimo, where the Venetian Republic required its Jewish community to live from 1516 until 1797. Licensed guide Daniela Zarpellon explains its history, buildings and synagogues, then continues through Cannaregio to Madonna dell'Orto and Tintoretto's house. It suits heritage and history travelers, families and students, in English, Italian or French. Synagogue interiors are seen only on the Jewish Museum's own guided visits. Request a free quote: reply within 24 hours.
Key facts
The tour at a glance
- Duration
- About 2.5–3 hours; can be shortened or extended
- Meeting point
- Agreed when booking
- Languages
- English, Italian, French
- Ideal for
- Heritage travelers, history and art lovers, families, students
- Tickets
- Not included – we tell you when to book the Jewish Museum visit; you book it directly
- Quote
- Tailor-made, free, reply within 24 hours
Why is it called the Ghetto?
On 29 March 1516 the Venetian Senate decreed that the Jews of the city must live on a small island in Cannaregio, the Ghetto Nuovo. Its gates were locked at night and guarded at the community's own expense. The name most likely comes from the Venetian word geto, the casting of metal, because a foundry had stood here; historians still debate the exact origin. From Venice, the word spread across Europe.
The enclosure grew twice: the Ghetto Vecchio was added in 1541, as merchants from the Levant settled in Venice, and the Ghetto Novissimo in 1633. With no room to expand outward, families built upward, and some houses reached seven or eight stories, unusually tall for Venice. Inside, communities of German, Italian, Levantine and Spanish and Portuguese origin built their own synagogues, the scole, hidden on the upper floors of ordinary-looking buildings.
The gates were torn down in 1797, when Napoleon's army ended the Republic. This custom, personalized walk tells that long story with care: segregation and creativity, trade and scholarship, and the memory of the deportations that began in 1943. Daniela shapes this bespoke, tailor-made tour around your interests, from architecture to family history.
The route
The Ghetto and Cannaregio, stop by stop
A possible itinerary from the Cannaregio Canal to Madonna dell'Orto. The order changes with your meeting point and the time of any museum visit.
Ponte delle Guglie and the Cannaregio Canal
We begin on the canal that was for centuries a main water route from the mainland, and enter the Ghetto Vecchio through its narrow sotoportego, where the gate once stood.
Ghetto Vecchio
Despite its name, the "old" ghetto was added after the new one, in 1541, a puzzle for anyone who studies the word's origins. Here stand the Scola Levantina and the Scola Spagnola, the synagogues of Levantine and Spanish and Portuguese Jews, still recognizable from outside by their windows.
Campo del Ghetto Nuovo
The heart of the Ghetto since 1516: a wide campo with wellheads, surrounded by some of the tallest houses in Venice. Above the rooftops, discreet windows mark the Scola Grande Tedesca, the Scola Canton and the Scola Italiana.
The Holocaust memorial
On the walls of the campo, the bronze reliefs by Arbit Blatas, first installed in 1980, and The Last Train, dedicated in 1993, remember the Jews of Venice deported during the Second World War. We stop here in silence.
The Jewish Museum of Venice
Founded in 1953, the Museo Ebraico di Venezia preserves textiles, silver and books of the community, and organizes the guided visits to the synagogues. If you wish, we time the walk so you can join one of them.
Ghetto Novissimo and the fondamenta of Cannaregio
The "newest" ghetto of 1633 leads us back to residential Cannaregio, along the Fondamenta della Misericordia and the quiet canals where Venetians still live.
Madonna dell'Orto: Tintoretto's church
Tintoretto's parish church holds his Last Judgment of 1563, the Adoration of the Golden Calf and the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple. The painter is buried here, in the chapel to the right of the main altar.
Campo dei Mori and Tintoretto's house
The stone figures of Campo dei Mori are linked to the Mastelli brothers, merchants from the Peloponnese who settled here around 1112, and their palace with the relief of a camel. A few steps away, on the Fondamenta dei Mori, is the house where Tintoretto lived.
Practical
What is included, and what to know
Included
- Private guiding by Daniela Zarpellon, licensed tourist guide n. 05000058
- Commentary in English, Italian or French, for your party only
- A walk through the Ghetto and Cannaregio planned around any museum visit
- Help booking the Jewish Museum's guided visit to the synagogues
Good to know
- Synagogue interiors can be visited only on the Jewish Museum's guided visits; which synagogues are shown depends on the museum's program.
- According to the museum's official website, it is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays: always check with the Jewish Museum before your visit.
- The Ghetto is a living neighborhood and a place of worship: please dress modestly and ask before photographing people.
- Museum and church tickets are not included in the guide fee.
Tailor-made, quote on request. Every tour is quoted individually. Read how our tailor-made tours and quotes work.
FAQ
Questions about the Venice Jewish Ghetto tour
When was the Venice Ghetto founded, and why is it called a ghetto?
The Ghetto was established by a decree of the Venetian Senate on 29 March 1516. The name is usually traced to the Venetian geto, the casting of metal, because the area had been a foundry, although the etymology is still debated. It is often described as the first ghetto in Europe to carry that name.
Can we visit the synagogues of the Venice Ghetto?
Yes, but only on the guided visits organized by the Jewish Museum of Venice, which decides which synagogues are shown. Our private tour explains the Ghetto and the scole from outside, and we can time it so you join the museum's visit. Check with the Jewish Museum for current times and booking.
Is the Ghetto open on Saturday?
The Ghetto is a public neighborhood and you can walk through it any day. The Jewish Museum and its synagogue visits are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, according to the museum's official website. If the synagogues matter to you, choose another day and check with the Jewish Museum.
How long is the Jewish Ghetto and Cannaregio tour?
About 2.5–3 hours, including Madonna dell'Orto and Campo dei Mori. It can be shortened to the Ghetto only, or extended with the museum's guided visit.
Can we combine the Ghetto with Madonna dell'Orto and Tintoretto?
Yes, that is the usual route. Madonna dell'Orto is a short walk from the Ghetto and holds some of Tintoretto's great canvases and his tomb. Opening times vary: we always check them when we prepare your tour.
How much does a private Jewish Ghetto tour cost?
Every private tour is quoted individually because it is tailor-made. The quote depends on length, number of guests, language and season, while museum and church tickets are separate. It is free and without obligation, with a reply within 24 hours.
Gallery
A visual diary of Venice
Booking request
Request this tour
Choose a date and the number of guests: you will receive a summary by email straight away, and Daniela will reply personally within 24 hours with availability and a free, tailor-made quote. The request is not a confirmed booking.
Continue
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