Jewish tour: Vilnius - Kaunas - Riga (7 days / 6 nights)
DAY 1: VILNIUS (arrival)
Arrival in Vilnius and welcoming by the local English speaking guide at the airport of Vilnius. Transfer to the hotel, check-in, dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: VILNIUS
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning meeting with your local English speaking guide for a 3 hours city tour of Vilnius, visiting the most magnificent places of Vilnius old town, as well as the small, former Jewish ghetto, the territory to the street named after the famous “Vilnius Gaon”, one of the most influential Rabbinic authorities since the Middle Ages.
In the afternoon excursion to Paneriai forest, where the Nazis killed and buried over 100'000 civilians, of which 70'000 Jews. Now the site of mass executions is commemorated by the memorial to the victims of the Lithuanian holocaust and a small museum displays the tragedy of Paneriai. On the way back to Vilnius visit to the Vilna Gaon Lithuanian State Jewish Museum that collects, conserves, investigates, restores and exhibits the historical, material and spiritual heritage of Lithuanian Jews, traditional and modern Jewish objects of art and documents and objects connected with the Holocaust. Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: VILNIUS
DAY 3: VILNIUS – TRAKAI – VILNIUS (50 km)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning visit to Jewish Tolerance centre, located in a building which has long been in Jewish hands. After World War I a professional Jewish Theatre operated here and cultural and social events by other organizations were held. Nowadays the large central hall of the Tolerance Centre is rented out for conferences, discussions, seminars, meetings, lectures and other educational and cultural events. The tour continues to Trakai, former capital of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, surrounded by three lakes, known as the biggest Karaite minority town. Visit to the 15th century insular castle. Return to Vilnius. Free time. Dinner at the restaurant in the city centre of Vilnius.
Overnight: VILNIUS
DAY 4: VILNIUS – KAUNAS (120 km)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning departure to Kaunas, the second largest city of Lithuania. Visits to Slabodka, a suburb of Kaunas that was Jewish ghetto until World War II and IXth Fort, the Holocaust monument and the prison of the Tsar. The tour continues to Kaunas old town to discover Jewish Synagogue, dating from 1871, once one of over 35 synagogues and Jewish prayer houses in the city it claims to have one of the most beautiful altars in the entire Jewish world. Continue toward Sugihara House, where the Japanese consulate was located and where Sugihara, who is now honored as a Righteous Among the Nations, lived with his family. Together with a Dutch colleague, Jan Zwartendijk, he saved thousands of Polish Jews by issuing visas against orders to get them out of the country and away to safety. Return to hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: KAUNAS
DAY 5: KAUNAS – HILL OF CROSSES – RUNDALE – RIGA (350 km)
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning departure to Riga. On the way through the natural countryside of Lithuania with its wide open views, you will visit the famous Hill of Crosses, with over 50,000 crosses built from different materials. Continuing to Riga, you will stop in Rundale for a short excursion to Rundale Palace, a baroque jewel designed by Italian architect F.B. Rastrelli, who is known for his world famous Hermitage palace in St. Petersburg. Arrival to Riga. Check-in. Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: RIGA
DAY 6: RIGA
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning city tour of Riga discovering the The Peitav Shul, the only synagogue used historically and today, the first Jewish Secular School, The Big Choral Synagogue memorial site, Alberta Street, the most magnificent street in Riga for Art Nouveau architecture with Latvian Jewish architect Mikhail Eisenstein houses & the Isaiah Berlin house and finally the Maskavas suburb (former Jewish quarter and Riga ghetto).
In the afternoon excursion to Memorial Sites Rumbula or Bikernieki Forest, sites of the mass execution of Riga's Jewish community and Salispils concentration camp memorial site. Return to Riga. Dinner at the restaurant in Riga city centre.
Overnight: RIGA
DAY 7: RIGA
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time. Departure transfer to the airport of Riga.
The price includes:
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•6 overnights at the chosen hotel category
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•Daily breakfast
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•Half board (6 x times dinner)
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•Arrival and departure transfers
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•Private comfortable air-conditioned motor coach services according to the program
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•English speaking local guide services according to the program
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•English speaking escort throughout the travel
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•Entrances: Jewish state museum in Vilnius, Synagogue in Vilnius, Trakai castle, IXth Forth in Kaunas, Rundale palace, Synagogue in Riga.
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•21st person free of charge in double room
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•Taxes