Jewish Spain: A Tarnished Ornament 
May 12 - 22, 2025 
(Itinerary subject to change) 

Day 1: Monday, May 12, 2025 

• Welcome and opening session at the hotel. 
• Walking tour of the Santa Cruz neighborhood, formerly Seville's Jewish Quarter, La Juderia. (Lunch at leisure)) 
• Opening dinner at “Manolo León” with guests from the small local Jewish community. 

Overnight: Catalonia Santa Justa, Seville 

Day 2: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 

• Breakfast at the hotel.  
• Start the day with the sight of the iconic Plaza de España, built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. 
• Walk towards the Alcazar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
• Lunch at leisure. 
• Visit the 12th century Great Cathedral, burial place of Christopher Columbus, and La Giralda, Seville’s symbol. 
• Dinner and evening at leisure.  

Overnight: Catalonia Santa Justa, Seville  

Day 3: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 

• Breakfast and checkout at the hotel. 
• Depart for Lucena, a town that during the period of Muslim rule was known as “The Jewish city.” Visit its Jewish Necropolis.  
• Continue to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moors (lunch at leisure en route).  
• Tour of the Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens.   
• Dinner and evening at leisure. 

Overnight: NH Collection Victoria, Granada  

Day 4: Thursday, May 15, 2025 

• Breakfast and checkout at the hotel.  
• Drive to Cordoba, with a stop at the San Cristobal Lookout point. 
• Explore the Cathedral-Mosque, La Mezquita de Cordoba.  
• Walk through the Jewish Quarter, including Plaza Tiberias and the Yehuda Halevi Square. Continue to the Maimonides Synagogue.  
• Lunch at leisure. 
• Visit Casa de Sefarad.  
• Group dinner at Casa Mazal.

Overnight: Las Casas de la Juderia, Cordoba 

Day 5: Friday, May 16, 2025 

• Breakfast and checkout at the hotel.  
• Drive to Toledo.  
• Explore Toledo, including the Jewish Quarter, the Samuel Halevi Abulafia Synagogue (Nuestra Señora del Tránsito), and the Santa Maria La Blanca Church (formerly the Grand Synagogue).  
• Continue to Madrid.  
• Lunch at leisure en route.  
• Arrive at the hotel for check-in.  
• Festive Kabbalat Shabbat & dinner with the Madrid Jewish community.  

Overnight: Catalonia Atocha, Madrid 

Day 6: Saturday, May 17, 2025 

• Breakfast at the hotel. 
• Stroll along the main streets of Madrid’s oldest quarter & the Literary area, the original site of Madrid, called “Austrias”.  
• Visit the Plaza de la Villa, and the 15th century Tower of Los Lujanes, the site of the original Arab shuk of Madrid.  
• Continue to the 17th century Plaza Mayor, the center of historic Madrid.  
• Lunch at leisure. 
• Visit the Prado Museum.  
• Havdalah and group reflection at the hotel. 
• Dinner and evening at leisure. 

Overnight: Catalonia Atocha, Madrid 

Day 7: Sunday, May 18, 2025 

• Breakfast at the hotel along with an early morning study session. 
• Visit Segovia, a microcosm of the story of Jews in Iberia until the Expulsion. 
• Start with the Roman Aqueduct and then to the former Great Synagogue, housed in the Corpus Christi Convent.  
• Lunch at leisure.  
• Return to Madrid, with a stop at the imposing Valley of the Fallen.  
• Dinner and evening at leisure. 

Overnight: Catalonia Atocha, Madrid 

Day 8: Monday, May 19, 2025 

• Breakfast and checkout at the hotel. 
  Transfer to Atocha Train Station and board the comfortable high-speed train to Barcelona. 
  Enjoy a panoramic tour of Barcelona including Plaza España, the mountain of Montjuic, and Passeig Maritim.
  Lunch at leisure.
  Visit Gaudi’s unfinished Basilica de la Sagrada Familia.
  Dinner and evening at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel Avenida Palace, Barcelona

May 9: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 

• Breakfast at the hotel.  
• Morning tour of Passeig de Gracia Boulevard and the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona.  
• Lunch at leisure at the Boqueria Market. 
• Visit the Medieval Synagogue discovered in the Jewish Quarter known as Cali. 
• Walk through the Gothic Quarter, where there was a sizeable Jewish community as early as the beginning of the Common Era.  
• Visit Casa Adret, now home to “Mozaika”. 
• Dinner and evening at leisure.  

Overnight: Hotel Avenida Palace, Barcelona  

Day 10: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 

• Breakfast at the hotel.  
• Visit Girona, famous for its Kabbalists and the home of Nachmanides. 
• Explore the Jewish Quarter, and the Jewish Museum, the Centre Bonastruc ça Porta.  
• Enter Casa Cundaro, for a glimpse at life in a former Jewish home from medieval times.   
• Lunch at leisure. 
• Continue to Besalu, a medieval town that features one of the best preserved mikvaot in all of Europe.  
• Return to Barcelona.  
• Farewell group dinner at a local restaurant.  

Overnight: Hotel Avenida Palace, Barcelona  

Day 11, Thursday, May 22, 2025 

• Breakfast and checkout at the hotel.  
• Bus transfer to Barcelona Airport.  
• Departure flight to the U.S.A or other add-on destinations.  

The Melton tour to Spain will be led by Avi Ben-Hur, distinguished Melton field scholar and scholar in residence at Classrooms Without Borders. Avi specializes in Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, as well as geopolitical issues, interfaith programs, and Holocaust studies.

Melton Travel is open to adults of all ages. While Melton oversees the educational aspects of our tours, it's important to note that we are not a travel agency. For the logistics of this trip, our local travel partners will be responsible.

Please note that Melton is not liable for any financial loss due to reasons beyond our control, such as health-related cancellations. We highly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation and health-related issues, including COVID, within a few weeks of paying your nonrefundable deposit.

Thank you for your interest in travelling with Melton. We eagerly await the opportunity to learn and explore together with you.

The Melton Travel Team

Register online now >

• Group rates are per person and a minimum of 15 fully paying participants. Should the number of participants drop below the minimum listed above, we may adjust the cost of the trip to reflect the additional expense of operating the program.
• Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the tour guide/educator are included.
• A nonrefundable deposit of $1,250 per person is due upon registration. If the trip is cancelled, the registration fee will be refunded. Final balance will be due 100 days prior to trip start date: February 1, 2025.
• Participants who reserve a double room and are sharing with a friend or family member will be subject to the single supplement if that person cancels prior to departure if final payment has not been paid.  
• There will be no refunds for unused services. All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
• Hotel Accommodations: The tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private bathrooms. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering value. Although the level of the accommodation may differ slightly from hotel to hotel, we are committed to your comfort.
• Meals are kosher style and included as indicated in the itinerary. Participants may order Glatt kosher meals at prices set by our local vendors upon request.
• A Melton scholar & educator will be with the group throughout the tour.
• All gratuities are included.
• Baggage: Melton shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to the insurance company.
• About airline baggage allowance, different carriers have different regulations for business and coach, please check with your individual carrier with regard to permitted number of pieces, weights and dimensions. The tour operator is not responsible for fees levied by any air carrier for the transport of personal belongings of any kind.
• Porterage at hotels. Please note that room service is not included.

Not Included

• Flights and personal insurance 
• Personal expenses, including meals or drinks not mentioned in the itinerary, unless specified

Melton Travel recommends Forbes Advisor for the most up-to-date travel insurance comparisons. Consider travel protection for:

• Trip Cancellation
• Trip Interruption
• Emergency Medical Expenses
• Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation of Remains
• Trip Delay
• Baggage & Personal Effects
• Baggage Delay

Please Note: To be eligible for the waiver of pre-existing medical condition exclusion, the protection plan must be purchased within 21 days (about 3 weeks) from the time you make your initial trip deposit, the entire non-refundable amount of the trip must be insured, and you must be medically able to travel at the time the premium is paid. However, the travel protection plan itself can be purchased any time prior to departure.

Additional Information

Airline Security Measures: Your name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket, or you may be denied boarding. If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S., you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification are required for that airport.

Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov to obtain more information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage items.

Holidays and Museum Closures: Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or state and local holidays observed in the destinations being visited.

Photography During Tours: We will occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for promotional purposes. If you prefer your photo not used in any marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your tour.

For more information, please write to us here.

Or call: 1–646–921–0747, Ext. 4