Europe is known for its exciting tours. They have ocean cruises, river cruises, bus tours – you name it, they have it. The region is a living and breathing relic that has striking heritage sites that are important to the Jewish people.

Going on Jewish heritage tours is a trend that has grown considerably as more Jews want to explore their ancestry while on vacation. 

Budapest and Vienna are some of the cities that rank high in must-visits for Jewish travelers. However, as much as it is exciting, going on a tour can be daunting especially if you have no idea what to expect. Here are some activities that you might be doing while you are learning more of your Jewish past.

Sacred Jewish sites include synagogues and historical places. Prepare yourself on a journey that will make yourself grateful that you are living in modern times. While many  Jewish communities in Europe have prospered, they have always faced great persecution in the past, the worst act of all being the Holocaust.

One notable Holocaust memorial in Budapest is the Shoes on the Danube. This gives remembrance to the 3500 people--of which 800 of them are Jews--who were shot in the Danube during the Arrow Cross terror.

You can also visit the Holocaust Memorial at Judenplatz or commonly known as Nameless Library. This memorial serves as a tribute to the 65,000 murdered Austrian Jews. 

Jewish museums are your windows to the past. Devoted to exploring the people, history, and happenings of the Jews, you will hear stories of success, sorrow, heroism and bravery as you study artifacts, photos and other exhibits that will serve as a tribute to the Jews in the past. 

You can visit the Jewish Museum at Palais Eskeles in Dorotheergasse where you can see great collections on Jewish history, religion, and exhibitions that cover various topics like Jewish architecture, literature and photography and art. 

Your journey is not complete if you won’t try the local kosher food. Homes to very large Jewish communities, Budapest and Vienna will offer you an authentic experience of the Jewish culture. You will see arrays of kosher bakeshops and kosher restaurants that serve local delicacies such as Mozart kugel, rum cakes, and a unique combination of seedless rye bread and sourdough called weinerbrot. 

Also, Vienna is the home of three of the biggest kosher supermarkets where you can buy varieties fresh and frozen kosher brands. 

You can never go wrong if you go to Budapest or Vienna for your Jewish Heritage Tour. These cities played an important role to the Jews in the past, thus you will not just have another memorable experience, you will also gain a new perspective when it comes to the ancient history of the Jews.   

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