Sephardic Jewish Heritage Tour

The Sephardic Jewish Heritage Tour is a private 7-day guided journey through the Jewish history of Andalucia, visiting Málaga, Úbeda, Granada, Córdoba and Seville. It explores the ancient Jewish quarters (juderías), synagogues, cemeteries, and cultural sites that preserve the story of Sephardic Jewry in southern Spain, from the golden age of convivencia — when Jews, Muslims and Christians coexisted — to the expulsion of 1492.

‘Sephardic’ refers to the Jewish communities that originated in the Iberian Peninsula, the region known in Hebrew as Sefarad. Following the expulsion of 1492, Sephardic Jews dispersed across the Mediterranean world and beyond, carrying with them the Ladino language, distinctive traditions, and a cultural memory of Iberian life that persisted for centuries.

The Sinagoga del Agua (the Synagogue of Water) is a medieval Jewish synagogue discovered beneath a Renaissance palace in Úbeda in 2006, entirely by accident during renovation work. It is one of the best-preserved medieval synagogues in Spain, featuring a mikveh (ritual bath) fed by a natural spring, which gives the synagogue its name. It is a highlight of the tour and one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries in recent Andalucian history.

Moses Maimonides — Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon — was born in Córdoba in 1138 and became the foremost Jewish philosopher, jurist and physician of the medieval world. His writings reconciled Aristotelian philosophy with Jewish theology and influenced Christian scholasticism as well as Islamic thought. His birthplace in Córdoba’s Judería is one of the tour’s key stops. He is the embodiment of the intellectual culture that the three-faith world of Al-Andalus made possible.

Seville’s Jewish necropolis is one of the largest medieval Jewish cemeteries ever excavated in Spain, discovered during construction work in the 1990s. It dates from the period of Jewish settlement in Seville during the 11th to 14th centuries. The site is part of the tour’s exploration of Seville’s Sephardic heritage alongside the historic Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz and what is known as the ‘pearl of Sefarad.’

Yes. The tour has been developed carefully and sensitively by TOMA & COE, and welcomes Jewish travellers tracing family or cultural heritage, as well as those with broader historical and cultural interests. The itinerary includes dining at a Sephardic restaurant and visits to active sites of Jewish cultural significance.

Yes. The tour includes dining at restaurants that offer kosher options, including a Sephardic Jewish restaurant. Please mention any specific dietary requirements or observance levels at the time of enquiry so that arrangements can be confirmed in advance.

Yes, all TOMA & COE tours are available as fully private experiences for individuals, families or groups. The itinerary, pace, accommodation and dining can all be tailored to your party. Please enquire for details.

Andalucia, Madrid and Toledo are particularly known for the three cultures, one of which is Judaism. In Andalucia, the main cities inland and to the south have old Jewish quarters.

The old Jewish quarter in Malaga is in the oldest part of Malaga historic centre. The area connects the Alcazaba and Roman theatre with Plaza de la Merced.

The Jewish expulsion from Spain occurred in 1492 following the Christian reconquest of Andalucia from the Moors.