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Jewish Vienna Tour

Discover the fascinating history of Vienna's Jewish community, guided by a local expert
From US$599 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • Leopoldstadt Temple (Memorial)
  • Holocaust Memorial
  • City Temple (exterior)
Photos & Highlights
  • In-depth look at Jewish heritage in Vienna from the 20th-century complete with samples from a local kosher bakery
  • Led by a local historian
Tour Description
On this Jewish Vienna walking tour, we'll peel back the layers of history that lay thick over the city's first district, the Inner City, and second district, Leopoldstadt. We’ll walk a constellation of both famous and hidden spots, including the City Temple, Holocaust Memorial, the former site of the Leopoldstädter Temple, and neighborhoods of notable Jewish residents like Theodor Herzl. Together, we'll discover how the streets themselves have been the hosts to many different eras of Jewish history. 

Jewish Vienna Walking Tour

Jews in Vienna were integrated in the city and at times forced apart from it; here they flourished and suffered. For centuries, Vienna’s Jews have been among the influential actors in the dramatic narrative of the city, firmly at the forefront of art, science, and music in Vienna. (For more focus on the music of Vienna, join our Vienna Opera Tour.) On this walk, we’ll dig into tough topics of anti-semitism, class division, and expulsion. But we’ll also sneak a bite at a Jewish kosher bakery and let ourselves be captivated by stories of human resilience. First and foremost, the walk focuses on Jewish life and the contribution of the Jewish community of Vienna, both then and now. Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote extensively of the “striving to find meaning in one's life”—with the layers of the past still so tangible, we’ll use our time together to consider what this sentiment means for Vienna and its Jews today.

Visit the Vienna Holocaust Memorial

We’ll begin deep in Vienna’s first district in front of the City Temple, the only remaining 19th-century synagogue. Here we’ll set the stage for the themes of our walk: the deep relationship of Vienna to its Jewish community, the story of their tragic losses, and their meaningful return. 

Thereafter, we’ll make our way to the stark Holocaust Memorial at Judenplatz, initiated by Simon Wiesenthal. Like many other European countries, Austria still bears the recent scars of war and genocide—however, we can gain a deeper understanding of the country by experiencing how they memorialize those events in public spaces today. 

Following the Way of Memory

Our exploration continues on the other side of the Danube canal, in the second district at the memorial site of the destroyed Leopoldstädter Temple, now marked by four white columns rising into the sky. From here, we’ll wind through the second district, taking in the beautiful Jugendstil architecture of the Jewish Theater, the sites of the destroyed synagogues of both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities, and the gathering point for Nazi deportations.


For more Jugendstil architecture, see our Vienna Architecture Tour.


We’ll also stop frequently to hear stories of some of the members of the Jewish community who once walked these same streets and whose names are known around the world today: Sigmund Freud, Viktor Frankl, Theodor Herzl, and others. As we circle towards the river again, we’ll look back at the first district and Vienna’s Inner City, tantalizingly close across the Danube canal. Here, we’ll experience firsthand the geographical division that has always underscored both the integration and separation of Jews in Vienna. 

FAQ

Does this walk include the interior of the City Temple (Stadttempel, the main synagogue)?
The synagogue does not allow external visitors except on their own guided tours, which happen at restricted times, so we cannot currently offer this option.

Will this tour go inside any of the venues?
This is an entirely outdoor door with the exception of a stop for a pastry at a kosher bakery.

Do we visit the Jewish Museum on this tour?
The Jewish Museum is not part of our standard Jewish Vienna tour. Visitors should contact the synagogue independently to sign up for an interior visit. 
Experts
Marieta Marieta
Local Guide
Elisabeth Elisabeth
Local Guide
Reinhard Reinhard
Cultural Historian
Peter Peter
Local Guide
Stephan Stephan
Historian
Marlene Marlene
Local Guide
Katharina Katharina
Art Historian
Jan Jan
Architect
Where You'll Start
(4.78) 60 Reviews

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Our tour with Reinhard was wonderful. He was so knowledgeable about Jewish life, past and present, in Vienna. We learned so much!
Reinhard was so knowledgeable and thoughtful in his presentation. We had an incredible time learning and exploring the city. He catered to the needs of my older parents and as well as kids, keeping us all engaged and interested the whole time.
Marlene was excellent. She was able to adapt our tour to our needs and she was lovely and very knowledgeable. It was a very hot day and she moved us along beautifully, being patient with our questions and keeping us on track!