Jewish Heritage Tour of Spain with Rabbi Richard and Linda Spiegel

LAX - Newark - Madrid - Madrid - Newark - LAX Madrid Melia Galgos, Cordoba Conquistador, Granada Melia, Melia Lebreros Sevilla, Barcelona Hesperia Presidente

Dinner and Lunch

Rabbi Richard and Linda Spiegel and some of Spain a T

~ Rabbi Richard Spiegel 805 497-6891 or E-mail Rabbi at rabbi@templeetzchaim.org

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June 26 - July 7, 2016

“Espana” is an exquisite symphony of experience with a vital connection to world history and enduring Jewish heritage. This timeless land of explorers vibrates with the colorful passions of swirling flamenco and guitars; you will find its deep beauty unforgettable. From this exotic land emerged great sages and the Kabbalists of the “Golden Age,” as well as the traditions of Sephardic Judaism, with its fascinating Eastern flavor. Enjoy a blend of Moorish, European and Jewish influences as we travel through the land of Cortez and Ponce de Leon. Spain is a delight for the senses and for the soul!

Tour costs: 3395Single room supplement $750

5095 Air is subject to confirmation

Group Travel-Health insurance up to $5500 in cost: $238 per personsee our web site for full insurance information.

*Fuel surcharge and airport tax are subjecrt to change

June 26, Sunday - day of departure on an overnight flight to Spain.

June 27, Monday -Madrid arrive AM - Transfer to your hotel, check in a short rest.We will start our Panoramic city overview with Lunch on your own at Plaza Mayor which is the heart of the city.Return to hotel for Welcome dinner. Overnight Madrid Melia Galgos Hotel(D)

June 28, Tuesday – Madrid- Cordoba- Breakfast at hotel - Drive to Cordoba through the beautiful land of Andalusia to the former home of many Jewish scholars and poets. Lunch along the way. Arrive to Cordoba, the capital of Moorish Spain for 300 years, once the biggest city in all of Europe. Start our visit with a walk along the street leading up to the Juderia, with its whitewashed houses, colorful courtyards and shops. Though not Jewish in its current expression, a few signs hint of the Golden Age of Jewish life , the gem-like synagogue, visit Casa Sefarad( Sefaradic House) as well as the statue of the great court doctor and Torah sage, Maimonides -Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon.Dinner in town or your own ( recommendations will be provided) . Overnight Cordoba Conquistador Hotel (B, L)

June 29, Wednesday - Cordoba - Granada - Breakfast at hotel, Cordoba thrived and expanded with its unique blend of cultures. These are beautifully expressed with a visit to Mezquita, the most significant Muslim. Lunch in town on your own before we embark on our bus for a drive to Granada, afternoon city tour and Dinner in town on your own. (Recommendations will be provided)Overnight Granada Melia Hotel (B)

June 30, Thursday– Granada - Seville: Breakfast at hotel - We will start the day with a visit to Alhambra, the 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 hillLunch on your own. 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 gardens planted in the 1930s; Charles V‛s Palace, Spain‛s most impressive Renaissance building; Alcabaza an empty fortress with panoramic views. Travel to Sevilla via a scenic drive Flamenco Show and Dinner in town. Overnight Melia Lebreros Sevilla (B,D)

July 1, Friday– Seville - Barcelona - Breakfast at the hotel - Explore the mixture of past and present that is Seville. The Cathedral - 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 on your own. Alcazar Palace- still used as a residence for the Spanish Royal Family, Grand Plaza Espana - site of the pavilion of the great 1929 exhibition. Jewish Seville in Barrio de Santa Cruz - the former Jewish Quarter, today it is one of Seville's most charming areas. Flight late afternoon to Barcelona. Services and Shabbat Dinner with the community. Overnight Barcelona Hesperia Presidente Hotel (B,D)

July 2, Shabbat–Barcelona. Breakfast at hotel. Shabbat services followed by lunch. Afternoon Paseo de Garcia & Gothic walking tour Barrio Gótico -Old Gothic Quarter, is the center of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, the old Jewish Quarter. Ramblas -La Rambla is a street in center Barcelona, popular with tourists and locals alike. A tree-lined pedestrian mall, it stretches for 1.2 kilometres connecting Plaça de Catalunya in the center with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. Dinner on your own. Overnight Barcelona Hesperia Presidente Hotel (B,L)

July 3, Sunday -Barcelona- Girona - Figueres– Besalu– Barcelona - Girona- home to an important Jewish community since the 11th century and to various learned men, including Najmanides. Gerona has one of the most interesting medieval Jewish quarters (the Calle), with homes of exquisite architecture visit the Museu Dels Jueus. Highlights of the quarter include the cultural center of Isaac the Blind, the center for Sephardic studies, and the remains of the synagogue. Lunch on your own. Figueres Dalí-visit one of the most complete Salvador Dalía unique Museum in Figueres. Besalú´s Mikva. An important historic and artistic center on the banks of the Fluviá River and former capital of an ancient county. Of particular interest is Besalú's Mikva that dates to the 11th-12th centuries. Return to Barcelona, VisitCasa Batlló , Casa Milà ( La Pedrera) Dinner (TBA) Overnight Barcelona Hesperia Presidente Hotel(B,D)

July 4, Monday-Barcelona – Gaudi‛s City – Madrid. Breakfast at hotel. Barcelona is the capital of the modern style of architecture and the place where the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi lived and worked. Montjuich (‘Hill of the Jews‛) the cemetery houses the last remains of some of the most notable members of the pre-expulsion Spanish Jewish community and is officially a city park. ParcGüell a large public park and another example of Gaudi‛s creative genius. Sagrada Familia- the unfinished cathedral of the Holy Family (started in 1882) Fast train to Madrid (dinner on the road) Transfer to your hotel in Madrid. Overnight Madrid Melia Galgos Hotel (B,L)

July 5,Tuesday – Toledo - Breakfast at hotel - Travel to Toledo which had one of the largest Jewish populations in Spain, as a result Toledo is a great place to see the old Jewish quarter which stretches from Calle Taller Del Moro as far as the city walls at the Puerta Del Cambrón. Two of the city‛s ten synagogues still exist, even after they were converted into churches following the expulsion of the Jews. Sinagoga Del Tránsito and Sinagoga Santa Maria la Blanca, both popular sites in Jewish Toledo. Overnight Madrid Melia Galgos Hotel (B)

July 6, Wednesday - Madrid - Breakfast at hotel - Visit to the Prado Museum with its priceless collections, admire magnificent Spanish Art by Velasquez, El Greco and Goya. Also enjoy famous Dutch and Italian masters such as Bosch, Rubens, Rafael and many more. Lunch on your own at Plaza Mayor which is the heart of the city. Visit to the Royal Palace and last minute shopping. Farewell dinner at Escudilla kosher restaurant. Overnight Madrid Melia Galgos Hotel (B,D)

July 7 Transfer to the airport. Flight to USA - Begin planning your next trip with Rabbi Spiegel and ITC