Girona and Besalu, Jewish History tour Small Group from Girona
Description
Immerse yourself in Jewish history during this 8-hour (small group tour up to 7 people) of Girona and Besalu. Both are traditional Spanish Jewish communities that have a long history and rich culture. In Girona, wander the Jewish quarter of ‘the Call’ and learn about the important area’s medieval history, including Nahmanides, one of the greatest Kabbalah scholars. The Museum of Jewish History is a stop not to be missed. Enter the small city of Besalú via the famous medieval bridge and wander through the medieval and Jewish quarter. Visit a 12th-century Micveh before being returned back to your hotel.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Guided walking tour to the Medieval village of Besalú to see the Jewish quarter and the MIkve of the 13 century, one of the most well preserved of Europe. The Medieval bridge of Besalu was the only way to enter to the city in the middle ages.
Guided visit to The Museum of Jewhis History of Girona.
Guided visit to Girona city along the medieval and Jewish quarters
Guided visit to the Medival village of Besalú
Guided visit to the Miqve of the 13 century of Besalú, one of the most well preserved of Europe.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(15)
Girona is beautiful and it was very moving to see the remnants of Jewish life. Our tour guide, Pau, was lovely and very knowledgeable. We would recommend to Viator that either the tour be a half or 2/3 day or that they add a nearby hike or some other experience. There seems to simply be not enough Jewish history that has been uncovered to make a full day tour. There were various moments when it seemed like Pau was sharing extraneous information or repeating what he had already shared in an effort to fill the time. One additional point: the museum’s language about the history of the persecution of Jews in Spain is quite problematic. The framing is “A Time of Difficult Relations between Jews and Christians,” which implies that Jews bore some responsibility for their oppression. It would be appropriate for a guide to be able to address this critically in the context of contemporary social and political dynamics.
Very comprehensible and informative tour. Great guide. Comfortable transportation between the cities.
My family and I loved the tour of the Jewish Girona and Besalú. Miguel is a really impressive guide and expert, with endless wisdom, who makes the visits very interesting and enjoyable and is also very friendly and friendly. Bravooo 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you so much!
We really enjoyed this tour. Our driver Pau and guide Ona were professional, knowledgeable and easy to deal with. They were punctual and easy to communicate with. Ona toured us through the Jewish remnants and explained them well. The Museum is top notch. Besalu was unexpected and really a good addition. As we toured in Monday many businesses were not open but ot didnt diminish the visit for us.
Absolutely stunning experience. Mike is very knowledgeable guide, is able to answer any possible question about the community and its history, and has a great sense of humor. Absolutely recommend!
Our tour guide was Mike, and he was a wealth of knowledge, and so much fun. Half way through the tour we stopped for lunch. Mike’s suggestions for restaurants was excellent. Regarding the tour itself, learning about the 1,000 year history and extensive contributions of the Jewish people in Girona and Besalu was eye-opening. It was disturbing to learn of the persecution and ghettoization of the Jewish people through the centuries, in spite of the fact that they were financial advisors and physicians to the elite of Spanish society. Particularly moving was the beauty of these two Medieval cities. Walking the narrow, winding streets was like being in a Time Machine. Our guide filled us in on the religious history of the cities, both Christian and Jewish. We saw where the synagogues used to be, and at the end of the tour, we visited the Jewish History museum of Girona. Fascinating! Our guide’s breadth of information was breathtaking. Suggestions: Bring good walking shoes!
Our experiences in Girona and Besalu were beyond our expectations. Mike brought an incredible amount of knowledge and passion to the tour. We highly recommend this tour!!
The tour was incredible! It was because we had an amazing tour guide, Miguel. He is so knowledgeable and nice and made the entire day interesting and fun. We also were the only ones on the tour so we got a really personalized tour. We learned so much in such a short time. The tour exceeded our expectations thanks to Miguel! I highly recommend this tour with Miguel!
Our young tour guide Gerard was very informative and personable. Gerard was also happy to incorporate Game of Thrones trivia with the Jewish tour. Girona has a great old town, but is also a vibrant city. Nice to choose a restaurant for lunch in advance. Besalu has one interesting Jewish sight (a mikvah), but I would have been fine skipping Besalu. The agency was willing to provide transport from BCN for a fee, but our family opted to take the fast train on our own from BCN (roughly 40 minutes). Either works. Would definitely recommend a visit to Girona if one still has time to see the key sights of BCN.
Gerard was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and personable. Highly recommended! Thank you. . .
