The Complete Kosher Travel Guide to Rome

Rome's Jewish community is one of the world's oldest, continuously-existing ones, with a unique Italian prayer rite found nowhere else. Everything is concentrated around the historic Jewish Ghetto, within walking distance of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.

Synagogues and mikvah

The Great Synagogue of Rome (Tempio Maggiore) and the Spanish Synagogue (Tempio Spagnolo) in its basement, both rated 4.6, are the Ghetto's spiritual center. Beth El (Sephardic rite) and Oratorio Di Castro (Italian rite) add two more options. The mikvah is inside the Great Synagogue building itself.

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Chabad houses

Chabad Rome - Piazza Bologna (4.9) and Chabad of Rome right inside the Jewish Ghetto (4.7).

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Where to eat

Roman-Jewish cuisine is an experience in itself. Ba'Ghetto and its dairy sister Ba'Ghetto Milky, Renato al Ghetto and Su Ghetto for meat, Casalino Osteria for dairy and fish, Bellacarne for meat grill, Yotvata for Israeli-style dairy, and Pasticceria Boccione, a long-standing bakery - all supervised by the Rabbinate of Rome's Jewish Community, along Via del Portico d'Ottavia, the heart of the Ghetto. Note: not every restaurant in the Jewish Quarter is actually kosher - it's worth checking for the supervision certificate at the door before ordering.

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Where to stay

Octavia Suites, a perfect 5, sits right in the Via del Portico d'Ottavia area. NEMAN Maison (4.7) is in the Ghetto/Pantheon district.

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Guided tours

RomanJews with Marco Misano (rated 4.8) departs from the Jewish Ghetto and dives into Rome's two-thousand-year Jewish history.

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Sights

The Colosseum (4.8) and the Jewish Ghetto itself (4.8) are essential. For history buffs - the Vigna Randanini Jewish Catacombs (4.8), and the Roman Forum and Arch of Titus (4.7) - a reminder of the Temple's destruction. Tip: it's best to arrive at the Colosseum early morning or for the last entry of the day to avoid the crowds - a combined ticket also includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

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Practical tip: two kosher shops on Via del Portico d'Ottavia serve the Ghetto. Rome offers a rare combination of millennia-old Jewish history, a cuisine you won't find anywhere else, and world-class classic tourism.