Jewish Heritage Tour of Girona & Besalu

This morning your chauffeur will be waiting for you at your hotel in Barcelona and will drive you in a luxury vehicle to Girona, a little over one hour north of Barcelona.
On arrival your Officially Licensed guide will escort you through the romantic city of Girona, enchanted by stretches of cobblestone streets; the very famous old Jewish Quarter and the Centre Bonastruc ça Porta, an institute of Jewish learning built around the old Synagogue on Carrer de la Força, the main artery of the medieval quarter which has remained amazingly intact over the centuries. Recently, much of the Call has been restored under the supervision of the Centre also home to the Museu d'Història dels Jueus (Jewish History Museum) – which has developed a map of the maze-like streets and hosts small exhibits on Carrer de la Força. Many of the restored buildings now house art galleries, upscale boutiques and trendy restaurants. Containing the most accurate information about medieval Jewish communities in Spain, particularly those in Catalonia, the museum’s exhibits provide a picture of daily life in the quarter, Jewish traditions and the region’s most influential calls. The Hebrew lapidary (tombstone) collection is considered to be one of the finest in the world. You will wind through the narrow streets and stoned walls of the old Gothic Quarter and encounter the magnificent Girona Cathedral affording a great view of the area, little shops, cafes and medieval homes that families have passed down through the generations.

For lunch today you have many options as Girona has some wonderful restaurants. Perhaps you may wish to eat at a Michelin 3* restaurant, the 2nd best restaurant in the world! Alternatively you may prefer a local hostelry in the country with glorious fresh produce. Or perhaps you would prefer a kosher picnic, which can be prepared by Barcelona's Isamar Kosher - the choice is entirely yours and we will await your instructions.

You will now leave for a visit to the medieval town of Besalú, former seat of the counts of the same name, which is a magnificent historic-artistic site, renowned for its beauty and the 11th century Roman bridge that once was necessary to adjoin this small village to land. The strategic situation between the Rivers Fluvià and Capellades, on the boundary of three counties, granted Besalú an important role in the history of Catalonia. You will visit the ruins of the Jewish quarter of Besalú, dating back to the 9th century and the mikvah or Jewish ritual bathhouse, dating from the 12th century, which is the only one of its kind discovered in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the few known in Europe. The local public gardens await you where villagers grow herbs for their well-known and traditional homemade wine, ratafia. The different families of Besalú have variations of this sweet wine, and use their own secret combination of aromatic herbs to flavor this digestive liquor.

Following your wonderful day, our chauffeur will transfer you safely back to your hotel in Barcelona.

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The tour price varies depending on the Travel Option you choose. Please click on the option which suits you best in order to request a quotation.