OUR STORY CENTRAL EUROPE
TOUR START DATES:
JUNE 24 -OR- JUNE 28, 2026
8 SPACES LEFT
JUNE 30 -OR- JULY 4, 2027
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Join us in the heart of Europe for a meaningful journey through the story of our people, celebrating their lasting achievements, transformative ideas, and moments of hardship on an inspiring Jewish and world heritage experience open to all.
Our Story is a guided journey of up to 15 days, traveling through Poland (Warsaw and Krakow), Hungary (Budapest), Slovakia (the Tatra Mountains and Bratislava), Austria (Vienna and the Wachau Valley), Czechia (Prague and Terezin), and Germany (Dresden and Berlin). Travelers may choose to begin and conclude their experience at predefined points along the route, allowing flexibility based on individual interests and availability (see route options).
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
PROGRAM ITINERARY
The itinerary below reflects our planned schedule and may be adjusted as needed due to local conditions or operational considerations.
DAY 1 > WEDNESDAY | Honoring the Jews of Warsaw
NOTE: Those arriving on Tuesday evening can be accommodated at the Warsaw hotel based on our group rates. Contact us to learn more.
Arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport and independent transfer by taxi to the hotel
For early arrivals: Meeting #1 at 9:00am in the hotel lobby
Guided visit to the renowned POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Visit to the historic Nożyk Synagogue, Warsaw’s only surviving pre-war synagogue
For guests arriving today: Meet at 3:00pm in the hotel lobby
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising exploration – Walk through key remnants of the former ghetto, including the Route of Heroes, Rappaport Memorial, Umschlagplatz, Mila 18, and stories of resistance
Orientation walking tour through Warsaw’s Old Town, rebuilt after WWII
Welcome dinner at a centrally located restaurant
Overnight: InterContinental Hotel – Warsaw, Poland
Meals Included: Dinner
DAY 2 > THURSDAY | The Krakow Legacy
- Guided exploration of Kazimierz, the historic Jewish district of Krakow:
– Ramah Synagogue
– Temple Synagogue
– Old Synagogue
- Hotel check-in in central Krakow
- Dinner on your own
- Evening option (June departures only): Experience the Krakow Jewish Culture Festival, an internationally celebrated expression of contemporary Jewish life and creativity
Overnight: Qubus Hotel – Krakow, Poland
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 3 > FRIDAY | Confronting Auschwitz & Birkenau
Visit to Auschwitz II–Birkenau, where the scale of the Holocaust becomes profoundly tangible
– Guided walk through the camp grounds
– Packed lunch provided
Continue to Auschwitz I, the original camp and administrative center
– Watchtowers, barracks, crematoria
– Wall of Death
– “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate
Reflection and memorial ceremony at the restored Oświęcim Synagogue
Late afternoon return to Krakow
Optional Kabbalat Shabbat with the Krakow Jewish community
Shabbat dinner served in Kazimierz
Overnight: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz – Krakow, Poland
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 4 > SATURDAY | Shabbat in Krakow
All touring today is conducted on foot.
- Walking tour of Krakow Old Town, including the exterior grounds of Wawel Castle
- Shabbat lunch at the Krakow JCC – the hub of contemporary Jewish life
- Walking tour of the Krakow Ghetto
- Visit to Oskar Schindler’s Factory, now part of the Historical Museum of Krakow
- Free evening with dinner on your own
Overnight: Qubus Hotel – Krakow, Poland
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 5 > SUNDAY | From Poland to Hungary
Travelers concluding their journey in Poland depart after breakfast. New participants joining in Budapest meet the group this evening.
- Depart Krakow and travel south toward Budapest, with a break in Donovaly, a picturesque Slovak mountain village. Take the gondola to a scenic summit for panoramic views of the Tatra Mountains.
- A packed lunch is provided, with local fare available on your own.
Arrive in Budapest, settle into your hotel, and meet at 7:00 PM for a group dinner at Kosher Deli Budapest in the historic Jewish Quarter.
Overnight: InterContinental Hotel – Budapest, Hungary
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 6 > MONDAY | Exploring Buda and Pest
- Visit to the Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial
- View the iconic Chain Bridge linking Buda and Pest
- Ascend Castle Hill for panoramic views from Fisherman’s Bastion
- Explore remnants of a medieval synagogue once active in this area
- Lunch break and free time at the Great Market Hall
- Tour of the Dohány Street Synagogue Complex, including:
– Jewish Museum
– Wallenberg Memorial
– Weeping Willow Memorial
- Stop at Heroes’ Square (Hősök Tere)
- Optional evening visit to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths (independent)
Overnight: InterContinental Hotel – Budapest, Hungary
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 7 > TUESDAY | Heritage in Bratislava
Morning departure from Budapest toward Vienna
Stop in Bratislava to visit the grave of Chatam Sofer
Continue to Vienna with lunch on your own at the historic Naschmarkt
Afternoon visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Walk through Heldenplatz, where Hitler announced Austria’s annexation in 1938
Hotel check-in in Vienna
Exploration of Leopoldstadt, Vienna’s former Jewish quarter
Visit to the Leopoldstädter Temple Memorial, destroyed on Kristallnacht
Optional evening visit to the Prater amusement park and ride the historic Riesenrad Ferris wheel
Overnight: InterContinental Hotel – Vienna, Austria
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 8 > WEDNESDAY | Vienna’s World Heritage Sites
Walking tour of Judenplatz, the heart of Jewish Vienna since medieval times
– Visit to the Shoah Memorial
– Entry to the Stadttempel, Vienna’s only surviving synagogue from 1938
Walk along Berggasse, home to Sigmund Freud and Theodore Herzl
Guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs
Free evening and dinner on your own
Overnight: InterContinental Hotel – Vienna, Austria
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 9 > THURSDAY | Discovering the Wachau Valley
Scenic Danube River cruise to Weißenkirchen in the Wachau Valley
Wine tasting at Domaine Wachau
Free time in Dürnstein, with an optional hike to the castle ruins above the town
Continue onward to Prague
Hotel check-in in Prague’s Old Town
Evening classical concert inside the historic Spanish Synagogue
Dinner at a local kosher restaurant
Overnight: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10 > FRIDAY | Jewels of Josefov in Prague
All touring today is on foot.
- Free morning to explore Prague independently
- Closing discussion and celebratory lunch
- Walking tour of Old Town Square
– Astronomical Clock
– Klementinum Library
– View of the Prague Metronome
- Free evening and dinner on your own
Overnight: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 11 > SATURDAY | Prague’s World Heritage Sites
All touring today is on foot.
- Free morning to explore Prague independently
- Closing discussion and celebratory lunch
- Walking tour of Old Town Square
– Astronomical Clock
– Klementinum Library
– View of the Prague Metronome
- Free evening and dinner on your own
- Overnight: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 12 > SUNDAY | Terezin and Dresden
Travelers finishing in Czechia depart after breakfast.
- Depart Prague for the Terezin Ghetto and Concentration Camp, a site of profound remembrance.
Continue north into Germany to discover Dresden, rebuilt in stunning detail after its wartime destruction. - Arrive in Berlin, check into your hotel, and enjoy dinner on your own.
Overnight: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre – Berlin, Germany
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 13 > MONDAY | Cold War to German Reunification
Guided tour of the Reichstag, seat of the German Bundestag
Walk through the Brandenburg Gate
Visit Berlin’s Holocaust memorials honoring Jewish, LGBTQ, Roma, and other victims
Lunch on your own in Hackescher Markt
View the historic New Synagogue
Learn about the Stolpersteine Memorial Project
Participate in a Stolpersteine cleaning and remembrance activity
Explore Checkpoint Charlie and Cold War history
Walk along the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall
Overnight: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre – Berlin, Germany
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 14 > TUESDAY | Potsdam
Visit to the Wannsee Conference House
Stop at Platform 17 Memorial at Grunewald Station
Travel to Potsdam, the City of Palaces
Lunch on your own and free time along Brandenburger Straße
Guided tour of Cecilienhof Palace, site of the Potsdam Conference
Walk through Sanssouci Gardens, viewing Sanssouci Palace and the New Palace
Return to Berlin
Farewell dinner at a local kosher restaurant
Overnight: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre – Berlin, Germany
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 15 > WEDNESDAY | Farewell
-
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and bid farewell to your guides and fellow travelers.
Meals Included: Breakfast
SIGN UP EARLY AND SAVE
Sign up at least five months in advance for $100/person early registration savings. Your deposit is fully refundable up to four months prior, so the savings are commitment-free.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- A professional guide/educator leads the group on a 24/7 basis and expert city guides join our group most days
- Centrally located 4* and 5* hotels with porterage included
- Breakfast daily and additional meals according to the itinerary (kosher and vegetarian)
- Private air-conditioned touring vehicle
- All programming and site entrances according to the itinerary
- Wireless touring headsets
For groups with 20+ travelers
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from Europe
- Airport transfers
- Travel insurance (optional) Insure your investment, and plan ahead for the unexpected with a travel insurance plan
- Gratuities (suggested $150-$250/traveler)
- Hotel incidentals, and meals not marked as included
TRAVELING TO/FROM EUROPE
Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Warsaw or Budapest on arrival and out from Krakow, Prague, or Berlin at the conclusion of their Our Story travels (depending on your route choices).
Travelers should plan to arrive no later than 2:00pm on their chosen start date and are encouraged to arrive an evening in advance to better acclimate and take advantage of the full program offerings. Group hotel rates are offered for those arriving early, subject to availability (contact us to learn more).
The program concludes following breakfast on the chosen end date and onward travel may be booked anytime in the morning and beyond – standard hotel checkout is at 11:00am.
Airport transfers at the start and end of the program are not included in the program package. Taxis and Uber rides are widely available at our starting and ending point airports.
DATES & COSTS
Sign up at least five months in advance for $100/person early registration savings. Your deposit is fully refundable up to four months prior, so the savings are commitment-free.
|
TOUR ROUTE OPTIONS |
TOUR COSTS/PERSON |
2026 DATES |
|
Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague & Berlin |
Double Room: $4,950 |
June 24 – July 8 |
|
Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna & Prague |
Double Room: $4,250 |
June 24 – July 5 |
|
Warsaw & Krakow |
Double Room: $2,400 |
June 24 – June 28 |
|
Budapest, Vienna, Prague & Berlin |
Double Room: $4,450 |
June 28 – July 8 |
|
Budapest, Vienna, Prague |
Double Room: $3,750 |
June 28 – July 5 |
ENROLLMENT TERMS
- To reserve your spot, a $250/person fully refundable deposit is due at the time of your registration.
Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person discount - The deposit becomes non-refundable four months prior to the program start date.
- The balance is due no later than two months prior to the program start date after which all payments are non-refundable and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis at Authentic Israel’s discretion.
- Cancellations must be made in writing, and we encourage you to obtain a travel insurance policy.
- Payments may be made by check or credit/debit card, however, a 3.50% processing fee applies for credit/debit card payments (does not apply to the initial $250 deposit). Note: credit card fees are not refundable
- Program dates are confirmed, however, Authentic Israel reserves the right to consolidate or cancel trip dates in extraordinary circumstances.
- Authentic Israel reserves the right to deny acceptance on the tour according to its sole discretion.
- All program costs are listed in US Dollars.
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