Portugal 7 days

7 days Jewish Tours to Portugal:

A Taste of Portugal

The Jewish presence in Iberia has existed long before Portugal itself became a country. The contribution of Portuguese Jews to the arts, philosophy, commerce and sciences helped create the rich cultural heritage of this nation. Our unique tour focuses on places of Jewish interest, as well as the fascinating people who continue to contribute to Portuguese society. These descendants of the Inquisition, often referred to as Marranos, are now known as the B’nai Anousim (Children of Oppression). Forced to convert during those awful days, many secretly, and over the centuries, retained their precious Jewish practices, as well as pride in their true heritage. These are the Secret Jews of Portugal – proof, to this day, that our people’s soul cannot be vanquished.

You will see three Portuguese jewels: Porto (and taste the famous port), Lisbon, and Belmonte, with its Old Jewish Quarter and Jewish Museum. Staying at gorgeous hotels, you will enjoy both physical luxury and a rare, inimitable Jewish experience.

EXPLORE OUR 10 DAY TOURS TO PORTUGAL

EXPLORE OUR 12 DAY TOURS TO PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

DAY 1 MONDAY ARRIVAL IN PORTO

Private transfer to your hotel in the heart of the capital of northern Portugal, beautifully located above the river Douro. In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour in the old quarter or Baixa in the afternoon, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.  Porto was well known among the Jewish traders during the Middle Ages, and its Jewish Quarter remains today. You will see both “Rua Monte Judeus” and “Escadas da Esnoga” (which mean “Street of the Jewish Hill” and “Stairway to the Synagogue”). Later, visit the iconic Lello Bookshop.  Besides its historical aspects, Porto is also a contemporary and artistic city. This is visible everywhere: in the streets, in architecture, in art galleries and museums, and in the restaurants and boutiques the city offers. Intercontinental Hotel, Palácio das Cardosas.

DAY 2 TUESDAY PORTO

This morning, visit the Makor Haim Synagogue (“Source of Life”). With help from abroad in the early 20th Century, this was the first synagogue built in Portugal for native Portuguese Jews in over 400 years. Captain Barros Bastos, also known as “Ben Rosh,” pushed the construction to assist the many Crypto-Jews returning to the open practice of Judaism. Later, visit the Bolhão market the Clérigo Tower, São Bento Station, the Stock Exchange with the magnificent Salão Árabe (Arabian Hall).  Descend to the Ribeira area, where the characteristic stone quays are beautifully restored and enjoy  a panoramic view of Dona Maria Bridge (designed by  Gustave Eiffel). From Gaia you will have another perspective of the ancient part of the city , set along the banks of the Douro. Return to the hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Porto on your own. Intercontinental Hotel, Palácio das Cardosas.

DAY 3 WEDNESDAY CABANAS DE VIRIATO – TRANCOSO – BELMONTE

Depart Porto and drive to Cabanas de Viriato. Here, visit Aristides de Sousa Mendes House. Israel recognized Aristides de Sousa Mendes as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for saving more than 30,000 refugees while serving as Portugal’s Consul in Bordeaux, France, during the Holocaust. Among the refugees he saved by issuing visas were 10,000 Jews. As a punishment for disobeying the orders of António de Oliveira Salazar’s Estado Novo regime, he was dismissed from his position as consul, leaving him and his family to a life in poverty. However, he stood by his actions and proudly proclaimed: “If thousands of Jews are suffering because of one Christian (Hitler), surely one Christian may suffer for so many Jews.” Aristides Sousa Mendes died in 1954, and the Portuguese Government took many more years to issue a total rehabilitation of his name finally. After visiting Cabanas de Viriato, continue to Trancoso, a well-preserved sample of a Portugese walled town. The Jewish presence in Trancoso dates back to the 12th century. In the Medieval Era, Jews prospered in the middle and upper classes. Jewish and “New Christian” legacy still lives in the written documents, local traditions and in buildings such as the Gato Preto House, or Poço do Mestre (Master’s well), and other dwellings of the historic center. The town of Trancoso has honored its Jewish heritage with the establishment of the Isaac Cardoso Center for Jewish Interpretation, along with a new synagogue called Beit Mayim Hayim – “the House of Living Waters.” A mezuza was affixed to the entrance of the synagogue – the first mezuza in the village for hundreds of years!  Continue to Belmonte, crowned by the medieval castle, Belmonte stands out for the beauty of its landscapes and monuments, for its fabulous strategic position, which has made it dominate, from immemorial times, territories and communication routes. To its credit, Belmonte also welcomed people of other creeds and cultures. A Jewish community was established that has survived for centuries. It still exists today – heir to the ancient historical presence of the Sephardic Jews. Even throughout the time of the Inquisition, Jews managed to preserve many of their rites, prayers, and social relations. Despite the pressure of the Catholics, many “New Christians” continued to marry only among themselves for centuries. In 1989, the community was officially recognized, and in 1996, it inaugurated the synagogue “Beit Eliahu” (Elijah’s House), appropriately located in the old Jewish Quarter. The Jewish Cemetery was restored in 2001, and in 2005, the Jewish Museum opened, portraying the history of the Sephardic presence in Portugal and including a memorial of the Inquisition. Since 2011, Belmonte has also hosted the “Portuguese Network of Jewish Quarters.”  This Community consists of twenty-five families, all descendants of the “Secret Jews” who perpetuated their religion against all odds for centuries. In Belmonte’s old Jewish Quarter, we can observe small houses with engraved crosses – a protective pretense by Jewish people to escape persecution. Visit the Synagogue and the Jewish Museum, before checking in at the hotel. Mt Sinai Hotel or Pousada de Belmonte.

DAY 4 THURSDAY BELMONTE – TOMAR – LISBON

Depart for Lisbon. En route, visit Tomar, one of Portugal’s oldest and most charming towns, founded by the Order of Knights Templar. Visit the 15th Century Synagogue, now the Museum Luso-Hebraico Abraão Zacuto, located on what was once Rua da Judiaria. Here, you will find a significant reminder of one of the greatest Sephardic Jewish communities, now classified as a national monument. With Gothic vaults upheld by four central columns, this structure houses Jewish gravestones, the cornerstones of the 13th Century Synagogue of Belmonte and the 14th Century Lisbon Synagogue, and other remains of Tomar’s medieval Jewish community. Arrive in Lisbon in the later afternoon. PortoBay Liberdade Hotel.

DAY 5 FRIDAY LISBON – CASCAIS – SINTRA – LISBON  

In the morning, visit the Shaare Tikva Synagogue, restored in 2004. Next, depart for a small but significant Portuguese treasure, Cascais, a beach resort Lisbon’s community loves. During the Holocaust, this town also sheltered Jewish refugees, and Cascais’ Municipality has opened the Espaço do Exilio Estoril (Exiles’ Memorial Center) to honor this memory. Recently, the Rabbi of the vibrant Jewish Center, R. Eli Rosenfeld, published a groundbreaking book, Jewish Voices for Portugal, which highlights the wisdom of six Portuguese-Jewish commentators (among them, the 15th-century scholars Isaac Abarbanel and Joseph Karo) on the Torah. It is worth noticing that the book’s preface was written by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, and Carlos Carreiras, Mayor of Cascais. During the visit to the center, you will see documents dating back 500 years.Next, continue to Sintra, a World Heritage Site also known as “Lord Byron’s Glorious Eden.” Sintra was used as a retreat by the Romans, the Moors, and the Portuguese Kings, all of whom revelled in its location, beauty, wooded ravines, and natural water springs. Its former Jewish Quarter, where Jews lived and mixed at the Court before the forced conversions of 1497, is still visible today. Visit the glorious National Royal Palace. In the afternoon, return to Lisbon. PortoBay Liberdade Hotel.

DAY 6 LISBON

Enjoy a day at leisure or a full day to visit Lisbon and its various neighborhoods.  Begin with a panoramic visit to the Riverside area. Passing the Rossio, reach the Largo da Graça, from where you can admire the magnificent city view, the Tagus River, and the “Seven Hills” of Lisbon. Continue to Porta do Sol, descending on foot through Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest area, to the “Rua da Judiaria,” the old Jewish Quarter, with its narrow, cobbled streets. You will also stand in the Praça do Comércio, where the dreaded “Autos-de-Fé” of the Inquisition took place.
Later, see the Belém-Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most representative monuments of Manueline style in Portugal. View the Monument to the Discoveries, which owes much to the Portuguese Jews and “New-Christians,” as many forced converts were called. From Torre de Belém, guarding the mouth of the Tagus River, explorers once set out on voyages to discover trade routes to Africa, Asia, and the New World. (Brazil, of course, is the most famous product of these journeys.) See the striking monument, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, which celebrates the Portuguese adventurers who took part in the Golden Age of Discovery. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. PortoBay Liberdade hotel.

Day 7 SUNDAY LISBON – HOME FLIGHTS

Transfer to the airport (pending your flight departure time) and check in for your flights.