Spring is moving along, and summer is coming — that means tourist and travel season. There are a lot of resources — both online and on the ground — to aid Jewish heritage tourism, and we will be highlighting some of them as the season advances.
Vienna has a wealth of Jewish heritage sites — from the historic Stadttempel main synagogue, built in 1826, to the Vienna Jewish Museum, to Jewish cemeteries, to Holocaust memorials, educational institutions, and more, as befits both a historic and living community.
There are also a number of resources for visitors wanting to tour Jewish heritage sites and museums and also experience Jewish life in the city. (See partial list at the bottom of this post.)
To this mix, a new Jewish Info Point was recently launched, located in the Singer Jewish bookstore and cafe (at Rabensteig 3 — near the Stadttempel).
It provides a wide range of information on Jewish history, art, literature and music. Visitors can also book tours of Jewish Vienna and find suggestions for cultural events as well as activities such as kosher cooking classes.
The web page links to two downloadable brochures — one on the short list of “Must See Sites” of Jewish Vienna and the other a catalogue and suggestions for Guided Tours of Jewish Vienna.
There’s also a video that highlights Jewish attractions in Vienna.
Other tourism resources include:
Smartphone or Tablet app for Jewish Vienna
Municipal travel and tourism site with links to a number of heritage sites and resources.
Jewish Vienna: Heritage and Mission
Comprehensive, 70-page downloadable guide to Jewish Vienna — tourism, sites, Jewish life, links, etc. Prepared by the municipal Jewish Welcome Service and Vienna Jewish Museum
Tour My Country — Jewish Vienna
Online guide to Jewish sites and history in Vienna