Jewish Ghetto of Venice Self-Guided Tour with App

Europe's first ghetto

In 1516, Venice created the world's first Jewish ghetto, confining its Jewish community to an enclosed area in the Cannaregio district. This self-guided tour uses a multilingual app to walk you through the quarter's history, architecture, and enduring cultural significance at your own pace.

The app experience

Download the free app using the QR code provided with your ticket. As you walk through the ghetto, audio commentary explains the buildings, monuments, and spaces around you. The app covers the quarter's founding, the daily life of its residents under Venetian restrictions, the community's cultural achievements, and the events of the 20th century that devastated Europe's Jewish populations.

The synagogues

Your ticket includes entry to the Spanish Synagogue and the Levantine Synagogue (or the Italian Synagogue on Fridays). These are among the most important Jewish religious buildings in Italy, with richly decorated interiors that reflect the artistic traditions of Venice and the cultural backgrounds of the communities that built them. The Spanish Synagogue, redesigned by Baldassare Longhena, is particularly fine.

The quarter

The ghetto's architecture tells its own story. Buildings here are taller than elsewhere in Venice because the community could only build upward, not outward. The campo at the quarter's heart still serves as a gathering place. Memorials and plaques mark key moments in the community's history. Walking through at your own pace allows time for reflection that rushed tours do not permit.

Book your Jewish Ghetto tour tickets

Walk through centuries of history at your own pace. Book your self-guided tour tickets today.