TOURS : JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR OF GREECE 2024

Wherever your heart lies, we work alongside you to enhance your passions and create immersive and authentic experiences worldwide.

Jewish Heritage Tour of Greece 2024

The Jews have a long and varied history around the Mediterranean. Some of it wonderful, some of it dark.

Come with us for the trip of a lifetime to explore the long history of the Jewish community in Greece, home to the unique Romaniote Jews as well as the Sephardic people. Visit the oldest synagogue in Greece at the foot of the Acropolis, travel through the mainland and then onto the islands where Jewish communities, despite past tragedies, are still thriving to this day.

Our tour will be led by Carol Gordon, a Melbourne-based writer, filmmaker, and Holocaust educator. Local tour guides will be Greek Jews with their own personal history to share.

JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR OF GREECE 2024

Day 1 : SATURDAY 11 MAY : ARRIVE IN ATHENS

Meet and Assist. Transfer to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 : SUNDAY 12 MAY : JEWISH ATHENS

· Visit the synagogue, thought to date from 267 to 396 CE, at the ancient Agora of Athens.

· Then visit the Beth Shalom Synagogue managed by Rabbi Gabriel Negrin.

· Continue on to the Etz Haim Synagogue built in 1904 by the Greek Romaniote Jews from Ioannina.

· Visit the New Holocaust Memorial of Greek Jews.

· Visit the Jewish Museum of Greece.

Day 3 : MONDAY 13 MAY : CHALKIS

· Visit the Jewish community in Chalkida, who’ve been living there uninterrupted for more than 20 centuries.

· Visit the synagogue in Chalkis.

· Visit the Old and New Jewish Cemeteries.

Day 4 : TUESDAY 14 MAY : ATHENS – CORFU

· Fly to Corfu (Kerkyra).

· Transfer to hotel.

· Day at leisure to explore the beautiful island.

Day 5 : WEDNESDAY 15 MAY : CORFU

· Your guide will introduce you to the history of the Jewish community on Corfu from the 11th Century, through to the Second World War and to today.

· Move through the Jewish Quarter and see the Corfu Synagogue.

· Free time will be provided so you can visit the Old Town.

Day 6 : THURSDAY 16 MAY : CORFU – IOANNINA

· After breakfast transfer to ferry for the Port of Igoumenitsa.

· Tour of Ioannina city.

· Overnight.

Day 7 : FRIDAY 17 MAY : TOUR OF JEWISH IOANNINA

· Visit Ioannina Castle.

· See the Synagogue built in 1826 inside the Kastro of what once was the Jewish Quarter.

· Lake Pamvotis and onto the Museum of Ali Pasha by boat.

Day 8 : SATURDAY 18 MAY : IOANNINA – VOLOS

· Arrive in Volos and overnight. Quick stop in Trikala.

Day 9 : SUNDAY 19 MAY : VOLOS – LARISSA

· Visit the present day synagogue erected in 1865 and rebuilt after WWII.

· Local Jewish cemetery which dates back to the 6th Century.

· Continue to Larissa and stop at the only remaining synagogue there.

· Overnight.

Day 10 : MONDAY 20 MAY : LARISSA – THESSALONIKI

· Head to Thessaloniki and check in to hotel.

· Day at leisure to explore on your own.

· Overnight.

Day 11 : TUESDAY 21 MAY : THESSALONIKI

· Full day tour – history of the Jews in Thessaloniki where Jewish life flourished from the 15th Century until WWII.

· Visit the two synagogues, commercial streets, bank buildings, a Turkish bath, the central fruit market and more.

· Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki and the Shoah Memorial.

· Continue by car or bus – Old Train Station where the deportations took place, university campus, east side of the city where the villas of wealthy Jews still exist, excellent examples of fine architecture, and many more sites.

Day 12 : WEDNESDAY 22 MAY : THESSALONIKI – RHODES

· Fly from Thessaloniki to Rhodes.

· Visit the top of the island and see the Acropolis of Lindos.

· Overnight.

Day 13 : THURSDAY 23 MAY : RHODES

· Guided by a local Rhodian Jew, take a tour around the island including La Calle Ancha at the Square of Martyred Jews.

· Visit the Holocaust Memorial, Joseph Notricia, Alhadeff Family Donation Plaque, the Kahal Tikkun Hazot Synagogue.

· Old Jewish Cemetery, Notricia Foundation Community Building, Puerta de la Mar, Rabbinical College, the Plaque of 1767 in the Calle de Talmud Torah.

· Visit the Jewish Museum of Rhodes on Calle de Kahal Shalom.

Day 14 : FRIDAY 24 MAY : RHODES – CHANIA

· Flight from Rhodes to Chania, Crete.

· Day to relax and enjoy the city or beach.

Day 15 : SATURDAY 25 MAY : CHANIA

· Walking tour of Chania with your guide. Includes the Old City where Christians, Jews and Muslims co-existed for more than a thousand years.

· Jewish Walking Tour of Chania is a detailed view of the Jewish and non-Jewish parts of the Old City and extensive historic background.

· Farewell dinner at local restaurant with folk dancers.

Day 16 : SUNDAY 26 MAY : CHANIA AIRPORT

· Transfer to airport for your onward flight.

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR THE FULL ITINERARY AND COSTING AS WELL AS ALL INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS.

Contact Us

Wherever your heart lies, we work alongside you to enhance your passions and create immersive and authentic experiences worldwide.

The Jews have a long and varied history around the Mediterranean. Some of it wonderful, some of it dark.

Come with us for the trip of a lifetime to explore the long history of the Jewish community in Greece, home to the unique Romaniote Jews as well as the Sephardic people. Visit the oldest synagogue in Greece at the foot of the Acropolis, travel through the mainland and then onto the islands where Jewish communities, despite past tragedies, are still thriving to this day.

Our tour will be led by Carol Gordon, a Melbourne-based writer, filmmaker, and Holocaust educator. Local tour guides will be Greek Jews with their own personal history to share.

TOURS : JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR OF GREECE 2024

Day 1 : SAT 11 MAY : ARRIVE IN ATHENS

Meet and Assist. Transfer to hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 : SUN 12 MAY : JEWISH ATHENS

· Visit the synagogue, thought to date from 267 to 396 CE, at the ancient Agora of Athens.

· Then visit the Beth Shalom Synagogue managed by Rabbi Gabriel Negrin.

· Continue on to the Etz Haim Synagogue built in 1904 by the Greek Romaniote Jews from Ioannina.

· Visit the New Holocaust Memorial of Greek Jews.

· Visit the Jewish Museum of Greece.

Day 3 : MON 13 MAY : CHALKIS

· Visit the Jewish community in Chalkida, who’ve been living there uninterrupted for more than 20 centuries.

· Visit the synagogue in Chalkis.

· Visit the Old and New Jewish Cemeteries.

Day 4 : TUES 14 MAY : ATHENS – CORFU

· Fly to Corfu (Kerkyra).

· Transfer to hotel.

· Day at leisure to explore the beautiful island.

Day 5 : WED 15 MAY : CORFU

· Your guide will introduce you to the history of the Jewish community on Corfu from the 11th Century, through to the Second World War and to today.

· Move through the Jewish Quarter and see the Corfu Synagogue.

· Free time will be provided so you can visit the Old Town.

Day 6 : THURS 16 MAY : CORFU – IOANNINA

· After breakfast transfer to ferry for the Port of Igoumenitsa.

· Tour of Ioannina city.

· Overnight.

Day 7 : FRI 17 MAY : TOUR OF JEWISH IOANNINA

· Visit Ioannina Castle.

· See the Synagogue built in 1826 inside the Kastro of what once was the Jewish Quarter.

· Lake Pamvotis and onto the Museum of Ali Pasha by boat.

Day 8 : SAT 18 MAY : IOANNINA – VOLOS

· Arrive in Volos and overnight. Quick stop in Trikala.

Day 9 : SUN 19 MAY : VOLOS – LARISSA

· Visit the present day synagogue erected in 1865 and rebuilt after WWII.

· Local Jewish cemetery which dates back to the 6th Century.

· Continue to Larissa and stop at the only remaining synagogue there.

· Overnight.

Day 10 : MON 20 MAY : LARISSA – THESSALONIKI

· Head to Thessaloniki and check in to hotel.

· Day at leisure to explore on your own.

· Overnight.

Day 11 : TUES 21 MAY : THESSALONIKI

· Full day tour – history of the Jews in Thessaloniki where Jewish life flourished from the 15th Century until WWII.

· Visit the two synagogues, commercial streets, bank buildings, a Turkish bath, the central fruit market and more.

· Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki and the Shoah Memorial.

· Continue by car or bus – Old Train Station where the deportations took place, university campus, east side of the city where the villas of wealthy Jews still exist, excellent examples of fine architecture, and many more sites.

Day 12 : WED 22 MAY : THESSALONIKI – RHODES

· Fly from Thessaloniki to Rhodes.

· Visit the top of the island and see the Acropolis of Lindos.

· Overnight.

Day 13 : THURS 23 MAY : RHODES

· Guided by a local Rhodian Jew, take a tour around the island including La Calle Ancha at the Square of Martyred Jews.

· Visit the Holocaust Memorial, Joseph Notricia, Alhadeff Family Donation Plaque, the Kahal Tikkun Hazot Synagogue.

· Old Jewish Cemetery, Notricia Foundation Community Building, Puerta de la Mar, Rabbinical College, the Plaque of 1767 in the Calle de Talmud Torah.

· Visit the Jewish Museum of Rhodes on Calle de Kahal Shalom.

Day 14 : FRI 24 MAY : RHODES – CHANIA

· Flight from Rhodes to Chania, Crete.

· Day to relax and enjoy the city or beach.

Day 15 : SAT 25 MAY : CHANIA

· Walking tour of Chania with your guide. Includes the Old City where Christians, Jews and Muslims co-existed for more than a thousand years.

· Jewish Walking Tour of Chania is a detailed view of the Jewish and non-Jewish parts of the Old City and extensive historic background.

· Farewell dinner at local restaurant with folk dancers.

Day 16 : SUN 26 MAY : CHANIA AIRPORT

· Transfer to airport for your onward flight.

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR THE FULL ITINERARY AND COSTING AS WELL AS ALL INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS.

Contact Us

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHO IS THE TOUR LEADER ON THIS TRIP?

Carol Gordon is a Melbourne-based writer, filmmaker, and Holocaust educator. She trained as a film editor in South Africa and worked in the film and television industry there for many years, before moving to Australia with her family in 1995. With a Degree in Teaching and an Honours Degree in Communication (Media Studies), Carol has completed several courses through the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Devoting more than thirty years to the research of the history of Greece’s Jewish communities and their near-destruction during the WWII Holocaust, Carol continues on her mission to present the Shira’s Journey Project to local and international audiences of all ages, and sharing the little-known history of these once vibrant and dynamic communities.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON CAROL’S RESEARCH WORK REGARDING JEWS IN GREECE?

Shira’s Journey
http://shirasjourney.com

Following Shira’s Journey: A Greek Jewish Odyssey
https://youtu.be/OrVQaHWsxI8 – English subtitles

https://youtu.be/O8CTpI86eUs – Greek subtitles

WILL THERE BE TIME FOR ME TO EXPLORE GREECE ON MY OWN?

Although this tour is quite comprehensive and very focused on the Greek Jewish experience during WWII, there will definitely be some time left for you to explore the places we visit on your own.

DOES THE COST INCLUDE AIRFARES?

International airfares are not included, although Touchdown Tours can definitely help you with your travel plans to and from Athens to meet the group.
Domestic airfares within Greece, which are necessary for travel as part of the tour, are definitely included in the overall cost of the tour.

ARE THERE SPECIAL GUIDES ON THIS TOUR?

The tour guides on this trip have been carefully selected with knowledge of the Greek Jewish experience during the WWII Holocaust. Guides in Athens, Ioannina, Rhodes and Thessaloniki are Greek Jews themselves, who are still active in their own communities today with their own family histories. They have a both, personal as well as factual historical knowledge on the subject of the Jewish heritage in Greece.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHO IS THE TOUR LEADER ON THIS TRIP?

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON CAROL’S RESEARCH WORK REGARDING JEWS IN GREECE?

WILL THERE BE TIME FOR ME TO EXPLORE GREECE ON MY OWN?

DOES THE COST INCLUDE AIRFARES?

ARE THERE SPECIAL GUIDES ON THIS TOUR?

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