Fantastic tour and can’t say enough about our guide, Ioan, who was very friendly and knowledgeable, and spoke English beautifully. My wife and I were on vacation from Washington DC and I anted to learn more about Jewish history in Romania. The Jewish theatre was of particular nite as it has direct ties to New York, Vaudeville and Broadway. It is literally a living piece of history and to walk through it and meet the people running it is a wonderful privilege. We also enjoyed the beautiful synagogue and the museum. Ioan was well prepared and had tons of stores and visual aids to help us with context so we understood what we were seeing and why and how it all fit together. He made us feel like old friends visiting his city. Would absolutely recommend without hesitation.
Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest
+4 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 3–4 hours
- Price from
- $303 / person
- Location
- Bucharest, Romania
- Rating
- 5.0 / 5 · 23 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Laura Genescu
- Meeting point
- Meet a member of our team to start the tour.
Description
With only about 4,100 members of the Jewish community left in Bucharest today, it is rather difficult to imagine that in 1930 it represented up to 11% of the entire city’s population. The Jewish quarter was severely affected by the Fascist pogrom in the 40s, followed by the demolitions initiated in the 80s by the communists, with most streets simply wiped off the map and 6 synagogues and Jewish temples demolished. Nevertheless, some emblematic buildings like the Great Polish Synagogue and the legendary Barașeum Theatre have survived and are here to tell their stories. Take a trip down the history lane and learn about some of the most influential Jewish personalities, like the Dadaist and Modernist architect Marcel Iancu and his landmark buildings, discover the major sights and cultural icons of the former Jewish Quarter in Bucharest and find out about a darker period of Romanian history.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, and Fri
- Start times
- 9:30 AM
- Next available
- Thu, Oct 8
- Group price
- $303 per group of up to 8
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Great Synagogue
The Great Synagogue in Bucharest, Romania was raised in 1845 by the Polish-Jewish community. It was repaired in 1865, redesigned in 1903 and 1909, repainted in Rococo style in 1936 by Ghershon Horowitz, then it was restored again in 1945, as it had been devastated by the far-right Legionnaires (the Iron Guard movement).
The Choral Temple is a synagogue located in Bucharest, Romania. Designed by Enderle and Freiwald and built between 1864 - 1866, it is a very close copy of Vienna's Leopoldstadt-Tempelgasse Great Synagogue, which had been built in 1855–1858.
Museum of History of the Jewish Community
The Jewish Museum in Bucharest, Romania is located in the former Templul Unirea Sfântă synagogue, which survived World War II. The name has several variants, including Museum of the History of the Romanian Jewish Community.
What's included
Included
recommendations for your stay in Bucharest
presentation of historical photos on a tablet
fully narrated walking tour
Not included
admission tickets to all synagogues and to the Jewish state theater
admission tickets to all synagogues, museums
Private transportation or pick-up from hotel - NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE;
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
5.0
23 reviews
How it compares in Bucharest
- Rated higher than 73% of 266 reviewed tours in Bucharest
Excurgo comparison of 1,309 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest take?
Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest lasts about 3–4 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
How much does Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest cost?
Prices start at $303 per person for this Bucharest experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, starting at 9:30 AM.
Can I cancel Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Meet a member of our team to start the tour. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Half-Day Jewish Heritage Walking Tour in Bucharest worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 23 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Laura Genescu.
Reviews(23)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
M
This tour felt like it was just for us
D
Fabulous Jewish tour of Bucharest.
Laura is an excellent guide. We enjoyed the tour very much. The synagogues were very interesting as was the Jewish theater and the Jewish Museum. Laura is very knowledgeable and explained the history as we walked through the Jewish area.
H
Learn more about the history not told
This is important history generally untold. The Jewish experience in Romania was long and rich in terms of the contributions made to the communities in which they lived. Mostly the citizens of Romania kept silent when friends and neighbors were threatened.
D
Exceptional tour!
We had a wonderful day with Laura touring Bucharest including the city and Jewish heritage. Laura is extremely knowledgeable about history, culture, art and architecture. She is warm, accommodating and has a great sense of humor. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and highly recommend her!
1
A tour of the Jewish Bucharest
Laura was so special, taking time to make sure we saw everything. Her personality and thoughtfulness made our half day tour of the Jewish places in Bucharest a true event. My wife and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND spending a day with Laura.
3
Walking through the fascinating Bucarest
It was amazing! Monica was a fantastic guide Who took us into the Old town of Bucarest explaining the history and the beauty of the people of Bucarest. I think I will come back with my family.
V
Walking through history
Very professional and lovely guide. She took us through the history of Romania in a very clear and pleasant way. Highly recommended.
A
Amazing
Our guide Monica, was exceptional. It was si interesting to hear her explain everything about the city areas that we visited. Also the history facts. Great experience.
J
Making a Jewish ghost-town come alive
My husband and I took Laura's half-day tour. In addition to the highlights quite rightly touted - the beautiful Choral and Great Synagogues (including the sobering Holocaust exhibit at the latter), and the unexpected ongoing Yiddish theatre, we were able to get a bare sense of a breathing Jewish neighborhood. Laura had a special interest in the Jewish architects of homes on the streets surrounding these more known sites, and one can see hints of the Art Deco inspired buildings housing a once-flourishing Jewish community - sadly now a ghost-town. (Though there is still a small ongoing orthodox congregation at the Choral and Sukkot preps were underway at the Great synagogue.) I was grateful that- through her research and planning of the tour - one can have such a rich experience. Thanks, Laura!
P
Fantastic Bucharest tour of culture and history
Absolutely fabulous! Well organized tour. Can't recommend it enough to anybody visiting Bucharest. Every stop we went to we learned something new and it was a nice balance of culture and history with charismatic hosts along the way . Jacky, our guide was one of the best guides that I've ever experienced on any tour.
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from$303
5.0(23) Free cancellation