SOUL SISTERS ITALY
Adath Jeshurun and the Women's Philanthropy department of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation are proud to offer a Women’s Jewish Heritage trip to Italy for women in the Minneapolis community!
This experience will feature all the things you love: incredible food and wine, unique cultural exchange, time to learn about the impact JDC makes in Italy, immersive Jewish learning, and off-the-beaten-path adventures—plus plenty of time to connect, reflect, and explore together.
We'll begin in the magical canals of Venice, traveling through Milan, Verona, Bologna, Florence, and the Tuscan countryside, before welcoming Shabbat in Rome. For those who wish to keep the adventure going, an optional Amalfi Coast add-on will be available.
Our journey is led by a female Jewish-Italian guide and infused with Jewish joy by Hazzan Joanna Dulkin.
PROGRAM ITINERARY
The following is our projected itinerary, subject to reasonable change based on local considerations
DAY #1 | THURSDAY, MARCH 12
Benvenuti a Venezia!
- Arrive to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport on your self-booked flights
Optional private transfers are available to our Venice hotel, or arrange your own taxi/Uber/water taxi - Group Meeting at 2:30pm
- Board a water taxi and sail to our first destination; Tour the Peggy Guggenheim Museum located on the Grand Canal
- Opening dinner at Gam Gam Restaurant in the Jewish Ghetto (kosher)
OVERNIGHT: VENICE, ITALY
Meals Included: Dinner
DAY #2 | FRIDAY, MARCH 13
The Jewish Story of Venice
- Trace the history of Venice’s Jewish community and the advent of the world’s first ghetto at the Museo Ebraico Di Venezia, and discover the Secret Garden on the Ghetto
- Afternoon: Embark on a tour of Venice’s waterways via traditional gondolas
- Evening: Option to attend local Kabbalat Shabbat services followed by Shabbat dinner at BaGhetto Restaurant in the historic Jewish Ghetto (kosher)
OVERNIGHT: VENICE, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY #3 | SATURDAY, MARCH 14
Shabbat in Venice
- Free morning to explore Venice on your own or attend local Shabbat services
- Lunch at Ghimmel Gardens Restaurant (kosher)
- Walking tour of Venice, including visits to Doge’s Palace and the Basilica Di San Marco
- Havdallah – Celebrate the start of a new week, followed by an evening of culture in Venice – attend a musical performance or art exhibit (TBD)
OVERNIGHT: VENICE, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY #4 | SUNDAY, MARCH 15
Islands of Venice
- Travel to Murano Island and visit a traditional Venetian glass-making factory
- Continue to Burano Island to take in its iconic brightly colored homes
- Weather permitting, stroll along the beaches of Lido Island
- Return to our hotel
- Evening: Free time for shopping and dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: VENICE, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY #5 | MONDAY, MARCH 16
Verona & Milan
- Depart Venice and travel towards Milan. stopping to view “Juliet’s Balcony” in Verona and breaking for lunch on your own along the way
- Explore Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy's oldest and grandest shopping arcade
OVERNIGHT: MILAN, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY #6 | TUESDAY, MARCH 17
In the Shadow of the Italian Alps
- Travel to Lake Maggiore in the Italian Alps highlands
- Board a ferry boat to the picturesque Isolla Bella and explore the island palace
- Continue to the lakefront town of Stresa for a group lunch overlooking the lake
- Explore the imposing castle at Rocca di Angerra, towering over Lake Maggiore
- Return to Milan – Free evening to enjoy dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: MILAN, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY #7 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
A Taste of Bologna
- Depart Milan and continue to Bologna – tour a balsamic vinegar factory en route
- Visit the University of Bologna – the world’s oldest university in continuous operation – followed by free time for lunch and exploration in Piazza Maggiore of Bologna
- Sample local gelato and learn how it’s made at Gelato Museum Carpigiani
- Evening: Check in to our hotel; Dinner at Ruth’s Restaurant in Florence (kosher)
OVERNIGHT: FLORENCE, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY #8 | THURSDAY, MARCH 19
Cultural Treasures of Florence
- Ascend the bell tower of Campanile Di Giotto for a panoramic view of Florence
- Explore the Ponte Vecchio bridge and the Renaissance-era Pitti Palace
- Learn about the area’s rich Jewish history at the Great Synagogue of Florence
- View Michelangelo’s David Statueat the Galleria Dell' Accademia
- Meet with traditional leather artisans at a local leather factory in Florence
- Learn how to make your own mouth-watering at an Italian pasta cooking workshop (and eat your creations for dinner!)
OVERNIGHT: FLORENCE, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY #9 | FRIDAY, MARCH 20
Tuscan Countryside
- Depart Florence and head south through the Tuscan countryside
- Continue to Florence, breaking for a guided tour and tasting at a winery estate
- Travel to the picturesque hillside town of Pitigliano – once known as “Little Jerusalem” – where we’ll learn about the historic Jewish community there
- Sample the local delicacy – “Sfratti” – a sweet biscuit in the shape of a rod with a poignant Jewish origin story
- Continue on to Rome – check in to our hotel
- Evening: Option to attend local Kabbalat Shabbat services followed by Shabbat dinner at Nonna Betta Restaurant in the Jewish Ghetto (kosher)
OVERNIGHT: ROME, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY #10 | SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Shabbat in the Jewish Quarter
- Your morning is free to explore Rome on your own or attend local Shabbat services
- Shabbat lunch is included at Taverna Del Ghetto Restaurant (kosher)
- Afternoon walking tour of the Pantheon Temple, the Fontana di Trevi, and Spanish Steps
- Spend the rest of the afternoon discovering high art and archaeology at the Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Altemps
- Evening: Attend a classical music performance in Rome (TBD)
OVERNIGHT: ROME, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY #11 | SUNDAY, MARCH 22
In the Footsteps of Ancient Rome
- Enter the world of Vatican City on a guided tour, including visits to St. Paul's Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel
- Walk in the footsteps of the Roman Empire at the Roman Forum and view the Arch of Titus, which vividly recounts the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman Empire
- Continue on a guided tour of the Coliseum, the epic building where Gladiators once fought
- Our day ends by ascending Palatine Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome, for a panoramic perspective on this ancient city
- Free evening for dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: ROME, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY #12 | MONDAY, MARCH 23
Tracing Jewish History
- Travel outside of Rome on the historic Appian Way to discover the underground history of Rome’s Jewish community at the 2nd-century Vigna Randanini Jewish Catacombs
- Return to Rome for a tasting tour at Campo dei Firori market
- Explore the Jewish Quarter of Rome, where we’ll learn about a unique Jewish heritage that predates Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions
- Visit the Great Synagogue of Rome, the Spanish Synagogue, and the Rome Jewish Museum
- Evening: Wrap-up conversation and closing group dinner celebration (kosher)
OVERNIGHT: ROME, ITALY
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY #13 | TUESDAY, MARCH 24
Arrivederci Italy!
Check out of the hotel following breakfast for your return flight or onward travel
Subject to interest, we expect to offer an optional 3-day extension to Naples and the Amalfi Coast
Meals Included: Breakfast
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- An educational guide escorts the group daily
- Centrally located premium hotels with porterage included
- Breakfast daily and additional meals according to the itinerary (kosher or vegetarian/fish)
- Luxury private air-conditioned touring bus
- All programming and site entrances according to the itinerary
- Security escort throughout our travels
- Wireless touring headsets
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from Europe
- Airport transfers
- Gratuities (suggested at $100-$150/traveler)
- Travel insurance (optional)
Insure your investment, and plan ahead for the unexpected with travel insurance - Hotel incidentals
TRAVELING TO EUROPE
Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Venice on arrival and out from Rome at the conclusion of the tour. Travelers are encouraged to arrive an evening in advance of the program start date to take advantage of the full touring program the following day. Group hotel rates are offered for those arriving early to Venice or staying on in Rome, subject to availability. Exact hotel details will be released approximately six months before the start of the tour.
Airport transfers are not included in the program package, however, we will provide guidance on how to make arrangements at the start and end of the tour, and we may designate a suggested community flight for which we will provide airport transfers. Travel guidance will be released approximately six months before the start of the tour.
TRIP COSTS
The Minneapolis Jewish Federation supports our entire Minneapolis Jewish community. Your trip registration fee includes a $180 donation to support Federation's efforts through the Women's Philanthropy department.
As a thank you to Italy trip travelers, all registered are invited to a special reception & pre-trip gathering at the Women of Intention event, October 23, 2025 at the Hutton House. Invitations will be sent closer to the event. Please save the date!
ENROLLMENT TERMS
- To reserve your spot, a $250/person fully refundable deposit is due at the time of your registration.
- The deposit becomes non-refundable as of October 12, 2025.
- The balance is due no later than December 12, 2025, after which all payments are non-refundable and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis at Authentic Israel's discretion.
- The main program is subject to a minimum participation of 25 travelers registered by October 12, 2025. We encourage travelers not to purchase non-refundable flights until the program is fully confirmed.
NOTE: Subject to interest, we expect to offer an optional 3-day extension to Naples and the Amalfi Coast at ~$2,000/person, with a minimum of 10 travelers - Cancellations must be made in writing, and we encourage you to obtain a travel insurance policy.
- Payments may be made by check or credit/debit card, however, a 3.5% processing fee applies for credit/debit card payments (does not apply to the $250 deposit).
NOTE: Credit/debit card fees are not refundable - Authentic Israel reserves the right to deny acceptance on the tour according to its sole discretion.
- All program costs are listed in US Dollars, and the program costs assume a minimum exchange rate floor of 1 Euro = $1.15