podtour
Legends from the Capitoline to the Mouth of Truth
You start at the foot of the long staircase up to the Aracoeli, where the Middle Ages placed Augustus before a sibyl.
Rome's Ghetto and Tiber Island: audio walk in Rome
Rome's Jewish community in the neighbourhood where it was shut in: a fountain taken away from it, a house that spoke of "the forum of the Jews", five synagogues in a single building, 16 October 1943 and an invented disease in the island's hospital.
What this walk is about
You start in Piazza Mattei, at a fountain that was meant for the Jewish square and ended up at a nobleman's door. A house from 1468 calls the square "the forum of the Jews" nearly ninety years before the ghetto; at Cinque Scole you find out what changed with the papal bull of 1555: walls, gates locked at night and five synagogues under one roof. You pass the Cenci palace, the Great Synagogue that was meant to be "clearly visible", the Portico of Octavia turned into a fish market and the courtyard of number 13, where Settimio Calò's story begins. After the church of the compulsory sermons, you cross a bridge signed more than two thousand years ago onto an island linked with healing since antiquity. You look out from the island's other bridge, the Ponte Cestio, rebuilt with a third of its old stones and leading to Rome's other Jewish neighbourhood, Trastevere, and you finish in front of the hospital where, in 1943, a doctor invented a disease.
- Start
- The fountain that changed squares
- Finish
- The invented illness called Syndrome K
- Who it is for
- For anyone interested in Jewish history, memory and neighbourhood life. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The fountain that changed squares
- 2
A house dated from Romulus
- 3
One doorway, five synagogues
- 4
Beatrice Cenci: the trial and the legend
- 5
A synagogue meant to be seen
- 6
From Augustus's gift to the fish market
- 7
The courtyard at number 13
- 8
Forced to listen to sermons
- 9
The bridge with a signature
- 10
An island shaped like a ship
- 11
The other bridge, the other neighbourhood
- 12
The invented illness called Syndrome K
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Rome, before you go
Rome calls for a water bottle, reliable shoes and room for a detour. Its squares link up on foot; the hills and sunshine decide how many you will enjoy in a day.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.