Jewish Heritage Tour
First Jews settled in Slovakia in 11th century. They used to be involved in commerce and money lending. Despite a persecution troughout centuries, they lived in peace. Before WWII, there were about 139 000 jews in Slovakia. During WWII majority of Jews were sent to labour camp in Sered. From there they were deported to various concentration camps. Remember the rich jewish heritage, that Trnava region and Bratislava have to offer with our guided tours, preserved synagogues and other jewish memorials.
PRICE of 8 DAYS PACKAGE – 920 €/person (min.25 people)
Contact info@experiencetrnavaregion.com for booking.
1. day: Arrival and transfer to Trnava, capital of region
2 day: Guided tour of Trnava, Smolenice castle and honeywine tasting
This guided tour will be around Trnava historical town including religious memorials especially Jewish ones. We will see Trnava synagogues and buildings of Jewish cultural heritage, places of former Jewish ghettos, Holocaust memorial and Jewish cemeteries of Trnava. We will hear stories about Jewish personalities in Trnava as a story of Alfréd Wetzler. You will explore why the Jews could not settle in Trnava in the medieval age and how they got back their rights.
Then we will continue to the castle Smolenice. The last owners of the castle were house of Palffy who were protectors of Jewish people at their manors. We will end the day at the honeyfarm. Take a look behind the scenes of mead production. You will see how and where the best mead in the world is made and matured. And also you may try to make your own decorative candle from beeswax.
3. day: The capital city of Slovakia – Bratislava
Also capital city Bratislava is full of Jewish memorials. The sightseeing of Bratislava will include visit of buildings of Jewish cultural heritage, synagogues and entrance to the museum of the Jewish culture. We will visit also mausoleum of rabbi Chatam Sofer. He was the main rabbi of Bratislava Jewish Community from 1806, he also served as av bet din and he led the Bratislava yeshiva, which was considered one of the most important centers of traditional Jewish education in Europe in this time.
4. day: The capital city of Slovakia – Bratislava and winestasting with dinner.
Spend free day in Bratislava and in the evening enjoy winetasting and slovak cuisine.
5. day: The museum of Holocaust in Sereď, town Dunajská Streda and Šamorín
The Holocaust Museum was established in the premises of the former labor and concentration camp in Sereď. It represents an authentic place related to the tragic period of solving the Jewish question in Slovakia during the Second World War. The museum exhibits period documents, photographs and objects related to the persecution of Jews in Slovakia. One of the exhibited artifacts is a cattle wagon where Jews were deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Trnava region´s biggest Jewish cemetery – some 2500graves – is in Dunajská Streda. Before WWII around 35% of the town´s population were Jewish, hence it was known as ´Little Jeruzalem´.
Then we will continou to the smal town Šamorín where we visit the synagogue where is the center of contemporary art and international cultural dialogue, At Home Gallery, which attracts artists, musicians and other personalities from all over the world.
6. day: The synagogue in town Vrbové, the town Piešťany
The small town Vrbové as many other slovak towns was home of large Jewish comunity before WWII. In 19th century, third of inhabitants of town Vrbové were Jewish people. At that time, the synagogue was bulit in moorish style and it became the most beutiful monument in Vrbové. The synagoue works until WWII, then during communism period the synagogue was used as a warehouse.
Spend full day in Piestany – famous spa in Trnava region. But not many visitors know, that Ludovit Winter, the establisher of the spas had jewish origin. How this visioner was thinking, what were one of his greatest ideas, you will expole in the guided tour around the town.
7. day: The region Záhorie
In this region, we will visit town Senica with modern and interactive museum where is a model of the town with the Jewish part and the synagoue. Then we will continou to the Šaštín – one of the oldest town in region and during the journey we will pass villages where Jewish communities used to live. The royal town Skalica is the last stop in Záhorie. There are two Jewish cemeteries, the older one is from 18th century when the Jewis community was established.
8. day: Departure
Price includes:
- 7x accommodation in Holiday Inn 4* with breakfast (price does not include city tax)
- transfer during the tour
- english speaking guide who will be with the group during the tour
- guided tours of visited towns
- entrances to synagogues, jewish cemeteries, museums, the Smolenice castle, the Bratislava castle
- mead tasting with snacks, tour of honeyfarm and candle workshop
- wine tasting with dinner and tour of winery
- insurance of insolvency
