VENICE - best way to see synagogues and jewish ghetto and doges palace

Hi, Jo...You can hire a private guide to show you around the Venetian Ghetto, but having walked around the Ghetto several times, and taken the synagogue tour twice, I never found it necessary to hire a private guide. I found the Jewish Museum small but with some beautiful artifacts and displays. It's certainly not as big as the Jewish Museums in Rome and Florence, but was certainly worth a stop, to me. As of two years ago, the way the Synagogues Tour worked is that you purchased your ticket on-site, at the Jewish Museum (which you can walk around in on your own). When you go into the museum, ask when the next tour will be in English. You cannot go into the synagogues without a guide. One time, the group was just six people. The other time, the group was just my sister and me. The guides then lead you through three beautiful, historic synagogues in the Ghetto. Two are on the upper floors of buildings close by, and one is larger, in a self-contained building, and still in regular use. The tour guides actually vary which third synagogue to visit; one is used by the community during the summer, and one is used during the winter. I believe that the tour goes to visit whichever one is in use during the season of your visit. My experience leads me to understand that purchasing tickets to visit the synagogues ahead of times is not necessary, and likely not possible. Do be very aware of Sabbath closing times! I'm not seeing clear info on-line about their Friday closing times. You might want to call, email or twitter to get some clarity on that. I would expect the folks to whom you reach out to have English language skills. Here's contact info from the website: Telephone number +39 041 715359

E-Mail: [email protected]

Facebook: Museo ebraico di Venezia
Twitter: @museoebraicove

I also have just shown up to the Jewish Museum, paid for the tour, and enjoyed it very much, last time in 2017.

Crossing over the Bridge of Sighs is an included route on any visit to the Doge's Palace. You don't need one of the optional tours, so any ticket will do, and any ticket or pass in hand skips the ticket purchase line. From the outside, the Bridge of Sighs is something you can see from the public sidewalk along the Grand Canal.

we also did the tour through the museum and it was really wonderful. we just walked up and booked for the next English tour as well, I don't believe we had to wait all that long. interesting to see the different architecture and learn about synagogue building traditions in other lands.

I would email the museum directly for information on closing times on shabbat as well as tour times. you're not only arriving on shabbat, but 2 days after Yom Kippur so you may be lucky enough to catch the building of succoth around the area! the community rotates which synagogues they use for weekly services and holidays, to make sure that each of them has a torah reading at least once during the year to keep the space holy (assuming I am recalling correctly what the guide told us!).

This documentary , from 2013 , will be well worth your time , in advance of your visit . Written and presented by the late Jewish opera star , Regina Resnik , it struck me like a thunderbolt when I saw it on my local PBS station . Fortunately I taped it then , and so have a copy , but the money spent on buying a copy will be a small price for the depth of this production - http://www.vaimusic.com/product/4569.html ALSO - here is short section to acquaint you with the film - https://youtu.be/GKdwSJpFfNg

thank you so much for the link to the video. just watched the trailer, and will probably buy the DVD. I wish I could have seen it before our trip, but that would not have been possible -- it was produced in 2013, and we were in Venice in 2012. interestingly, the narrative on the DVD cover states that Regina Resnik was married to Arbit Blatas, the artist and sculptor who created the holocaust memorial installed in the ghetto. a moving tribute to both the place and the man.

Same time frame for us - we first visited Venice in 2012 , before the film . As a musician , I had worked with Regina Resnik in the late eighties , and have always been a fan , she was brilliant . Here is an example of her fine acting , and musical performance - https://youtu.be/zA2_jx9qiqc

wow! you are all amazing!! thanks so much for tips, links and info! much appreciated!

ps when we visited paris years ago, we were also there right after holidays ... it was very cool to see sukkahs, etc in a far away land and feel so connected!! i hadn't thought about our timing being the same for our visit to italy :)

The Ghetto takes about 15 minutes to see if you cannot enter the synagogues. I would expect the museum to close around 1 pm. I don't know how long the tour takes, but you could call the museum and get information, and also find out if you can buy tickets for the tour in advance - provided, of course, that you'll be in Venice early enough to drop your things at your hotel and get to the Ghetto in time. While it may be easy to get tickets on the spot for a tour, bear in mind that there may be more than usual number of visitors because of the closures on the days before and during your visit.

An alternative is to go to whichever synagogue is openfor services (not Chabad, which is separate and different) either in the evening or in the morning. You can arrive late, but you will be expected to remain until services end. There is separate seating.