It is definitely not a coincidence that Izmir is one of the most respected and important cities in Turkey. The history of the city demonstrates a unique characteristic, which is the power that had and still has in uniting people from different religious and cultural backgrounds. The Izmir Jewish-Christian Quarters Tour invites you to explore the most iconic sights and learn the interesting information about these neighbourhoods.
This is a full day cultural exploration that begins during the morning. A car will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to the starting point of this excursion. An experienced local guide will welcome you and let you know the final details of the schedule. Feel free to ask anything you want to know about the schedule, the city in general or about the sights you are about to visit. For the purposes of this tour, and in order to get the real feeling of the city, you will be using public transportation.
During the first part of the tour, you will be touring around the Jewish synagogues. In Izmir there are many of them with high importance. As you visit these places, you will also learn their history and the traditions of the Jewish people who live in Izmir. According to the schedule you will visit Aya Fotini, Aya Vukla, Beth Israel, Algazi, Bikkur Holim, Salom and Etz-Hayim.
For the second part of the tour, you will visit three important Christian churches in Izmir. More precisely, you will have the opportunity to visit Policarp, John Dom, and the Anglican Church. The tour guide will explain everything you need to know about these sights and how important are when it comes to unifying people from different backgrounds. The Christians, Jewish and Muslim population were happily living together and respecting one another’s traditions and customs. During this tour you will have the chance to feel the aura of these religious sights and understand more about their unique atmosphere.
This tour is specially designed to give you a broader understanding about the importance of Izmir when it comes to culture. The city is hosting for ages people from different religious and cultural backgrounds that coexist happily and create a flawless cosmopolitan atmosphere. Moving around the city’s religious sights, enables you also to observe the lifestyle of the local people and get a chance to interact with them. By the end of the last stop, a car will drive you back to your hotel.
İzmir Hotels – 09:00 / 18:30
Among the many interesting places that one can visit in Izmir, there are many religious sights that form an integral part of the city’s history and culture. Izmir Jewish – Christian Quarters Tour offers you the opportunity to enjoy a guided sightseeing experience towards the most historical and important spots of the city and understand its unique cosmopolitan atmosphere. Interact with the locals, observe their everyday lifestyle, learn important facts about the religious cultures and admire the beauty of churches and synagogues.
Pick up: During the morning, members of our team will pick you up from your hotel in Izmir and drive you to the first stop of this tour.
Professional guide: A local and experienced guide will be with you for the whole duration of the excursion. The professional guide is the person in charge to let you know important facts about the places of interest and answer your questions. In addition, the guide will assist you with everything you might need.
Transfers: The transfers between the multiple places of interest are made with public transportation. This is because it is more convenient in terms of travel times and frequency. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to observe the lifestyle of the local people and feel the real vibes of the city.
Jewish synagogues: The schedule of the tour includes many visits at some of the most important Jewish synagogues in Izmir. More specifically, you will visit Aya Fotini, Aya Vukla, Beth Israel, Algazi, Bikkur Holim, Salom and Etz-Hayim. During your time there, the guide will explain to you how important these places are and let you know the basics of the Jewish tradition.
Christian churches: After a lunch break at a local restaurant and once you recharge your energy levels, the second part of the tour begins. According to the schedule, you will visit three important Christian churches: Policarp, John Dom and the Anglican Church. These religious monuments have interesting characteristics to observe and long history as they are there for ages.
Cosmopolitan atmosphere: The main aim of this particular full day excursion is to give you an idea of how people from different backgrounds used to and still coexist in Izmir. The city has long serve as a city allowing people to live harmoniously and happily.
Interact with the locals: During the tour, you will be able to observe the locals’ everyday life and interact with them. Meeting locals and talking with them can be a really special highlight as they can offer you important insights about the city and its culture.
Return: By the end of the last stop, a comfortable and fully air conditioned car will drive you back to your hotel full of great memories and images from Izmir.
