Jewish Heritage Tour of Portugal

Lisbon is a city of historical wealth and decadent culture. The capital of Portugal has withstood the tests of time and display the connection to the greater world through the Golden Years of Exploration. Colorful houses overlook the River Tejo as fishing boats trawl the waters for the day’s fresh catch. Sunny, yellow funiculars traverse the hillsides beside the antique stone staircase that leads to marvelous terraced viewpoints known as miradouros. Your flight will land at Lisbon Portela Airport, where your private transfer will greet you upon arrival as the sea breeze carries the aroma of the sweet freshwater.

Verdant trees frame the golden bricks of Castelo de São Jorge as the red-tiled bricks top the pearlescent homes and glow beneath the spreading sunlight. The aroma of freshly grilled octopus dressed with lemon wafts over the cobblestone streets of the labyrinthine Old Quarter. The layout of the district resembles the packed, narrow lanes of an Arab Kasbah. Small archways hover above the avenues that lead to stone terraces that offer views of the castle. After settling into the comforts of your luxurious hotel, your guide will meet you in the lobby eager to take you on a private, introductory tour of the city’s diverse neighborhoods.

The Baixa neighborhood is often referred to as the commercial center of the city as parallel streets lead to the Praça do Comércio. A lemon meringue colored façade frames the lavish 18th-century square that is embellished with mosaic cobblestone. The plaza once acted as the final farewell to those departing the Lisbon by boat and retains the ambiance of the gateway to the city as a statue of famous 15th-century figures adorn the Triumphal Arch, including a glowing figure of Vasco de Gama. The angular streets were constructed in the 18th century by decree of Prime Minister Dom Jose I Marques de Pombal. Your guide will lead you along the open lanes to the Bank of Portugal, where the original Jewish Quarter was constructed between the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the morning, the trams return to their routes and traverse the steep slopes and cobblestone streets of the city. Cafes open their doors to the rich aroma of coffee accompanied by the scent of freshly baked bread. Locals enjoy the decadent flavor of an espresso brewed for a longer period to extract earthy flavor with a creamy smooth texture. The stone structure of the city feature bright and vibrantly painted doorways that contrast with the antique ambiance for a youthful, contemporary feeling.

The day is yours to indulge in the wondrous works of art the city offers, from Berardo Museum, which displays contemporary masterpieces, to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, which offers exhibits of Portugal’s national collection. For another look at the Jewish history of Lisbon, you can make your way to Estaus Palace, the former Inquisitor’s Palace founded in the 15th century on the northern edges of Rossio Square. The plaza has remained one of Lisbon’s centers for social and political life since the Middle Ages.

A bronze fountain trickles with water and the stone floor features a mosaic that resembles the rolling waves of the Atlantic. The first auto-da-fé took place in 1540 in view of the seat of the Inquisition of Portugal. A statue of Dom Pedro IV soars above the plaza in front of the neoclassical façade of the National Theater. The theater now stands atop the former Rossio palace, which fell during a 19th-century fire. In the National Museum of Ancient Art, you can wander through the galleries to view a number of the most important pieces in Portugal, including a piece by Grao Vasco, who captured the daily life of a member of Lisbon’s Jewish community in the 16th century.

The morning sunlight will spread over the gray stone tower of Torre de Belém, the emblematic monument built at the mouth of the River Tagus. The structure was built during the Age of Discovery in the 16th century with an ornate façade and decorated with dramatic maritime motifs as the artists fashioned the stone into twisted ropes and armillary spheres. On the outskirts of Lisbon stands the Palacio da Vila, the former Royal Palace, from which Dom Joao I reigned while seeking maritime expansion. Under this king, the Jewish quarter thrived, growing around the palace grounds to bring a flourishing economy and literary achievements. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you to the town of Tomar.

The historical center offers pedestrian-friendly streets set alongside the river. Swans glide across the waters beneath the soaring herons. The verdant canopy of the Seven Hills National Forest offers the colors of nature to the stone walls of the city’s borders. Crenelated towers of the Convento of Cristo form a backdrop to the lookouts bringing Gothic and Renaissance architecture to the history of the country and the legend of the Knights Templar. Jewish settlement in Tomar began in the 14th century, leading to the construction of the synagogue in the 15th century when the Jewish community grew to prominences.

The synagogue served the community until the Convert-or-Leave edict of 1497, after which the government used the medieval synagogue as a prison, chapel, and warehouse until the 1920s. The building has been renovated to resemble its original interior design and is named after the Jewish mathematician who helped Vasco de Gama plan his explorations of the sea. Hebrew stone engravings decorate the interior with inscriptions dating back to the 13th century. A limestone colored in rosy hues was taken from the Great Synagogue in Lisbon and dates back to the early 14th century.

In the morning, the image of Castel de Marvao will hover above the whitewashed village on a peak that is 3,000 feet above sea level. The plateau offers sweeping views of the mountainous terrain that leads to the Spanish border that is less than 10 miles to the west. Thick granite glints with golden stone against the mixture of the hill’s stone and verdant vegetation. Outside of Marvao, the village of Castelo de Vide clusters around the castle grounds and hides the oldest synagogue in all of Portugal, which was erected in the 14th century. After breakfast, you make your way to Belmonte to take it all in.

A 13th-century castle dominates the skyline as a statue of Mary stands in the town’s parish church. The statue accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral during his voyages across the Atlantic to discover Brazil. The aroma of wildflowers drifts along the cobbled streets between the stone houses. You will make your way to the Jewish Quarter where dozens of Jewish families remain, making it the largest Jewish community in all of Portugal. A small Jewish Museum offers the history of the community, beginning more than six centuries ago.

You can meet with a local member of the Jewish community, who will offer stories and history of the ways their family hid throughout the years of inquisition. To learn more about the present, the contemporary synagogue of Bet Eliahu opened in 1996 after a time of adhering to the ideas of Crypto-Judaism. You can sit in the wood and velvet pews of the local synagogue before venturing to the granite reliquary in the first synagogue, which dates back to the end of the 13th century.

The fragrant pastures will fade beneath the aroma of fresh espresso brewing in the local café. After breakfast, you will venture out of Belmonte and head for the idyllic town of Porto. The streets and colorful homes rise out of the banks along the Douro River like a pop-up book as the medieval center meander like a maze with cobblestone streets and enticing aromas that emanate from the family-run taverns and Michelin-starred restaurants. The Sé Cathedral offers a terrace garden that shimmers with blossoming frangipanis and bougainvillea.

Bell towers soar above old neighborhoods with Baroque embellishments that offer views of the vibrant fountains and palm trees as they rustle with the Atlantic breeze. Your guide will lead you on an immersive tour of the captivating city, beginning with the narrow alleys of the riverside quarter known as Cais da Ribeira. Lofty townhouses glow with tangerine and tawny colors as riverboats wade in the powerful current that brushes against the banks. Cafes and restaurants offer a relaxing ambiance along the quayside beyond the butchers, fishmongers, and grocers. You will pass the Mercado do Bom Sucesso, a kosher store in the contemporary synagogue that offers kosher meals and groceries.

The Cathedral towers were erected in the 18th-century and stand atop Cathedral Mount, where the original Jewish Quarter of Porto was situated. Remnants of the community around the Cathedral mount are sparse. However, the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue represents the largest synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula and dates back to the 1930s. The edifice held and helped refugees from Central Europe during the 1940s as well. You will make your way along Rua de Sant’Ana, which was once referred to as Rua da Sinagoga and was the heart of the Jewish community in the city that leads up to the 15th century.

In the morning, the gondolas will return to gliding over the red-tiled roofs of the riverfront promenade known as Vila Nova de Gaia. The landscaped riverbank features stylish restaurants and cafes that offer views to the passing boats and terraced buildings that lead to the soaring figure of the Clérigos Tower.  Series of fountains decorate the footpaths that span more than 90 acres of the Contemporary Art Museum’s gardens. A row of fountains and ponds lead from the rosy edifice imitate the elaborate Moorish designs that inspire many of Portugal’s historical structures and art.

After breakfast, you will make your way into the Douro Valley, the world’s first demarcated wine region, which began in the 18th century. Terraces texture the hillsides and descend to the banks of the Douro River. Vines sweep across limestone walls and hide traditional whitewashed estate homes. A Jewish community was established in the region in the 14th century, and the town of Torre de Moncorvo was one of seven Jewish autonomous justice administration areas, located inside a synagogue behind the Church of Misericórdia. The town became an important center for Crypto-Jewish practice along the cobblestone streets and brightly painted homes of traditional Portuguese villages.

You will continue through the valley to arrive at one of the oldest vineyards in the Douro Valley with an estate originally established in the 1700s. Your guide will lead you along the vines to rub your fingers along the plump grapes that dangle from beneath the smooth leaves. The vineyard encompasses nearly 100 acres and utilizes a selection of varietals that soak up the nutrients from the mineral rich soil. The aroma of freshly made bread and sharp cheeses lingers around the kitchen. After visiting the cool temperatures of the cellar to view the barrels of Tawny, you can relax in the tasting room to sample the celebrated flavors of the Port Tawny. The amber tones of the wine promote the aromas of chestnuts and oak with hints of chocolate and butterscotch.

In the morning, the distinctive Art Nouveau façade of a celebrated cafe percolates with bohemian ambiance. Locals return to the 1920s amidst the ornately carved wood chairs and marble-topped tables. The historical café fuses Mediterranean flavors with Portuguese favorites as the vibrant life of the city spreads across the double avenue of Avenida dos Aliados. Locals pour into boutiques and cafes to enjoy the blend of contemporary and modern artistic tile work known as azulejos. The two-tier market of Mercado do Bolhão exudes vintage charm with boisterous vendors showcasing fresh fruit, vegetables, and handmade goods, including artisan bread and cheeses. The past of Portugal continues to linger in the contemporary beauty of Port and Portugal as a whole and represents the cultural influences of the days of the Moors and flourishing Jewish communities. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you to Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport for your flight home.