Marrano's Tour - The Jewish Experience in Portugal

The name Marranos reminds us of the secular history of those Jews who didn't leave Portugal with the Edict of Expulsion, but who were forced to convert. They ended up scattered throughout the country, mainly in the mountainous regions of the interior. Today, these 'forced ones' are a living testimony to a history of resistance and disguise unique in Sephardic Europe.

Following "In the footsteps of the Marranos" in Portugal will take us on a journey 500 years into the past, from the days of Jewish prosperity to the time of persecutions right up to the present-day communities.

In this way, we discover that Lisbon, a fascinating city of unique contrasts and characteristics, guards in its ancient streets vestiges of one of three Jewish quarters that once lived side-by-side. Walking the cobbled streets of Évora, meanwhile, we follow marks of 'mezuzot'. And in the picturesque tranquillity of the border villages, we catch echoes of a population lost in time. The most ancient Jewish vestige of the Iberian Peninsula, a stone ring bearing Succot symbols, was found near the excavations of the Roman city of Ammaia. Such discoveries continue to be made, often raising questions as yet unanswered.

In Belmonte, as we welcome the Shabbat together, we will get to know a unique community. Further episodes of this epic await us in Guarda, Porto and, finally, in Tomar, where a 15th-century synagogue is a reminder of one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe, whose scientists helped open the seas to the Portuguese caravels.

This is a secret history that we will have the privilege to uncover, composed of religious and cultural practices that have outlasted history's adversities. Its highlights come with meeting people whose family stories are richly intertwined and about whom there is always so much to hear. So it is that Belmonte enthusiastically welcomes visitors, providing rich testimony of past lives while comparing an ancient religion with that brought to them by rabbis.

Discover a fascinating fragment of the history of humanity that remains vividly alive in this corner of Europe. We invite you to share this secret with us as we prepare for you a truly memorable trip.

WHY PORTUGAL?
Portugal, a country at Europe's main doorway, is -- due to its rich landscape and cultural diversity -- a fascinating destination more and more sought after by those who travel in search of enriching experiences.
A democratic country with religious freedom, in 1996 Portugal officially abolished the Edict of Expulsion and, in reconciliation with the past, invited the Jewish people to return to the home of their ancestors to find their roots and embrace their history.

EPISODE-TRAVEL WITH ART
"In the footsteps of the Marranos" is a Special Interest Tour from Episode-Travel with Art, a Portuguese Management Destination Company, specialized in Cultural Tourism and customised tours. www.episode-travel.com

TOUR DIRECTOR
Mariana Castro is responsible for the organization of Jewish tours for Episode -- Travel with Art, having in the past collaborated with the Portuguese Tourism ICEP, with the Embassy of Israel in Portugal, and with the Organization Saudades, for which she prepared tours for Jews of Portuguese ancestry in the diaspora. www.saudades.org/My_Diary.htm

'In the Footsteps of the Marranos' is a 10-day tour, also available in 7-day and 4-day version
http://www.episodetravel.com/en/our_cultural_tours_portugal/tour/on_the_footsteps_of_the_marranos.asp?theme=13

10-day tour departing from Lisbon
Itinerary: Lisbon/Estoril/Sintra/Evora/Marvão/Castelo de Vide/Covilhã/ Belmonte/Guarda/Viseu/Porto/Tomar/Lisbon

7-day tour departing from Lisbon
Itinerary: Lisbon/Estoril/Sintra/Evora/Marvão/Castelo de Vide/ Covilã/ Belmonte/Tomar/Lisbon

4-day tour departing from Lisbon
Itinerary: Lisbon/Covilhã/Belmonte/Tomar/Lisbon

One-day Tour in Lisbon
Jewish Lisbon and Discoveries
The Codex 632 visit (based on the book of Jose Rodrigues dos Santos)