Budapest’s Jewish Quarter – or District 7 – is layered with forgotten stories and filled with hidden and often quirky historical sights. On this walking tour, you’ll go down its famous passages and streets past magnificent temples and synagogues, and hear about the vast and enchanting history that unfolded there. I’ll share the area’s interesting connection to Harry Houdini, the King of England, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brad Pitt, and Tony Curtis. The tour starts opposite the Budapest Operetta, right at the edge of Budapest’s Jewish Quarter. There you’ll see the statue of Kálmán Imre Szobra, and hear about the celebrated opera composer, who was born in Western Hungary and studied in Budapest. You’ll explore every inch of the Jewish district, passing by several prominent attractions, including the Dohány Street Synagogue (the largest in Europe), and the House of Emmanuel Mai, the most impressive residential building in the Hungarian capital. You’ll enter the iconic Gozsdu Passage, a historic complex linking two main streets of the Jewish Quarter. It was originally built in 1902 as a dormitory for Romanian scholars and is now one of Budapest’s colorful party districts. Along Kazinczy Street, you’ll hear about the Orthodox community and some of the nuances between the sects here. The tour ends at the Szimpla Kert Ruin Bar, a vintage bohemian pub built in an abandoned apartment building. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to: • Hear about the Rumbach Street Synagogue’s different phases throughout history, from housing Jewish refugees to falling into disrepair, and then undergoing a state-sponsored revival in the 2010s • Find out who Hitler’s favorite Jewish composer was, and where Harry Houdini was born • Notice how the Great Synagogue of Budapest, the Dohány Street Synagogue, resembles a North African mosque in its architectural style • Listen to the true story of the Jewish plumber who commuted between Budapest and America for two years while working here so he could observe the Sabbath with his family • Explore the impact of the Holocaust on the city’s Jewish community and hear the remarkable stories of many Jewish Hungarians in Budapest’s survival By the end of this tour, you’ll have immersed yourself in the largest Jewish community in Central Europe while discovering this district’s vibrant cultural life.