Today we depart for our overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal

Arrival at Lisbon and private transfer to the hotel the rest of the day is at leisure to help you adjust to your new time zone. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon. (D.)

After breakfast we depart for a full day tour of Lisbon, learn all about the Jewish legacy in the Portuguese capital. Up until 1496 there were three Jewish Quarters in Lisbon. Besides strolling through Alfama, we will visit the church of São Domingos, in Rossio, where the Jewish Massacre of Lisbon took place in 1506. In the afternoon, we depart towards the district of Belém, where monuments alluding to the time of the Maritime Discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries. Free time for lunch. We stop at the Belém Tower (classified as World Heritage by UNESCO), the 15th century fortress and departure point for caravels, also we visit the “Discoveries Monument” to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. We then visit the Monastery of Jeronimos (classified as World Heritage by UNESCO), a masterpiece of Manuelino architecture. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (B.D.)

We check out after breakfast  and depart for Tomar and visit the Synagogue and Luso-Hebrew Museum of Abraham Zacuto. A very rare example of a medieval Jewish temple and pre-Renaissance Portuguese art, the Tomar Synagogue is the only one of its kind from this period to have been fully preserved in Portugal. A mandatory visit to the Templar Castel and the Convent of Christ in Tomar, a unique monument in the history of the western world, awarded the classification of world heritage by UNESCO. Built on a site that was originally used for Roman worship, this vast monumental complex illustrates seven centuries of Portugal’s history and contains several important moments of decisive monuments in the history of Portugal. Free time for lunch. Departure to Porto for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (B.D.)

After breakfast discover the Jewish Porto and walk along the streets where a community was born and developed, a community that is supposed to have appeared just before the foundation of Portugal. The Jewish quarter of the city was situated deep in the heart of the village which, in the 12th century, was located near the Cathedral, in the area that is today defined by the ruins of the Convent of Monchique, by the Torre dos Clérigos, Sé, Alfândega do Porto and the square and tunnel of Ribeira – and where some Jewish altars still survive in private estates. Walk towards the area of Palacio da Bolsa and the old Mercado Ferreira Borges. This is where another Jewish quarter once stood, with a synagogue in its center, in what is today known as Rua do Comércio do Porto. In the Boavista area, the hub of Jewish life in the 17th and 18th centuries, visitors can see the Kadoorie synagogue, the largest in the Iberian Peninsula Jewish temple built between 1929 and 1937. In the afternoon, you will take a 50-minutes cruise through the Douro before heading back our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Porto. (B.D.)

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Departure from Porto towards the medieval town of Trancoso, strongly marked by an ancestral Jewish presence. The town’s historic center, surrounded by walls, allows us to discover the facades of old houses. We visit the Isaac Cardoso Jewish Culture Interpretation Centre. Founded in 2012, the goal of this space, where the modern Beit Mayim (the Well of Living Water) synagogue stands out, is a place for culture and debate by teaching about the ancient legacy Beira Jewish communities have left behind. We leave to Belmonte which is, perhaps the Portuguese town with the strongest Jewish presence and it stands out because it was a unique case, within the Iberian Peninsula, where Hebrew culture and tradition have lasted since the early 16th century until today. We will visit the Jewish Museum, the first museum that portrays the History of Jewish people in Portugal, as well as its integration in the society and the decisive role it played in Portuguese culture, art, literature and trade. We will end the day in Castelo Branco, city that became a refuge to a large community of New Christians when the Jews were expelled or forced to convert by the Inquisition. Check-in to our hotel for dinner and overnight accommodations in Castelo Branco. (B.D.)

After breakfast check out of our hotel and depart for Madrid. Sightseeing tour of Madrid. Check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Madrid. (B.D.)

Breakfast at the hotel. This day is devoted to Toledo, perched high on a hill by Tagus River. With its naturally fortified location, Toledo was once the true center of Spain, and is widely considered a “pearl” in terms of its subtle beauty. This city was also 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. Your tour will include El Greco’s house formerly the palace of the prominent 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 afternoon and enjoy time at leisure. Overnight in Madrid. (B.D.)

After breakfast, we begin a full day excursion to Avila and Segovia. Tour of Avila to include the imposing city walls and the former Jewish areas (Juderias). In Segovia, you will sense history with a tour through the historic part of the town including the Aqueduct, and the Jewish Quarter. Though only few traces tells the story of a glorious past, Segovia stills stands as a remarkable monument to its past. Return to Madrid in the afternoon. Overnight in Madrid. (B.D.)

After breakfast, check-out and we transfer by coach to Cordoba, the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets. 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. Walk the streets leading up to the Juderia, with its whitewashed houses and colourful courtyards and shops. Though not Jewish in its current expression, a few signs hint of the Golden Age. 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). Overnight in Cordoba. (B.D.)

After breakfast, a short drive will take us to Seville. Upon arrival. The tour will include the imposing Cathedral, said to be one of the largest in the world. Here, find the resting place of Spanish Kings and Queens, as well as the impressive sepulchre of Christopher Columbus. Continue past the Alcazar Palace, still used as a residence for the Spanish Royal Family, to the grand Plaza España, site of the pavilion of the great 1992 exhibition. Finally, visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz – the former Jewish Quarter. Today, it is one of Seville’s most charming areas. Return to Cordoba in the afternoon. Overnight in Cordoba. (B.D.)

After breakfast, enjoy a day to rest and explore Cordoba on your own or join a tour into the Andalusian countryside. In Baena, visit the Olive Oil museum and pay respect to Jose Luis Santaelle, recognized as Righteous among the Nations for helping the Jewish people in Berlin. Later visit Lucena, formerly known as the Pearl of Sefarad. Enjoy a walking tour of a picturesque town. Later return to Cordoba in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Cordoba. (B.D.)

We depart for Granada. Upon arrival, visit one of the Wonders of the World, the Moorish Palace of Allambra and Generalife. Located on a hilltop with the Sierra Nevada as background. Allambra’s exquisite design and layout have few rivals. Be filled with a sense of mystique as we are guided past graceful courtyards, splashing fountains and lavish rooms. In the afternoon, check-in for the flight to Barcelona. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Barcelona. (B.D.)

After breakfast sightseeing in the most exciting city Spain can offer – Barcelona, capital of the Catalonian province. Begin with a visit to one of Spain’s landmarks: the incomplete architectural masterpiece of Antonio Gaudi, known as the Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family). Next, we continue our walking tour through the centuries-old streets and alleys of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Your tour will include an introduction to this former Jewish area in Barcelona. Visit the oldest Synagogue in Barcelona, which has recently been restored. Remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Barcelona. (B.D.)

Today, drive northward to visit Girona, a charming example of Spain’s quaint early- Medieval ambience, but also as a reminder of the days 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 Giron at the end of the 9th century, growing and prospering until the Spanish Inquisition forced them into exile in 1492 – a span of 600 years. Walking through the “Call” (Jewish Quarter) 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. Visit the Archaeological and Jewish Museums during your tour. Free time to lunch. Later, continue to Besalu, to see the remains of the pre-Inquisition Mekveh. Return to Barcelona in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Barcelona. (B.D.)

After breakfast we transfer to the Barcelona airport for our flight home. (B.)