JE 2
Izmir and Sardis – The Sephardim of the Aegean
The Tour
In Izmir's bazaar quarter, more historic synagogues stand together within a few hundred meters than almost anywhere else in the world — the Juderia of the Sephardim, whose courtyards and houses of prayer are currently being restored step by step. And an hour inland, at Sardis, stands the largest synagogue of antiquity. This tour connects the two: five hundred years of Sephardic Izmir and two thousand years of Jewish Asia Minor.
The Program Day by Day
Day 1 – Arrival in Izmir
Arrival, transfer to the hotel. In the late afternoon, a first walk along the Kordon promenade. In the evening, an introductory talk: Izmir as a Sephardic metropolis, Ladino as the everyday language, and the families who traded from here as far as Amsterdam and Livorno.
Day 2 – The Juderia of Kemeraltı
The core day in Izmir. In the maze of the Kemeraltı quarter lies the historic synagogue quarter: the Signora Giveret Synagogue, founded according to tradition by Doña Gracia Nasi, the Shalom Synagogue, Algaze, Bikur Holim and Etz Hayim, one of the oldest in the city — an ensemble currently being restored as shared cultural heritage.
Also the cortijos, the Sephardic courtyard houses, and Havra Sokağı, the old synagogue lane in the middle of the market. The market is the way, not the destination: shopping stops are not part of the program.
We talk about the rise and the crises of the community — including Sabbatai Zevi, the most famous and most controversial son of Jewish Izmir, about whom opinions in his native city remain divided to this day.
Day 3 – Sardis: The Synagogue of Antiquity
Drive to Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia. Here stands the largest synagogue of the ancient world: more than eighty meters long, with mosaic floors and marble revetment, built directly onto the Roman gymnasium — a testimony to the place the Jewish community held in the public life of this city.
Also the Temple of Artemis and the Royal Road. The question of the day: what does such a building tell us about two thousand years of Jewish life in Asia Minor, long before 1492?
Return drive to Izmir in the afternoon.
Day 4 – Karataş and Ephesus
In the morning, the Karataş quarter: the Beth Israel Synagogue, the great community synagogue of the 20th century, and the historic Asansör, the elevator that the Jewish merchant Nesim Levi donated to his neighborhood in 1907 — still one of Izmir's landmarks today. Also the lane of the singer Dario Moreno.
In the afternoon, Ephesus: Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater — and, carved into the steps, the menorah, the quiet trace of the Jewish community of the ancient city.
In the evening, a closing dinner in Izmir.
Day 5 – Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Izmir Airport (ADB).
Services
✓ Included
- 4 nights in Izmir with breakfast
- All excursions in an air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Accompanied throughout by the licensed tour guide
- Registration of all synagogue visits with the community
- All admission fees mentioned, including Sardis and Ephesus
- Welcome and farewell dinners
Not included
- Flights and travel to and from Turkey
- Lunches and dinners, unless mentioned
- Personal expenses, tips
- Trip cancellation and international health insurance
- Visa, if required
Important Information
Best time to travel: March to June and September to November.
Fitness level: Extensive city walks and walks across the sites at Sardis and Ephesus. Sturdy footwear recommended; otherwise no special requirements.
Dates: Freely selectable in 2027 and 2028, no fixed departure dates. If your preferred dates are not possible, we will offer you an alternative. On request, we plan around Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
Principles of All Tours in This Series
- Shopping stops are, without exception, not part of the program. No carpet, jewelry or leather businesses. They can be arranged separately at the express request of individual participants, with shuttle at the shops' expense.
- The service provider is our partner company in Turkey; all services are rendered in the destination country.
- Flights and travel to and from Turkey are booked by the customer. All prices exclude flights.
- Guided by state-licensed tour guides, in 25 languages on request — including Hebrew.
- All routes can be adapted to the respective group in length, pace and focus. We take Shabbat planning and wishes for kosher or kosher-style meals into account when drawing up the program.
- Encounters with the local Jewish communities and attendance at a service can be scheduled, insofar as the communities make this possible in the individual case. A commitment to this is not part of the travel services.