The visit begins in Lisbon, in the old Jewish Quarter in Alfama, the oldest part of the city, an area of streets and alleys, which was an ancient Arab medina. After the Christian reconquest, in the 12th century, the Arab population that lived here was transferred to another hill, where the Neighborhood of Mouraria was later born. We continue to São Jorge Castle, one of the few physical remains of Arab civilization in Portugal. On the way to Baixa, we highlight the Lisbon Cathedral, with Romanesque architecture, built in the 12th century. Then, it’s time to visit the place where Saint Anthony, the matchmaker saint, was born, considered by locals to be the patron saint of Lisbon. It was in the historic neighborhoods of Lisbon that fado was born, the most typical and charismatic Portuguese music, associated with a melancholy that the Portuguese call saudade. The 1755 earthquake devastated the city of Lisbon, especially the Baixa area. The reconstruction of the city marked a new era, from which a particular type of construction was born, Pombaline architecture. Marquês de Pombal was the statesman responsible for the reconstruction of Lisbon, investing in broader urban planning, with many streets, squares and the adoption of some preventive measures to resist seismic action. Crossing Avenida da Liberdade, we head towards Marquês de Pombal square for a stop next to the beautiful Parque Eduardo VII, named in 1903, in honor of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, who the previous year would have been in Lisbon to sign the alliance between the two countries. Lunch break. We continue to Belém, next to the Tagus River, where the boats sailed with the courageous Portuguese explorers, in the 15th century, responsible for discovering the sea routes to India, Africa and Brazil. It is here that there are three important monuments: Torre de Belém, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. The last stop will be at the Belém pastry factory, to taste this fabulous conventual sweet, which attracts millions of people every year, and whose recipe has remained the same since 1837.
Includes: Pastel de Belém tasting and overnight in Lisbon in full board (or surroundings).
Leaving Lisbon towards Tomar, stop to visit the Synagogue built between 1430 and 1460. Prior to the expulsion of the Jews by D. Manuel I, this building with a quadrangular plan is 9.50 meters deep by 8.25 meters wide, and It is the oldest synagogue in Portugal. The construction of the Convent of Christ begins with the Templar castle, a Romanesque work, from the same period as Charola, which was at the forefront of medieval military architecture. The Convent, inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, had the dual function of oratory and military watchtower. When the Military Order of the Temple was extinguished, D. Dinis created the Military Order of Christ in Portugal, which became heir to the assets, graces and privileges that had belonged to the Templars. Continuing the Jewish Route in Portugal, we arrive in Castelo Branco, to visit the Casa da Memória Judaica, located on Rua das Olarias. This museum space is divided into different areas, portraying the Jewish presence in this city and paying homage to personalities such as Amato Lusitano or Afonso de Paiva. In Covilhã, the number of Portuguese Jews or those of Jewish origin, linked to the epic of discoveries and Portuguese expansion, is unique in the country. Even Pêro da Covilhã, explorer and preparer of the sea route to India, would be of New Christian origin. Also, the famous João Ramalho, the first bandeirante in Brazil, had Jewish origins with roots in Covilhã.
Includes: Entrance to the Convent of Christ, in Tomar, and overnight in Covilhã in full board (or surroundings)
The journey starts with a destination in Belmonte, marked by the Jewish presence, with traces left throughout the town. When, in 1910, the Church of S. Francisco was destroyed, Largo António José de Almeida was found in that location, a stone from the first synagogue in Belmonte, dated 1297. From the tombstone found, it is known that Belmonte already had a community of Jews, certainly important and numerous, as only then would the presence of a place of worship be justified. We will have the opportunity to visit the Synagogue and the Jewish Museum. We continue to Guarda, site of one of the most important and ancient Jewish communes.
Includes: entrance fees to the Jewish Museum and overnight in Guarda in full board (or surroundings).
We start our day with a visit to Lamego. In the 14th century, Jews occupied the area between the castle and the church of Santa Maria de Almacave. In the following century, the city had two Jewish neighborhoods: the oldest, Judiaria da Velha, located next to Porta do Sol, and Judiaria Nova next to the churchyard of the aforementioned church. Taking advantage of our presence in the region, we will discover one of the most important tourist attractions in Portugal: the Douro Valley, home of Port Wine. At the Casal de Loivos Viewpoint, a breathtaking view awaits us and at the Pinhão train station, the 24 tile panels represent the hard work that went into producing the precious nectar. This region has been classified, since 2001, as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We continue to visit a Port wine producing farm, learning about the entire process, from cultivation to pruning, from harvest to the final product. The day ends with tasting the region’s ex-libris: the famous Port Wine.
Includes: Visit and tasting at a Port wine producing farm and overnight in Oporto in full board (or surroundings)
The day begins in Oporto, a city that has had numerous Jewish quarters since the beginning of Portuguese nationality. In 1386, D. João I ordered the Jews to concentrate in the Olival neighborhood, within the medieval walls. The new Jewish quarter bordered two of the gates of this wall, places that are still referenced today: the Olival gate and the Escadas da Esnoga gate. The Synagogue was located on the site of the current convent of S. Bento da Vitória. Visit to the Synagogue, as well as all places of tourist interest in the city. Once in downtown Porto, we continued along Avenida dos Aliados, admiring the most emblematic building, the City Hall, and the statue of Dom Pedro I of Brazil, who, as a sign of his immense love for the city, left his heart here. We continued to visit one of the most famous, charming and beautiful bookshops in the world: Lello bookstore, which served as inspiration for the Harry Potter films. The next stop is the Porto Cathedral for a sweeping fantastic view of the city, we continue to the Palácio da Bolsa, the Church of São Francisco, among others. It’s time to cross the Ponte de D. Luis, to visit, on the Gaia side, one of the Port Wine cellars, understand the entire production process and taste this unique nectar, Port Wine. Very close by, we have the Serra do Pilar Monastery, which offers a stunning view of the city of Oporto and the mouth of the Douro River.
Includes: Boat trip on the Douro, overnight in Oporto in full board (or surroundings).
Departure from Porto to Aveiro, considered the Portuguese Venice, with its canals, previously used to transport salt and molço. A visit to the historic center is planned, to admire the numerous Art Nouveau buildings and the José Estevão Market, a work attributed to Gustave Eiffel. It’s time to discover and taste traditional sweets, the famous soft eggs. Possibility of taking a ride on the Moliceiro boat, similar to Venetian gondolas. This is followed by a visit to the salt flats, as the salt industry continues to be important in this city which, for many years, was dedicated to salting cod. The charming striped houses in shades of red ocher and black on Costa Nova beach were used as warehouses for fishing implements. The families of the partners, clerks and “arrais” chose the area for their holidays, transforming them into the current “haystacks”, with colorful stripes, in the “bourgeois fashion of going to baths” from the second half of that century, so that they could serve as housing in the bathing resort. We arrive at the fishing village of Nazaré, the most charismatic fishing village in Portugal, where we can see the fish drying up on the beach and the journey of the ladies with the “seven skirts”. Today, Nazaré is also known for its giant waves, a phenomenon known as the Nazaré Canyon, which transformed the region into a surfing destination. In 2013, American surfer McNamara broke the world record by surfing a wave about 30 meters high. In Óbidos, a town classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is time to explore the beautiful and narrow whitewashed streets, on a journey back to the medieval period. The town belonged to the defensive pentagon of the five Castles, at the hands of the Templars. Later, it was a wedding gift from D. Dinis to his wife D. Isabel, becoming part of the Casa das Rainhas.
Includes: Ginja de Óbidos tasting, overnight in Lisbon in full board (or surroundings)
Free day for las minute shopping untill transfer to the Airport.
