Jewish History Tour, Girona & Besalú

The labyrinthic distribution and medieval atmosphere of its streets, the steep steps make frequently avoid the different levels of urban orography, the charm of the barri vellshops, the historic and didactic contribution of the Bonastruc ça Porta centre and, in particular, the firm commitment to recovering the old Jewish quarter make the Girona Jewish quarter into a unique, fascinating place. The transformations the district underwent after expulsion of the Jews in 1492 have not prevented the call dels jueus from retaining today a large part of this Kabbalistic mystery which characterised the Jews of Girona in an environment which has remained in exactly the same spot since the Middle Ages.

The county town of Besalú conserves a unique set of Jewish heritage in Catalonia: a Mikveh from the 12th century and traces of a synagogue closed in the 13th century. In 1966 Besalú was declared a national historic-artistic site. Since that time many finds have been made and amazing recovery of heritage has been developed. Its medieval, irregular laid out streets adapted to the city's orography, the arches, the steps, the stone houses, the shops that open all the year round to offer the traveller the craft products of the district, the superb Romanesque bridge providing access to the urban core, passing over the waters of the Fluvià..., everything in Besalú retains the charm of a time when this now small settlement of the Girona Garrotxa was a major market and the head of a prosperous, powerful county whose Jewish doctors enjoyed international fame and whose aljama, in the service of the counts, possibly accounted for between ten and fifteen per cent of its population.

On this full day tour, you will enjoy the medieval atmosphere of two cities with a very important Jewish community, one noted for his studies of Kabbalah, Girona and the other by their doctors of international fame, Besalú.

To book this tour, contact us by our "Contact Form" or you can purchase the tour through our website.

If you come from Barcelona you can reach Girona easily in 38 minutes by the high speed train AVANT or AVE. You can take the train in Barcelona-sants train station at 8.20am.and our guide will pick you up there at 8.58am to start the tour.