4 h

Private

About this activity

After pickup from your hotel in the morning, start your private tour with a drive to the Galata Tower, built in 1348 by the Genoese during their colonial expansion in Constantinople. Located in the centuries-old Jewish quarter of Galata, which was seized and destroyed in 1203 by the Fourth Crusade, the tower dominates the skyline and remains a symbol of the city.

Continue to the nearby Ashkenaz Synagogue, founded by Austrian Jews in 1900 for the Ashkenazi Jewish ethnic division. This is the only still-active synagogue of its kind in Istanbul. The synagogue holds weddings, bar mitzvahs and other religious ceremonies, and is open for public visits and prayers.

Also in the Beyoğlu district is the Jewish Museum of Turkey, your next stop. Formerly known as the Zülfaris Synagogue, this 19th-century religious structure was restored and remodeled as a museum in 2001 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire. Inside the museum, learn about the traditions and history of Turkish Jewry, and its coexistence with Muslim culture, as well as the historical accounts of the Jewish odyssey from Spain to Turkey.

Your last stop is the Etz Ahayim Synagogue, also known as the Ortaköy Synagogue, located in the Ortaköy neighborhood of Istanbul's Beşiktaş district. During the Ottoman Empire and the first decades of the Turkish Republic, communities of Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Jews coexisted in this area, and today it continues to show how people from multiple cultures and religions can live in harmon

After gaining insight into Istanbul’s Jewish history, return to your hotel in the early afternoon.

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Included

Local guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Transport by private vehicle
Entry/Admission - The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews

Not included

Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified
Entry to the Galata Tower

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 2 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
In the event of any museum closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
Children 18 years and under must be accompanied by an adult
Please note you MUST provide your full passport details at time of booking. This information is required in order to obtain permission to enter the synagogues

Features

Tourism

95%

Cultural

80%

Reviews

3.8

20

D

Diane C

5 | 2015-10-13

This tour was so fantastic! From meeting us in a huge gold mini van at the port where our cruise ended, to bringing us to our hotel afterwards, it was luxurious and showed great hospitality. Our guide had arranged for us in advance to visit inside two synagogues and with all the security it is clear we could not have done this on our own. She knew quite a lot about the history of Jews in the Ottoman Empire and had spent a few months on a kibbutz in Israel. She knew her stuff. We started with a visit to Galata tower, which was beyond what was advertised. That gave us a terrific orientation to Istanbul. We saw five synagogues all together in real working class neighborhoods, and we felt like the only tourists on the street. It was so special! We stopped for coffee in a neighborhood shop that had so much character. It was really a remarkable experience, worth very penny!

M

Megan H

4 | 2015-07-13

Tour interesting. Guide knew his history of Istanbul. Knew a lot about the synagogues etc, but was not Jewish so perhaps we missed some of what life inTurkey was like before and after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

E

Ebird526

3 | 2014-08-01

The half day tour could have been completed in 2 hours. Two synagogues..... Synagogues actually charged us to go in rather than wait for tzeduka. I was very surprised. Perhaps the Jewish museum could have been added to the tour, or another synagogue?

j

jedokson

5 | 2014-07-02

Very interesting and we enjoyed it a lot. It would have been even better if the guide was Jewish or knew more personally about the Jewish community, past and present, but he still did a very good job. It was great having an air conditioned car to take us around.

p

phillips.cassidy

3 | 2014-06-04

if seeing some synagogues is the only way to go then this is the trip for you. Not exceptionally exciting but we enjoyed the tours of the 3 synagogues.

l

lawrence k

5 | 2014-05-23

Very well organised and will recommend your company to anyone who is thinking of going on a guided tour The guide and driver were first class. Lawrence kraft

m

moses g

5 | 2014-04-21

Very interesting tour. Guide excellent. Highly recommended

E

Elana S

4 | 2014-02-23

Wonderful tour guide, would definitely recommend her to other tourists. We got done a bit early, so she took us around a small market and towards the water.

Collections This experience is part of these collections

Collections

Heritage, Culture & Museum 42 Activities

Private Tour: Istanbul's Jewish Heritage

Istanbul

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