Central Europe

10 day Jewish Tours to Central Europe:

A Journey Through Jewish Heritage in Central Europe

This tour takes you through the heart of Central Europe, tracing centuries of Jewish life, culture, and resilience. From the bustling streets of Budapest to the elegant avenues of Vienna and the historic neighborhoods of Prague, the tour offers a rich blend of cities steeped in history, memory, and heritage. Explore elegant synagogues, historic cemeteries, and museums that preserve the stories of communities that, before the Holocaust, were at the center of European Jewish life. This tour offers a profound encounter with the rich tapestry of Jewish history in remarkable places, including Mikulov, the birthplace of the legendary Rabbi Loew (the “Maharal”), and Třebíč, the only Jewish site outside Israel on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

EXPLORE OUR 7 DAY TOURS TO CENTRAL EUROPE

EXPLORE OUR TOURS TO HUNGARY AND ROMANIA

Day 1 Monday Arrival in Budapest

Arrive in Budapest, once home to one of Europe’s largest and most influential Jewish populations. Before the Shoah, more than 200,000 Jews thrived here, shaping the city’s culture, economy, and intellectual currents. From majestic synagogues and vibrant yeshivot to neighborhood shtiebels, Jewish life pulsed through the city. After transferring to the elegant hotel, settle in and enjoy the atmosphere of a city where Jewish history and memory are woven into every street. Dinner. Kempinski Corvinus Hotel

Day 2 Tuesday Budapest

This morning, explore Pest’s historic Jewish Quarter. Begin at the Rumbach Street Synagogue, a Moorish Revival jewel that has been recently restored, and continue to the Kazinczy Synagogue, a center of Orthodox life. The highlight is the Dohány Street Synagogue, Europe’s largest, whose grandeur reflected the confidence of 19th-century Hungarian Jewry. Within its complex, pause at the silver-leafed Tree of Life Memorial, honoring Holocaust victims, and visit Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park, where the heroism of the Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in 1944 is honored. Just steps away sits the house where Theodor Herzl was born, connecting Budapest to the roots of modern Zionism. Conclude with a visit to the haunting Shoes on the Danube Memorial, commemorating the Jews murdered on the riverbank during the war. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Kempinski Corvinus Hotel.

Day 3 Wednesday Budapest

Begin the day with a drive along stately Andrássy Avenue to Heroes’ Square, then cross the Danube into Buda. Visit the Medieval Synagogue, one of the earliest remnants of Jewish presence here, before ascending to the Castle District with its cobbled streets, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion, offering panoramic views of the city below. Descend Castle Hill on the funicular and return to the hotel. The afternoon is at leisure to wander, shop, or discover Budapest’s cafés and cultural treasures. Kempinski Corvinus Hotel.

Day 4 Thursday Budapest to Vienna

Depart Budapest by bus and cross into Austria, arriving in Vienna, which, before the Holocaust, was home to a thriving Jewish community of over 180,000. Begin with a panoramic drive along the legendary Ringstrasse and through Leopoldstadt, once the vibrant heart of Jewish life in the city. Start your walking tour at the site of the former Gestapo Headquarters, a stark reminder of darker times, before visiting the Stadttempel—Vienna’s only surviving pre-war synagogue. Today it serves not only as a place of prayer but also as the home of the Community Offices and Chief Rabbinate. Continue to the Wiesenthal Institute, dedicated to preserving memory and justice, before checking in at your centrally located hotel. Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof.

Day 5 Friday Vienna

Enjoy a walking tour through Vienna’s Old Town, following the traces of Jewish life and resilience across centuries. Visit the Memorial at Judenplatz, a solemn tribute to the horrors of the Holocaust, and descend into the underground Jewish Medieval Museum, located on the very site where Jewish life flourished in the Middle Ages. Continue past the Monument Against War and Fascism, then explore the Jewish Museum on Dorotheergasse, showcasing collections from the city’s rich Jewish heritage. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. In the evening, gather for a traditional Friday night Shabbat dinner. Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof.

Day 6 Saturday Vienna

Spend a full day at leisure exploring Vienna at your own pace. You may choose to visit the city’s renowned museums—from Freud’s former home (and practice) to the artistic treasures of the Belvedere and Leopold Museum—or wander the elegant pedestrian avenues, pausing at the iconic coffee houses once frequented by Jewish writers, thinkers, and musicians who helped shape Vienna’s cultural and intellectual life. This is a day to immerse yourself in the city while reflecting on its layered history. Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof.

Day 7 Sunday Vienna – Trebic – Prague

Drive to the former Jewish Homelands along the Austrian and the Czech Republic border, known as Moravia. Visit Mikulov (known in Yiddish as “Nikolshburg”), still the hub of Czech wine production. Its heritage boasts the legendary scholar, Rabbi Loew — also known as “the Maharal” — who lived here for two decades, composing philosophical and religious treatises. Visit the synagogue and one of the Czech Republic’s largest and best-preserved Jewish cemeteries. Continue to Třebíč, (only Jewish site on UNESCO Heritage list outside of Israel). The harmonious ensemble of the Jewish Quarter, the old Jewish cemetery, and the Basilica of St Procopius in Třebíč serves as a reminder of the co-existence of Jewish and Christian cultures. Later in the afternoon, continue to Prague and check in at the hotel located on the riverbank in the former Jewish Quarter, known as Josefhof. President Hotel.

Day 8 Monday Prague

Today features a tour in the uniquely preserved Jewish Quarter, which survived due to the Nazi’s intention of making Prague a museum of the “Vanished Jewish Race.” This area is actually an unmissable sight for tourists of all religions. Stroll the streets and visit the Maisel, Spanish, Pinkas, and Klaus Synagogues, and the oldest existing synagogue still offering services, the Old-New (“Alt-Neu”) Synagogue. Prague’s Jewish Museum utilizes these synagogues as exhibits, boasting one of the world’s most impressive Judaica collections. Visit the 15th-century cemetery, the burial place for many of Prague’s famous Jews, including Rabbi Loew. In the afternoon, transfer to Hradčany Hill on the west bank of the Vltava River. Explore the Castle area, today, the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic, and view its government buildings. Admire St. Vitus Cathedral, then descend on foot to Lesser Town and cross the historic Charles Bridge. Return via the Old Town Square to the hotel. President hotel.

Day 9 Tuesday Prague – Terezin – Prague

This morning, depart for Terezín (Theresienstadt), a former fortress transformed into a “model” ghetto and deportation camp during the Holocaust. Tour the barracks, the Ghetto Museum, with art and poetry created by imprisoned Jewish children. Later, return to Prague and enjoy time at leisure in the afternoon. The day concludes with a Farewell Dinner.  President hotel.

Day 10 Wednesday Prague – Home flights

Transfer to the airport and check in for your flight.