Journey into the heart of Eastern Europe and delve deep into the history, rich culture, music, art and daily lives of your Jewish ancestors—and the Jewish people—on this comprehensive 15-day tour of Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Kraków and Warsaw.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Budapest
Fly through the night to Hungary.
Day 2 - Budapest
Land at Budapest’s airport and meet your Go Ahead representative. After hotel check-in, meet your fellow travelers at tonight’s included dinner. (B in flight, D)
Day 3 - Budapest
This morning's guided tour highlights the major landmarks of both Buda and Pest. Begin by tracing the stormy history of this fiercely independent nation on your stop at Heroes Square. Then tour the lavishly decorated interior of the Parliament building, modeled after London’s Palace of Westminster. Next, cross the Danube and arrive in Buda, where you'll ascend imposing Castle Hill to see the Royal Palace. This castle has witnessed several invasions, the most recent having occurred during World War II. Finally, pass by the Great Synagogue on your way to the Shoes Monument at the Holocaust Memorial, where you can bear witness to the lives lost under the Nazi regime. (B)
Day 4 - Budapest
During your free day in Budapest, continue your personal exploration of the city. You might choose to browse through the shops on Budapest’s sophisticated pedestrian shopping streets, take a short journey outside of the city to the Vadaskert (Game Park) or tour the Jewish Museum. You may also opt for an excursion to the Jewish Ghetto, including stops at the Dohany Street—or Great—Synagogue. Lunch is included on this excursion. (B)
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Call for price |
Jewish Ghetto of Budapest
Visit the Jewish ghetto the Nazis established around the Great Synagogue in 1944, where 200,000 Jews were forced to live in an area measuring a few square blocks. You'll also visit the area's main synagogues.
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Day 5 - Vienna
Travel west across the Danube basin to Vienna, capital of Austria and home to chocolates and cafés, parks and pastries. Your tour director will introduce you to the city, stopping at the Holocaust Memorial and visiting Vienna’s Jewish Museum. (B, D)
Day 6 - Vienna
Included this morning is a comprehensive tour of Vienna, led by a professional local guide. Highlights include the Opera House, the majestic monuments of the Ringstrasse, and the Hofburg, once the hub of Imperial power. Inside the regal Schönbrunn Palace, where Marie-Antoinette spent her childhood, view the private chambers of the Empress Maria Theresa and the lavishly decorated public rooms. Your afternoon is free for a stroll through the Stadtpark or a horse-drawn carriage ride to St. Stephan’s Cathedral. This evening, opt to attend our traditional “Heurigen” dinner. (B)
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$89 USD |
Heurigen Evening
Drive down Vienna's "Ring," an area of wide boulevards, then continue to the scenic village of Grinzing for a traditional Austrian dinner.
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Day 7 - Vienna
Spend the day at your leisure in Vienna; consider a visit to the Sacher Hotel for a taste of Sachertorte, the decadent dessert invented in the hotel kitchen. Or join an optional full-day walking tour of Bratislava, the Slovakian capital including the Jewish cemetery. (B)
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$109 USD |
Bratislava
Take a guided tour of Slovakia's capital where you'll visit the famous Hall of Mirrors and the Old Town.
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Day 8 - Prague
Depart Vienna and enjoy a relaxing drive through the pastoral landscapes of Bohemia en route to Prague, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. (B, D)
Day 9 - Prague
Visit Hradcany Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral on a guided tour of Prague. Continue along the Coronation Route and down the Golden Lane. This afternoon, join an optional excursion through Prague’s Jewish Quarter followed by an included lunch. (B)
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$59 USD |
Walking tour of Prague's Jewish Quarter
Follow a local expert guide through the streets of Josefov, Prague’s Jewish Quarter, nestled between the Vltava River’s right bank and the Old Town Square.
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Day 10 - Prague
With a free day in Prague, you might choose to relax at a welcoming sidewalk café or take a walk along the riverbanks. Alternatively, choose to journey into the countryside for an optional excursion to Therensienstadt, a historic fortress that served as a concentration camp during World War II. This evening, opt to join an excursion to a 17th-century villa for dinner and a classical music concert. (B)
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$119 USD |
Dinner at the Villa
Visit one of the beautiful villas north of Prague. After your guided tour of the elegant halls and gardens, take in a live
performance of classic music. Dinner is included following the concert.
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Call for price |
Therensienstadt
On this full-day optional excursion, journey to Therensienstadt, a
historic fortress that served as a concentration camp during World War
II. Originally built as a fortress to keep the Prussians out of Bohemia, Therensienstadt eventually became one of Europe’s most devastating war camps.
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Day 11 - Krakow
Depart from Prague and pass through the dramatic landscapes of Moravia before reaching Krakow. Enjoy an included dinner this evening. (B, D)
Day 12 - Krakow
Today's guided tour of Krakow introduces you to Wawel Hill, perched high above the Vistula River. Visit Wawel Cathedral, where Polish kings were crowned. Pope John Paul II once served as archbishop here. Stroll through Glowny Square, passing beautiful Sukiennice Cloth Hall and the Jagiellonian University on your way to the enamelware factory where Oskar Schindler was able to save over 1,000 Jews from transport to the Platzow Concentration Camp in Krakow. This afternoon, you can bear witness to life in the camps on an optional excursion to the former concentration camp of Auschwitz. (B)
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$65 USD |
Auschwitz
*A Go Ahead Favorite excursion!*
Pay your respects to the Jews who perished in the Nazi death camps on your visit to Auschwitz today, a somber place that reminds anyone who passes under the sign “Arbeit Macht Frei”, or “work makes (one) free,” never to forget the horrors of the Holocaust.
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Day 13 - Warsaw
Spend the morning exploring the Jewish Quarter of Krakow on a walking tour, including a stop at the Remuh Synagogue, an elegant 16th-century synagogue that is the only one in the city still in active use. Later, arrive in the capital city of Warsaw. Your tour director will assist with hotel check-in, after which dinner is included. (B, D)
Day 14 - Warsaw
Today’s guided tour of Warsaw takes you to Lazienki Park and through the Old Town to Starego Miasta Square, lined with Renaissance façades and baroque townhouses. At the Warsaw Historical Museum, see exhibits reflecting Poland’s perseverance in overcoming the effects of two World Wars and the Nazi occupation. This evening, opt for a traditional Polish dinner and Chopin recital. (B)
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$99 USD |
Chopin Recital & Dinner
Enjoy a delightful recital of some of Chopin’s best loved music in an authentic age-old Polish castle and a dinner of local specialties at one of Warsaw’s fine restaurants.
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Day 15 - Warsaw
Transfer to the airport for departure or continue to Berlin on our tour extension. (B)
Extend Your Stay
Add 3 nights in Berlin for only $439 USD (Single room: add $120 USD)
Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin is a city that pulses with life; it is a city that never sleeps. The capital of Germany is paved with cobbled streets dating back 750 years. Yet a fresh vibrancy is everywhere: on the boulevards, in the art and flea markets, in the 300 trendy night-spots and the 7,000 pubs and restaurants. This revitalized Berlin has been called the "New York City" of Europe—and is an excellent destination for every traveler.