SEPHARAD According to legend, the arrival of the Jews -Sephardi- on the Iberian Peninsula took place during the times of Solomon; historical evidence suggests the Roman period. The Jews, along with other Mediterranean cultures, contributed to the formation of Hispanic culture and experienced their golden age during the Middle Ages, when they created their own neighborhoods and institutions -aljamas- in all of the major cities. The cultural symbiosis they enjoyed with the other existing religions was interrupted at the end of the 15th Century. Cáceres DAY 1 MADRID - SEGOVIA - AVILA After our arrival in Madrid we will travel to Segovia and discover this wonderful city, Unesco World Heritage. Segovia was one of the most important Hebrew Aljamas in the Middle Ages and its Jewish Community counted with five synagogues, several Rabbinical schools and numerous butches. Strolling through the Jewish Quarter s narrow and winding streets will let us visit sites such as the former main Synagogue, Sinagoga Mayor, the Puerta de San Andrés and the Jewish Cemetery, the Information Center of the City Walls, or the Educational Center of the Jewish Quarter located in the house that belonged to Abraham Seneor, main Rabbi of all Jewish Aljamas in Castilla. After discovering Segovia s Jewish Quarter, we will have the opportunity to know its rich historic heritage such as the Fortress El Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Roman Aqueduct. Continue to Ávila, where we will spend the night in Ávila having the possibility to have dinner in La Bruja restaurant and overnight in the Hotel La Sinagoga or similar establishments. DAY 2 AVILA - HERVAS - PLASENCIA After breakfast we will discover Ávila, Unesco World Heritage. In Ávila, as in many other Medieval cities in Spain, Jewish, Moorish and Christians lived together, and all of them left their traces, an important part of Spain s cultural heritage. Legends tell of Jewish presence in the construction of former San Vicente Basilica, where you can see the story carved in stone. In the Street Reyes Católicos even today you can see the ancient Synagogue Belforad, nowadays a Hospedería lodgement. The Jewish Quarter was located next to the city wall s Malaventura Gate, where you can can visit the Garden dedicated to Mosé de León, author of the Zohar, a character closely linked to the city. Just a few meters away you will find the façade of the ancient Synagogue of D. Samuel, dated 15th Century. Besides its Jewish heritage, you will enjoy architechtonic jewels such as the Cathedral, Santo Tomás Monastery and other sites related to Holy Theresia of Jesus whose grandfather was a converted Jew. In the afternoon we will travel to Hervás, in the region of Extremadura, an important place of refuge for Jewish population during the 15th century due to its religious tolerance at the time. Hervás, situated on the Silver Route, maintains an important Jewish Quarter. We will spend the night in Plasencia having the chance to have dinner in the restaurant Casa Juan and spend the overnight in the Hotel 4* Ciudad del Jerte or similar establishments. DAY 3 PLASENCIA - CACERES In the morning we will discover Plasencia while we take a morning stroll in the Old Quarter. Plasencia had a signficant Jewish population due to its location as a convergence point of the region. Its narrow medieval streets will take us through archways and squares where we will enjoy the sight of noble houses and coats of arms. In the afternoon we will travel to Cáceres, Unesco World Heritage. The Jewish Quarter of Cáceres boasted a long history, had the necessary institutions to be considered an authentic Aljama, and was one of the five largest Jewish communities of the Kingdom of Castile. The quarter was settled in two neighborhoods, the Old and the New, and as usual, the old Synagogue was transformed into a place of Christian worship, the San Antonio Chapel. Between both quarters, we will take a walk through the palaces of the historical district. We will spend the night in Cáceres having the possibility to have dinner in the restaurant Casa Mijhaeli and overnight in the Hotel 3* Casa Don Fernando or similar establishments. DAY 4 CACERES - SEVILLA After breakfast we will travel along the Silver Route towards Sevilla, having the chance to visit a winery that produces approximately 8.300 bottles of Kosher wine annually. We will tour Sevilla today: it was in Andalusia where the Hebrew and Muslim cultures came together on the Iberian Peninsula. The former Jewish Quarter of Seville is known today as the Barrio de Santa Cruz. It is located close to the former Mosque, rebuilt as a Gothic Cathedral, the Giralda bell tower, the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, and the Royal Palaces built in the Mudéjar style. Today we may have the chance to visit the Fundación Tres Culturas with La Mar de Culturas: un paseo por el Mediterráneo. We will overnight in the Hotel 3* Don Paco DAY 5 SEVILLA - CORDOBA Córdoba, Unesco World Heritage, is the third of the Arab capitals of Al-Andalus, having been the capital city during the zenith of Arab ruling. The great mosque is from this period and has been well preserved despite, or perhaps because of, its conversion to a Christian church. Close by, the welcoming Jewish Quarter maintains the only Synagogue in Andalusia, which was saved in the 19th century when later additions were eliminated. Among other notable Jewish districts, Córdoba stands out for being the home of the Rabbi Maimónides Today we may have the oportunity to visit the Tarbut Sefarad Association. We will spend the night in Córdoba having the possibility to have dinner in the restaurant La Abacería and overnight in the Hotel 3* Maimónides DAY 6 CORDOBA - TOLEDO Today we will travel through Andalucía and La Mancha towards the spectacular city of Toledo, Unesco World Heritage. Toledo is a stunning natural fortress surrounding by ramparts and the Tagus river. The city is known as the City of Three Cultures or Jerusalem in Occident or Sepharad s Capital, and it was the birthplace of the Translation School of Toledo where the importance of Jewish scientific and cultural activity was specially remarkable during the period of King Alfonso X El Sabio, the Wise. Toledo, universal model of ethnic and religious coexistence and tolerance during centuries, is nowadays a multicultural mosaic-city where you will find the Jewish, Moorish and Christian Heritage in the Cathedral Santa María de Toledo, the Monastery San Juan de los Reyes, the Mosques Cristo de la Luz and Tornerías, the two historical Synagogues Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito with its Sefardí Museum. We will overnight in the Hotel 4* San Juan de los Reyes or Hotel 4* Pintor el Greco or similar establishments located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. DAY 7 TOLEDO MADRID This morning we will be transferred to the Madrid Airport for our return flight.
SEPHARAD, through the Castilian Highlands to the Green Spain ón DAY 1 MADRID / Arrival - AVILA After our arrival in Madrid we will travel to Ávila and discover this wonderful city, Unesco World Heritage. In Ávila, as in many other Medieval cities in Spain, Jewish, Moorish and Christians lived together, and all of them left their traces, an important part of Spain s cultural heritage. Legends tell of Jewish presence in the construction of former San Vicente Basilica, where you can see the story carved in stone. In the Street Reyes Católicos even today you can see the ancient Synagogue Belforad. The Jewish Quarter was located next to the city wall s Malaventura Gate, where you can can visit the Garden dedicated to Mosé de León, author of the Zohar. A character closely linked to the city. Just a few meters away you will find the façade of the ancient Synagogue of D. Samuel, dated 15th Century. Besides its Jewish heritage, you will enjoy architechtonic jewels such as the Cathedral, Santo Tomás Monastery and other sites related to Holy Theresia of Jesus whose grandfather was a converted Jew. We will spend the night in Ávila having the possibility to have dinner in the restaurant La Bruja and overnight in the Hotel Las Leyendas or similar establishment. DAY 2 AVILA - SEGOVIA - LEON Breakfast and departure to Segovia. Segovia, one of the most important Hebrew Aljamas in the Middle Ages, and its Jewish Community counted with five synagogues, several Rabbinical schools and numerous butcher shops. Strolling through the Jewish Quarter s narrow and winding streets will let us visit sites such as the former main Synagogue La Sinagoga Mayor, Puerta de San Andrés and the Jewish Cemetery, Information Center of the City Walls, or the Educational Center of the Jewish Quarter located in the house that belonged to Abraham Seneor, main Rabbi of all Jewish Aljamas in Castilla. After discovering Segovia s Jewish Quarter, we will have the opportunity to know its rich historic heritage such as the Fortress El Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Roman Aqueduct. Possibility of lunch at the Restaurant El Fogón Sefardí On the way to León we will have the chance to visit a wine cellar that produces Kosher wine Overnight in the Hotel Temple Riosol or similar establishment. DAY 3 LEON The former Jewish Quarter Puente Castro -located outside of the town- was demolished in 1196 and transferred to the urban center of León, nowadays delimited by the Main Square, Santa Ana Square and Del Grano Square. The Main Synagoge was in Street Misericordia. Remains of the Jewish Quarter are spread around the heart of the old quarter, around the Húmedo Quarter, where we can have the chance of organising a tapas tour. Overnight in the Hotel Temple Riosol DAY 4 LEON - OVIEDO Breakfast and departure to Oviedo. We will get to know the magnificent city of Oviedo whose ordinances of 1274 established the limits of the Jewish Community: from Puerta del Castillo to the New Monforte Gate of the Socastiello. Overnight in the Hotel Fruela or similar establishment. DAY 5 OVIEDO - MONFORTE DE LEMOS - RIBADAVIA Breakfast and departure to Monforte de Lemos. Monforte was one of the Galician towns with a larger Jewish population and had its own district where the Synagogue and businesses where located. Continue to Ribadavia. Ribadavia, capital of the Ribeiro, is not only important due to its wine with the first denomination of origin of Spain, but because it preserves some of the most relevant cultural and heritage events in the Jewish history of the peninsula. Its Jewish Quarter is considered the most important of Galicia by its history and its beautiful medieval layout. The visit to the Castle and to the Jewish Information Centre of Galicia are other attractions to discover in Ribadavia. Opportunity to visit the Tahona de Hermina and taste its Hebrew traditional pastries Possibility to visit a winery that produce Kosher wines Possibility of enjoying the Thermas of Prexigueiro. Restaurant dinner in Ribadavia, for example in the Gastrobar Birrán. Overnight in Ribadavia in the Pazo dos Ulloa or similar establishment. DAY 6 RIBADAVIA - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA / Departure Departure to the Airport of Santiago de Compostela for the return flight. Segovia
SEPHARAD, revive its legacy Calahorra Girona Besalú DAY 1 BARCELONA / Arrival Overnight in the Hotel 4* Neri in Barcelona o similar. DAY 2 BARCELONA Today we will enjoy the beautiful city of Barcelona. The Jewish Quarter was located in the current Gothic Quarter next to the Cathedral. Walking through the key places of the Jewish History in Barcelona we will discover the building where the Spanish Inquisition operated in Barcelona until 1834. Lunch in Barcelona, for example in Restaurante Las Delicias Kosher. Possibility to arrange a meeting with the Jewish Community of Barcelona. Overnight in the Hotel 4* Neri in Barcelona DAY 3 BARCELONA - CASTELLÓ D EMPÚRIES - BESALÚ - GIRONA Travel to Castelló d Empúries, whose Jewish Community is documented since the mid-thirteenth century. In this village we will discover where the two synagogues and the cementery where located and will have the chance to visit the Medieval History Museum, where we can see tombstones, Mezuzahs and a Kettubah from 1377. Continue to Besalú. This town offers several examples of the co-existence between the Jewish community that had settled in the area at the beginning of the Middle Ages and the Christian population. Besalú has the only restored Mikvah in Spain and one of the best preserved in Europe dating from the 12th Century. We will also enjoy the archaeological remains of the ancient medieval synagogue as well as its audiovisual reconstruction at the Casa de los Astruc David. Lunch in Besalú, for example in Restaurante Oliveras Continue to Girona. Girona preserves one of the best medieval Jewish quarters in Catalonia, El Call. We will visit the Bonastruc ça Porta Centre, the Museum of Jewish History and the Nahmanides Institute for Jewish Studies. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel 4* Gran Ultonia or similar. DAY 4 GIRONA - TARAZONA Departure to Tarazona and lunch, for example in Las Brujas de Becquer restaurant. The Jewish Quarter of Tarazona is well known for its urban planning as well as for its singular hanging houses. Two different quarters can be distinguished: the Judería Vieja -old quarter- and the Judería Nueva -new quarterwhich was the extension of the old Jewish quarter in the 15th Century. Overnight in Tarazona in the Hotel 3* Condes de Visconti DAY 5 TARAZONA - ESTELLA - CALAHORRA - TUDELA Departure to Estella. During the second half of the 12th Century, coinciding with the arrival of the Francs and their trade activities, which also involved the welcoming of pilgrims, a relevant number of Jews settled in Estella and made of it an important Jewish centre. Estella s aljama, known as Elgacena, was one of the most important Jewries in Navarra, after Tudela and Pamplona. The prosperous Jewish community co-existed peacefully with its Christian neighbours until the beginning of the 14th century. Possibility of visiting a winery that produces Kosher wines in the area of Estella. Continue to Calahorra. The first document recording the presence of a Jewish community in Calahorra dates from the end of the 11th Century. Some Jewish families with the surnames Calahorra and Calahora, descendants of those families expelled in 1492, were documented in Crakow (Poland) in the 16th and 17th centuries. The great amount of documents related to the activity of buying, selling and renting of rural properties can give us an idea of the great purchasing power of this Jewish community. Calahorra s Jews were peasants, tradesmen and craftsmen. However, it has also been documented the presence of Jewish physicians, landlords and income collectors. Departure to Tudela. Jews were banished in 1498, the expulsion from Navarre being slightly later than in the rest of Spain. Muslims and Moriscos were expelled in 1516 and 1610 respectively. There are still examples of Islamic influenced architecture in the city. Distinguised Jews such as Benjamin of Tudela, Abraham Ibn Ezra and Yehudah Ha Levi lived in Tudela. Dinner in Tudela, for example in Restaurante Trinquete Overnight in Tudela in the Hotel 4* AC Ciudad de Tudela DAY 6 TUDELA - TORTOSA - BARCELONA Departure to Tortosa. Tudela Lunch at the Parador of Tortosa, El Castillo de la Zuda Tortosa has been declared historic and artistic heritage and some of its buildings, such as the castle of La Zuda, are National Monuments. Its rich heritage will let us follow the tracks of its inhabitants: Jewish, Christians and Muslims. Continue to Barcelona. Overnight in the Hotel 4* Neri in Barcelona o similar. DAY 7 BARCELONA / Departure Departure to the Barcelona Airport for the return flight. Extension to PALMA DE MALLORCA DAY 7 BARCELONA - PALMA DE MALLORCA / Arrival Dinner and overnight at the Hotel 4* Santa Clara Urban Hotel & Spa in Palma de Mallorca DAY 8 PALMA DE MALLORCA Capital of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca has one of the oldest Jewish Communities. At present, the Majorcan Jews or xuetas acknowledge their status as descendants of the Hebrew community. Now, Palma de Mallorca s Jewish past is more visible than ever in the streets covering the minor and the major Jewish quarters, such as Monti-sion, where there is a church which was once the main synagogue of the neighbourhood; or Jaume II and Argenteria streets, eminently commercial streets that still house a large number of the oldest jeweller s shops and studios. Lunch in Palma, for example in La Olas Bistro Overnight in the Hotel 4* Santa Clara Urban Hotel & Spa in Palma de Mallorca DAY 9 PALMA DE MALLORCA / Departure Departure to the Palma de Mallorca Airport for the return flight. Tarazona