Explore the Wonders of Spain April 11-24, 2015
Journey through the wonders of Spain, from Madrid, Toledo, Bilbao, Barcelona, Cordoba, Seville, Gibraltar, Marbella, Costa Del-Sol and, Granada.
Gain an insiders perspective of this country's history and past, and marvel at the effects of modernity.
See where the Jewish scholar Maimonides once lived and how artist Gaudi influenced his country. Study the history and view her synagogues, the Jewish quarters and village squares for a travel experience that will take you back in time.
This tour will highlight both the present Jewish communities in these cities as well as celebrate the richness of Jewish life historically in Spain
Application and Pricing
Journey through the wonders of Spain, from Madrid, Toledo, Bilbao, Barcelona, Cordoba, Seville, Gibraltar, Marbella, Costa Del-Sol and, Granada.
Gain an insiders perspective of this country's history and past, and marvel at the effects of modernity.
See where the Jewish scholar Maimonides once lived and how artist Gaudi influenced his country. Study the history and view her synagogues, the Jewish quarters and village squares for a travel experience that will take you back in time.
This tour will highlight both the present Jewish communities in these cities as well as celebrate the richness of Jewish life historically in Spain
Application and Pricing
Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday, April 11
Day of Departure Direct flight from ORD at about 4:00 pm Day 2: Sunday, April 12 Arrive in Madrid early morning Take a panoramic view of the city during transfer from airport to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day on your own. Start with Plaza Mayor the heart of the city stroll around the cobble-stoned narrow streets of the nearby old section of the city. The plaza is a pedestrian-only enclosed square with ancient arcades surrounded on all four sides by restaurants, bars and shops. Stop for lunch at one of the outdoor cafes and watch the world go by while listening to the melodic tunes of the street musicians. Return to hotel for Welcome dinner; overnight Madrid. - (D) Day 3: Monday, April 13 Madrid-Toledo-El Escorial*-Madrid Breakfast at the hotel, depart for Toledo, which remains much as it was in the 16th century. Tour the city, Jewish Quarter, Samuel Halevi Abulafia Synagogue, which was turned into the La Sinagoga del Tránsito Church (Synagogue of the Dormition Church), Sephardic Museum , Santa Maria La Blanca Church (formerly the Grand Synagogue),Grand Toledo Cathedral with El Greco's famous masterpieces- the Burial of Count Orgaz. Lunch on your own. El Escorial *(If permit will be granted) the Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is an historical residence of the King of Spain, about 45 kilometers northwest of the capital Madrid. The focus will be on the El Escorial Library which contains an important collection of Hebrew manuscripts and incunabula (books printed before 1500) Bibles, Talmud, Kabala, and more. Return to Madrid to visit some of Madrid's famous museums- the Prado and the Royal Palace. Dinner on your own; overnight Madrid. - (B) Day 4: Tuesday, April 14 Madrid-Burgos-Bilbao Breakfast at the hotel, drive north via Burgos magnificent cathedral, the purest examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. A walk through the historical center brings back memories of El Cid and Isabella, queen of Castile who completed the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors in 1492. Lunch on your own, continue to Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country, visit the Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum of contemporary art, instantly hailed as the most important structure of its time, Bilbao has celebrated more than a decade of extraordinary success. With over a hundred exhibitions and more than ten million visitors to its credit, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has changed the way people think about museums, and it continues to challenge assumptions about the connections between art, architecture, and collecting. Dinner at a typical Basque restaurant, overnight in Bilbao - (B,D) Day 5: Wednesday, April 15 Bilbao-Barcelona Breakfast at the hotel, depart by bus to Barcelona. Lunch on the road on your own. Check in the hotel. Barcelona City Tour. See the mountain of Montjuich where the Olympic Ring (1992) is found, Passeig Marntim with the Columbus monument, the world-famous Les Rambles, passing De Gracia, Barcelona's main avenue and its Modernist Houses designed by Antonio Gaudi, Casa Battllo' and Casa Mila' Drive by Gaudi's unfinished Church of the "La Sagrada Familia", transfer to your hotel and relax on your own the rest of the day or you might want take a stroll on Las Rambles with great stores, café and restaurants. Dinner on your own; overnight in Barcelona - (B,L) Day 6: Thursday, April 16 Jewish Barcelona Breakfast at the hotel, start a tour of the Jewish Barcelona. Three cities in Catalonia have made strong efforts to recover their Jewish legacy, Gerona, Besalú and Barcelona which is the only one in the region with active synagogues and a rich community cultural life. Visit Barcelona's ancient synagogue. Continue to the Holocaust Memorial, dedicated on the 50th anniversary of the Shoah by the Jews of Barcelona; visit Anne Frank Square, dedicated in 1998 by the City of Barcelona to the young writer. Lunch on your own then continue with an overview "Classic Tour" of Barcelona: Plaza Espana. Start with Columbus monument at Passeig Marntim. Villa Olympia the residential complex for the1992 Olympic Games, Port Olympic in the harbor. Tour the Olympic Stadium, Palau Sant Jordi and the Calatrava-designed radio and television tower. Visit Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village), with its faithful reproductions of typical architectural styles around Spain. Diner on your own, overnight in Barcelona - (B) Day 7: Friday, April 17 Barcelona-Gerona- Besalu- Figueres-Barcelona Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Gerona, one of the most important Jewish historical sites in Spain, which dates back to the 12th century. Gerona - Stroll through the restored historic district, visit the Jewish Quarter (Call) and learn about its history; visit the Bonastruc Ça Porta Center for Jewish Studies and the Museum of the Jews of the Middle Ages, on the site where Nahmanides ran his Kabala center. Lunch on your own. Besalú - this small walled city, see traces of its old Call, the market square and the buildings that remain from the middle ages. Its Mikvah from the thirteenth century, discovered in 1964 and perfectly restored, is the only one in Spain from that era. Museu Dalí and Dalí Joies, a delightful collection of extravagant jewelry created by the famous artist. Return to Barcelona free time late afternoon at leisure, you can visit the Picasso Museum, which houses some of the artist's early works. Return to hotel and Get ready for Shabbat. Shabbat Dinner with the Jewish community at the only Reform Synagogue in Spain. Overnight in Barcelona - (B,D) |
Day 8: Saturday, April 18
Shabbat in Barcelona Breakfast at the hotel. Optional Shabbat services at the hotel led by Rabbi Weiss. Take a stroll of Las Ramblas, a large mile-long pedestrian boulevard in downtown Barcelona that connects Placa de Catalunya and the Christopher Columbus monument by the Harbor. Free afternoon to explore Barcelona the capital of the Modern style of architecture and the place where the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi lived and worked. We will visit most famous achievements: Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, also known as "La Pedrera". Drive to "Parc Güell", a large public park and another example of Gaudi's creative genius. Next, admire the cathedral of La "Sagrada Familia", his masterpiece, which is still under construction, continue to Santa Maria del Mar, a magnificent Gothic church. Dinner on your own, overnight in Barcelona - (B,D) Day 9: Sunday, April 19 Travel by Train from Barcelona-Cordoba Breakfast at hotel, travel by AVA- high-speed train to Cordoba the Moorish city. Cordoba is the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets, once the biggest city in all of Europe now thrives with its unique blend of cultures. These are beautifully expressed with a visit to 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 placed in its center. Walk the street leading up to the Juderia, with its whitewashed houses and colorful courtyards and shops. Though not Jewish in its current expression, a few signs hint of the Golden Age of Jewish life for example, the tiny, gem-like Synagogue, as well as the statue of the great court doctor and Torah sage, Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon. Drive to Seville. Dinner on your own. Oovernight Seville. - (B) Day 10: Monday, April 20 Seville Breakfast at hotel, see Seville with the magnificent views of the Andalusia countryside Seville immortalized in opera classics such as "The Barber of Seville, "Carmen" and "Don Giovanni. We will explore the great mixture of past and present that is Seville. We will visit- the imposing Cathedral, said to be one of the largest in the world, the resting place of Spanish Kings and Queens, as well as the impressive sepulcher of Christopher Columbus. Lunch at Casa Sfard. Visit the Alcazar Palace, active residence for the Spanish Royal Family. Next the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the former Jewish Quarter, today, it is one of Seville's most charming areas. Dinner follow by a Flamenco show and drinks, Overnight Seville. - (B,L,D) Day 11: Tuesday, April 21 Seville-Jerez de la Frontera - Gibraltar-Marbella Breakfast at hotel then travel by bus and take in the lushness of the Costa del Sol. Jerez de la Frontera the "world capital" of sherry wine production. Visit a bodega (winery) and taste their wines and yol'll have a chance to have lunch in the area.Visit the School of Equestrian Art (Escuela de Arte Ecuestre) and its beautiful horses, that day there won't be a show only training classes, the entrance fees are not included to watch the training, for those who wish to do so tickets can be purchase on spot for about 14 Euros. Cadiz- on a narrow slice of land surrounded by the sea - Cádiz is in most respects, a typically Andalusia city with a wealth of attractive vistas and well-preserved historical landmarks In Christopher Columbus' days, it was a major staging point for treasure-hunting adventures to the New World. We continue to visit Gibraltar and then on to dinner in Marbella (on your own), Overnight Marbella - (B) Day 12: Wednesday, April 22 Costa Del-Sol Marbella -Day at Leisure Breakfast at hotel, today explore one of the most beautiful places in Costa-Del-Sol, throughout most of the year is an international tourist attraction, due mainly to its climate and tourist infrastructure. After dinner in town on your own, we will drive to Granada (about 2 hours drive). Overnight Granada - (B) Day 13: Thursday, April 23 Granada Breakfast at hotel. Alhambra- is an expansive Moorish palace and fortress with unique architecture and beautiful gardens. This complex is basically a cluster of four different sites perched side by side on top of a hill. Nasrid Palace - an exquisite combination of rooms and courtyards,the famous Courtyard of the Lyons is one of them, where the Muslim rulers lived; Generalife gardens- the beautifully manicured planted in the 1930s, Charles V's Palace, Spain's most impressive Renaissance building. Alcabaza - an empty fortress with panoramic views over Granada. Travel by AVA fast train to Madrid. Tonight enjoy our Farewell dinner and overnight Madrid. Day 14: Friday, April 24 Day of departure Itinerary Subject to Change |