Custom Tours in France, Spain and Portugal

Tour of Jewish Spain

So, Jews have lived in Spain ever since Roman times. Their history in that country is an intricate succession of peaceful times and prosperity contrasted with periods of great suffering and persecution, depending on who the ruler was at the time.

Under the Romans and the early Visigoth kings, they enjoyed relative cultural and religious tolerance. Things got worse when King Recared converted to Catholicism in 586. Then, things got better again with the invasion of the Moors in 711, as the Arabs needed the cooperation of both Jews and Christians to run the country and showed more understanding of the local population.

However, with the success of the "re-conquest" (reconquista) by the Christian kings, Ferdinand and Isabella, the year 1492 was a dramatic turning point for the Jewish culture in Spain. This is the year when the majority of Sephardic Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain and the Inquisition started. A few converted to Christianity but, for all intents and purposes, the Jewish culture in Spain was relegated to history, leaving only remnants.

Although, in terms of modern tourism, there is not one specific "Jewish Route" in Spain, significant manifestations of the culture can still be observed in many major cities:

Barcelona has an Interpretive Center located at Placeta de Manuel Ribé, 3. On Carrer Marlet, the Sinagoga Major has been restored and is open to the public

Cordoba. During the Middle Ages, Cordoba, the largest city in Europe, was the seat of high achievement in both Jewish and Muslim cultures. The Juderia is one of the most important places in Cordoba, and a synagogue survives in the middle of it with a statue of Maimonides nearby (see photos in side bar). Across the street is the Casa de Sefarad, an interpretive museum which brings to life Cordoba's rich Jewish heritage.

Girona, north of Barcelona, was one of the most influential centers of Jewish religious and philosophical thought in the Middle Ages. Its medieval Call (neighborhood) is considered one of the best preserved in Western Europe, and the Centro Bonastruc ca Porta has exhibitions displaying its Jewish history. This complex includes the Catalan Museum of Jewish Culture , the Institute for Sephardic Studies and a library with Jewish manuscripts dating back to the Middle Ages. In Besalu (about 20 miles outside Girona), a mikvah dating back to the year 1200 was found in the old section of this small medieval town.

Segovia. This historical city, just north of Madrid, also has a quaint, medieval Jewish quarter with street names such as "Calle de la Judería Vieja" (Old Jewish Quarter Street) and "Calle de la Judería Nueva" (New Jewish Quarter Street). The ancient synagogue (Sinagoga Mayor) is now the Convent of Corpus Christi.

Seville. The city's most picturesque area, now named the Barrio de Santa Cruz and San Bartolome, was the old Jewish quarter. Some streets retain their Jewish names. Two edifices originally built as synagogues still stand, but they have been turned into Christian churches and are not open to the public.

Toledo. Jews helped the Moors govern Toledo for centuries. When the Christians re-conquered the city, Jewish life continued to blossom for another 300 years. Later monarchs turned against the Jewish community in the 1390s, and 100 years later the Inquisition expelled them from Spain. Today, two former synagogues (they are now churches) exist in Toledo and are among the city's most popular sights: Sinagoga del Transito (museum of Toledo's Jewish history) and Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca (see picture in side bar), which brilliantly shows the three architectural influences - Jewish, Christian and Moorish.

The exploration of Jewish Spain is a deeply intense cultural experience. It revives roots to a long gone past and connects the visitor to a vibrant and colorful heritage.

Such a tour also offers opportunities to observe and appreciate the contributions of other movements to the cultural mosaic that makes up the Iberian Peninsula: the Alhambra (fortress/palaces/gardens) in Granada, La Mezquita (mosque/cathedral) in Cordoba and La Giralda (cathedral/minaret) in Seville are three great examples of this.

To learn more about the Jewish culture in Spain, Out of Spain, a documentary by Yitzhak Navon, the fifth president of Israel (himself a descendant of Sephardic Jews) is highly recommended.

Please note! The above itinerary can be continued in Portugal, with Lisbon visits to the Alfama Jewish quarter, the Shaare Tikvá synagogue and other important historical sites around the city.

Please tell us where and when you want to travel and we will create a custom tour that fits your specific schedule and budget (this is not a scheduled tour).

Your tailor-made package will include ground transportation, guided tours and hotel rooms.

The price of your program will depend on your needs (scheduled group tours, private guides...) and the number of participants in your group, the length of the trip, the category of hotels, the number of places visited, the time of year, etc.

We will do all the bookings and pay each individual provider on your behalf. In other words, you go and have fun and we'll take care of the details for you.

Santa Maria la Blanca
(a former synagogue)
in Toledo

Maimonides in Cordoba

Detail of the Synagogue
in Cordoba