The Portuguese Jewish Heritage Experience

From Lisbon to Belmonte: Discover 500 Years of Sephardic History.

Portugal preserves within its cities, towns and villages one of Europe’s most fascinating Jewish heritages. Over the centuries, Jewish communities played a defining role in shaping the country’s cultural, scientific, economic and spiritual identity, leaving a profound heritage that can still be discovered today.

From medieval urban centres to remote inland villages, this journey reveals stories of prosperity, resilience, persecution and survival. It leads to places where thriving Sephardic communities once flourished, where synagogues stood, where scholars, merchants and astronomers lived and worked, and where faith was preserved in secret for generations.

The Sephardic Jews of the Iberian Peninsula played a vital role in Portuguese society between the 12th and 15th centuries, contributing significantly to the advancement of trade, medicine, science and navigation. Following the expulsion decrees and forced conversions of the late 15th century, many communities disappeared, while others found ways to preserve their identity and traditions across the centuries.

We invite you to join us on an exclusive eight-day private journey through Portugal’s Jewish heritage, exploring some of the country’s most remarkable testimonies to the Sephardic presence.

Day 1 | Arrival in Lisbon

Welcome to Portugal.

Upon arrival at Lisbon Airport, you will be met by our local team and assisted with your private transfer to the hotel.

The remainder of the day is at leisure, allowing time to relax or begin your first exploration of the Portuguese capital, a vibrant and historic city where diverse cultures have intersected and flourished over the centuries.

Overnight in Lisbon.

Day 2 – Lisbon: Between Light and Tragedy

Lisbon was once home to some of the most important Jewish communities on the Iberian Peninsula. Prior to the end of the 15th century, several thriving Jewish quarters existed within the city, playing an integral role in the economic and cultural life of the Portuguese capital.

Throughout the day, we will explore a number of ancient places associated with Lisbon’s Jewish heritage, including Alfama, Rossio and Praça do Comércio.

Close to the Rossio Square stands the Memorial to the Victims of the 1506 Massacre, commemorating one of the most tragic episodes in Portuguese Jewish history, when thousands of New Christians lost their lives as a result of religious intolerance.

The visit also offers an insight into the revival of the Portuguese Jewish community in the 20th century, marked by the establishment of the Jewish Community of Lisbon in 1912 and the construction of the Shaaré Tikvá Synagogue, the first synagogue built in Portugal since the expulsion of the Jews.

Overnight in Lisbon.

Day 3 – Tomar: The Medieval Synagogue and the Spirit of the Renaissance

The ancient city of Tomar is home to one of the best-preserved medieval synagogues in Europe. Built in 1438, this architectural gem stands as a remarkable testament to the importance of the local Jewish community during the Middle Ages.

The synagogue’s understated exterior conceals a wealth of symbolic meaning. Its four central columns are said to represent the Matriarchs of Israel, while the layout and architectural design reflect features found in other Sephardic synagogues of the period.

Following the expulsion of the Jews, the former synagogue served a variety of purposes before being rescued and restored by Samuel Schwarz, whose efforts ensured its preservation and eventual conversion into a museum.

The visit to the Luso-Hebraic Museum also highlights the legacy of Abraham Zacuto, the renowned astronomer, mathematician and cartographer whose work made a significant contribution to the great maritime achievements of Portugal’s Age of Discovery.

Overnight in Lisbon.

Day 4 – Castelo de Vide: Stone Streets and Sephardic Memories

Close to the Spanish border, the village of Castelo de Vide became a refuge for many Jews fleeing the expulsion decreed by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492.

Its Jewish quarter, regarded as one of the most authentic and best preserved in Portugal, invites visitors to wander through narrow medieval streets where traces of the community’s daily life can still be seen today.

The former synagogue, symbols carved into doorways and façades, and the characteristic merchant houses all evoke a time when Jews and Christians lived side by side in the heart of this historic town.

A journey through Castelo de Vide offers a compelling insight into the enduring legacy of Sephardic culture and its place within Portugal’s rich historical tapestry.

Overnight in the Castelo de Vide region.

Day 5 – Belmonte: The Last Refuge of Portugal’s Crypto-Jews

Belmonte occupies a unique place in Jewish history.

Following the forced conversions of 1497, the local community succeeded in preserving Jewish religious traditions in secret for almost five centuries. Isolated among the mountains of the Serra da Estrela, several families maintained rituals and customs that were passed down from generation to generation.

The rediscovery of this community transformed Belmonte into a powerful symbol of resilience, identity and continuity.

The visit includes the Bet Eliahu Synagogue, the Belmonte Jewish Museum, and the historic quarters associated with the town’s Crypto-Jewish community.

In this peaceful and authentic place, guests will gain a deeper understanding of one of Europe’s most remarkable stories of cultural and religious survival.

Overnight in Belmonte.

Day 6 – Trancoso: Land of Wisdom and Commerce

Trancoso was one of the most important Jewish centres in inland Portugal. The prosperity of its Jewish community left a lasting imprint on the streets and buildings of the historic town centre.

The visit takes in the former Jewish quarter, where visitors can still see mezuzah doorposts, symbols carved into stone, and other traces of the presence of influential Jewish families.

The Isaac Cardoso Interpretation Centre provides a deeper insight into medieval Jewish life and the history of the New Christians of the region.

Trancoso stands as one of the most significant examples of the recovery and preservation of Sephardic heritage in Portugal.

At the end of the visit, continue to Porto.

Overnight in Porto.

Day 7 – Porto: The City of Merchants and the Largest Synagogue in the Iberian Peninsula

Porto has a long-standing history shaped by its Jewish communities and its role in international trade.

This visit takes us to places that bear witness to the Jewish presence in the city since the Middle Ages, including the area around the Cathedral, the former Judiaria Nova (New Jewish Quarter), and the historic Olival quarter.

In the 20th century, Porto once again became an important centre of Jewish life in Portugal, thanks in large part to the work of Captain Artur Carlos de Barros Basto, a key figure in the revival of Jewish life in the country

The highlight of the day will be a visit to the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue, inaugurated in 1937 and considered the largest synagogue in the Iberian Peninsula.

A visit that brings together past and present, memory and identity.

Overnight in Porto.

Day 8 | Departure

End of a memorable journey through more than two thousand years of Jewish history, culture and heritage in Portugal, exploring places where memory remains alive and continues to inspire generations.