Tour description
Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain
Experience the enduring Jewish heritage that Spain offers, on this private luxury tour. Enjoy insider’s access to key Jewish heritage sites in Girona, Besalu, Seville, Cordoba, Toledo, Barcelona and Madrid, accompanied by one of our Officially Licensed Guides, additionally qualified in the Jewish heritage of Spain. Our luxury private guided Jewish Heritage tour of Spain will allow you to explore the secrets of medieval villages such as Besalu, or sip a cava in the winding narrow streets of the Jewish Call in Girona. After a day of sightseeing, be dazzled by the tapping heels and guitars of gypsy flamenco in Seville. Uncover the imposing Jewish history of Cordoba – it will not be difficult to imagine the days when Cordoba was one of the most important Jewish communities in Europe. Immerse yourself in the fascinating Jewish history of Toledo, as you visit the synagogues with our specialist Jewish heritage guide. This moving and fascinating voyage will give you insight into the tragic & beautiful Jewish essence of Spain.
DAY 1 EMPORDA
You commence your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain on arrival to Barcelona airport. Our elegant chauffeur will transfer you in a luxury vehicle to the beautiful and serene countryside of Emporda; and your new home for the next four nights is an authentic Spanish medieval castle, an architectural jewel that was built eight centuries ago. A representative of Gourmand Breaks will meet you at your hotel for a welcome drink and together you will discuss your personalized itinerary for the rest of your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain. Apart from having available your Online Personal Travel Webpage, you will be handed your Personal Travel Journals containing all your itinerary details and plenty of suggestions for restaurants and free time activities.
The region of Catalonia is known for its adorable medieval villages, stunning scenery and boutique wine industry, situated in some of the best wine regions of Spain: Priorat, Penedes and the Emporda, where you are staying for the next two nights. Your Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain takes you to visit some diverse regions of Spain, so you can compare Catalonia to Andalucia and Castilla, and see how the Jewish population left their mark. No doubt you will want to relax after your long journey, so take your time to get acquainted with the grounds of the castle and enjoy all the amenities of your fairy tale residence (including a gorgeous swimming pool) before perhaps a peaceful candlelit dinner.
Tour in a nutshell: Private chauffeured airport transfer. Welcome drink with Gourmand Breaks representative. Overnight in 4* castle hotel in the Emporda countryside.
DAY 2 BESALU & GIRONA
This morning our private chauffeur will drive you to the medieval town of Besalu, where along with our Officially Licensed guide, an expert on the Jewish heritage of Spain, you will embark on a private tour. Besalu is a magnificent historic site, renowned for its ancient mikvah and 11th century Roman bridge that once was necessary to adjoin this small village to land. You will visit the ruins of the Jewish quarter of Besalu, dating back to the 9th century and the mikvah ritual bathhouse, which is the only one of its kind discovered in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the few known in Europe. The local public gardens await you where villagers grow herbs for their well-known and traditional homemade wine, ratafia. The different families of Besalu have variations of this sweet wine, and use their own secret combination of aromatic herbs to flavor this digestive liquor.
After some local food tastings, your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain continues to the romantic city of Girona, whose medieval Jewish Quarter has amazingly remained intact over the centuries. Recently, much of the Call has been restored and now house art galleries, upscale boutiques and trendy restaurants. Containing the most accurate information about medieval Jewish communities in Spain, (particularly those in Catalonia) the Jewish museum’s exhibits provide a picture of daily life as it once was. Their Hebrew lapidary (tombstone) collection is considered to be one of the finest in the world. Our guide will accompany you to a fantastic restaurant where you are booked for a delicious 3 course lunch with wine. First class service, innovative takes on traditional recipes and an elegant atmosphere will provide the perfect end to your visit to Girona.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfers. Private guided tours of Medieval Besalu and Girona’s Jewish Heritage. Exquisite lunch with wine. Overnight in the Emporda countryside.
DAY 3 EMPORDA
Many more wonderful medieval villages await you on your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain today, when our chauffeur takes you on a tour around the Emporda. As you walk through the narrow village streets of Pals and Ullastret. The stone archways, cobblestone streets and wrought balconies adorned with flowers create a welcoming feel in these Romanesque villages, where you feel as if you have stepped back in time. Your “medieval journey” continues to another nearby village, where you are booked for a delicious lunch of local Catalan country fare with Emporda wine, at an authentic stone farmhouse that has been converted into a delightful restaurant. Take your time over lunch, it is a casual affair in the medieval villages!
After lunch your chauffeur will take you to the coast and to a lighthouse looking over the Mediterranean where you can enjoy a coffee while taking in the impressive views before you. Heading down the hill towards the ocean, you will arrive at the picturesque Costa Brava villages, which offer breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. There are kilometers of clifftop paths to appreciate why Costa Brava translates as Wild Coast. With free time here you can stroll along the scenic seaside, discovering hidden coves and breathe in the fresh air whilst you gaze far out to sea, the sun sparkling on the small crested waves. While in this area you may like to visit the romantic cliff top Botanical Garden, a delight to wander around with its many species and magnificent setting. This evening our chauffeur will transfer you to Barcelona where you will check in to your excellent 4* boutique hotel in Barcelona, located in the Gothic Quarter.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transportation. Tours to coastal and medieval villages. Overnight in a 4* boutique hotel in Barcelona.
DAY 4 BARCELONA
Your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain journey continues this morning in Barcelona, when you meet with your Officially Licensed Barcelona tour guide, additionally qualified in the Jewish Heritage of Spain. Together you will take in a panoramic tour of the city and head up Montjuic, (Jewish mount) which has been the setting of many events. The oldest monument atop is the Castell de Montjuic from where there are beautiful views of the city. The Jewish cemetery has been on Montjuic for at least a millennium and more than 500 gravestones have been found. In 1995, a Holocaust Memorial was erected in the cemetery, which is composed of simple stone monuments with the names of concentration camps.
As well as having a private guided tour of Barcelona to include Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, you will also visit more original Jewish areas. A Jewish community settled in the Barri Gotic from the 2nd century onwards in the area now called El Call. A medieval synagogue, discovered beneath a 17th century building at the corner of Sant Domenec and Marlet, has been restored and opened to the public. Our guide is a real specialist in this field and will be ready to answer all your questions. Later on you will visit La Boqueria, Spain’s world-famous food market. Here you will be able to try fantastic aperitifs and sample some fine local produce! Your private Barcelona tour will end with an elegant tapas tasting dinner, set in the heart of the Born district.
Tour in a nutshell: Private guided tour of Barcelona to include Jewish Heritage and gourmet food tastings. Sophisticated tapas dinner with wines. Overnight in a luxury 4* port view hotel in Barcelona.
DAY 5 BARCELONA
Barcelona can be explored in many different ways today. Maybe you wish to see some more of Gaudi’s fantastic architecture: Parc Guell is located in uptown Barcelona and is one of the most beautiful icons of the city. Park Guell has wonderful views of the city where you can enjoy a peaceful stroll surrounded by nature and uplifting modernist works. Throughout the work of Gaudi, you will see much of his architectural inspiration came from his experiences in nature. On the Passeig de Gracia, in the city center, you can see other famous works by Gaudi, including his famous Casa Batllo and la Pedrera. This is one of the main Gaudi residential buildings and one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture, this building is more a sculpture than a building.
Another option to add to your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain would be to join a Spanish cooking class today. Head to the market to buy the ingredients required, before preparing a Spanish lunch along with your chef; which you will later be able to enjoy with wine. Alternatively we could arrange for you to join a local wine expert for an exclusive tasting of some top Spanish wines from the best Spanish wine regions. Maybe you would like to do your own thing today and take advantage of the great shopping, stroll along the beachfront of Barceloneta or return to the old Gothic Quarter, the choices are yours! We have many suggestions for restaurants which will suit your mood of the moment, whether you are looking for an informal dinner or a Michelin Starred experience.
Tour in a nutshell: Free day Barcelona. Optional Spanish cooking class / exclusive Spanish wine tasting. Overnight Barcelona.
DAY 6 SEVILLE
Say ‘adios’ to Barcelona, because today your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain takes you to Seville! Your Seville hotel is situated in a delightful area, in the picturesque and authentic Barrio Santa Cruz. After settling in, our Officially Licensed Seville guide, additionally qualified in the Jewish Heritage of Spain, will take you on a tour of Seville. Once King Ferdinand III of Castile conquered the city from Muslim rule in 1248, one of the largest Jewish communities in Spain came to Seville, second only to that of Toledo. After the Alhambra Decree of 1492 expelled the Jews from Spain in 1483, the neighborhood went downhill. In the 18th century, Barrio Santa Cruz underwent a major process of urban renewal, including the conversion of a former synagogue into the current Church of Saint Bartholomew. Just outside the neighborhood is the Iglesia de Santa Maria de las Nieves, a converted 14th century Mudejar synagogue.
Continue your walk through historic Seville, seeing Seville Cathedral, the oldest and most spectacular Gothic cathedral in the world, and La Giralda tower; which provides spectacular views of the city. By now you will have worked up an appetite, so your guide will lead you to a delicious tapas dinner. Seville boasts more than 4,000 tapas bars and tapas hopping is part of Andalusian life. Plate after plate of hot and cold food appears on the bar to tempt your palate, so maybe try cold roasted pepper salad or anchovies in vinegar, a hot dish of meatballs in sauce or a slice of potato omelette…..the choice is yours. Of course, as is customary, you will accompany your mouth watering bites with a glass of dry Spanish Sherry and tastings of the local Finos.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfer and 1st class high speed train to Seville. Private guided tour of Seville’s Jewish Heritage. Tapas-hopping meal with wine. Overnight in a 5* boutique hotel in the heart of Seville.
DAY 7 SEVILLE
Today you can enjoy Seville as you wish. Along with the information we have provided you, our Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain tour guide will have given you many ideas and top tips for further sightseeing options and foodie hot spots to experience the best of Seville. You might wish to visit the Reales Alcazares, the oldest royal palace in Europe and residence of the Spanish Royal Family when they stay in Seville. Maybe you would like to visit the Plaza De Espana and take a stroll in Maria Luisa Park, which is south of the city center. For lunch why not discover more fabulous Andalusian gastronomy?
You might like to revisit the streets of Barrio Santa Cruz. It is a real joy to amble around its beautiful squares and narrow streets, which form a labyrinth, where it is easy to get lost, but this is part of its charm, because when one is lost, one may discover a convent or a palace or an hotel. The air in the barrio is perfumed by jasmine flowers and the orange trees that one finds there. Many of the palaces have wrought iron gates that allow one to peep into their beautiful patios. The area abounds in small stores and artisan shops, as well as good art galleries. In the evening prepare yourself to be wowed with a wonderful Gypsy Flamenco Show, where the swirling skirts and tapping heels of the dancers will excite and amaze the senses. You may wish to have a relaxed dinner, perhaps something typically Andalusian before or after the Flamenco Show for which we have several suggestions for a delightful dinner in the Barrio Santa Cruz or elsewhere in Seville.
Tour in a nutshell: Free day in Seville. Gypsy Flamenco show. Overnight Seville.
DAY 8 CORDOBA
Cordoba is your next stop; the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets. Our Officially Licensed Cordoba tour guide will be waiting for you at the train station, to show you this beautiful city. A Roman colony founded in 152 BC, Cordoba was once the biggest city in all of Europe and thrived with its greater tolerance of creeds and cultures. These imprints are beautifully expressed with a visit to La Mezquita, the most significant Muslim architectural achievement in the Western world. This 8th century structure was first a church, then a mosque, and today has a cathedral oddly placed in its center, constructed in the 16th century. The Jewish community was dynamic in Cordoba 700 years ago, and the Jewish Quarter is a maze of narrow streets and small plazas with white-washed buildings, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984. The narrow medieval streets of the Barrio de la Juderia retain their names to this day and although not Jewish in their current expression, a few signs hint of the Golden Age of Jewish life. As you listen to our guide describe the past, it will not be difficult to imagine the days when Cordoba was one of the most important Jewish communities in Europe.
After such a fascinating tour you will surely be ready for lunch, and where better than at a local tavern to savour typical Cordobese tapas. In former times, taverns were rambunctious, but today they are lively venues to enjoy tapas. Following your wonderful day in Cordoba, you will take the train back to Seville and will have the evening to relax and perhaps have dinner in a local restaurant – we have many suggestions in your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain Personal Travel Journal.
Tour in a nutshell: 1st class high-speed return train tickets for Cordoba. Private guided Jewish Heritage tour of Cordoba. Typical tavern lunch with wines. Overnight Seville.
DAY 9 MADRID
Leave Andalusia behind and head to Madrid on your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain today. Your boutique hotel’s location is perfect, within the Golden Triangle of Art, so you will not have far to walk to get to the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia. After time to settle into your hotel, perhaps a light lunch and a chance to make the most of the Spanish “siesta”, you will join our Officially Licensed guide for a tour of El Prado and Old Madrid. Your private guided Madrid tour will first take you to El Prado museum, which is the biggest art gallery in the world. It has more than 7,600 paintings, but can exhibit only one part of its collection due to lack of space. However, a recent addition to the museum increased the space by 50%, so more paintings will gradually be displayed. Prado means meadow, and the museum got the name of Prado because there was an open meadow where the museum now sits. Your private guide, additionally qualified in Spanish History and Art, will make sure you don’t miss anything. You are in excellent hands.
Your private tour of Madrid will then take you to the Plaza Oriente to see and learn about the Palace and the Cathedral. You will then walk through the Old town to the Plaza de la Villa, and on to San Miguel market, the hottest gastronomic spot in Madrid where its bars and restaurants make it the place to meet. On your journey this afternoon/evening you will enjoy some fantastic bites to eat, and a beverage or two, as you sample the best variety of wine and tapas the city has on offer!
Tour in a nutshell: 1st Class high-speed train to Madrid. Private guided tour of El Prado and Old Madrid with gourmet tapas-hopping. Overnight in an elegant 4* Hotel in Madrid.
DAY 10 TOLEDO
A Jewish Heritage Tour of Toledo is on your agenda today. Your officially licensed guide, additionally qualified in the Jewish Heritage of Toledo, will be waiting for you at the train station. Together you will visit Toledo Cathedral, one of the most outstanding buildings in the city; considered to be one of the high points of Gothic art. The construction of this monumental building commenced in 1226, but was not finished until the 15th century. Remains of the Jewish community are still preserved in the city of Toledo and your Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain will lead you to the Synagogues of Santa Maria La Blanca and El Transito. Both are excellent examples of Toledo’s Mudejar art. In the synagogue of El Transito, you can admire one of the best Mudejar coffered ceilings of all those preserved in Toledo, along with walls richly decorated with geometrical and botanical designs and Hebrew inscriptions. Nowadays, this Jewish place of worship houses the Sephardic Museum, in which an interesting collection of pieces of art and various objects used in Jewish ceremonies are exhibited, detailing medieval Jewish life in Toledo. Your fantastic tour of Toledo, will terminate with a visit to the church of Santo Tome, famous for housing El Greco’s painting; The Burial of Count Orgaz.
Having worked up an appetite, your guide will leave you to enjoy a local lunch with wine. After lunch you still have time for a last stroll in Toledo before you return to Madrid. Back in Madrid we have many suggestions for great restaurants in your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain Personal Travel Journal.
Tour in a nutshell: High-speed return train tickets for Toledo. Private guided tour of Toledo’s Jewish Heritage. Local lunch with wine. Overnight Madrid.
DAY 11 MADRID
Madrid’s museums, art galleries and parks are yours to discover today on your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain. Perhaps you wish to visit the Reina Sofia Museum or the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in the company of your expert guide, this can be of course arranged. The Reina Sofia Museum – The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, also called the Museo Reina Sofia, (Queen Sofia Museum), is the national museum for 20th century art in Spain. The museum was officially inaugurated in Madrid in 1992 and is named after the former Queen of Spain. The museum collection consists of more than 20,000 works from the late 19th century to the present day, mainly dedicated to Spanish art with highlights including two of the greatest 20th century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Probably the most famous masterpiece in the museum is Picassos 1937, oil on canvas painting, Guernica. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum – Madrid’s acquisition of this treasure trove of art in the 1980s was one of the greatest coups in European art history. Amassed by a central European collector beginning around 1920, and formerly displayed in Lugano, Switzerland, its 700 canvases, with works by artists ranging from El Greco to Picasso, are arranged in chronological order. This fantastic collection rivals the legendary holdings of the Queen of England herself.
Maybe you wish to return to the Royal Palace, or to take a leisurely walk through El Retiro Park, a great place to enjoy the open air as you stroll along the paths; passing fountains, statues and the delicate Palacio de Cristal. This evening we have many recommendations for fine dining in Madrid, be it old style Spanish food or a Michelin starred extravaganza.
Tour in a nutshell: Free day Madrid. Overnight Madrid.
DAY 12 DEPARTURE
This is the last day of your Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain and after breakfast you will check out of your hotel and your chauffeur will be waiting to transfer you to Madrid airport for your onward journey.
We do hope you will join us for this monumental and moving Jewish Heritage tour to enjoy some of Spain’s best food, wine and cultural experiences.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfer to Madrid airport.
Tour quotation
Luxury Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain Quote Request
We are excited that you are considering joining us on one of our fabulous custom-built tours of Spain, Portugal, SW France and/or Italy! Please fill in the form below and we will happily provide you with a non-committal initial quote for the sample tour itinerary chosen.
In case you would prefer us to build a personal tour proposal for you from scratch, please e-mail us at [email protected] and we will be delighted to start working with you on your personal and very special travel itinerary with us.
Tour in a Nutshell
Insider’s access to many Spanish Jewish heritage sites
Barcelona, Girona, Seville, Madrid, Córdoba & Toledo
Jewish history & heritage expert guides
High speed trains & private chauffeured tours
12 days/11 nights, boutique 4* hand selected hotels
Read what our clients have to say
