Jewish Heritage Tours in Central Europe
Jewish Tours to Budapest, Vienna and Prague

Jewish Tours in Central Europe rank high on the list for Jewish travelers. Budapest, Vienna and Prague rank indisputably as three of Europe's most culturally glorious cities. This tour is historically and visually rich, with ample time to enjoy art, architecture, music and food in every locale. From the fascinating and authentic city that created Kafka, to the sensuous, rich feel of Hungary and the old-world sophistication, music and coffeehouse culture of Vienna, you will feel spoiled with sensuous delights in every destination. Jewish Heritage is strong here, woven like a golden thread throughout this part of the world. You will be filled with a feeling of being somewhere you have been before, as though in a dream. Come find a charm only rarely experienced in the modern world.

Day 01 Wednesday Departure USA
Departure on your connecting flight to Budapest.

Day 02 Thursday Arrival in Budapest
Arrival in Budapest Airport. Upon arrival, you are greeted by your Tour Director, who will make you feel comfortable in the city that houses Eastern Europe's largest Jewish Community. Get a first introduction to this majestic place during an orientation tour, before checking in at your luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. Remainder of the day at leisure. In the evening, time for Welcome Dinner. Marriott / Kempinski Hotel.

Day 03 Friday Budapest
After Breakfast at the hotel, depart on a Jewish tour in Budapest. Visit the birthplace of Theodore Herzl, the Jewish Museum, and the lavishly decorated Dohany Synagogue - where Liszt and Saint-Saens used to play the organ. Continue to the touching Weeping Willow Memorial Tree, dedicated to the 600,000 Hungarian Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Later, take a short walk in the former Jewish area, still filled with dozens of Synagogues and small shtiebls devoted to studies of the Torah. Lunch will be served during the tour. Now, drive to the hilly Buda side of the city to enjoy panoramic views of Budapest and the Danube River (which divides the city into "Buda" and "Pest"). Continue to Castle Hill, where the Emperors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire once ruled one of Europe's most powerful entities. Pass the impressive Royal Palace and the richly-decorated St. Matthias Church, entering Fisherman's Bastion and the Citadel for spectacular views of some of Budapest's most famous buildings. En route back to Pest, visit the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial, commemorating the noble Swedish diplomat, rescuer of thousands of our people during the Holocaust. Remainder of the day at leisure. Marriott / Kempinski Hotel.

Day 04 Saturday Budapest
Breakfast. Enjoy a full day of leisure in this elegant city. In the morning, you can choose to join the Shabbat services in one of Budapest's many synagogues. Later, you may take the opportunity to browse in the colorful and busy shopping district, with its many pedestrian streets and markets. Marriott / Kempinski Hotel.

Day 05 Sunday Budapest - Vienna
Breakfast. Depart Budapest and drive through the Hungarian countryside towards the Austrian border - the symbolic division between Eastern and Western Europe. Continue to Vienna, one of Europe's most glorious cities, famed for its world-class music, art, and gracious blend of baroque and contemporary architecture. Upon arrival, visit the imposing Schonbrunn Palace and its attractive surrounding Gardens. Schonbrunn, majestically baroque, was used as the summer residence of the powerful Hapsburg Dynasty, and is now listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Later, drive along the elegant Ringstrasse, recognized as one of the most beautiful boulevards in the world, past the State Opera, the two State Museums, Hofburg Palace, City Hall, National Theater and University, stopping at the famous, highly unusual Hundertwasser House. Time to rest and admire Hundertwasser's distinctive sense of color and shape, before continuing along the Ringstrasse, past the Museum of Applied Arts, the renowned Musikverein and Charles Church. Stop at the Hofburg Palace, former Winter Residence of the Hapsburgs, built originally in the 13th century, and frequently enlarged throughout the following 600 years. During your short walk in the extravagant courtyards, you can admire the vast complex of buildings which went through several stages of construction. Continue to your hotel in the heart of the city, located right on the famous Ringstrasse and Vienna's historic town area. Check-in to the hotel in the late afternoon. In the evening, enjoy Dinner in a local restaurant. Vienna Hilton Plaza Hotel.

Day 06 Monday Vienna
Breakfast. Your Jewish tour of Vienna begins in the Leopoldstadt area, once the center of Jewish life, and the place where many famous Jewish personalities were born or lived. Continue to the site where the Gestapo Headquarters once stood, where you will begin your walking tour of Jewish life in the past and present. Visit Vienna's only surviving pre-war Synagogue, the Stadtempel, which today also houses the Community Offices and Chief Rabbinate. Then, walk towards Judenplatz, where Medieval Jewish traditions and presence thrived until 1421, when the City Temple was destroyed. Today, this vast open square is dominated by the touching new Holocaust Memorial; several prominent Jewish organizations have returned to the surrounding buildings. Along squares and narrow quaint streets, see Vienna's most impressive landmark, St. Stephen's Cathedral, before arriving at the Jewish Museum. Besides its rich collection of Judaica, the Museum also chronicles the story of Viennese Jewry and their impact on the development of this city. Names like Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Martin Buber, and Stefan Zweig will forever be associated with the cultural prominence of Vienna. Afternoon at leisure to enjoy this grand city or to experience Vienna's famous coffeehouses and exquisite 3,000 calorie cakes (worth it!). Vienna Hilton Plaza Hotel.

Day 07 Tuesday Vienna - Prague
Breakfast. Leave Vienna and drive towards the Czech Republic, now also a member of the European Community. Sit back and relax as you drive past historic towns and fertile farmland in a picturesque and hilly area. Arrive in magnificent Prague, and check-in at the luxurious hotel situated in the very center of town, as well as within the Jewish Historic Quarter, home to such Jewish literary luminaries as Franz Kafka. As an introduction to Prague, join a brief walking tour to Wenceslas Square and the famed Town Hall Square in the Historic District. Prague is a wonderful city to explore on foot, and it is always a treat to admire the town while walking at a reflective pace. Remainder of day at leisure. Inter-Continental Hotel.

Day 08 Wednesday Prague - Terezin - Prague
Breakfast. Today is dedicated to a Jewish tour in Prague. Begin in the uniquely-preserved Jewish Quarter, known as Josefhov, which survived, ironically, due to the Nazi's demonic intention of making Prague itself a museum of the "Vanished Jewish Race." The Jewish Quarter is actually one of the principal sights for tourists of all religions when touring Prague. Stroll the charming streets and visit the Maisel, Spanish, Pinkas, and Klaus Synagogues, the Ceremonial Hall, and the oldest existing Synagogue, the Old-New ("Alt-Neu") Synagogue. Prague's Jewish Museum uses several of these Synagogues as exhibits, and thus boasts one of the most extensive Judaica collections in the world. Also visit the striking Old Cemetery, dating back to the 15th century, which is the burial place for many of Prague's famous Jews, among them the legendary Rabbi Loew. Enjoy Lunch in a local restaurant. Later, depart for an excursion to Terezin (Theresienstadt). This former fortress was, on the order of Heydrich, transformed to a notorious "model" concentration camp, from which Jews from all parts of Europe were assembled while waiting to be transported to their deaths. The tour will include the barracks, crematorium, cemetery and Ghetto Museum, which contains a unique exhibition of art and poetry created by imprisoned Jewish children, as well as original Nazi documents. Later, return to Prague for an evening at leisure. Prague Inter-Continental Hotel.

Day 09 Thursday Prague
Breakfast. A short drive will bring you to the Prague Castle, situated on top of Hradcany Hill on the West Bank of the Vlatala River. Visit the imposing Castle, now the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic, as well as several government offices. Continue to the stunning St. Vitus Cathedral before walking towards the Lesser Town and its picturesque streets, typical baroque houses, and galleries featuring emerging local talent. Cross the historic and famed Charles Bridge, always crowded with visitors and artists showing their work. From here, continue to explore the delightful and colorful streets of Prague, or take the short walk back to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner. Prague Inter-Continental Hotel.

Day 10 Friday Prague - USA
Breakfast. Transfer to the Prague airport for the flight back to the USA.