Gil Travel Group

There is no denying that Budapest is a city of many wonders and a myriad of popular tourist spots whichever way you go. But Budapest is not only the famous, crowded tourist attractions. While many people wish to see these the first time they come here, those coming for a second or third time, or those who’d like to avoid the overly crowded areas, may seek out calmer places outside the standard tourist districts. These are places off the beaten path where people can have fun, where they can relax, but still learn about the country’s culture, tradition and history.

There have been Jews in the capital of Austria for nine centuries. The communities have formed and grown here, built their synagogues, houses, buildings, schools, and hospitals, and taught their children about Jewish culture and tradition for generations. The area in Vienna that was inhabited by this community is known today as Judenplatz (Jewish Square), and it has a great historical significance that you can learn about by visiting it.  At the turn of the 20th century, Vienna became one of the greatest centers of Jewish culture on the continent, but during the Holocaust, the community was almost annihilated. However, their resilient nature helped them to slowly recuperate after the war and reestablish their homes in this metropolis. Let’s see four of many old and new sites you ought to visit if you wish to learn about Vienna’s Jews.

No matter how many times you visit Spain, there’s always more to see. It is a country with a myriad of unique sites for its visitors to see, enjoy, and learn about. These sites help the visitors learn about the country itself and its people. A great part of the country’s history is its Jewish community, which over many centuries not only influenced Spain’s customs and traditions, but art and architecture as well. Before and after the expulsion of Jews from Spain at the end of the 15th century, the community has built a great variety of structures in the Jewish quarters across the country. Of particular relevance are Spain’s oldest synagogues – at the same time beautiful architectural wonders and historical sites. Let’s see three of the oldest temples. 

The history of the Jews of Spain is truly remarkable. Spain has been home to a Jewish community which has influenced Spain’s history, culture, art, and customs for centuries. The name Sephardi itself, meaning ‘’Spanish’’ or ‘’ Hispanic’’ in Hebrew, is derived from Sepharad (ספרד), a Biblical location, identified as Hispania, or the Iberian Peninsula. Prior to 1492, Jewish communities thrived in many Spanish and Portuguese provinces. Jews, as a minority, constituted the population of cities like Lisbon, Toledo, Seville, Córdoba, Granada, and Málaga.

If you ever wanted to walk on a path that leads through various places associated with Abraham/Ibrahim, you’re in luck, as such an exciting and enriching path really exists. This cultural route called Abraham’s Path is comprised of several regions. It offers a hugely important experience, because it allows those who walk on it to connect with their fellow travelers, but also reconnect with their origins. What we find here is great hospitality and kindness, as well as knowledge about each site we visit and its peoples, and how those two are connected to Abraham. We’ll meet the wonderfully diverse communities that live in these areas, which themselves are linked by their common heritage and Abraham/Ibrahim as their common ancestor. 

Germany is a land of magnificent sites whichever way you go. Still, it’s undeniable that its great number of religious sites have a particular charm that invites millions of both locals and tourists to visit them each year.  Among many such sites, relevant to people across religions and across the country, we’ll focus here particularly on Berlin’s stunning churches and cathedrals. These are places of great architectural and historical values, which makes them truly worth a visit whether one is a religious person or not. These, however, are not considered tourist attractions, but places of history, spirituality, art, as well as pain and memory.

Prague has had a vibrant Jewish community since the 10th century. With time and increasing antisemitism, however, the community was concentrated within the walled ghetto, which centuries later became known as Josefov, Jewish Quarter, or Josefstad. This largely demolished area, surrounded by the Old Town of Poland’s capital, is a site of great tragedy, but also of history, culture, great architecture, art, and of life. It’s home to a number of significant monuments, many of which are now a part of the Jewish Museum in Prague – a Jewish heritage museum and one of the city’s most popular institutions, established in 1906. It houses 40,000 objects, 100 000 books, and a large archive of the history of Czech and Moravian Jewish communities situated in the Smichov Synagogue. 

Karlovy Vary, also known by its German name, Karlsbad, is one of the most popular places in Czech Republic to visit, and for a myriad of historical, cultural, artistic and architectural reasons. This is a spa resort town that you must add to your travel itinerary. It was founded in mid-14th century, and it keeps on attracting countless visitors with its first-rate hot springs commonly housed in stunning Neoclassical and Art Nouveau edifices from the late 19th and early 20th centuries along the charming riverbank.  Some of the most famous town’s guests include Goethe, Karl Marx, Peter the Great, Beethoven, Chopin, Schiller, and many others. Karlovy Vary is also a center of arts and culture so, while here, make sure to visit a few of its numerous museums, galleries, performing arts centers, and festivals.

One can’t go to Prague and not visit at least a few of its numerous praised museums. Well-known throughout the world, these are homes to the Czech’s unique and complex history and heritage. This city, but the entire country too, has a myriad of stories to share with its guests, spanning over many centuries of people living in this area, creating its tradition and numerous episodes in its history. The city’s museums are now phenomenal houses of great art, literature, history, life, architecture, politics, religion, and many more elements that shaped the country into what it is today. Though it’s a difficult choice, we picked six remarkable museums for you to include in your itinerary the next time you’re in this magnificent town.

There is no doubt that Vienna is one of the world’s capitals of art and culture, boasting an immensely long and celebrated history of music legends and masterpieces they wrote and which are still taught in schools and performed in concert halls across the globe.