OUR STORY SPAIN & GIBRALTAR
Explore southern Spain's Jewish and world heritage treasures on a 10-day fully guided tour of Madrid, Granada, Segovia, Toledo, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, and Gibraltar.
Discover Spain’s storied Andalucia region – view the art of Picasso, tour the majestic Alhambra Palace, climb the Rock of Gibraltar, luxuriate at a traditional hammam in Granada, contemplate Don Quixote’s windmills, and enjoy the beaches of the Costa del Sol on this carefully curated and fully guided travel experience.
Along the way, we will discover the Jewish story from Spain's Golden Age, gain a better understanding of the Spanish Inquisition, and have the unique opportunity to celebrate Shabbat with a thriving and colorful Jewish community on the United Kingdom's Rock of Gibraltar.
Our Story Spain is led by a professional Jewish educator/guide from Israel as well as by local European guides. Groups are limited to 28 adult travelers for your comfort.
PROGRAM ITINERARY
The following is our projected itinerary, subject to reasonable change and final hotels may be similar.
DAY 1 > MONDAY | GETTING ORIENTED IN MADRID
NOTE: Those arriving on Sunday evening can be accommodated at the Madrid hotel based on our group rates. Contact us to learn more.
- Arrive to Madrid and take a taxi to our hotel in the heart of the city
- Group Meeting #1 at 1:00pm at the hotel lobby
- Learn about Spain’s bullfighting tradition at the Las Ventas Bullring
- Explore the Royal Place of Madrid and discover the history of Spain’s royal family
- Group Meeting #2 at 5:00pm at the hotel lobby and get oriented to Spain’s capital city on a walking tour of El Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and the Gran Via
- Get to know your traveling community over a welcome dinner
OVERNIGHT: Radisson RED – Madrid, Spain
Meals Included: Dinner
DAY 2 > TUESDAY | A DAY IN SEGOVIA
- Travel outside of Madrid for a day tour of Segovia – view the city’s ancient Roman aqueduct, the Gothic cathedral, and the towering Alcázar of Segovia perched high above the city
- Get oriented to the achievements and sorrows of Spain’s Jewish story, exploring the Jewish Quarter and cemetery of Segovia
- Return to Madrid, stopping en route to explore El Escorial, the vast Spanish royal complex
- Evening: Experience an authentic Flamenco show at Torres Bermejas, with dinner included
OVERNIGHT: Radisson RED – Madrid, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 3 > WEDNESDAY | TREASURES OF THE LA MANCHA COUNTRYSIDE
- Depart Madrid in the morning and travel through the countryside toward Granada
- View the whitewashed windmills that inspired Don Quixote at Molinos de Viento de Consuegra
- Learn how Manchego cheese is crafted, and sample Spain’s most famous cheese in the heart of its La Mancha region (lunch on own en route)
- Arrive to Granada and get oriented to the city at the Mirador de San Nicolás overlooking Alhambra
- Evening: Free time and dinner on your own in Granada’s historic Albacin neighborhood
OVERNIGHT: Hotel Vincci Albayzín – Granada, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 4 > THURSDAY | ALHAMBRA PALACE IN GRANADA
- Morning: Tour of Alhambra Palace, where the fateful Decree of Expulsion was signed in 1492, and explore the adjoining Generalife Gardens
- Spend the afternoon luxuriating at a traditional Turkish bathhouse at the historic Al-Haram Hammam
- Evening: Travel to Sacramonte in the hills above Granada to view its traditional cave homes, experience the neighborhood's lively culture, and enjoy dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: Hotel Vincci Albayzín – Granada, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 5 > FRIDAY | ALONG THE COSTA DEL SOL
- Depart Granada and descend to Malaga along Spain’s Costa del Sol region
- Gain a new appreciation for Spain’s most renowned artist at the Picasso Museum of Malaga
- Break for an alfresco lunch on your own along the Malaga beach promenade
- Continue on to Gibraltar, where we’ll enter this tiny United Kingdon territory
- Explore the UK’s Word War II Tunnels and learn about the Rock of Gibraltar’s unique role in the Allied defense of Europe
- Check-in to our hotel, prepare for Shabbat, and learn about Gibraltar’s thriving and ethnically diverse Jewish communities
- Evening: Option to attend a local Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by Shabbat dinner as a group
OVERNIGHT: The Rock Hotel – Gibraltar, UK
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 6 > SATURDAY | SHABBAT ON THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR
- Free morning to relax, explore the Gibraltar Botanical Gardens, or attend a local Shabbat service
- Following a traditional Shabbat lunch, we’ll ride the cable cars to the Top of the Rock to view Gibraltar’s famous monkeys, explore Michael's Cave, the Apes Den, Emperor Charles V Wall, and view Morocco across the Straits of Gibraltar
- Option to descend via the cable cars or hike down the Mediterranean Steps trail, visiting the Jews Gate Cemetery along the way
- Evening: Experience the cultural phenomenon of British ambiance on the Mediterranean in Old Town Gibraltar
OVERNIGHT: The Rock Hotel – Gibraltar, UK
Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 7 > SUNDAY | SEVILLE – THE PEARL OF ANDALUCIA
- Morning: Check out of our hotel, cross back into Spain, and travel to Seville
- Tour the Royal Alcázar (Palace) of Seville and view the tomb of Christopher Columbus
- Walk along the colorful Plaza de España, visit the remnants of Seville’s Jewish Quarter, and break for lunch on your own in Barrio de Santa Cruz
- Depart Seville in the afternoon and arrive to Cordoba in the evening – check-in and dinner at the hotel
OVERNIGHT: H10 Palacio Colomera – Cordoba, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 8 > MONDAY | CORDOBA AND SPAIN'S GOLDEN AGE HERITAGE
- Morning: Explore the Jewish history of Cordoba – where Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon (Maimonides) was born – visiting the Casa de Sefarad Jewish history museum, the 14th century Cordoba Synagogue, and the Maimonides Statue
- Following lunch on your own, we’ll explore the architecturally stunning Mesquita, once the Grand Mosque of Cordoba and now a cathedral
- Afternoon: Travel into the countryside beyond Cordoba for a wine tasting & tour at the Bodega Alvear
- Return to Cordoba for a free evening and dinner on your own
OVERNIGHT: H10 Palacio Colomera – Cordoba, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 9 > TUESDAY | THE WALLED CITY OF ANCIENT TOLEDO
- Morning: Depart Cordoba and continue north to Toledo
- Enter the ancient walled city via Alcantara Bridge and explore Alcázar Toledo (fortress) in the heart of the Old City
- Continue into Toledo’s historic Jewish Quarter, and tour the Synagogue El Transito
- Arrive back to Madrid and tour the Real Madrid football (soccer) stadium
- Check in to our hotel for the evening and celebrate the journey over a closing dinner
OVERNIGHT: Radisson RED – Madrid, Spain
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10 > WEDNESDAY | A FOND FAREWELL TO SPAIN
- Board a morning flight from Madrid back to your gateway city
SIGN UP EARLY AND SAVE
Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person early registration savings. All payments are fully refundable up to four months in advance, so your savings are commitment-free.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- A professional guide/educator leads the group on a 24/7 basis and expert city guides join our group most days
- Centrally located 4* and 5* hotels with porterage included
- Breakfast daily and additional meals per the itinerary
- Private touring vehicle with AC
- All programming and site entrances per the itinerary
- Wireless touring headsets
For groups with 20+ travelers
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from Europe
- Airport transfers
- Travel insurance (optional)
Insure your investment, and plan ahead for the unexpected travel insurance - Gratuities (suggested $100-$200/traveler)
- Hotel incidentals and meals not marked as included
TRAVELING EUROPE
Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Madrid at the start of the program and out of Madrid at the end of the program.
Travelers should plan to arrive no later than 1:00pm on their chosen start date and are encouraged to arrive an evening in advance to better acclimate and take advantage of the full program offerings. Group hotel rates are offered for those arriving early, subject to availability (contact us to learn more).
The program concludes following breakfast on the chosen end date and onward travel may be booked anytime in the morning and beyond – standard hotel checkout is at 11:00am.
Airport transfers at the start and end of the program are not included in the program package. Taxis and Uber rides are widely available at our starting and ending point airports.
TRIP COSTS
Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person savings. All payments are fully refundable up to four months in advance, so your discount is commitment-free.
- Land Package: $3,950/Person
Double room hotel occupancy rate - Single Room Supplement: $900/Person
ENROLLMENT TERMS
- A $250/person fully refundable deposit is due at the time of your registration.
- The deposit is non-refundable four months prior to the program start date.
- The balance is due no later than two months prior to the program start date after which all payments are non-refundable and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis at Authentic Israel's discretion.
- Cancellations must be made in writing, and we encourage you to obtain a travel insurance policy.
- Payments may be made by check or credit/debit card, however, a 3.50% processing fee applies for credit/debit card payments (does not apply to initial $250 deposit). Note: credit card fees are not refundable
- The program is subject to a minimum participation of 15 travelers registered at least four months prior to the program start date, and we ask that you not reserve non-refundable flights until the tour. Within four months of the program start date, Authentic Israel reserves the right to cancel trip dates in extraordinary circumstances.
- Authentic Israel reserves the right to deny acceptance on the tour according to its sole discretion.
- All program costs are listed in US Dollars.
FAQs
Who staffs the tour?
How active is the touring?
How many people travel in the group?
How is this a Jewish experience?
How all-inclusive is the experience?
How do I get ready for the trip?
How should I arrange my travel to and from Europe?
Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Madrid at the start of the program and out of Madrid at the end of the program.
Travelers should plan to arrive no later than 1:00pm on their chosen start date and are encouraged to arrive an evening in advance to better acclimate and take advantage of the full program offerings. Group hotel rates are offered for those arriving early, subject to availability (contact us to learn more).
The program concludes following breakfast on the chosen end date and onward travel may be booked anytime in the morning and beyond – standard hotel checkout is at 11:00am.
Airport transfers at the start and end of the program are not included in the program package. Taxis and Uber rides are widely available at our starting and ending point airports.
How confirmed are the tour dates?
The program is subject to a minimum participation of 15 travelers registered at least four months prior to the program start date, and we ask that you not reserve non-refundable flights until the tour. Within four months of the program start date, Authentic Israel reserves the right to cancel trip dates in extraordinary circumstances.
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