Why visit
The Jewish community here is older than the Empire's Christianity and has never left. Walking a few streets takes you past a Roman portico, medieval walls, a nineteenth-century synagogue and brass stumbling stones set into the pavement in front of houses whose families were deported in 1943. It is a neighbourhood where people still live, shop and cook, and that ordinary daily life is part of what you have come to see.
History
Established in 1555 and active for over 300 years. The community traces its roots to the 2nd century BC.
What to see
Portico d'Ottavia, Great Synagogue, Jewish Museum and the Turtle Fountain nearby.
Anu's local tip
Come for a long lunch rather than a quick loop. Order carciofi alla giudia, look at the Roman columns embedded in the buildings while you wait, and let the neighbourhood set the pace.
Photo spot
The Portico d'Ottavia framing the street behind it, and the Turtle Fountain in the small square just north. Photograph the architecture and the food freely, but not people at prayer or families outside the synagogue.
Common mistake to avoid
Reading it as a food street and nothing more. The same hundred metres hold a functioning place of worship, a museum and a memorial, so it asks for the same quietness you would bring to any of them.
Nearby
Trastevere is across the river by the Ponte Fabricio and Tiber Island, Campo de' Fiori is five minutes north-west, and the Capitoline slopes rise just to the east.
Crowd & safety
The main street is narrow with tables on both sides, so it is tight at meal times and there is security around the synagogue. Jewish holidays and the Sabbath change what is open and how busy the area feels, so check before you plan a meal around a specific day.
Practical tips
Try carciofi alla giudia (fried Jewish-style artichokes) at one of the kosher restaurants on Via del Portico d'Ottavia.
Frequently asked questions
What should I see in the Jewish Ghetto?▾
The Portico d'Ottavia, the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum, the Turtle Fountain in Piazza Mattei, and the small brass 'stumbling stones' on the pavements that remember the families deported in 1943.
Where do I eat the famous Jewish-Roman artichokes?▾
Via del Portico d'Ottavia is lined with kosher and Roman-Jewish trattorias serving carciofi alla giudia (deep-fried artichokes), fried baccalà and concia di zucchine. Best in season from late winter to spring.
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