Jewish Heritage In Italy
MISHKAN OR
Led by Cantor Sarah Sager and Rabbi Josh Caruso
April 28-May 8, 2025
Day 1- Monday, April 28 – DEPARTURE FOR ITALY - Departure to Milan, Italy to begin our adventure in one of the most charming countries: landscapes that will take your breath away, rich history, beautiful art, delicious food and rich Jewish heritage. Italy's beauty is unparalleled.
Day 2 –Tuesday, April 29 – MILAN - Arrival in Milan Malpensa airport and meet Nir and your staff. Departure to Milan City for a panoramic city tour. Milan is the business hub of Italy and the fashion capital. It is home to some of the most famous Italian fashion houses including Giorgio Armani, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana Versace. Beneath this surface energy lays an old city with a deep history that extends back through renaissance, medieval and Roman times. Check into the hotel and enjoy a welcome Dinner. Overnight in Milan.
Dinner & overnight: Hotel Type TOCQ or similar
Day 3 –Wednesday, April 30 - MILANO – our day will start at the Wall of the Dolls, an art installation designated to raise awareness of violence against women. We will then visit the Duomo (including entrance to the cathedral interior), we will visit Brera district, wander past fashionable stores and diverse architecture. We will learn about the history of the Sforza Castle, a medieval marvel dating back to the 15th century. Proceed to Binario 21 - The Shoah Memorial of Milan, located deep within the city’s Central Station. In the years 1943–1945, in this place, thousands of Jews and political opponents were loaded onto livestock cars, which were then lifted to the track level above and joined together into trains headed for death camps or concentration camps, both abroad and on Italian soil.
In the early afternoon, visit Modern Milan districts, the contemporary botanical gardens, see the space that houses over 100 plant species and enjoy the calming atmosphere. Next, explore the iconic Bosco Verticale buildings and study the architecture.
Evening: Opera show at La Scala
overnight: Hotel Type TOCQ or similar
Day 4 –Thursday, May 1 – CREMONA-VERONA - Morning departure to Cremona, Capital of music from the Violin Museum to the Auditorium and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. We will visit the violin museum that takes visitors through Cremona five-century history of violin making, the great masters and their violins. We will also visit a violin-making workshops. In the workshop we will learn how the masters make their instruments and you can discover all the details of the entire process.
In the early after we will proceed to Verona, the city of love and UNESCO heritage. It is famous throughout the world as the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet, but it also has much to offer. We will start our tour in Piazza Bra where we can admire the ancient walls of the Verona Arena, then we walk through Corso Porta Nuova, the shopping street of Verona, will take us to the discovery of Piazza Erbe. Visit the synagogue of Verona and meet local representative from the Jewish community. Proceed to Venice for overnight.
overnight: Hotel Carnival Palace – Venice Collection or similar
Day 5 –Friday, May 2 – VENICE - Full day dedicated to visits of Venice. For many, the most beautiful city in the world. In the morning we will visit the Jewish Quarter - Europe's first Ghetto. We will visit the Jewish museum, one of the most important Jewish museums in Italy in terms of the richness and quality of its collections. We will then proceed to Venice visit St. Mark's square. On the square are the Museo Correr, the Archaeological Museum, Torre dell'Orologio and the St. Mark's Basilica and the adjacent Dodge's Palace.
We will also see the famous bridges of Venice. The Ponte dei Sospiri - the Bridge of Sighs - was built in the 17th century. The purpose of this bridge was to connect the Doge's Palace with the new prison that was built on the other side of the canal. About halfway along the Grand Canal is the famous Rialto Bridge. This covered pedestrian bridge has many shops where you can buy your souvenirs. Back to hotel in late afternoon. Shabbat dinner & overnight: Hotel Carnival Palace – Venice Collection or similar
Day 6 – Shabbat, May 3 – FERRARA-BOLOGNA-MONTECATINI – Morning departure to Ferrara. Visit the MEIS - National Museum of Italian Judaism and the Shoah. The permanent exhibition of the MEIS, which is periodically integrated and renewed, tells the story and experience of the Jews in Italy from the first evidence in ancient Rome, the exhibition leads to the Renaissance and the cultural blossoming of Italy.
Proceed to Bologna - a city with many souls, in which history, modernity, tradition, culture and food and wine have coexisted for centuries. The statue of Neptune, known as the Giant, surrounded by some of the most significant buildings in Bologna: The Palazzo di Re Enzo and the Gothic wing of the Palazzo Comunale. Nearby is the famous Piazza Maggiore, the true heart of the city and the nerve center of social life.
We will then by ably to enjoy an ice-cream workshop where we will learn how to make a fruit sorbet, following a recipe, and produce it in the laboratory. At the end of the activity, comparative tasting of the gelato produced. (The activity is subject to 2025 schedule which wasn't yet published). Proceed to Montecatini. Dinner on own. Overnight: hotel Belvedere Palace or similar
Day 7 –Sunday, May 4 – FLORENCE - Full day dedicated to Florence the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Walking through the streets of the old Center of the city we will see beautiful historical buildings, palaces, museums, churches and gardens. We will admire the Baptistery, the Duomo-Cathedral, Dante's home, Bargello Palace and Piazza della Signoria. The sight of Palazzo Vecchio, a remarkable example of civil architecture - an open air museum with various masterpieces including the copy of Michelangelo's David. We will then continue to Uffizi Gallery for a guided visit of the museum.
In the afternoon we will walk to the Arno River, we will walk towards Ponte Vecchio and its gold jewelry shops and we will see part of the other side of the river.
Our tour will end with a visit of the Jewish museum and synagogue with its superb collection of artistic Jewish ceremonial items and offering breathtaking views of the synagogue itself and the roofs of Florence. Back to hotel in Montecatini for overnight.
Day 8 –Monday, May 5 – LIVORNO-PISA-LUCCA - Morning departure to Livorno. In no Italian city did the Jews play such a role, and they were never forced to live in a ghetto. They were the true founders of Livorno and the architects of its splendor We will visit the synagogue built in modern style in 1962, it stands on the site of a grand seventeenth-century temple, demolished following an Allied bombing in the Second
World War. The project conceived by architect Angelo di Castro is rich in symbolic meaning.
We will then. proceed to Pisa one of the most popular cities in Italy, mainly because of its famous monument, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Piazza dei Miracoli and the other beautiful monuments surrounding it, are definitely must-see attractions.
The Jewish nucleus in the area of Pisa is probably the oldest in Tuscany. We will visit the Jewish Cemetery and the Synagogue, recently renovated with an important intervention completed in 2015, is located in a 14th century building converted into a place of cult in 1595. They are symbolic buildings and the beating heart of local Jewish life.
In the afternoon, we will arrive in Lucca. After a short visit of the historic center, we will enjoy a local cooking class. Cooking, drinking and eating together, in a cozy non formal atmosphere, hosted by an Israeli-Italian couple. In the evening, back to Montecatini for overnight.
Day 9 –Tuesday, May 6 - CHIANTI AREA-SIENA-ROME - Morning departure to the Via Chiantigiana, a magnificent road that extends over 70 km, revealing the fascinating world of one of the largest wine-growing areas in Southern Europe. The rolling hills of the Tuscan hinterland offer idyllic villages will enable us to enjoy the magnificent scenery. In addition to vineyards, there are also olive groves and picturesque forests to admire. We will visit a local vineyard and will taste the local wines. Proceed to Siena - a city that was one of the most important economic and cultural centers of the Italian Middle Ages, whose historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will visit all the symbolic places of Siena- Basilica of San Domenico, we will then follow the path of the the road axis hosting the most important buildings and monuments, among them: the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi, the oldest bank in Europe and the Palazzo Tolomei, Palazzo Chigi Saracini and seat of the Academy. We will visit Siena Cathedral, a jewel of Gothic architecture and a casket that contains the famous works of Michelangelo, Donatello and Bernini. If possible, we will go up to the rooftop of the cathedral for a breathtaking view over the city. In the end of the visit, proceed to Rome. UNAWAY hotel Empire Palace Or similar.
Day 10 –Wednesday, May 7 – ROME - Full day dedicated to the Eternal City’s most important attractions. We will learn all about the lives of the ancient Romans in the Roman Forum and Colosseum - how they lived and worked, how they worshipped, and how they were entertained by bloody gladiator spectacles. We will visit the Church of St. Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli) houses the chains that bound Saint Peter when the Romans imprisoned him in Jerusalem. The church today is also home to Michelangelo’s Moses, part of the unfinished monumental tomb of Pope Julius II. We will then take a relaxing stroll through the historic city
center, visiting the piazza of the impressive Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.
In the afternoon, visit underneath Rome’s ancient streets on a tour of the Jewish catacombs. We will explore the Vigna Randanini catacombs, one of only two Jewish catacombs in the city that are open to visitors. We will learn about their interesting history, how they differ from the Christian and pagan tomb and we will see the mortuaries and burial chambers along the narrow walkways.
Our last visit for this day will be the Jewish museum. This museum records the history of this vibrant community displaying precious textiles, manuscripts and silver. One section is dedicated to the Nazi occupation of Rome. Unaway Empire Palace hotel or similar.
Day 11 –Thursday, May 8 – TIVOLI - This morning we will see the highlights of the Vatican, from magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica to the masterpieces of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.
In the afternoon we will drive to Tivoli, world famous for its two wonderful historical villas. We will visit the 16th-century Villa d’Este and its magnificent Renaissance gardens and fountains give a unique insight into the refined culture of Italy’s golden age. In the evening farewell dinner with music.
Day 12 – Friday, May 9 - Morning transfer to Rome airport and flight to the U.S.
