Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Trebic, Karlovy Vary, Kutna Hora
Tour to Central Europe:  Prague, Cheski Krumlov and Budapest, Szentendre

Day 1 The guided tour will last 4 hours.
Meet your guide this morning after breakfast. l.

The guide and the guests will take aTaxi or walk to the top of the mountain and the gate of Prague Castel

Prague Castle

09:00 Depart  by car with your guide for a  tour of Golden Prague, including the 1,000 year old Royal Castle of Hradcany. Prague Castle is the most popular sight visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world (570 m long, on average 128 m wide, area 7.28 hectares).
Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Boøivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. Prague castle has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa.
The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence.

Beside the castle they will have a guided tour at all the castle area the small Quarter, which is big and very interesting.  This area has many interesting and historical building, like the Loreto church, where many of the treasure and Jewelry of the palace are beautifully expose.Interesting Monastery and Strachov Library from 14th century. They can have a view of the city from the castle.

October 16

Meet the guide at the lobby of the hotel in the morning for a guided tour to Terezin. The tour will last 5-6 hours. This tour together with a small group which will cost less.Terezin

Depart from Jewish Quarter for Terezin, the former “model” concentration camp. -Kosher Lunch Box

Begin at the Small Fortress, the actual prison and death camp and then continue to the Museum of the Terezin Ghetto, the Magdeburg Barracks, the recently uncovered secret synagogue and the Crematorium.

Conclude the visit with a Yizhkor Service at the River Ochre.

October 17

Meet the guide at the lobby of the hotel at 09:00 for a guided tour to Jewish Quarter and Old town square, by walking. The tour will last 6 hours.

Jewish Quarter:

It dates back to the 13th century but its present appearance is mainly the result of a vast redevelopment action undertaken between 1893- 1913. Only a few most significant buildings were saved, the living testimony of the history of Prague Jews which lasted for many centuries. Yet these buildings form the best present complex of Jewish historical monuments in the whole Europe. Six synagogues remain from this old settlement which includes the Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery - the most remarkable in Europe. Except the Old-New Synagogue they are part of the Jewish Museum.

Old-New Synagogue (Staronova synagoga)

The oldest preserved synagogue in the Central Europe. It was built in the early gothic style in the late 13th century and richly adorned by stonework. Also the inside furnishings (gothic wrought-iron grill, wrought chandeliers) are of ancient origin. Up till now it has served as a house of prayer and the main synagogue of the Prague Jewish community.

Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga) The neo-Gothic synagogue replaced a Renaissance original built by Maisel and destroyed by fire. Permanent exhibition: History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia between 10th to 18th centuries.

Klaus Synagogue (Klausova synagoga) Baroque building near the cemetery entrance. Permanent exhibition: Jewish customs and traditions. The Flow of Life.

Spanish Synagogue (Spanelska synagoga) Named after its Moorish interior. Permanent exhibition: History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia since their emancipation

Continue to Old town square and Charles Bridge

Continue to walk on Charles Bridge. Named after the Emperor Charles IV in 19th century the Charles Bridge is Prague's most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. Although it is now pedestrianised, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years. There are thirty statues on the bridge, many of them have been replaced with copies. Originals are kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum and at Vyšehrad. The magnificent Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower was designed by Petr Parler and built at the end of the 14th century. It is considered the finest Gothic tower in central Europe, mainly for its decoration. There are marvellous views of the Vltava river Valley, the Žofín, Støelecký Island, the Old Town and the Lesser Town, as well as other sites of interest.  

Pass through the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, the baroque St. Nicholas church, the Stone Bell house – a gothic city palace from the 14th century and the Memorial to Master Jan Hus.

View the tower which bears a unique astronomical clock from the year 1410 which shows the statues of 12 apostles at every hour

October 18

Meet the guide at the lobby of the hotel at 09:00 for a guided tour to Chesky Krumlov The tour will last 10 hours. This trip will be made with a group and a bus

After breakfast, Depart by mini bus for a full day trip to South Bohemia and to the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov .

History of the town

This charming town experienced its greatest prosperity during the rule of Lords of Rožmberk (1302 - 1602), who chose Český Krumlov to become the seat of their kingdom. At this time, Krumlov lay on the crossroads between the Czech, Austrian, Bavarian and Northern Italian lands. You can see the influence of these different cultures that have left their mark on the town and Castle with brushstrokes of the Italian Renaissance. At the end of 17th century, during the reign of House of Eggenberg, the Castle Baroque Theatre was built and the Castle Gardens were renovated. Under the rule of House of Schwarzenberg, Český Krumlov gained its Baroque appearance. Český Krumlov's Old Town hasn't experienced major changes since the 19th century, other than the demolition of the town's fortification walls and guard towers, and has maintained its historic character.

Český Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a lively, cosmopolitan town with a unique atmosphere surrounded by unspoiled countryside. Dominated by a Castle stretching over the meandering Vltava River, Český Krumlov's narrow cobblestone streets wind along romantic nooks between patrician houses where you'll find attractive exhibits of world- renown artists, music festivals and concerts, and theatre performances. Th a town of historical heritage - 300 protected buildings in the historical centre designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic, and the oldest Baroque theatre in the world e cosy inns, coffee shops, and ancient taverns entertain a diverse international crowd.

They will visit the Castle and the Baroque theatre, the best preserved one in the world.

In the evening reservation for dinner at La Perle Restaurant located on top of the famous Frank Gery’s “dancing house”.

October 22

Meet the guide at the lobby of the hotel at 09:00 for a guided tour to Jewish site and Generak sites as well. The tour will last 8 hours with car.

Today, Budapest has the largest Jewish community in Central Europe. The city has 22 congregations (synagogues and prayer houses), secondary schools and kindergartens, a hospital and two homes for the elderly as well as several cemeteries that are still used.

Our sightseeing tour will take you on a visit to the Dohany Street Great Synagogue (Europe's largest synagogue), which was designed by Viennese architect Ludwig Forster, built in 1854-1859, and has recently been renovated with funds raised by the Hungarian government and the New York-based Emanuel Foundation, named after actor Tony Curtis's father, the late Emanuel Schwartz, who emigrated from Budapest to New York. The impressive Byzantine-Moorish style copper-domed building with its two 43 meter high towers can be seen from afar. As we enter the main nave of the three-nave hall of the temple, the first thing one will notice is the exquisite mosaic work of the floor. On the eastern wall is the large Ark of the Covenant. The two pictures here contain the symbols of the 12 sons of Jacob, the 12 tribes. The ante-room is surrounded by carved wooden railings with the pulpit in the center. Behind it is the Torah reader's table, on the other side are the ornate chairs of the magistrates. The sanctuary lamp in front of the Ark is always aflame. There are 1,492 seats for men and 1,472 for women in this great synagogue. 

The Jewish Museum is in the annex to the left, which was built on the site of the house where Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, was born in 1860. The museum's four rooms contain objects of religious and everyday life. The last room relates to the events of 1944-45.

Behind the Great Synagogue is a more modern building, the Heroes' Temple, built in 1931 for services on weekdays and in wintertime.

The Holocaust Memorial, designed by sculptor Imre Varga in 1989, stands in the courtyard over the mass graves of those murdered by the Nazis in 1944-45. On the leaves of the weeping willow made of metal are the names of some of the 400,000 Hungarian victims of the Holocaust.

We continue to the area where were many of the “safe houses” set up by the Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, one of the best known “righteous gentiles” honored by Jews around the world, who rescued 35,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II. Wallenberg issued Swedish passes and organized “safe houses” flying the flag of neutral countries where Jews could seek asylum.

In 1999 a statue entitled Serpent Slayer (a man doing battle with a snake) was erected in nearby St. Stephen’s Park, replacing the one created by sculptor

Pal Patzay but mysteriously removed the night before its unveiling in 1949.

Cross over to the Castle District in Buda..

Getting on the Buda side, the hilly, residential and historic part of the capital,  

After lunch proceed to the Castle District, the historic heart of Budapest, where Gothic Matthias Church and the eclectic Fishermen’s Bastion, one of the best vantage points in Budapest, offer a unique combination of sights.

Pause to sip coffee, buy souvenirs at the many kiosks or simply relax and enjoy the view, we will continue to Gellert Hill for the ultimate panorama of the majestic river and twin cities underneath.

VISIT THE PARLIAMENT

Meet your guide and depart for a tour of the Parliament

Parliament Building built at the turn of the last century in Hungarian grand  era, rivaling the Houses of Parliament in London

 October 23

Meet the guide at the lobby of the hotel at 09:00 for a guided tour with a group and bus to Szentendre. The tour will last 5-6 hours.

After the tour of the  parliament continue to Sentendre

SZENTENDRE (St. Andrew), this jewel of a Baroque town, is located only 10 miles north of Budapest, in the picturesque Danube Bend region, right on the river. Founded by fleeing Serbian settlers who left their homeland in fear of the oncoming Ottoman Turkish armies in the 16th century, Present day Szentendre is a charming town with cobble stone streets, an armada of art galleries, quaint little museums, cafes and excellent shopping.

In the immediate vicinity of the town, Hungary's largest outdoor Ethnographic Museum is to be found, which, essentially, is a collection of peasant farmsteads and community buildings from the different regions of the country, arranged like an early 19th century village.

After arrival, you will walk from the parking lot along the main shopping street of Szentendre and may wish to visit the Margit Kovacs Ceramic Museum, this unique collection of the late artist’s best creations. Unlike most ceramic galleries, the Kovacs collection offers mostly earthen figures and genres that bring the rural traditions of Hungary to life, full of humor and candid observations. 

After the museum visit, enjoy the excellent shopping, the many galleries and quaint cafes before returning to Budapest.

Rest of day at leisure to walk on Vaci Utca and  shop for souvenirs . 

Depart the hotel to Andrassy Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares. It was once the site of palaces of the rich and famous, and some of the buildings still emanate the old glory: among them the beautiful Hungarian State Opera House.  At the end of the Avenue, we will stop at the Millennial Monument  Heroes’ Square to see the most prominent kings and leaders of Hungarian history. Heroes' Square was built in 1896 as an entrance to the World Exhibition that was to commemorate the millennium of Hungarian Conquest. Behind it is the city's largest park, City Park, which is the favorite gathering place of Budapestians, also a treasure trove of the city's finest museums, spas and some of its finest restaurants.

Lunch at  one of the restaurants

After Lunch visit the Museum of Fine Arts

Prior to returning to the hotel enjoy a short, so-pleasant boatride on the Danube River