This is a sample itinerary, customized for each client. Very popular for river cruise passengers pre and post cruise to add to Danube Cruise
Budapest has the biggest Jewish community in Central Europe, with an active religious, artistic and historical heritage.
Day 1
After breakfast meeting with the guide at hotel’s reception. Your guide is Jewish art historian.
Visiting Great Synagogue, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue (visit included in the price). It is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world. Followed by a visit in the Jewish Museum (visit included in the price), which occupies only four rooms but contains an impressive visual overview of the long history of Jews in Hungary. Behind the synagogue is the Holocaust Memorial, the leaves of the weeping willow bear the names of the victims of the Holocaust.
Further sights during the visit: The Jewish Cemetery (visit included in the price) is located in the back yard of the Heroes’ Temple, enclosed by the Jewish Museum and the Dohany synagogue. This graveyard is the result of tragic historical events during World War II. Furthermore visit at the Raul Wallenberg Memorial Park (visit included in the price) with the Tree of Life which was created to remind us of those who perished in the war.
We pass by the Heroes’ Temple (from the outside), which was added the Dohány Street Synagogue complex in 1931. The Heroes’ Temple designed by Lázlo Vágó and Ferenc Faragó, serves as a memorial to Hungarian Jews who gave their lives during World War I.
We continue our walk to the old-new Jewish Quarter, which was used as a ghetto during the World War II. and it hosts synagogues, monuments, kosher restaurants, and shops. We will see the Carl Lutz Memorial, visit the Rumbach Street Synagogue (visit included in the price), walk along Király Street and have a look at the Gozsdu Court. Followed by a visit at the Orthodox synagogue of Kazinczy street (visit included in the price). The synagogue, with its secessionist, modern façade, was designed by Béla Löffler and Sándor Löffler and is still the most important place of worship for the Orthodox community of Budapest.
Lunch in a restaurant in the city centre (Included in the cost 3-course without beverages).
After visiting the historical Jewish Quarter, tour will be continued in new Leopold town situated on The Pest bank of the Danube opposite of Margaret Island. Most of the Jewish inhabitants of the city live here. In 1944 this part of the city became a so called “international getto” with protected houses. These were under protection of the country which they belonged to. Here in the Saint Stephen Park the bronze statue of Raoul Wallenberg was set up who saved thousands of Jewish lives.
The tour is followed on the Danube Promenade by the Shoes Monument. Created by Gyula Pauer
Back to hotel late afternoon.
Day 2
After breakfast meeting with the guide at the hotel.
Drive to the Kozma Street Cemetery, which is the biggest Jewish cemetery of Budapest. The Jewish cemetery, one of the largest in Europe, is well-known for its unusual monuments and mausoleums. Unusually for a Jewish cemetery, these include sculpted human figures and elaborate mausoleums in a variety of styles, most notably several mausoleums in the art nouveau or Jugendstil style. Kozma Street Cemetery was opened in 1891 by the Neolog (reform) Jewish community of Budapest. During its history it has been the burial place of more than 300,000 people.
Followed by a Visit at the Holocaust Memorial Center. The permanent exhibition ‘From Deprivation of Rights to Genocide’ – to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust in Hungary” is placed in the Holocaust Memorial Center’s 1500 m2 basement exhibition hall and the greater part of the Páva Synagogue. The 8 meter tall wall surrounding the courtyard of the Memorial Center serves as a memento for the Hungarian victims of the Holocaust. The names of the victims are engraved onto the glass wall.
Lunch in the city centre.
After lunch visit at the Bálint Jewish Community Centre – The Bálint Jewish Community Center was created in October 1994, through the generous support of the Bálint family, JBF and JDC. The JCC changed its strategies and direction in 2005 and decided on the main points of its mission: to become an incubator for Jewish organizations, to seek partnerships, to provide services for different age groups.
Followed by drive to the Buda side: Visit at the Medieval House of Prayer – The Medieval Jewish Prayer House is located in the northern part of the Buda Castle District, in Táncsics utca. The tiny Sephardic prayer house was just one of many Jewish places of worship in the area. During the 150-year long Turkish rule in Hungary, many synagogues and Jewish family houses were built here, as Jews held important positions in trade with the Turks. Unfortunately, nearly all of these buildings were destroyed during the 1686 siege of Buda and the persecution of Jews that followed. The prayer house was rebuilt from its ruins at the beginning of the 18th century as a residential house, and its original function was only revealed during an excavation project in the 1960-s. Nearby excavations unearthed a larger synagogue’s keystone nearby; the items found there are part of the prayer house’s collection today (tombstones with Hebrew inscriptions and carvings). The Medieval House of Prayer will only will be visited from the outside inclusive its courtyard!
Followed by a short stop at the Statue of Raoul Wallenberg on the Buda side.
Return to hotel late afternoon.
Day 3
After breakfast sightseeing tour in Budapest, visiting the famous sights of the capital: Heroes Square, Andrássy út with the Opera House, Parliament and with walking at the Vaci Street- pedestrian area.
Visit at the Parliament. The main style of the building is neo-gothic with renaissance influences, but the base ground plan is Baroque. A strong Byzantine influence is noticeable in the interior of the building, especially in the marvelously decorated staircase hall.
Possibility for a walk in the city centre (without guide) and lunch individually.
The sightseeing follows on the Buda side with the Castle District. Sights: Castle of Buda & Fishermen’s Bastion.
The sightseeing includes our II. Part of Jewish Heritage sites in Budapest with the Medieval House of Prayer. It was uncovered in the course of archaeological investigations in 1964. One part currently houses a museum, with an exhibit of Jewish relics and gravestones, the other part was reburied.
Day 4
departure
After breakfast drive to the airport of Budapest and homeward journey.
Optional: if you extend your stay, we can add on other sightseeing:
- Art and Music
- Art Nouveau (Jugendstil)
- Architecture
- Communism tour
- Wine tours
- Visit Szentendre- little scenic town, with shopping opportunities. The town charms with its mediterranean atmosphere, it is also famous as a town of arts with its baroque churches and with the number of museums.
- Godollo – Hungarian Versailles
- Eger On the way visit at the Sissi Castle in Gödöllő . Eger is one of the most popular parts of Hungary, especially for excursions. In the area of its wineyards there are plenty of wine cellars. For relaxing there are lovely spas in the town and numerous historical monuments can be find. Visitation of the Dome, which is the second biggest church of the country(optional). In the late afternoon layover at the famous wine-valley ˝Szépasszony˝ (Pretty woman). Dinner with election of the wine-knight in a ˝cellar restaurant˝. Brandy and wine tasting are included. After dinner getting back to Budapest.
- Danube Bend – Szentendre, Esztergom, Visegrád. After breakfast drive to Szentendre. Sightseeing in the little scenic town, with shopping opportunities. The town charmes with its mediterranean atmosphere, it is also famous as a town of arts with its baroque churches and with the number of museums. Followed by a tour towards Esztergom through the Pilis-mountains. Visit at the biggest cathedral of Hungary. Drive to Visegrád, the one-time residence of the Hungarian king. Participation at a knight’s tournament, at the lower castle. Finally dinner at the Renaissance Restaurant – king’s cheer (3 course menu with brandy, white- and red wine without stint, water and coffee)
- Pusta – It is a green island in the Hungarian “desert”. Its rare flora and fauna are part of the UNESCO heritage. See horse show performed by the Hungarian “wranglers”, in traditional costume. Introduction into a shepherd’s life, romantic on the pusta, with donkeys, horses and with the famous attraction, the Pusta eight. Promenade to an original farmhouse, guests will get acquainted with the life in days of old on a Hungarian farm. The host is waiting for the guests with scone and wine. Dinner: Hungarian goulash, mixed meat-plate with salad and garnish, confectionery with apricot jam
Kosher meals provided on request.
Evening entertainment (opera, classical music, folklore, dinner cruise with show).
As you can see, you can easily spend a week in Hungary!