Jewish Heritage Tour of Istanbul

The Jewish Heritage Tour focuses on the Jewish interest sites in Istanbul. Istanbul received an immense Jewish immigration, mostly from Spain, and there was a large Jewish community during the Ottoman Empire. The tour includes the Old Synagogue of Ahrida, the old Jewish quarter of Balat and Galata, the Jewish Hospital and also the new synagogues of Ashkenazi and Neva Shalom. The tour also includes a visit to the local Jewish Heritage Museum

Begin the day with a walking tour that takes you from Istiklal Street in Beyoglu to the Galata quarter - the way lined with historic diplomatic posts, handsome old houses, fashionable boutiques and upscale restaurants. Stop-off at Galata Tower, once the high-point of the Genoese fortified town, before visiting the Neve Shalom Synagogue, one of the larger modern synagogues in the city. Next is the Ashkenazi Synagogue; an attractive blend of European and Arabesque styles. Following a lunch break in the old town, the tour arrives at the Jewish quarter of Balat, alongside the Golden Horn, where we visit the Ottoman Baroque style Ahrida Synagogue. End the day with a coffee atop Pierre Loti Hill in Eyup, alongside a spectacular view of the Golden Horn.