Jewish Romania, Serbia, and Szeged (Hungary)
Tour Itinerary
Arrival and hotel accommodation. Depending on your arrival schedule, use some time in the afternoon to relax or walk through Bucharest’s city center. Our group will get together in the evening for introductions and our first group dinner. Overnight in Bucharest. Hilton Garden Inn Old Town 4*.
- Dinner
- Hilton Garden Inn Old Town
Our day is devoted to a combined exploration of Bucharest’s Jewish landmarks and sights of general historic and cultural significance. In the early twentieth century the city boasted over 60 Sephardic and Ashkenazi synagogues. Our stroll through Jewish Bucharest will take us to the ornate Choral Temple (1866), the Great (Polish) Synagogue, now housing the Holocaust museum, the Jewish museum, located in the United Holy Temple, and the renowned Yiddish State Theater, in the heart of the former Jewish quarter. The Lipscani district is one of the most vibrant areas of the city, with charming cobbled streets lined with cafes, restaurants, and bars. The capital’s boulevards, parks, and narrow streets grant the city a distinct Parisian flair, while the monumental architecture of the communist era – best exemplified by the colossal Palace of Parliament – is a stark reminder of Romania’s recent past. Overnight in Bucharest. Hilton Garden Inn Old Town 4*. [10 miles]
- Breakfast
- Hilton Garden Inn Old Town
- 10 miles
Today we head north through Wallachia toward the southern Carpathians. On our way lies Ploiești, where the world’s first oil refinery was built in 1856. (In 1944, the city was carpet bombed by the Allies.) The mountain resort of Sinaia is home to a 17th-century monastery, named after Mount Sinai. Nearby is also the 19th-century Peleș Castle, which King Carol I built as his summer retreat. Further along the way, we’ll visit Bran Castle – of mythic Dracula fame – set amidst breathtaking natural surroundings. Our final stop today is Brasov, one of the most fascinating cities in Transylvania. Overnight in Brasov. Radisson Blu Aurum Hotel 5*. [135 miles]
- Breakfast
- Radisson Blu Aurum Hotel
- 135 miles
Brasov’s picturesque old town will impress you with its Gothic Black Church, the Council Square and its iconic clock tower, the citadel, and the medieval ramparts, all set amid gorgeous natural scenery. We will visit the Great synagogue (1901), the work of architect Lipot Baumhorn. As we leave Brasov, we will drive past the Rupea Citadel, perched high above our road. We’ll stop at the Saxon village of Viscri and explore its fascinating fortified church. Our final destination for the day is Sighișoara. Overnight in Sighișoara. Hotel Central Park 4*. [75 miles]
- Breakfast
- Hotel Central Park
- 75 miles
The German name for Transylvania is Siebenbürgen – the seven fortresses – and Sighișoara, one of the seven towns, may be the best place to experience the German/Saxon heritage and atmosphere of the region. We’ll stroll through the medieval citadel, stop by the likely birthplace of Vlad III Dracula, and admire the facade of the 13th-century Venetian House and the 14th-century Clock Tower. Even though no Jews remain today, we will visit the 1903 synagogue and learn about the history of Sighișoara’s Jewish community. We then continue our drive toward Targu Mures, a city that blends perfectly Hungarian and Romanian history and culture. The town is home to one of Romania’s most spectacular synagogues – the Status Quo Ante Temple. The local community refused to side with either the Neolog or Orthodox denominations of Hungarian Jews and chose to steer an independent course. We continue to Cluj-Napoca (Kloiznburg in Yiddish or just Cluj for short). Overnight in Cluj. Radisson Blu 5*. [100 miles]
- Breakfast
- Radisson Blu
- 100 miles
Romania’s fourth largest city, today Cluj is rightly considered Transylvania’s unofficial capital. Our walking tour through this vibrant university town will take us to the 14thcentury gothic St. Michael’s Cathedral, located in the heart of Union Square, the monument of Cluj-born 15th-century King Matthias Corvinus, the Banffy Palace, and the Tailor’s Bastion. The local Neolog synagogue was built in 1887, based on the design of Izidor Hegner, and is known today as the Memorial Temple of Deportees. We will visit the impressive Holocaust memorial, the work of artists Egon Márk Löwith and Tibor Kolozsi. During your free time you can tour a museum or walk through the charming pedestrian streets of the old town, full of cafes and eateries, where one can still feel the city’s famed literary and cultural reputation. Overnight in Cluj. Radisson Blu 5*.
- Breakfast
- Radisson Blu
As Cluj remains behind us, our northern drive will take us to what is arguably Romania’s most unique and picturesque region – Maramureș. In some 70 miles, you will have traveled back in time a couple of centuries. Maramureș is renowned for its pastoral landscapes – a land where old crafts, traditions, and ways of life have remained unchanged over hundreds of years. The region’s villages are famous for their ornate wooden houses and unique churches, resembling slim, elongated wood pyramids. As we stop in Budești, we will see one of the most striking of these wooden churches – a 17th-century Gothic structure whose tall steeple towers over the whole magical village. Equally impressive are the ornate frescos inside. (The church is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.) Our final destination for the day is Sighetu Marmației (Sighet for short), birthplace of the Siget Hasidic dynasty. Overnight in Sighet. Hotel Gradina Morii 3*. [115 miles]
- Breakfast
- Hotel Gradina Morii
- 115 miles
Sighet, a majority-Jewish town until WWII, is located less than a mile away from the Ukrainian border. The 500-year-old Jewish cemetery is an active Hasidic pilgrimage site. Sighet is famous as the birthplace of Elie Wiesel, whose home now houses a wonderful museum. The town’s 1904 synagogue was built by the Sephardi community but was also used by Ashkenazim. Not to be missed is also the Memorial Museum, located in a former prison where prominent enemies of the state were held in the 1950s and 1960s. The Village Museum offers an authentic experience of olden customs, trades, and rural ways of life. It also includes a fine example of a typical Jewish home from the region, with one of the rooms serving as a family synagogue. We will also explore more of the fabulous Maramures countryside and visit some of the most iconic nearby villages. Overnight in Sighet. Hotel Gradina Morii 3*. [30 miles]
- Breakfast
- Hotel Gradina Morii
- 30 miles
Just outside of Sighet lies the village of Sapanta, most famous for its unique Merry Cemetery. Starting in the 1930s, woodcarver Stan Ion Patras and his apprentices executed a series of brightly painted motley grave markers, inscribed with pungent, funny, rhymed epitaphs. Along our way lies Satu Mare, birthplace of the Satmar Hasidim. We will visit the town’s Moorish 19thcentury synagogue. Our drive through Romania’s northwestern countryside will take us to Oradea, noted for its spectacular Art Nouveau architecture. Located along the banks of the Crisul Repede river, before the Holocaust Oradea was roughly one-third Jewish. We will visit the two major synagogues and explore the charming city center. Overnight in Oradea. Hotel Ramada by Wyndham 4*. [150 miles]
- Breakfast
- Hotel Ramada by Wyndham
- 150 miles
After a short morning drive, we cross the border into Hungary and arrive at main destination for the day – Szeged. The present-day Secession-style look of Szeged dates back to the years after the great flood of 1879. The musical clock and the Votive Church are two central attractions, but arguably more spectacular is the Great Synagogue. Completed in 1903, it is the absolute masterpiece of Hungarian architect Lipot Baumhorn. It’s the second-largest synagogue in Hungary and one of the biggest in the world. The interior design was inspired by the town’s rabbi Immanuel Löw – a professional botanist – who insisted on incorporating replicas of Jerusalem plants from biblical times. During our walking tour of Szeged, you’ll admire the city’s ornately designed mansions, known as “palaces.” Particularly notable are the Unger-Mayer Palace, the Reok Palace, and the Grof Palace. During your free time, don’t miss up on the opportunity to buy some Szeged paprika. Overnight in Szeged. Art Hotel Szeged 4*. [115 miles]
- Breakfast
- Art Hotel Szeged
- 115 miles
As we cross into Serbia, our first stop is Subotica, where you will encounter one of the most magnificent synagogues in Europe. Built in 1903 and designed by the Hungarian team Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor, it is one of the finest examples of Hungarian art nouveau. The synagogue underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation and was officially reopened in 2018. Further south along our way lies Novi Sad, the capital of the Vojvodina region of northern Serbia. The city’s magnificent synagogue is also the work of Lipot Baumhorn, completed just two years after the one in Szeged. We will stop at the Novi Sad Holocaust memorial on the banks of the Danube and see the Petrovaradin Fortress towering over the river. Our final destination is the nation’s capital, Belgrade. Overnight in Belgrade. Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center 4*. [155 miles]
- Breakfast
- Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center
- 155 miles
Today you will experience Belgrade’s pulsating and contagious vibe as we explore the city. Located on the scenic junction of the Sava and Danube rivers, some of Belgrade’s highlights are the Kalemegdan Fortress, the famed, bohemian Skadarlija neighborhood, and the Knez Mihailova pedestrian thoroughfare. The rich Jewish heritage in Belgrade includes the Sukkat Shalom Synagogue, the Dorcol Jewish neighborhood, and the Holocaust memorial. The Sephardi congregation in nearby Zemun was led by rabbi Yehuda Alkalai, one of the most important protoZionists and a likely influence of Theodor Herzl’s thought. We will end the day with a festive farewell dinner. Overnight in Belgrade. Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center 4*.
- Breakfast
- Courtyard by Marriott Belgrade City Center
Free time and departure from the Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. (If you don’t travel on Shabbat, we can book a room for you for an extra night.)
- Breakfast