Overview
DAY 1 | Lisbon
Boasting springtime temperatures during the winter and cool summers freshened by a breeze blowing in from the Atlantic, Costa de Lisboa, on the southwestern coast, offers a rich and impressively integrated diversity. The capital of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of History.
Today, with the assistance of your guide, visit the Sha’are Tikva (Gates of Hope) Synagogue. In 1871 the Jews of Lisbon were granted permission to build a synagogue, a dream not fully realized until the dedication of the Sha’are Tikva in 1904. The synagogue served as the center of Jewish life in Lisbon thereafter; it was a sanctuary for the thousands of Jewish refugees who passed through Portugal during World War II.
Explore the Alfama district, the Lisbon heart during Moorish times. The Moors have moved on, but the neighborhood retains an exotic atmosphere.
It grew south-eastwards from the Castle, spreading down the hillside to the river and the first new quarter to be built by the Christians at the end of the 12th century. With, its many nooks and crannies and its narrow streets, it is reminiscent of the labyrinthine residential quarters built by the Moors.
It is well worth walking around this quarter, where large numbers of Jews settled in the 15th century, many of them fleeing from Castile, after their expulsion by the Catholic kings. In this area, you will still find even today the Rua da Judiaria and close by, at No. 8 Beco das Barrelas, the site which tradition holds to be that of the ancient synagogue.
Lunch (not included) at one of the best fresh fish restaurants in Lisbon, created with the purpose to pay tribute to the old fish shops. Let yourself be seduced by their fresh fish and seafood display cabinet, by the charm of its cuisine and by the irreverent and funny ambiance that define this restaurant.
During the afternoon continue your walking tour through the Rossio Square, the original headquarters of the Inquisition, reaching Largo da Graça, from where you can admire the magnificent city view, the Tagus River, and the “Seven Hills” of Lisbon, Carmo Ruins, the roofless church of the great earthquake, Praça do Comércio, the epicenter of major events in Portugal’s Jewish history, São Dominigo’s Square a memorial to the massacres of 1506, Elevador de Santa Justa a Neo-Gothic tower of transport and beautiful views and Bairro Alto the home to great Jewish sages like The Abarbanel and Yosef Caro.
