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The Jewish Roots In Istanbul

2 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 2 traveler reviews collected by Cool Shore Excursions and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 100% of reviewers
100% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
| Istanbul, Turkey
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from $688.82 per group (up to 7)

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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 14 (0) days in advance.
4 hours (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
and 8 more
French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Turkish, Chinese Simplified
Instant confirmation

Overview

This tour by a luxury private car and a professional guide will allow you to discover the heritage of the Jewish population in Istanbul.

What's Included

  • Private driver with a luxury car.
  • Proffesional Tour Guide with your preferred language.
  • Meals & Drinks.
  • Gratuities
  • Museum entrance ticket fees
See 3 more

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point
Pickup details

Please be informed kindly that you are required to contact your agency, Travelium, at least 24 hours in advance in order to confirm excursion.If you have book this activity less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled time, please contact us immediately after booking to confirm your excursion.Please bear in mind, you will be asked to present your printed voucher and photo ID when you meet with your guide.

What To Expect

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Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free

Galata Tower (pass by)

The Romanesque style tower was built as Christea Turris (Tower of Christ) in 1348 during an expansion of the Genoese colony in Constantinople. Galata Tower was the tallest building in Istanbul at 219.5 ft (66.9 m) when it was built in 1348. It was built to replace the old Tower of Galata, an original Byzantine tower named Megalos Pyrgos (English: Great Tower) which controlled the northern end of the massive sea chain that closed the entrance to the Golden Horn. That tower was on a different site and was largely destroyed in 1203, during the Fourth Crusade of 1202–1204.The upper section of the tower with the conical cap was slightly modified in several restorations during the Ottoman period when it was used as an observation tower for spotting fires.Galata Tower with its previous conical roof, depicted in a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky in 1846. The previous conical roof was destroyed by a storm in 1875. The current roof was built during restoration works between 1965 and 1967.
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Neve Shalom Synagogue

Neve Shalom Synagogue (Turkish: Neve Şalom Sinagogu, Hebrew: בית הכנסת נווה שלום; lit. "Oasis of Peace" or "Valley of Peace") is a synagogue in the Karaköy quarter of Beyoğlu district, in Istanbul, Turkey.The synagogue was built in response to an increase in the Jewish population in the old Galata neighborhood (today encompassed by Beyoğlu district) in the late 1930s. A Jewish primary school was torn down in 1949 for that purpose and the synagogue was built on its ruins. The construction completed in 1951. Its architects were Elyo Ventura and Bernar Motola, young Turkish Jews. The inauguration of the synagogue was held on Sunday, March 25, 1951 (17 Adar 5711, Hebrew calendar), in the presence of the Chief Rabbi of Turkey of the time, Hahambaşı Rav. Rafael David Saban.Neve Shalom is the central and largest Sephardic synagogue in Istanbul, open to service especially on Shabbats, High Holidays, Bar Mitzvahs, funerals and weddings.
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul

The Ashkenazi Synagogue (Turkish: Eşkenazi Sinagogu) is an Ashkenazi synagogue located near the Galata Tower in Karaköy neighborhood of Beyoğlu in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the only currently active Ashkenazi synagogue in Istanbul open to visits and prayers. The synagogue was founded by Jews of Austrian origin in 1900. It is also the last remaining synagogue from a total of three built by Ashkenazim, as the population of Ashkenazi Jews accounts for 4 percent of the total Jewish population of Turkey. Visits to the synagogue can be made during weekday mornings and for Shabbat services on Saturday mornings.The synagogue holds weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and other religious ceremonies in the Ashkenazi tradition.
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Balat

The Golden Horn is a small estuary created by two rivers that flow into the Bosporus. From one side of the Golden Horn to the other extend traditional Jewish neighborhoods that arose beginning at the time of Jewish settlement in Istanbul in the Byzantine period. Even at the beginning of the twentieth century more than half the population of the Balat was Jewish, although many were already leaving the cramped houses of this humid district for the “European city”. The neighborhoods of the Balat, on the right bank, and of Hasköy, on the other side of the river, have remained vibrant and rather exotic in memories of Istanbul -places where Ladino was spoken and one lived according to the rhythms of Jewish festivals and the Shabbat. The names of synagogues, many of which have since disappeared, recall the Sepharad that everyone keeps close to their hearts (Gerouche-Castile -the exiles of Castile-Catalan, Aragon, Portugal, Senioria…).
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1 hour Admission Ticket Free

Ahrida Synagogue

It was built by Romaniotes (Macedonian Jews), dating back to the 1430s, from the city of Ohrid (called 'Ahrid' in Greek) in what was then the Ottoman Empire and is now North Macedonia. Neve Shalom is said to have moved to Constantinople more than 550 years ago. Sephardi Jews arrived in the Ottoman Empire from the Iberian peninsula beginning in 1492, and soon were a larger group of Jews in population than the Romaniotes. The Romaniotes of Istanbul, as in many communities, including Thessaloniki became assimilated into the Sephardic culture and adopted the Sephardic liturgy as well as the language of the Sephardim, Judesmo. The synagogue building, one of the two ancient synagogues in Istanbul's Golden Horn, was renovated in 1992 by the Quincentennial Foundation, in celebration of the 500th anniversary of Sephardic Jews' arrival in the Ottoman Empire. Ahrida Synagogue is known for its boat-shaped tevah (the reading platform, known in Ashkenazi communities as a bimah).
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews

Jewish Museum of Turkey (officially Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews; Turkish: 500. Yıl Vakfı Türk Musevileri Müzesi) is a cultural center established by the Quincentennial Foundation to inform the society of the traditions and history of Turkish Jewry. It was inaugurated on November 25, 2001. The Quincentennial Foundation was established in 1989 by 113 Turkish citizens, Jews and Muslims alike, to celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of the arrival of Sephardim to the Ottoman Empire. The idea of a museum was proposed by Naim Güleryüz who is now its curator and the foundation was financed by the prominent Jewish Kamhi family.
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

ETZ Ahayim Synagogue

The Etz Ahayim Synagogue (Hebrew: קהל קדוש עץ החיים), also known as the Ortaköy Synagogue, is synagogue located in Ortaköy, Istanbul, Turkey, on the coast near the right leg of Bosphorus Bridge. The synagogue was totally destroyed by fire in 1941 with only the marble Aron Kodesh remaining intact. The synagogue was subsequently rebuilt.
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Specialized infant seats are available

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the The Jewish Roots In Istanbul?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

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Activity code: C-18794P11

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.00
2 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 2 traveler reviews collected by Cool Shore Excursions and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 14 (0) days in advance.
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from Cool Shore Excursions customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the The Jewish Roots In Istanbul?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Private driver with a luxury car.
  • Proffesional Tour Guide with your preferred language.
The following is NOT included:
  • Meals & Drinks.
  • Gratuities.
  • Museum entrance ticket fees.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the The Jewish Roots In Istanbul is as follows:

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for The Jewish Roots In Istanbul will be included in your confirmation email from Cool Shore Excursions. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • Private driver with a luxury car.
  • Proffesional Tour Guide with your preferred language.
  • Meals & Drinks.
  • Gratuities
  • Museum entrance ticket fees

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Specialized infant seats are available

Report Product Issue

Activity name