Jewish Heritage in Portugal – Belmonte

1st Day • Lisbon – Castelo Branco – Belmonte

Departure from Lisbon towards Castelo Branco , Capital of Beira Baixa, where the Jewish community quickly developed since 1214, linked to the commercial and crafts traditions. Visit to the House of Jewish Memory, a museum that aims to report the Jewish presence in this city, as well as distinguish some personalities like Amato Lusitano or Afonso de Paiva, among others. We then continue to Belmonte, where an important Jewish community was established, specially in the XV century, when the Jews fled from the persecutions of Castela and took shelter here. Visit to the Jewish Museum of Belmonte which intends to portray, in particular, the history and experience of the crypto -Judaism, the history of the Jews in our country and their valuable contribution in terms of culture, art, literature and commerce.  Kosher wine tasting. Accommodation at Belmonte Sinai Hotel 4*, the first Hotel in Portugal with specific characteristics for the Jewish community, namely in what concerns cuisine. On this day the dinner will be based on kosher cuisine, food prepared obeying the Jewish law.

2nd Day • Belmonte – Guarda – Trancoso – Sabugal – Belmonte

Departure towards Guarda and visit to the historical centre inside the walls of the city, where the old Jewish block still exists today, near the Porta D’el Rei. The Jewish community of Guarda, that during the XIV century had between 600 to 850 people, was, for a very long time, one of the most important Jewish communities in the country, and also one of the oldest. Continuation to Trancoso, a city that is also marked by the Jewish presence, where we will visit the Jewry, the Interpretation Centre “Isaac Cardoso” and the Synagogue “Beit Mayim Hayim”, located in a block of the traditional urban environment inside the walls, in the area where it’s thought to be the Jewry of Trancoso. Highlights to one of the most emblematic buildings of the city, the House of the Black Cat, which has in its façade the Doors of Jerusalem and the Lion of Judah, amongst other sculptures. We then continue to Sabugal, a border town with Jewish presence since the XIII century. Dozens of Jewish/religious marks last in the historical centre in-between walls of the city very close to the castle. Visit to the House of Jewish Memory, that portraits the Jewish presence in the city. Return to Belmonte. Accommodation.

3rd Day • Belmonte – Lisbon

This morning will be dedicated to Belmonte, Portuguese territory of important Jewish presence. Belmonte was a unique case in Peninsular territory, in the permanence of the Crypto-Jewish culture and tradition since the beginning of the XVI century until today. Visit to the castle and, starting from the square, we descend the roman pavement to enter the old Jewry, walking through the houses of streets Direita and Fonte da Rosa, where you can see the thresholds of the small granite houses and marks on the stone, a testimony of these forced Jews to live their religion in secret. Visit to the “Bet Eliahu”, built on a promontory whose internal architectural structure obeys to two traditional postulates: the orientation of the building to Jerusalem and the separation of men and women in the prayer room, the gallery of the upper floor would be the space for women. Visit to the Museum of the Discoveries: to the Discovery of the New World. Return to Lisbon. End of the trip and of our services.

Tour designed by Pinto Lopes Viagens RNAVT no. 2070