EUROPE FAMILY JOURNEY
Explore your roots this summer alongside the people you care about most. Together, we'll discover the story of our People – their enduring accomplishments, their world-changing ideas, and their sorrows – on this moving travel experience for all.
Europe Family Journey covers Prague, Vienna, and Poland – led by an engaging Jewish program leader and local European guides. The itinerary highlights Jewish and world heritage sites, with opportunities for adventure, culture, and self-discovery along the way.
This multi-generational tour is most appropriate for adults & families traveling with children 13+
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Discover the legend of the Golem among Prague's Jewish Quarter jewels
- Explore the world's largest castle in Prague and kayak along the Vlata River
- Get lost in the Schönbrunn Palace hedge maze and ride the iconic Prater Ferris wheel
- Retrace the stories of Sigmund Freud and Theodore Herzl in Vienna
- Ascend the mountains of Slovakia and race down an alpine mountain coaster
- Celebrate the revival of Polish Jewish life at the Krakow JCC
- Confront what was lost in Auschwitz and honor the defiance of the Warsaw Ghetto
- Catch a performance at the Krakow Jewish Culture Festival (June departure only)
PROGRAM ITINERARY
The following is our projected itinerary, subject to reasonable change based on local considerations. Hotels shown are illustrative, actual hotels may be similar.
DAY 1 | MONDAY | June 30 or August 18, 2025
WORLD HERITAGE OF PRAGUE
- Meet as a group at 3:00pm in our Prague hotel
For travelers arriving early, a complimentary tour of the Klementinum Library and other Old Town sites will be offered, departing at 10:00am - Our journey begins on Petrin Hill with a panoramic introduction to Prague and program orientation at the Raoul Wallenberg Promenade
- Continue on to Prague Castle for a guided tour of the world’s largest castle
- Cross the historic Charles Bridge and discover the peculiar connection between a European folk song about the Vlata River and Israel's HaTikvah national anthem
- Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner followed by a night out in Old Town Square
OVERNIGHT: PRAGUE, CZECHIA | Hotel Rott
MEALS INCLUDED: DINNER
DAY 2 | TUESDAY | July 1 or August 19, 2025
WORLD HERITAGE JEWELS OF PRAGUE
- This morning we explore Josefov, Europe's best-preserved Jewish Quarter – visit the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Altneuschul, and Jerusalem Shul
- Learn about the Maharal, a renowned medieval rabbi, and his connection to the Prague Golem, the supernatural Jewish legend that once stalked the dark corners of Josefov
- Break for lunch on your own in Old Town Square, stopping to take in the Astronomical Clock and Franz Kafka's home
- Cool off with an afternoon of stand up paddle boarding or kayaking on the Vlata River
- Evening: Attend a classical music performance staged in the historic Spanish Synagogue of Prague followed by a free evening and dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: PRAGUE, CZECHIA | Hotel Rott
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST
DAY 3 | WEDNESDAY | July 2 or August 20, 2025
IN THE HEART OF VIENNA
- Depart Prague and travel to Vienna
- Break for lunch (on own) in Naschmarkt, Vienna's most renowned open-air marketplace
- Explore the Hedge Maze and Gloriette at the opulent Schönbrunn Palace
- Check-in to our central Vienna hotel
- Visit the historic Jewish neighborhood of Leopoldtadt and view the Temple Shul Memorial, where the largest synagogue in Vienna once stood prior to Kristallnacht
- Evening at Prater, an old-world amusement park in the heart of Vienna, and ride the iconic 19th-century Riesenrad giant Ferris wheel (dinner on own)
OVERNIGHT: VIENNA, AUSTRIA | InterContinental Hotel
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST
DAY 4 | THURSDAY | July 3 or August 21, 2025
ALONG THE DANUBE RIVER
- Morning: docent-led visit to the Jewish Museum of Vienna and view the Stadttempel – The only Vienna synagogue that survived the November 1938 pogrom
- Walk along Berggasse Street where we’ll learn about the world-changing ideas of Sigmund Freud and Theordore Herzl who lived here
- Afternoon: Board a riverboat and follow the course of the Danube River to the Wachau Valley
- Hike to the Durstein Castle ruins overlooking the Wachau Valley and enjoy personal exploration time in the picturesque Durstein Village
OVERNIGHT: VIENNA, AUSTRIA | InterContinental Hotel
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST
DAY 5 | FRIDAY | July 4 or August 22, 2025
KABBALAT SHABBAT IN KRAKOW
- Depart Vienna and travel to Poland via the Slovakian countryside
- Break for lunch on your own at the Velka Raca Mountain Resort
- Ride the gondola to the summit and descend via an alpine mountain coaster
- Travel to Krakow and check in to our hotel
- Evening: Option to attend a community Kabbalat Shabbat experience followed by Shabbat dinner at the Krakow JCC where we'll meet with a local community leader for their perspective on the revival of Jewish life in contemporary Poland
OVERNIGHT: KRAKOW, POLAND | Qubus Hotel
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST & DINNER
DAY 6 | SATURDAY | July 5 or August 23, 2025
TRACING THE HOLOCAUST HISTORY IN KRAKOW
- This morning is free to relax or explore Krakow on your own – with Shabbat lunch included
- Walking Tour – Honor the achievements of Polish Jewry dating back to the 14th Century exploring the Remu Synagogue, the Isaac Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, and Jozefa Street
- Trace the history of the Holocaust at Krakow Ghetto and view the Oscar Schindler Factory
- Wander through Krakow's Market Square and Wawel Castle grounds
- Dinner is included at a local kosher restaurant in Krakow
- Explore the annual Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, a world-renowned celebration of modern Jewish culture and tradition that embodies the renewal of Jewish life in contemporary Europe (June start dates only)
OVERNIGHT: KRAKOW, POLAND | Qubus Hotel
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER
DAY 7 | SUNDAY | July 6 or August 24, 2025
CONFRONTING AUSCHWITZ & BIRKANEU
- Arrive at the grounds of Auschwitz II - Birkenau where the full horror of the extermination of 1.5 million Jewish People is palpable
- Continue on to Auschwitz I, the original camp that served as the administrative center for the entire complex. We will tour the watchtowers, fences, cell blocks, wall of death, crematoria as well as the Arbeit Macht Frei Gate (packed lunch included)
- Processing session at the nearby Oswiecim Synagogue
- Depart the Krakow area and travel north to Warsaw
OVERNIGHT: WARSAW, POLAND | Holiday Inn Central
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST & LUNCH
DAY 8 | MONDAY | July 7 or August 25, 2025
WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING
- Explore the remains of the Warsaw Ghetto and learn about the Jewish community's famous revolt along the Route of Heroes and at Rappaport Memorial
- Umschlagplatz – The gathering place before transfer to Treblinka Death Camp
- Break for lunch on your own in Old Town Warsaw
- Afternoon: Canoeing tour and campfire in the woods outside of Warsaw
- Return to Warsaw and celebrate the end of our journey over a closing dinner in Warsaw
OVERNIGHT: WARSAW, POLAND | Holiday Inn Central
MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST & DINNER
DAY 9 | TUESDAY | July 8 or August 26, 2025
- Say your farewells following breakfast at the hotel
- Board a morning flight home or to your onward destination following 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* 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 Prague on arrival and out from Warsaw at the conclusion of their travels
Travelers should plan to arrive no later than 1:00pm on the program 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 final day of the trip 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.
LAND PACKAGE
- Double room hotel occupancy | $3,200/Person
- Triple room hotel occupancy | $3,000/Person
- Single room hotel occupancy | $3,900/Person
NOTE: Families of four will be accommodated in two double-occupancy hotel rooms
SUMMER 2025 TOUR DATES
- June 30 - July 8, 2025
- August 18 - August 26, 2025
ENROLLMENT TERMS
- To reserve your spot, a fully refundable $250/person deposit is due at the time of your registration.
- The deposit becomes non-refundable four months prior to the program start date.
- The balance is due 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 (the fee does not apply to the initial $250 deposit).
NOTE: Credit card fees are not refundable - The program is subject to a minimum participation of 20 travelers registered at least four months prior to the program start date, and we ask that you not reserve non-refundable flights until the tour.
- Authentic Israel reserves the right to deny acceptance on the tour according to its sole discretion.
- All program costs are listed in US Dollars.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Who staffs the tour?
Is this trip right for me?
How is this a Jewish experience?
How much of a group experience is this?
Our goal for the program is to create a sense of community among individual travelers – with travelers gaining lasting new friendships and a richer experience as a result. There are ample opportunities for personal exploration, and many dinners are intentionally left free. In particular, Saturdays are designed to be less structured, and no programming is mandatory on any day.
How are special dietary needs accommodated?
How many people travel in the group?
Can I start or end the tour on a date not shown as a route option?
How all-inclusive is the experience?
How do I get ready for the trip?
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