Jewish Quarter Guided Walk

Jewish Quarter Guided Walk, 1 hour, rated 4.7 across 90 traveller reviews.

Overview

One hour is enough to overturn most of what visitors assume about Lecce. Baroque Lecce is extremely well known, but the 17th century is only a recent part of the city's long history, and this walk, run by InfoTab Tours di Mazzotta Michelangelo, spends its full hour on the layer underneath: the medieval Jewish quarter and the community that shaped it before being forced out of the city.

The route is on foot through the old streets. You follow Via della Sinagoga, the path that once led to one of southern Italy's finest synagogues, then Vico della Saponea and Via Abramo Balmes, a street named for a major figure in Lecce's Jewish history. The walk ends below ground, inside the Jewish Museum, built on the remains of the synagogue itself and containing a mikveh and a mezuzah. Museum entry and a map of Lecce and Salento are both included in the ticket.

An English-speaking local guide leads it, and reviewers repeatedly single out the guiding as the reason it works. The tour covers the main phases of Jewish history in Lecce and the wider heritage of Salento, and it runs rain or shine. If you want more than baroque churches, this is the hour to spend.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at InfotabThe walk starts at the Infotab Lecce Walking Tours meeting point. There is no hotel pickup.
2. Jewish Museum visitA guided visit and walk through the museum lasting 25 minutes, on the remains of the old synagogue.
3. Secret stop walkA guided walk of 35 minutes through the streets of the former Jewish quarter.
4. Return to InfotabThe tour finishes back at the Infotab Lecce Walking Tours meeting point.

What To Expect From The Tour

This is a short, history-led city walk with an underground component, so a little preparation goes a long way.

• Meeting point. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. Travellers make their own way to the Infotab Lecce Walking Tours meeting point, where the tour begins and ends.
• Pace and terrain. The whole tour lasts one hour, split between the museum and a walk through the old quarter. Reviewers describe it as an overview rather than a deep lecture, so expect a steady but easy pace.
• Guide quality. Several travellers describe the guide as knowledgeable, friendly and clearly passionate about the subject.
• Weather. The listing states the tour runs rain or shine. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket if the forecast looks doubtful, since most of the hour is spent outdoors.
• What you leave with. Entry to the Jewish Museum and a map of Lecce and Salento are included. Gratuities for the guide are not, so carry some cash if you want to tip.

Common issues. The honest limit is depth and length. One reviewer wished for a deeper discussion of the subject, and another noted the tour is short, so travellers wanting an academic treatment may find it an introduction rather than the last word. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, and the tour proceeds in all weather.

Common Questions