Portugal and Spain

12 day Portugal and Spain Jewish Heritage Tours

The Soul of Sefarad

The Jewish presence in Spain and Portugal dates back centuries, and its gifts to the arts, philosophy, commerce and sciences helped forge the cultural heritage of Iberia. In Portugal, this unique tour focuses on places related to our heritage, particularly on the descendants of the Inquisition, often referred to as Marranos. Forced to convert during those awful days, many secretly, and over the centuries, retained their Jewish practices and their pride. You will see many Portuguese jewels: Porto with a revived and steadily growing Jewish community; Belmonte, with its Jewish Quarter, Synagogue, and Jewish Museum; Lisbon with its upcoming world-class Jewish Museum; and Cascais, a chic seaside resort with a new and thriving Jewish center. In Spain, travel to the source of great sages like Maimonides and the Kabbalists of the “Golden Age.” While Jewish communities are no longer active in Cordoba, Lucena, and Toledo, their history still radiates in these jewels of Sefarad. Throughout these Portugal and Spain Jewish Heritage Tours, you will gain a rare insight to the Jewish soul of Iberia, spanning over more than 500 years.

EXPLORE OUR 7 DAY JEWISH TOURS TO PORTUGAL

EXPLORE OUR 10 DAY JEWISH TOURS TO PORTUGAL

DAY 1 MONDAY ARRIVAL IN PORTO

Arrival transfer. In the afternoon, begin a walking tour in the Old Quarter of Baixa, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Descend to the Ribeira area, with its beautifully restored stone quays. Porto, 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” (“Street of the Jewish Hill” and “Stairway to the Synagogue”), as well as a panoramic view of Dona Maria Bridge (designed by Gustave Eiffel). 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 for native Portuguese Jews in over 400 years. Captain Barros Bastos, also known as “Ben Rosh,” pushed the construction to assist Crypto-Jews in returning to the open practice of Judaism. Continue our discovery of the city of Porto: Bolhão market, which was recently restored, offers a glance of the local life and selected shops, Santa Catarina pedestrian street, and other landmarks like the Clérigo tower, the Stock Exchange Palace (visit inside) São Bento Statton with beautiful tiles and the iconic Lello bookshop (visit inside). The remainder of the day is at leisure. 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.” Continue to Trancoso and visit the Isaac Cardoso Center for Jewish Interpretation, along with a new synagogue. A mezuza was affixed to the entrance of the synagogue – the first mezuza in the village for hundreds of years! Continue to Belmonte, where a Jewish community has survived for centuries. 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, appropriately located in the old Jewish Quarter. In 2005, the Jewish Museum opened, portraying the history of the Sephardic presence in Portugal and including a memorial of the Inquisition. 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 reminder of one of the most extraordinary Sephardic communities, now classified as a national monument. This structure houses Jewish gravestones, the cornerstones of the 13th Century Synagogue of Belmonte, the 14th Century Lisbon Synagogue, and other remains of Tomar’s Jewish community. Upon arrival in Lisbon, visit the Shaare Tikva Synagogue and check in at the nearby hotel. PortoBay Liberdade Hotel.

DAY 5 FRIDAY LISBON – SINTRA – CASCAIS – LISBON

Drive to Sintra, a World Heritage Site used as a retreat by the Romans, the Moors, and Portuguese Kings, reveling in its location, beauty, ravines, and springs. The former Jewish Quarter, where Jews lived and mixed at the Court before the forced conversions of 1497, is still visible. Visit the impressive National Royal Palace. Later, continue to the Cascais, a beach resort area beloved by Lisbon’s Jewish community. During the Holocaust, this town and Estoril sheltered Jewish refugees. Visit the recently built Jewish Centre Avner Cohen and its outstanding collection of books and documents on the history of Jews in Portugal. The Rabbi, R. Eli Rosenfeld, recently published Jewish Voices for Portugal, highlighting the wisdom of six Portuguese-Jewish commentators (among them, 15th-century scholars Abarbanel and Joseph Karo) on the Torah. Its preface was written by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, and Carlos Carreiras, Mayor of Cascais. En route back to Lisbon, drive via Estoril town, and arrive at the hotel in the afternoon. PortoBay Liberdade Hotel.

DAY 6 SATURDAY LISBON

Enjoy a day at leisure or explore Lisbon, beginning with a 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 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-Fés” occurred. Later, see the Belém-Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. View the Monument to the Discoveries, which owes much to the Portuguese Jews. From Torre de Belém, explorers once set out to discover trade routes to Africa, Asia, and the New World. (Brazil is the most famous product of these journeys.) See the striking Monument, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, celebrating the adventurers who participated in the Golden Age of Discovery. PortoBay Liberdade Hotel.

DAY 7 SUNDAY LISBON – FARO – SEVILLE

Depart Lisbon and drive towards the famous Algarve Coast and Faro, its capital. Faro was a well-known center of Hebrew printing. Samuel Porteira printed the first book in Portugal’s history in 1481: a Hebrew Bible no win the British Library of London. Walk inside the old city called “Villa Adentro,” which means “town inside the walls,” where a Jewish quarter of craftsmen and merchants emerged during the 14th century. Jews began returning here in the 19th century. After lunch in a traditional restaurant, continue to Seville, Spain. Upon arrival in the afternoon, check in at the centrally located hotel. Inglaterra Hotel.

DAY 8 MONDAY SEVILLE

Today, enjoy a visit to classic Seville, immortalized in operas such as “The Barber of Seville,” “Don Giovanni,” and “Carmen.” From the hotel, walk past the Cathedral, one of the largest in the world. Here, find the resting place of Spanish Kings and Queens and the tomb of Christopher Columbus – but are his remains there? Continue past the Alcazar Palace, still used as a residence for the Spanish Royal Family, to the grand Plaza Espana, the site of the great 1929 Exhibition. Next, visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz – the former Jewish Quarter. Today, it is one of Seville’s most charming areas. Visit Santa María la Blanca, formerly an exquisite synagogue. Continue in the Barrio to a parking lot, where (sadly) the remains of the former Jewish Cemetery can be traced. In the afternoon, stroll through the elegant pedestrian area and its shops. Seville might be the perfect option if you ever dreamed of seeing flamenco. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Inglaterra Hotel.

DAY 9 TUESDAY SEVILLE –CORDOBA

Drive to nearby Cordoba, the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets. Once the biggest city in Europe, Cordoba thrived with its unique blend of cultures. Begin with a walking tour of the Juderia, with its whitewashed houses, colorful courtyards, and shops. Although not Jewish in its current expression, signs still hint of the Golden Age. Note the gem-like Synagogue and the statue of the court doctor and Torah sage, Maimonides (Rambam). After spending some free time for lunch, visit the immense Mezquita, one of the Western world’s most significant Muslim architectural achievements. This 8th-century structure was first a church, later a mosque, and now has a cathedral. Walk back to the hotel in the heart of the Juderia. For the remainder of the day at leisure, browse the colorful, pedestrian-friendly Old Town streets. Eurostar Palace Cordoba.

DAY 10 WEDNESDAY CORDOBA – LUCENA – GRANADA

Depart on a short drive to Lucena, formerly the principal Jewish town in Andalusia. Here was home to many prominent Jews, including the family of Maimonides. Indeed, Lucena was known as the “Pearl of Sefarad.” A Jewish cemetery was discovered here in 2006. Since then, the city has preserved more than 340 tombs according to Jewish law, making this Spain’s most important Jewish cemetery. Next, walk the narrow streetsto the Torre Del Moral, the site of two tombstones found at the cemetery, and see the Palace of the Counts, housing a small Jewish Museum. Afterwards, depart for Granada. Upon arrival, enjoy free time for lunch and check-in at the hotel. At 3:00 PM, visit one of the Wonders of the World — the Moorish Palace of Alhambra and the Generalife. Located on a hilltop with the Sierra Nevada Mountains behind, Alhambra’s exquisite layout and breathtaking design have few rivals. Feel a sense of mystique as you are guided past graceful courtyards, splashing fountains, and lavish rooms. Next, check-in at the historic town hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Alhambra Palace Hotel.

DAY 11 THURSDAY GRANADA – TOLEDO

This morning, drive to Toledo. With its naturally fortified location, Toledo was once Spain’s true center. Toledo was likewise the center of Jewish Spain, with a rich, creative heritage; you will feel this atmosphere as you stroll the narrow alleys in its historic section. See El Greco’s house, formerly the palace of Samuel Halevy, treasurer of King Pedro I and architect of the El Transito synagogue. Continue to Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca, later converted to a church, and Sinagoga del Transito, Today the Sephardic Museum.. In Toledo, history seems to stand still; you will feel this as synagogues and the Samuel Halevy Statue. Here is the final stop on your remarkable journey through Iberia’s Jewish story — and the setting couldn’t be more perfect—the remainder of the day at leisure. Hotel San Juan de los Reyes / Parador de Toledo.

DAY 12 FRIDAY HOME FLIGHTS

Morning transfer to the airport or continue on an extension.