Your Dream Vacation…. Now Kosher.
AUGUST 11-18, 2022
SPAINFor many centuries, until 1492, the Iberian Peninsula was a mosaic, a melting pot of people, cultures and religions. The presence until this time of Jewish communities embellished the urban geography of Spain. These communities developed their own culture, practiced their customs and their religion and went about their social life in close contact with both Christian and Arab communities. The wealth left by this reality is a common inheritance, a collective heritage of many of Spain's people. The Routes of Sefarad are journeys through the most notable Jewish quarters.
This tour will immerse you into the rich Jewish history of Spain.
Explore BARCELONA and MADRID
The cosmopolitan city of Barcelona is situated in the Catalonia part of the country. This city is famous for its unique art and Catalan architecture. You can succumb to the colorful creations and lose all sense of time. Barcelona uniquely blends culture, art and nature beauty. The Jewish community is part of the rich culture of Barcelona, it was the most important and numerous in Catalonia and the entire Catalan-Aragonese Crown. Barcelona became one of the few cities in Europe with two Jewish neighborhoods. (Call Major & Call Menor).
Madrid is the capital of Spain and is also the country’s largest city. This city is famous for its cultural history. The heavy influence of religion on the life and architecture of Madrid is palpable. The Jewish community also had a great presence in Madrid, as well as in the cities of Toledo and Córdoba where there is infrastructure that shows the Jewish culture in its splendor in this European area, building a Jewish heritage that to date can be seen.
HOTEL MELIA BARCELONA SARRIA ✯✯✯✯✯
The Meliá Barcelona Sarrià is a luxury city hotel with a strategic location in the financial, cultural and commercial heart of the city of Barcelona. Only a few minutes from Avenida Diagonal, the Paseo de Gracia and the Football Club Barcelona Camp Nou Stadium, it is the perfect choice both for business and leisure travelers. The hotel is also located in one of the city’s main cultural and entertainment districts. Modern, functional design with rooms full of light and with spectacular views of the city. Immerse yourself in the history, architecture and beauty of Barcelona at the Meliá Barcelona Sarrià the Level will make your stay a truly unique and select experience Recover after an intense day of work or sightseeing in YHI Wellness, a Spa with specialized services that will reinvigorate you inside and out.
NH COLLECTION MADRID ABASCAL ✯✯✯✯
The NH Collection Madrid Abascal hotel, right in the heart of Madrid’s commercial district. It’s close to the bustling Paseo de la Castellana and the barrio de Salamanca, home to many luxury shops and restaurants. There are 2 metro stations within easy walking distance, both of which will take you to the city’s most famous sights. We have 183 rooms, which are stylishly decorated in a contemporary style and flooded with natural light. Each room has satellite TV and a Nespresso machine. You’ll also find complimentary toiletries in all our bathrooms. We offer 24-hour gym for our guests.
TOUR PACKAGE INCLUDE:
- Transfers in Barcelona from the airport to hotel.
- Transfers in Madrid from the hotel to airport.
- Train tickets.
- Three Glatt Kosher fresh meals daily (breakfast, lunch &dinner).
- Orthodox Synagogue services on Shabbat.
- Four nights hotel accommodation at the Melia Barcelona Sarria Hotel (or similar) in Barcelona.
- Three nights hotel accommodation at NH Collection Madrid Abascal Hotel (or similar) in Madrid.
- Sightseeing tour with English speaking guide (all entrances are included), as follow:
- City Tour of Barcelona.
- Tour of Girona.
- Visit of Picasso Museum, Casa Gaudi and Parque Guel.
- City Tour of Madrid.
- Tour of Toledo.
- Tour of Cordoba.
- Hotel taxes.
ITINERARY:
DAY 1.
Transfers from the airport to hotel in Barcelona. P.M Visit to Picasso Museum and Casa Gaudi.
DAY 2.
Tour of Girona. It preserves one of the best medieval Jewish quarters in Catalonia. Here you will visit the Banastrucca Porta Centre, which houses the Museum of Jewish History and the Maimonides institute for Jewish Studies.
Candle lighting and Shabbat dinner.
DAY 3.
SHABBAT Leisure Day, Shabbat lunch.
DAY 4.
City Tour of Barcelona. Explore the authentic city of Barcelona. Meet your specialist guide for a walking tour of the Jewry also known as “Call”; visit of the old Synagogue, gaze the only Mezuzah mark in the city, pass by the building where the Spanish Inquisition functioned in Barcelona since 1478, stop by the fragments of Matzevot reutilized in construction post expulsion, gaze the Shoah Memorial (dedicated in 1995), a very special landscaped site.
DAY 5.
A.M:
Transfer from Barcelona to Madrid by train.
P.M:
City Tour of Madrid. Visit the Sephardi House in Madrid, in the heart of Old Madrid, just a few meters from the Plaza de la Villa which is located in Cañete Palace. The transfer of the Site completes the process of creating Sepharad-Israel House. Admire the most important buildings and monuments in Madrid, such as Cibeles square, Gran Via, Castellana Avenue, and Royal Palace.
DAY 6.
Tour of Toledo.
The route begins in the famous Plaza de Zocodover, the visit continues through the maze of narrow streets, where hundreds of years of history within the old walls can be plainly seen, until we reach the Synagogue of El Tránsito, which now houses the Sephardic Museum, continuing through the Jewish Quarter, visitors reach the Synagogue of María la Blanca in the heart of the former Aljama of the city of Toledo.
DAY 7.
Tour of Cordoba.
You will visit Judería and Synagogue. Our tour will take you to one of the three pre-expulsions synagogues remaining in Spain. Found in Cordoba, the Ancient Synagogue at Calle de los Judios 20. The statue of Maimonides is in the Plaza de Tiberiades, as a lasting reminder of his life and achievements. The entrance to the ancient Juderia is near the Almodovar Gate, we will also take you to the small Jewish Museum: Casa de Sefarad and Casa de la Memoria.
DAY 8.
Transfers from Hotel in Madrid to the airport for your flight back.
Rates & Details
Prices are per person in double OccupancyAccording to Hotel Policy any single adult in the room with or without a child must pay a single supplement. To obtain child rate, there must be 2 adults in the room. If the room is occupied by 2 adults and children, the double occupancy rate will apply for the adults and the children rate will apply for the children.
OPTIONAL:*Air round trip from JFK to BARCELONA, and MADRID to JFK is available at an additional cost.
*Travel Insurance is highly recommended, may be purchased on individual basis at an additional cost*