Itinerary – Subject to Change

MARCH 30 ARRIVAL; MADRID, CREATING THE CONTEXT

We arrive into Madrid early morning. After fortifying ourselves with our first Spanish meal and lots of coffee we orient ourselves to Madrid with a panoramic tour of Madrid visiting some of the “must see” sites. After lunch we check in to our hotel, rest for a while and head off for our opening dinner.

B, L, D

MARCH 31 MADRID, BEAUTY AND BEYOND

 

We head off after breakfast for the Old Quarter of the city, the area of the Royal Palace. WE HAVE MUCH TO SAY TO THE ROYAL FAMILY OF SPAIN, TODAY. Lunch and off to one of the most important art museums of the world, the Prado (BTW, for those of you who are serious aficionados, you are welcome to stay on on your own in the Prado after the guided tour – we will pick you up an hour and a half after we end the guided tour). A free evening to relax after a very intense start to the Journey. 

B, L

APRIL 1 JEWISH MADRID

 

The morning is dedicated to the local Jewish story. Lunch and the afternoon you are on your own and we reconvene late afternoon to travel to CJRM (the Reform Community of Madrid) for Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner with the community (TBC)

B, D

 APRIL 2 TOLEDO, MEMORY TRACES

 

We travel to Toledo once a center of Jewish life visiting some of the many sites in Toledo visited by others as sites of general interest, and by us as sites which, with close scrutiny, reveal another story, our story. Sites include Puerta Del Cambron, Santa Maria la Blanca, the Toledo Cathedral, Plaza de Zocodover and the El Transito. We transfer midafternoon to Cordoba. Check into our hotel and leave for Havdalah and dinner in a nearby restaurant.

B, L, D

APRIL 3 CÓRDOBA, THE JEWEL OF ANDALUSIA

 

A morning with Maimonides, a former resident of this beautiful town, the Sephardi Jewish story in Casa Sefarad, both in the Juderia, the old Jewish Quarter. After lunch some of the general sites of Cordoba including the exquisite Mezquita. Before you head off to dinner on your own please join us for wine and poetry as we celebrate the genius of Jewish Andalusia. 

B, L

APRIL 4 SEVILLE, POWER BOTH SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL

We leave for Seville after breakfast. Here we start with a powerful Jewish story, or rather stories (invoking the literary genius of Eli Wiesel)and continue to the sites of both heavenly and temporal power, the Reales Alcazares, La Giralda and the Seville Cathedral. Our afternoon closes with a walk through the magnificent Parque Maria Luisa ending at the Plaza Espana. And this evening… Flamenco

B, L, D

 

APRIL 5 THE ROAD TO GRANADA, MONTALBÁN DE CÓRDOBA - LUCENA
 

Leave for Granada via Montalban De Cordoba where we will visit a Spanish winery (L’Chaim) and Lucena where we will visit a, there is no other way to say this, a Jewish Necropolis . We arrive late afternoon in Granada. 

B, L

APRIL 6 GRANADA (ALHAMBRA and more)

 

Say Granada, mean Alhambra. A visit to what must be the most exquisite set of buildings in the world. The Alhambra takes physical beauty to another level. Sublime is the word that seems to fit here. In addition to the Alhambra we will visit the Generalife Gardens and the Old Quarter with Cathedral and Royal Chapel. For those interested, this will be your opportunity to learn how to cook Spanish style.

B, L

 

APRIL 7 BARCELONA, THE RAMBLAS

 

After an early breakfast we transfer to the Granada airport from where we fly to Barcelona. Our first stop in Barcelona is at Montjuic, the Mount of the Jews. After lunch we head to the first of a number of iconic sites in Barcelona, the Ramblas, which we walk from the area of the port at the one end, up to our hotel situated at the other end. On the way we share stories of Christopher Columbus, George Orwell and the Spanish Civil War, a medieval Jewish presence and modern Islamic terror.

B, L

APRIL 8 BARCELONA FROM GAUDI TO PICASSO

 

The morning belongs to Gaudi with Casa Mila (exterior) and Park Guell (interior) and Sagrada Familia (interior). After lunch we visit a small gem, the Picasso Museum. Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner with Atid Progressive Synagogue (TBC).

B, L,D

APRIL 9 MONTSERRAT

 

Out into the glorious countryside for a visit to the monastery of Montserrat and an easy hike along the trail that pilgrims take. We head back to Barcelona for time on your own, starting, I am sure, with a latish lunch. We invite you to meet us for Havdalah before you head out to enjoy dinner on your own in one of the many fabulous restaurants in Barcelona which are famous for their very special Catalan cuisine.

B

 APRIL 10 GIRONA

 

A slow morning. Choose to relax before the big flight home tomorrow or take part in an optional Mosaic workshop celebrating the Barcelona of Gaudi so you can bring home a memento of the past days made by you and imbued with your feeling so f what happened these past almost two weeks in Spain. Leave for the city of Girona, once the city of the great Jewish scholar Nachmanides. Today, famous locally as one of the major locations for the filming of Game of Thrones. Heard of Nachmanides? Game of Thrones? Of course. Head back to Barcelona, pack, join us for our final circle and then for our final dinner.
 

APRIL 11 DEPARTURE AND TRAVEL DAY

 

Leave very early morning for Barcelona-El Prat airport to begin the long flight home. See you on the next Journey.

B