Jewish Europe
13-days tour
Budapest – Vienna – Prague – Berlin
Eastern Europe offers a wide range of cultural,
political and scenic variety. But also the Jewish life and culture has played
important role – and it still does. During your trip to Budapest, Vienna,
Prague and Berlin you will get an insight of these fascinating capitols – from
the beautiful city at the Danube, to the coffeehouse and music culture of
Vienna up to Germany’s largest city Berlin. Come and experience the
pearls of Eastern Europe.
Day 1: Arrival in Budapest
Arrival at the airport of Budapest where you will be met by your English-speaking tour leader. Transfer to the hotel and check-in.
Day 2: Budapest
After breakfast whole day sightseeing tour through Budapest including the City Park, Andrássy Boulevard with the opera, St.-Stephans-Basilica, the Buda Castle district with the St. Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion. Lunch at the market hall/pedestrian zone. Of course, you will also visit the Jewish quarter on the “Pest” side of the city. In the evening you will have dinner at a kosher restaurant.
Day 3: Budapest and Szentendre
Start the day with a visit of the Hungarian Parliament. Afterwards you will see the memorial “Glashaus” that once belonged to a Jewish family. During WWII a department of the Swiss consulate was established there and Carl Lutz and others saved up the life of thousands in this house. In the afternoon drive to Szentendre, a picturesque artists’ village on the Danube. After returning to Budapest, you will enjoy a boat ride on the Danube (including a welcome-drink).
Day 4: Bratislava and Vienna
After breakfast check-out of the hotel and depart Budapest. On your way to Vienna, you will stop in Bratislava for a city-tour. In the afternoon you will arrive in Vienna and check in at your hotel. In the evening you have the opportunity to an optional visit of a Mozart and Strauss concert at the Wiener Hofburg.
Day 5: Vienna (Music and coffeehouse culture)
As Vienna is considered to be the world’s main city of music the morning is dedicated to “music in Vienna”. While wandering from the State Opera via the “Musikmeile Wien” and the “Mozarthaus Wien” you will learn why so many famous artists met in the “city of waltz”. And what about today’s musical culture of Vienna? In the afternoon you will do another walk in the city. Being also known for the
coffee-house culture Vienna offers a lot of stories and anecdotes related to coffeehouse guests, literary figures and artists. After this tour you will stop for a break in a typical Viennese coffeehouse and enjoy a cup of the delicious coffee and a cake.
Day 6: Jewish Vienna
Only a few European cities are as closely connected with Jewish history as Vienna. Despite the fact that thousands of Jews fled or were murdered during WWII a lot of Jewish influences survived and the Jewish everyday life is again part of the city. This tour gives you an impressive insight into the Jewish heritage of Vienna and shows you how Jews lived in the past and how they do today. The walk leads you to the Holocaust Memorial at Judenplatz, the City Temple of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (Israeli Religious Community) and via the Danube canal into “Leopoldstadt” where you can find an active Jewish Community of today. In order to get a general overview of the city you will do a city-tour with the bus in the afternoon including the visit of “Schloss Schönbrunn”, empress Sissi’s former summer residence. Dinner in a kosher restaurant.
Day 7: Prague
Check-out after breakfast and leave Vienna. In the afternoon, you will arrive in Prague. After check-in to your hotel, you will meet the guide for a panorama tour / city tour by foot.
Day 8: Jewish Prague
Spend the whole day in Prague and see the highlights of the city from the Jews point of view: you will visit the Prague Castle (seat of the President and several government offices), follow the footsteps of Franz Kafka in the Old City and see the Jewish Quarter that comprises the most well-preserved complex of Jewish historical monuments in whole Europe. There you will visit the Jewish Museum and the Synagogue as well as the Jewish Cemetery where you can find the grave of Rabbi Loew for example.
Day 9: Rakovnik and Terezin
After breakfast you will leave Prague for visiting its surroundings. First stop is Rakovnik (about 60 km east of Prague) where you will visit the Jewish ghetto, the synagogue, the Rabas Gallery and the Jewish Cemetery. In the afternoon you will continue to Terezin (Theresienstadt) which was founded as a garnison town by the Habsburgs at the end of the 18th century. During the Holocaust, their residents were evicted in order to make it a detention centre for Jews from all over Europe. Monuments, cemeteries and a museum remind of the former ghetto and the people that died there. Dinner at a kosher restaurant in Prague
Day 10: Berlin
Check-out and departure for Berlin. After check-in at your hotel. the afternoon is at leisure.
Day 11: Jewish Heritage in Berlin
Jewish heritage is strong in Berlin and has a special and unique history: from the days of the Enlightenment, through the horrible time of the Holocaust, up to the revival of today’s life. You will see the ancient Jewish Cemetery, the magnificent New Synagogue, the Jewish Museum.
Day 12: Highlights of Berlin
The last day of your trip is dedicated to the highlights of Berlin. During a city tour you will see: Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, TV Tower, Alexandersquare, Kurfuerstendamm, the Wall, the Dome and the Holocaust Memorial. Farewell-dinner in Berlin.
Day 13: Departure
Transfer to Berlin airport and flight back to the US.
