Great Synagogue (Dohány Street Synagogue)

Also known as Dohány Street Synagogue, the Great Synagogue in Budapest is the second largest in the world (only Temple Emanu-El in New York City is bigger, and only slightly). It opened in 1859 and features Moorish Revival architecture style. Travelers suggest you visit for the atmosphere, and to learn of the synagogue's historical significance—particularly its connection to the Holocaust. In 1939, the synagogue was bombed by a Hungarian pro-Nazi party. Dohány Street itself constituted the border of Budapest's Jewish Ghetto from 1944 to 1945. Visit the Jewish museum next door to learn about the history of Hungarian Judaism, and to pay your respects at the Holocaust Memorial and Heroes' Temple in the courtyard.

It costs 1,400 HUF (about $6.50 USD) to get into the Great Synagogue. Admission to the Jewish Museum next door is 2,000 HUF (about $9 USD) for adults and 850 HUF (about $4 USD) for students. A Budapest Card will give you a 10 percent discount. Men are required to wear a yarmulke inside the synagogue (one is provided at the door). It's located in Erzsébetváros, (or Elizabeth Town) in Pest, not far from the Astoria metro. To learn more, visit the synogogue's website.