Spain - Jewish Interest

Day 1 – BARCELONA

Arrive at Barcelona Airport. Meet your guide and transfer to the hotel. In the evening drive to Montjuich (Mountain of the Jews) to see the spectacle of the Dancing Fountains.

Overnight at your hotel in Barcelona

Day 2 – BARCELONA

Visit the impressive Paseig de Gracia with its Modernist buildings, Gaudi’s unfinished Church of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia) and Park Guell. In the evening, on your own, stroll along “Las Ramblas,” one of the most famous thoroughfares in the world. See flower stalls, vendors, street performers and the statue of Christopher Columbus. Marvel at the Art Nouveau architecture. Tour the Gothic Quarter and walk through the medieval “El Call” and learn about past and present Jewish life in Barcelona. Visit Sinagoga Mayor.

Overnight at your hotel in Barcelona

Day 3 – BARCELONA

BAR OR BAT MITZVAH IN Barcelona

Celebrate your Bat Mitzvah in a synagogue, hidden for centuries under the basement of a 17^th century building in the Barrio Gothic.  After the service, walk through the medieval “El Call” and learn about past and present Jewish life in Barcelona. Tour the Gothic Quarter.

Overnight at your hotel in Barcelona

Day 4 –  GIRONA AND FIGUERES

Drive north to Girona, the ancient walled city on the Onyar River, which was a major Jewish center prior to 1492. The historic Jewish Quarter, known as the “Call,” is a well-preserved testament to Jewish life in the Middle Ages. Ascend a flight of 17^th century Baroque steps to the city’s major architectural treasure, the Gothic cathedral. Visit the Jewish Museum, the Arab baths, see the 12^th century fortified bridge and the 19^th century bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel. Free time for lunch in Girona. Drive to the village of Figueres, birthplace of the surrealist Salvador Dali and visit the Dali Museum. Return to Barcelona.

Overnight at your hotel in Barcelona

Day 5 – BARCELONA / SEVILLE

Transfer to Barcelona Airport for the flight to Seville. Transfer from Seville airport to the hotel. Time on your own to explore the city.

Overnight at your hotel in Seville

Day 6 – Seville

Visit the world’s largest Gothic cathedral (containing what is believed to be Christopher Columbus’ tomb) with its Giralda Tower, the city’s most prominent monument. Continue to the Alcazar, one of the oldest royal residences in Europe. It is an impressive Moorish palace of vaulted halls, ornate archways, glazed tiles and intricate woodwork.  Explore the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the preserved Jewish Quarter, and Seville’s most picturesque neighborhood, with its wrought iron balconies and flower-filled courtyards. In the evening walk (about 15 minutes) to a Flamenco Show at Tablao Arenal.

Overnight at your hotel in Seville

Day 7 – SEVILLE / CORDOBA

Depart Seville for Cordoba travelling through the Guadalquivir Valley.  Cordoba is a city steeped in history, with echoes of Roman, Moorish and Jewish influence. It was home to a galaxy of Hebrew scholars, philosophers and poets in the Middle Ages. Visit “La Mezquita,” the most beautiful mosque ever built by the Moors in Spain, now used as a cathedral. Explore the Juderia, the charming Jewish Quarter dating from the 10^th century. See the statue of Maimonedes, honoring one of the greatest of Jewish scholars, located near the synagogue on Calle de los Judios.

Overnight at the Amistad Hotel

Day 8 – CORDOBA / TOLEDO / Madrid

Drive through legendary “La Mancha” country, the land of Don Quixote, to Toledo, once the royal capital of Spain and heart of Jewish learning and literature. Visit the Grand Toledo Cathedral and two medieval synagogues, Santa Maria La Blanca (formerly the Grand Synagogue) and the Transito Synagogue with its Museum of Sephardic culture. Drive to Madrid.

Overnight at your hotel in Madrid

Day 9 – MADRID

Tour the city’s grand Quarter with the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol and if possible, the Royal Palace. Visit the Prado Museum. Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight at your hotel in Madrid

Day 10 – DEPARTURE

Transfer to Madrid Airport for flight back home.