"...For it was in Spain that what was for centuries the largest and most important Jewish community in the world lived and flourished, a community which at the moment of its abrupt departure left behind fifteen centuries of history lived in coexistence..."  by Jose Luis Lacave.
Lacave Riaño, José Luis (2002). Sefarad culturas de convivencia. Barcelona, Lunwerg Editores. Translated into English by Kenneth Lyons.

Come and experience the history of Jews in Spain: explore museums and world heritage sites, walk through the old cobbled lanes of Jewish neighborhoods, take in the splendid architecture and eat delicious food, drink Spanish wine while learning about the Golden Age of the Jews of Sepharad on this unique family run Jewish Heritage Tour to Spain.

Day 1 - Seville

• Arrival in Seville, the passionate capital of Andalusia. The city, which lies mostly along the right bank of the Guadalquivir River (from the Arabic al wadi al-kvir –the big river-) is shaped by both Renaissance and Arabic influences. Seville was Islamic from 711 until 1248, when King Ferdinand III of Castile conquered it back from the Almohads.
• Check in*.
• Meet as a group to walk and explore together Plaza de España (architectural complex located in the María Luisa Park. The area was built between 1914 and 1929 by architect Aníbal González as the main center of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929).
  
• Group dinner** and evening at leisure.***

Day 2 - Seville

• ​Breakfast at the hotel.
• Free morning to explore on your own*****. Marvel at the Alcazar Palace and its impressive gardens. Built by King Pedro I of Castile in the 14th century, -inspired by Granada’s Alhambra- is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. It has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Great Cathedral, the burial place of Christopher Columbus, considered the third largest church in the world. Climb La Giralda, a former minaret built in the 12th century, whose bell tower became the city's symbol.
  
• Lunch on your own.****
• Guided tour through the narrow lanes of the charming Santa Cruz neighborhood, formerly Seville's Jewish Quarter, once known as La Judería, with its winding alleyways and rare remnants of Jewish life found within the contemporary city.
• Flamenco Show followed by group dinner.**

Day 3 - Seville/Granada

• ​Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
• Depart from Seville and head to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors before it fell to Isabella and Ferdinand in 1492, and whose name derives from the original settlement of Garnata al-Yahud (Granada of the Jews)
• Guided tour of the Albaycín, an old Muslim neighborhood (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), that maintains the layout of Medieval Moorish streets. With its neat narrow lanes and well-kept traditional houses, the area has retained its old charm and is the ideal place to discover Moorish architecture. It
  is especially famous for its dramatic views overlooking the Alhambra palace.
  
• Group lunch** and check in*.
• Go down the old historical center, finishing up at the Royal Chapel of Granada where Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand are buried*****.
• Dinner on your own (lots of delicious options for Tapas at the Plaza Nueva)**** and evening at leisure.***

Day 4 - Granada/Cordoba

• ​Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
• Guided tour of the to city's main attraction: Alhambra ( اَلْحَمْرَاء – the Red), the mighty yet graceful Citadel and Palace planned by the 13th and 14th centuries Moorish Rulers of Granada. Walking across the Court of the Myrtles you will stop at the “Hall of the Ambassadors’’ in Comares Tower, where the terrible Edict of Expulsion was issued on March 31st, 1492. Also amble through the magnificent terraced Generalife Gardens, with its shadowy cypresses, oleander, pavilions and cool fountains. This palace exhibits Spain's most significant and well known Islamic architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Travel to Cordoba, the capital of the Moorish Kingdom of al-Andalus.
• We will make a stop on the way for a group lunch** in Lucena, known for having been an almost entirely Jewish town during the 12th Century. We will visit the former Jewish cemetery, where 340 tombs were excavated and later reburied in 2007. 
• Arrival in Cordoba and check in*.
• Free time to explore on your own.***** Spend some time in the Al-Andalus Life Museum, located inside the Calahorra Tower by the Roman bridge, immerse yourself in the Alcazar of Cordoba...
• Dinner on your own**** and evening at leisure.***
  

Day 5 - Cordoba

• ​Breakfast at the hotel.
• Guided tour of Cordoba, the birthplace of Lucius Seneca, Maimónides (Rambam) and Averroes. First we will visit the old Jewish Quarter, (including Plaza Tiberias, the Yehuda Halevi Square, the Statue of Maimonides). Then we will enter its beautiful medieval Synagogue, built in 1315, and the only one that has survived in this city. Next, we will tour the magnificent 8th century Mosque-Cathedral, famous for its 1000 colored pillars of granite, marble, and jasper, finishing our tour in Calleja de las Flores (the alley of the flowers). To finish our morning, we will enjoy a special tour and a Ladino musical performance at Casa de Sefarad.
• Lunch on your own.**** and free afternoon to explore more of the Jewish Quarter***.
  
• Group dinner** and Shabbat experience.

Day 6 - Cordoba/Madrid

• ​Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
• Morning high speed train (AVE) to Madrid, the modern capital of Spain and its largest city. The city has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets.
• Upon arrival, we will have a panoramic tour of the city before getting off the bus in Plaza Mayor, site of multiple trials or ‘acts of faith' of the Spanish inquisition.
• Lunch on your own.**** (Market of San Miguel, famous for its tapas dishes, is a great option).
• Guided visit of the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). 
• Check in* and rest of the day at leisure***.
  
• Dinner on your own****

Day 7 - Toledo (day trip)

• ​Breakfast at the hotel.
• Depart for Toledo, the Imperial City once known as “Jerusalem
  of the West”, and one of the main centers of Sephardic Jewry in the Middle Ages. Toldedo remains much as it was in the 16th century and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
• After entering the city through one of the medieval gates, we are
  ready to stroll the winding narrow streets which have created a
  stunning historic labyrinth that opens to hidden plazas. The guided tour of the city will include the Jewish Quarter, the Samuel Halevi Abulafia Synagogue, which was turned into a church known as Nuestra Señora del Transito, the Sephardic Museum and Santa Maria La Blanca (formerly the Grand Synagogue and later transformed into a church). You can also visit El Greco’s museum, that used to be the home of Don Shmuel Halevi Abulafia, the wealthy treasurer to king Pedro I of Castile.
  
• Lunch on your own.****
  
• Return to Madrid and free time to explore on your own.****
  
• Group dinner.**
  

Day 8 - Departure

• ​Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

*The group will stay at 4-5 star boutique hotels throughout Spain.Exact hotels will be confirmed and shared with participants before arrival.
**Group meals will be held at restaurants. The exact location in each destination will be confirmed at a later stage, depending on the city, the number of participants and their dietary needs.
***We will offer a list of suggested places to explore on your own.
****We will offer a list of suggested places to eat on your own in each location.
*****Optional activities during free time are not included in the itinerary. These are only suggestions and can be changed or adapted according to the personal preferences of the participants.

Our Sephardic Jewish Heritage Tour to Spain is available for individuals and groups. Please be in touch, we are happy to work with you for dates for synagogue and Jewish community group tours.