Izmir Synagogues Tour
- 5 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Trace İzmir’s centuries-old Jewish heritage on a guided visit to five historic synagogues, each reflecting the city’s Sephardic traditions, architecture, and community life. Beginning in the Kemeraltı district, visit Bikur Holim, Etz Hayim, Sinyora, and Shalom Synagogues while learning how İzmir’s Jewish community developed from the 16th century onward. Hear the stories behind sacred objects, decorative details, restorations, and the fires that shaped these places of worship. Continue by tram toward Karataş, with an opportunity to taste boyoz, a local pastry closely associated with İzmir’s Sephardic culture. The tour concludes at Beth Israel, the city’s largest synagogue, admired for its elaborate interior and fine wooden craftsmanship. As these are active religious sites, advance permission is required, and passport details may be requested by the İzmir Jewish Community before the visit.
Inclusions
What's included
- Entry fees
- Professional guide English or Spanish
- Public Transportation Fees
What's not
- Lunch
- Personal Expenses
- Tips
Itinerary
We start our tour from Bikur Holim Synagogue. There are lots of new parochets that can be seen in this Synagogue. Also, Temple Menorah (seven-branched candelabrum) and Hanukkah Menorah (nine-branched candelabrum) are located there especially from the 18th of November to the 26th of November along the Hanukkah.
As a meaning, it's a Life of a Tree. There are some Byzantine Empire orders can be seen, because dates back to that period. Hanukkah Menorah is located here. Because of the fire, this synagogue was also damaged but it was "saved" just before the roof fall down. Now it's restarted, some of the "memories" from the fire can be seen.
The name of this synagogue is given by a Dutch Jewish woman. According to the stories, the woman called Donna Gracia or La Signora was the foundation of this synagogue. Like all other synagogues, was damaged by fire several times in the 16th and 17th centuries. Thanks to the Moiz Bengiat Yerushalmi was rebuilt again.
The other name is El Kal de la Tromba Synagogue. Joseph Escaba, religious leader of the Jewish Community in Izmir, made the first organization in here. In 1841, here was the only church that wasn't damaged by the fire, there is a signboard at the entrance your guide will mention it.
After that, we use TRAM to go to the next synagogue. While we're walking to the station, you can take your "Boyoz" which is a unique food belonging to the Sephardic Jewish people.
Bet Israel is the biggest synagogue in Izmir. Synagogue was opened to visitors in 1907 but all of those decorations were finished in around 1950s. According to the stories wooden carvings were made by Italian artists. Now, that sanctuary is used for special events.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
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Ratings come from 3 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- We will meet at the Polis Anı Evi. You can see the Çankaya multi-storey parking building.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Gezenthi Travel Agency
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in İzmir
- Its from-price is 37% below the median of the 482 experiences we list in İzmir.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 111 of 482.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About İzmir
İzmir is Turkey's third-largest city, an Aegean port with an old bazaar, a seafront promenade and the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pergamon within reach.
İzmir, known to the ancient Greeks as Smyrna, lies at the head of a deep gulf on the Aegean coast. Konak Square has an ornate clock tower from 1901 and the small Konak Mosque, and the Kemeraltı bazaar sprawls behind it with workshops, mosques and old caravanserais. The Asansör, a historic lift in the Karataş district, rises to a terrace overlooking the gulf, and a long promenade, the Kordon, runs beside the water.
Top-ranked sights in İzmir: Pergamon (Pergamum), Sardis (Sart), Bergama Asklepion (Pergamon Asclepeion).
Special offers in İzmir
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
