Touring Itinerary at a Glance

Tuesday, October 27, 2007

We leave Newark Airport on TAP, flight 104k at 6:15 pm direct to Lisbon  arriving at 6:05 am. We will daven at the airportand then have some breakfast.

Wednesday, October 28

Arrive Lisbon, Tomar, Castelo de Vida

Upon arrival at the Lisbon International airport, our local representative will meet the group in the arrival lounge and drive to Tomar, one of the oldest and most charming towns in Portugal, founded by the Knights Templar. Here we’ll visit the ancient synagogue, if possible, now the “Museu Luso-Hebraico Abraham Zacuto”, located on Rua da Judiaria (Jewry Street –  the only remnant of what was one of the greatest Jewish communities of Europe). One of the two surviving monuments of medieval Jewry in Portugal, and now classified as a national monument, the small, cell-like structure, with Gothic vaults upheld by four central columns, contains mouldings of funerary gravestones assembled on the old synagogue, dating from the 14th century; and the cornerstone of a 13th century synagogue in Belmonte; as well as other historic remains of Tomar’s medieval Jewish community.

We then proceed to the well-known and impressive Templar fortress, where there was the headquarters of the Order of the Knights Templar in Portugal until the 14th century. Our next destination will be the town of Castelo da Vide. Here we will see perhaps the only authentic and original medieval Jewish quarter found on the European continent. Start at the foot of the 13th century castle and walk along the narrow alleyways bordered by small houses. The restored synagogue with its original architectural lines intact, stands in the middle of the quarter. Also visible are the Rabbi’s house, the village fountain and the oven for baking bread. We proceed to Marvao Castle, which has a spectacular 360 degree panorama from the perferctly preserved medieval village where dominates it a 700 years old castle. Proceed to our hotel in Castelo de Vide for dinner.

OVERNIGHT:   Castelo De Vida

Thursday, October 29

Castelo Branco, Sierra de Estrela, Belmonte, Guarda

A morning visit of the town of  Castelo De Vida. We then begin our journey through the Natural Reserve of Serra de Estrela. The montain range dominates the Portugal mainland. A short hike through its popular paths, beneath dramatic slopes, overviewing the beautiful Zezere Valley. Continue our drive through the Zezere river towards famous Belmonte, where a community of about 450 Jews was forced to convert into Catholicism at the end of the 15th century.

Belmonte has retained its medieval atmosphere, and among its most interesting sights that we'll visit are a 13th century castle, a Romanesque-Gothic church and the Cabral family Pantheon. The Jewish Quarter was situated outside the castle walls at the easternmost end of the town. Houses with crosses engraved in the stone close to the doors were inhabited by New Christians, Jews who had been unable to leave Portugal and were baptized. These “Crypto-Jews” publicly followed Catholic rituals but in the privacy of their own homes maintained their religion and culture and celebrated Hebrew rites on Holy Days. In 1993, the community began building a new synagogue, as part of a very interesting revival.

We then proceed to an evening visit of Viseu, Guarda, the highest town in Portugal, where there are still remains of a Jewish Quarter. Dinner at hotel.

OVERNIGHT:   Viseu

Friday, October 30 – Erev Shabbos

Peso de Regua, Vila Real

A very early morning departure, driving on a hilly road beneath orchards of apples and pears towards Peso de Regua, the regional centre of the Port wine, named after the city of Port, where we’ll spend our entire Shabbat. Proceed to Vila Real. Visit the Baroque Mateus Palace, “The most fantastic country house in Portugal” as to Sacheverell Sitwell, which represents the aristocracy lives of the Portuguese, after which the famous Mateus Rose wine is named.

We then walk through its magnificent gardens, hosting a unique beauty of its kind and proceed for Shabbat rest to Porto with enough time for Shabbat preparation. Shabbat services at the quaint local synagogue followed by special dinner with the local community members.

OVERNIGHT:   Porto

Saturday, October 31– Shabbat Kodesh

Shabbat services followed by Kiddusha Rabba. Our walking tour today will depend on Shabbat schedule. We’ll walk through the streets of this important northern port city. Porto was well known among the Jewish Traders during the Middle Ages. A flourishing community once, not much remains: Here are the remnants of a synagogue, there, those of a cemetery. The city has remains of what was once a Jewish Quarter in the Middle Ages, where there are steps, narrow streets and balconied houses similar to those in Lisbon’s Alfama district. Streets have names such as “Rua Monte Judeus”, “Escadinhas do Monte dos Judeus”, “Pátio das Escadinhas do Monte dos Judeus” and “Escadas da Esnoga”, which is believed to mean “stairway to the Synagogue”. There is the Kahal Kodosh Mekor Haim Synagogue, the first synagogue built in Portugal for native Portuguese Jews in over 400 years; the Dona Maria Bridge, built by Eiffel and, finally, the picturesque riverside area.

Shabbat afternoon – free time to take a rest and enjoy a Parsha shiur and history lecture by Rabbi Rabinowich; Seuda Shlishit at Porto’s only active synagogue. Exciting Motzoei Shabbat program planned.

Shabbat ends 6:19 pm.

OVERNIGHT:   Porto

Sunday, November 1

Porto, Busaco forest, Coimbra

We begin with a morning visit of Palácio da Bolsa, the exuberant interior of the former Stock Exchange and the Torre dos Clérigos, a baroque church with a granite tower, the landmark of Porto. With its altitude, this tower used to lead the ships towards the port. It is worth climbing its 240 steps up to the top to overlook the city. We then leave the city for the favor of the Busaco forest, which will lead us to the university town of Coimbra, where we will visit its famous university founded in Lisbon in 1290. The town is well-known for its New Christians, or Crypto Jews, who contributed significantly and scientifically to its university. We’ll visit the Baroque-styled library which contains more than 150,000 volumes. We then proceed for a walking tour of the old town which once hosted three Jewish quarters, followed by dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT:   Combra

Monday, November 2

Batalha, Nazare’, Obidos, Lisbon

Morning departure to the village of  Batalha. whose abbey is one of Europe’s greatest Gothic masterpieces and is protected as a World Heritage monument. It is famous for its unfinished chapels and the beautiful stained glass windows of the Founders’ Chapel, which houses the tomb of Prince Henry the Navigator, who had such a close and open relationship with the Jewish community.

We proceed to Nazare’, which probably took its name from the city of Nazareth in northern Israel. Nazare’ is popularly known for its Atlantic beach and atmosphere. The village has a long fishing tradition, with very characteristic costumes. We may climb up to take an overview of the village from Sitio (360 ft above sea level). We the move on to Obidos, starting with a romantic walking tour surrounding its very high (45 ft) medieval walls, and continue for a walk beneath its cobblestone streets and colorful houses. Near Rua Dirieta was once the Jewish quarter, hosting traders, artists and scientists. We proceed to Lisbon for dinner at the Jewish community.

OVERNIGHT:   Lisbon

Tuesday, November 3

Lisbon

A day dedicated to the city of Lisbon, starting with a walking tour of Alfama quarter alleys, the oldest one of the city. Learn about the important Jewish community of the city, enlarged numerously by Sephardic Jews expelled at the end of the 15th century. Visit the Ashkenazi Synagogue (if open); the Sephardic Synagogue (a Moorish-type structure in the center of a courtyard); the Jewish Community Centre, opened in 1948 as a cultural center and the “Rua da Judiaria”. We then climb up to the Castle of Sao Jorge, dominating the city view on its seven hills. We’ll walk downhill towards the Rossio Square, where the inquisition court was held in the Palacio dos Estaus, at the site where the Dona Maria national theatre now stands, built in the 19th century. We proceed to Parque dos Nacoes, where the Expo of 1998 took place.

The rest of the day: free time to visit one of the interesting museums, as the Coach Museum, the largest in the world of its kind, the National Museum of Ancient Art (Arte Antiga), shopping, especially for native handicrafts such as ceramics, gold and silver filigree jewelry, leather goods, copperware and embroidered items. After dinner, we’ll be joining a unique experience of a Fado music show, the most characteristic music of Portugal.

OVERNIGHT:   Lisbon

Wednesday, November 4

Lisbon, Sintra, Cabo de Roca, Cascais

We start our day with a walking tour of the Belem Quarter, dedicated to the “discoveries”, and see the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the “discoverer’s monument” dominating the promenade along the Tagus river which, incidentally, begins in Toledo. We continue with a visit of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a World Heritage, which is another masterpiece from the Manueline period of architecture. This is also the burial place of famous Vasco de Gama. We then proceed to visit the splendors of aristocratic Sintra, a UNESCO world heritage site. The town is known to be the summer resort of Portugal kings. Its mountains are dominated by luxuriant vegetation structures. We’ll visit the Moorish styled Village Palace, known for its conic-form chimneys and manueline windows. We proceed to Cabo de Roca, the most western point of continental Europe, a sheer headland that falls dramatically into the sea. Then to Cascais, a famous seaside resort out of Lisbon. We then return to our hotel.

FAREWELL BANQUET and OVERNIGHT:   Lisbon

Thursday, November 5

Departure

Transfer to Lisbon airport for our 11:50 am TAP flight # 103k to Newark Airport arriving at 1:55 pm.

All shiurim and prayer sessions are voluntary!

Extensions to Israel possible,
before and after trip

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Rabbi Dr. Nosson Dovid Rabinowich: Rav and Scholar-in-Residence,is a noted historian and Talmid Chacham, author of ten critically-acclaimed books on topics varying from Jewish history to Geonic literature to Chassidus.

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