*Prices shown above are representative. Dates, times and prices are subject to change and may not be available for your sailing. To purchase a Shore & Land Excursion, you must already have a reservation number for a cruise or Alaska Cruisetour and have made a payment towards that reservation. Shore & Land Excursions must be purchased in the same currency as your cruise or Alaska Cruisetour reservation. Exchange rates are determined by a competitive pricing program and may be subject to change without notice. All monetary exchanges onboard are processed in U.S. Dollars directly to your SeaPass onboard charge account unless otherwise specified.
Riga's Jewish Heritage - RG03
This tour will be operated in English only. The Jewish heritage occupies a very important role in the history of Latvia & Riga. This tour offers the most important sites & memorial places - "Magen David" memorial stone (1988), built on the place of the burned down in 1941 the Big Coral Synagogue; Old Jewish Cemetery (part of former Riga Ghetto, one of the biggest in Eastern Europe); Museum of History of Jews in Latvia with many photos & information from different periods & the only functioning Synagogue in Riga (1905). Wonderful possibility to learn an important part of Latvian history. Note: Guests must be able to walk approx. 2 miles over even & cobblestone surfaces with 50 to 65 steps.
Riga has always been a multi-national city. The Jewish heritage occupies a very important role in the history of the city. During this 4,5 hour tour you will get acquainted with the most important sites and memorial places. You will visit the place of the burned down Big Choral Synagogue, which was built in 1868 and used to be the biggest and most beautiful synagogue in Riga. It was famous for its singers, both cantors and the choir. On July 4th, 1941 the Synagogue was burned down together with 300 people inside. On July 4th, 1988 the memorial - a big gray memorial stone with carved inscription "Magen David "- was inaugurated here.
The tour will continue to the Old Jewish Cemetery. The Cemetery was opened in 1725. The burials took place there till 1941 when the cemetery was included in the territory of the Ghetto. In 1941 numerous Jewish people were slaughtered and buried there in a big common grave. After the war the cemetery was destroyed. Now it is a memorial park. The tour will continue to the outskirts of Riga to visit the memorial place in Rumbula. This is the place where about 30 thousand Jewish people from Europe were massacred. In late 60-ties a tombstone was put on the mass grave of victims of Nazi terror.
After the visit of Rumbula Memorial you will go to the museum of History of Jews in Latvia. After returning to Old Town you will visit the only functioning Synagogue in Riga, built 1905.
Note: Guests must be able to walk approximately 2 miles over even and cobblestone surfaces with 50 to 65 steps. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The venues visited on this tour are not wheelchair accessible.
