Spain tour

Jewish Spain tour

“Espana” is an exquisite symphony of experience, with a vital connection to world history and enduring Jewish heritage. This timeless land of explorers vibrates with the colorful passions of swirling flamenco and guitars; you will find its deep beauty unforgettable. From this exotic land emerged great sages and the Kabbalists of the “Golden Age,” as well as the traditions of Sephardic Judaism, with its fascinating Eastern flavor. Enjoy a blend of Moorish, European and Jewish influences as we travel through the land of Cortez and Ponce de Leon. Iberia is a delight for the senses and for the soul!

Current available tours to Spain and  Portugal:

Explore Our 7 day Jewish tour to Portugal

Explore Our 10 day Jewish tour to Portugal

Explore Our 12 day tours to Portugal and Spain

Day 01 Sunday Departure USA

Departure on your flight from the USA.

Day 02 Monday Barcelona

Upon arrival to Barcelona Airport, you are welcomed to Spain and Barcelona.  En route from the airport, enjoy a short sightseeing tour in one of Spain’s most exciting cities – Barcelona, capital of the Catalonian province. You will see some of its famous landmarks and ascend by cable car to Montjuic (Hill of the Jews), which offers a birds’-eye view of the city below. The site of the former Olympics in Spain, Montjuic, is now a popular site for exhibitions. Next, check in at the hotel with time to rest and refresh. In the evening, enjoy dinner at the Jewish Community Center, where you will be introduced to the Jewish history of Barcelona. Hotel.

Day 03 Tuesday Barcelona

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, visit one of Spain’s landmarks: the architectural masterwork of Antonio Gaudi, known as the Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family). This cathedral is imaginatively (some say eccentrically) conceived as a looming, magnificent sand castle. Later, continue on a walking tour through the centuries-old streets and alleys of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. You tour will include an introduction to this former Jewish area. Visit Sinagoga Major, the oldest Synagogue in Barcelona, which has recently been restored. Remainder of the day at leisure for your own activities, such as a visit to the small, but significant Picasso Museum nearby. Hotel.

Day 04 Wednesday Barcelona – Overnight Train

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure. After check out, depart on an excursion to some of the historic towns in the Catalonian hills. Visit Girona, a charming example of Spain’s quaint early-Medieval ambience, and a reminder of the time when Jewish traditions bloomed. Girona was once a link between the first Kabbalists of Provence and the poets and writers of Cordoba and Toledo, also major Kabbalah Centers. Jewish settlers came to Girona at the end of the 9th century, growing and prospering until the Spanish Inquisition forced them into exile in 1492 – a span of 500 years. Enjoy a visit to the Jewish Museum, and stroll through the “Call” (Jewish Quarter), which still evokes this precious Jewish culture, an important part of the Golden Age of Spain. The spirit of our ancestors, you will sense, has never vanished. Later, continue to the town of Figueres, home of the Salvador Dali Theater Museum.  In the late afternoon, return to Barcelona and board the overnight train to Granada. Dinner will be served in the Dining Car on board. First Class sleeper accommodations.

Day 05 Thursday Granada

Breakfast on board the train. Upon arrival in Granada, visit the Moorish Palace of Alhambra, one of the Wonders of the World. Located on a hilltop with the Sierra Nevada as background, Alhambra’s exquisite design and layout have few rivals. Be filled with a sense of mystique as you are guided past its graceful courtyards, splashing fountains and lavish rooms. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the hotel, or explore Granada further on your own. Hotel.

Day 06 Friday Granada – Marbella

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, leave Granada for a spectacular drive though the Mountains of Andalusia, with vistas of olive groves waiting around every corner, and charming villages greeting you with a sweet bouquet of colors. En route, you will travel through traditional villages including the gorgeous Ronda, built atop the gorge and river below. Ronda is legendary, as is its bullfighting ring, said to be the oldest in Spain. Director Orson Welles’s fascination with Ronda led to his last wish – to be buried here (and he was). Continue to the Coast and Spain’s most famous beach resort area, Marbella.  Marbella is a different world from the rest of Spain and a unique place to spend Shabbat. Check in at the Rio Real Golf Hotel. In the evening, enjoy Kabbalat Shabbat dinner with members of the Marbella community, a short walk from the resort. Hotel.

Day 07 Saturday Marbella

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a full day at leisure in this beautiful spot. You can join services, play golf on a world-class course, or enjoy the nearby beaches. Hotel.

Day 08 Sunday Marbella – Gibraltar – Seville

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for the short drive to Gibraltar. Entering Gibraltar, you will feel as though you have landed in the British Empire, with quaint sights such as dapper “bobbies” and typically English red “post” boxes. Begin sightseeing this fascinating, independent little plot of land, and gain an in-depth introduction to Gibraltar as seen from a Jewish perspective. The tour will include the Jewish Cemetery, Synagogue and Community Center, where Lunch will be served. After Lunch, visit the Upper Reserve, home of the famous Gibraltar monkeys. Continue to Andalusia’s legendary city: Seville, immortalized in opera classics such as “The Barber of Seville,” “Carmen” and “Don Giovanni.” Check-in at the hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. Hotel.

Day 09 Monday Seville

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, explore the great mixture of past and present that is Seville. Your tour will include the imposing Cathedral, one of the largest in the world. Here, find the resting place of Spanish Kings and Queens, as well as the impressive sepulcher 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, site of the pavilion of the great 1929 exhibition. Last but not least, visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz – the former Jewish Quarter. Today, it is one of Seville’s most charming areas. Remainder of the day at leisure to explore this magnificent city as you please. Perhaps you’d like to experience the passionate, Latin feel of “flamenco” in a town that has celebrated this art for centuries. Hotel.

Day 10 Tuesday Seville – Cordoba – Madrid

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, depart on the short drive to the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets: Cordoba. Once the biggest city in all of Europe, Cordoba thrived and expanded with its unique blend of cultures. These are beautifully expressed with a visit to Mezquita, the most significant Muslim architectural achievement in the Western world. This 8th century structure was first a church, then a mosque, and today has a cathedral oddly placed in its center. Walk the street leading up to the Juderia, with its whitewashed houses and colorful courtyards and shops. Though not Jewish in its current expression, a few signs hint of the Golden Age of Jewish life. Note, for example, the tiny, gem-like Synagogue, as well as the statue of the great court doctor and Torah sage, Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon). Later, continue by coach towards Spain’s gorgeous capital, Madrid. Remainder of the day at leisure. Hotel.

Day 11 Wednesday Madrid

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, a tour of magnificent Madrid, where the history of a people blends with the world of power, glamour and enterprise. See the impressive Royal Palace as well as two of Europe’s grandest squares: Plaza Mayor, with arts, crafts and chic boutiques under its arcades, and the Spanish version of Times Square – Puerta del Sol. Later, gain insight into Jewish life in today’s Spain as you enjoy Lunch with members of the Jewish Community. A visit to one of Madrid’s splendid Synagogues is included. In the afternoon, tour the Prado Museum, with its priceless collections of Spanish art by Velazquez, Goya and El Greco. Return to the hotel with remainder of the day at leisure. Hotel.

Day 12 Thursday Madrid – Toledo – Madrid

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is devoted to Toledo, perched high on a hill by the Tagus River. With its naturally fortified location, Toledo was once the true center of Spain, and is widely considered a “pearl” for its subtle beauty. This city was also the center for Jewish Spain, with a rich, creative heritage. You will feel this atmosphere as you stroll through the narrow alleys of its historic section. See El Greco’s house, formerly the palace of the prominent (and Jewish) 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 to the Sinagoga del Transito, which today houses the Sephardic Museum. Return to Madrid. In the evening, enjoy a Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Hotel.

Day 13 Friday Madrid – Home flight

Breakfast at the hotel. Later, transfer to the Madrid International Airport. Time to say “adios” to Spain and a wonderful experience.