Topic Wiki

Barcelona
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, Yehoshua, CGR
Kosher Restaurants: http://www.restaurantmaccabi.com/en/
Activities: Jewish Tours in Barcelona, http://www.urbancultours.com
http://www.barcelonadreaming.com/package/barcelona-jewish-tour/
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: Stay at Hotel Condado it is about a 3 minute walk from the shul (local community), bear in mind there is no eruv, so you will need to either leave the room open or make some arrangement with the hotel, they do not offer keys (or have that option at all)
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Barcelona (Orthodox): http://www.cibonline.org; Go to the local shul and meet Rabbi Daniel Ashkenazi he is wonderful and quite helpful.

Madrid
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, @Yehuda pics, Yehoshua, @zalc (Mini)., CGR
Kosher Restaurants: http://www.restaurantelaescudilla.com  https://www.pinatimadrid.com/  https://www.pizzeriarimmon.com/(teuda)
Activities: Toledo - a day trip from Madrid to see 2 old Shuls. Can hire a tour guide, Rabbi Hanoka (info@jewishtoledotour.com), which is not cheap, or can take a train on your own. 1 of the Shuls (El Transito) is closed on Mondays. @Yehuda went on a day when that Shul was closed, and the other Shul was really just an empty room and seemed like a Christian organization now runs the center. Without a tour guide, it was hard to get anything Jewish out of our trip (other than an antique store that had some Judaica). But, people who have taken the tour (discussed in the thread) have said it was great! Recommended to go with a tour or not go at all (and ensure to go on a day when both are open!). Report in the thread that the sometimes-closed Shul has audio headsets for use, so that would help. If going alone, you can research the Jewish places at the link HERE
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: Chabad Site
Public Transport options: Uber works well, as does the subway if you speak Spanish.
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Madrid (Orthodox), http://www.cjmadrid.org

Malaga
Links to Trip Reports:
CGR
Kosher Restaurants:
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Comunidad Israelita de Malaga (Orthodox), http://www.cimalaga.es

Seville
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, Yehoshua, CGR
Kosher Restaurants:
Activities: Jewish Tours in Sevilla/Cordoba, http://www.jewishsevilla.com
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Comunidad Judia de Sevilla, synagoguesevilla@gmail.com

Gibraltar
Links to Trip Reports: Yehoshua
Kosher Restaurants: Amar's Bakery and Coffee shop, http://www.amarsbakery.com/
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Gibraltar, http://www.jewishgibraltar.com

Mallorca
Links to Trip Reports:
CGR
Kosher Restaurants: Their is not - one restaurant serve felafel it's own by an israeli but no hechsher
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: The Shul its open on Friday night
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips:
 
4500 IB Avios from anywhere to anywhere in the country
Best way to get around anywhere in this country is by scooter. It is safer driving them there since they outnumber cars by great proportions.
« Last edited by cgr on September 04, 2023, 09:01:01 PM »

Author Topic: Spain Master Thread  (Read 272092 times)

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #580 on: March 12, 2015, 08:20:54 PM »
Heading to BCN. I have 4 full days. What do you guys recommend? All 4 in BCN and experience the city property (maybe even get a little bored) or split 2 there and 2 in MAD and end up with a bit of each?

Offline SamKey

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #581 on: March 14, 2015, 07:06:10 PM »
Heading to BCN. I have 4 full days. What do you guys recommend? All 4 in BCN and experience the city property (maybe even get a little bored) or split 2 there and 2 in MAD and end up with a bit of each?
I personally would recommend going to Marbella/GIB over MAD but also think you can be entertained 4 days in BCN

Offline SLMYRCB

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #582 on: March 15, 2015, 09:39:10 AM »
I personally would recommend going to Marbella/GIB over MAD but also think you can be entertained 4 days in BCN
Marbella/GIB is too far and not enough time for such a short trip. I have them on my list together with Lisbon one day. Southern Spain will have to wait. But thanx.

Offline damaxer91

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #583 on: April 09, 2015, 10:53:13 AM »
Does anyone know about kosher food in Mallorca.  It seems that there is a shul and on the website it lists some kosher options....

Anyone have the answer to this?

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #584 on: May 11, 2015, 11:52:24 PM »
Has anyone heard of this free walking tour or which includes the oldest shul in Europe?

Looks like the shul website gives you a pretty comprehensive history. How does it compare to the guided tours?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #585 on: May 12, 2015, 06:44:20 AM »
Haven't heard of the free tour, but the Shul is covered by the paid tour (that I took). Entrance was free I think only because she works out a deal with them and they give a 10 minute history lesson into the Shul and how they've saved it and preserved it. It's basically a hole in the wall (as per the pic) with folding chairs and a modern Aron, so don't expect a gorgeous, huge, classic European Shul. It's nice/cool to see it, but just saying not to expect much.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #586 on: May 12, 2015, 09:28:41 AM »
Haven't heard of the free tour, but the Shul is covered by the paid tour (that I took). Entrance was free I think only because she works out a deal with them and they give a 10 minute history lesson into the Shul and how they've saved it and preserved it. It's basically a hole in the wall (as per the pic) with folding chairs and a modern Aron, so don't expect a gorgeous, huge, classic European Shul. It's nice/cool to see it, but just saying not to expect much.
I wasn't expecting much, but it seems the site gives a good history that sound only be expounded upon by the free tour.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #587 on: May 12, 2015, 09:59:06 AM »
I wasn't expecting much, but it seems the site gives a good history that sound only be expounded upon by the free tour.
It was a nice stop, but I would still recommend a Jewish tour of Barcelona. Just realized the free one is not Jewish-focused, which is fine and might be great for general Barcelona info, but yeah the Jewish tour was great.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #588 on: May 12, 2015, 10:32:56 AM »
It was a nice stop, but I would still recommend a Jewish tour of Barcelona. Just realized the free one is not Jewish-focused, which is fine and might be great for general Barcelona info, but yeah the Jewish tour was great.
I wasn't considering the Jewish your. The tentative plan in 11am free tour (it's a 1.5 minute walk from where we're staying), Lunch @ Maccabi, Park Guell, Maccabi for dinner.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #589 on: May 12, 2015, 10:37:21 AM »
I wasn't considering the Jewish your. The tentative plan in 11am free tour (it's a 1.5 minute walk from where we're staying), Lunch @ Maccabi, Park Guell, Maccabi for dinner.
Just the 1 day, right? The tour was very good. Park Guell was nice but we enjoyed Retiro Park in Madrid more, if one were to compare the 2.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #590 on: May 12, 2015, 10:59:53 AM »
Just the 1 day, right? The tour was very good. Park Guell was nice but we enjoyed Retiro Park in Madrid more, if one were to compare the 2.
Correct. 2 nights, 1 day. I wouldn't compare the parks. We do plan on going to Retiro Park in Madrid, so are you suggesting I skip Park Guell?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #591 on: May 12, 2015, 11:16:14 AM »
Correct. 2 nights, 1 day. I wouldn't compare the parks. We do plan on going to Retiro Park in Madrid, so are you suggesting I skip Park Guell?
I think I might skip it versus doing the Jewish tour. The park has a section where you can pay to get in and see some Gaudi structures, but that wasn't interesting for us. So without that section, you can basically hang out on the main level of the park (which is nice, but nothing incredibly special) and walk around checking out the sketchy vendors selling things, or you can head up the mountain (paved trail for the most part) to see some nice views of BCN, but looking back the tour was a better use of our time.

Maybe you can do the tour in the morning, get lunch (since the tour is near La Ramblas) and then go to the park in the afternoon.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #592 on: May 12, 2015, 11:23:53 AM »
I think I might skip it versus doing the Jewish tour. The park has a section where you can pay to get in and see some Gaudi structures, but that wasn't interesting for us. So without that section, you can basically hang out on the main level of the park (which is nice, but nothing incredibly special) and walk around checking out the sketchy vendors selling things, or you can head up the mountain (paved trail for the most part) to see some nice views of BCN, but looking back the tour was a better use of our time.

Maybe you can do the tour in the morning, get lunch (since the tour is near La Ramblas) and then go to the park in the afternoon.
I'm confused. You're suggesting I do the Jewish your in the morning versus the regular tour? I already planned on going the park in the afternoon.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #593 on: May 12, 2015, 11:46:21 AM »
I'm confused. You're suggesting I do the Jewish your in the morning versus the regular tour? I already planned on going the park in the afternoon.
Sorry for the confusion. I meant that I would go on the Jewish tour over the park, but if you can do both in 1 day, then great. Now I realize you were planning on the regular tour in the morning and park in afternoon. I would find out more about the free tour, if it doesn't have great reviews, then perhaps do the Jewish tour instead of it. But keep in mind that the Jewish tour might not cover everything in BCN, while the regular tour might cover more places.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #594 on: May 12, 2015, 11:59:58 AM »
Sorry for the confusion. I meant that I would go on the Jewish tour over the park, but if you can do both in 1 day, then great. Now I realize you were planning on the regular tour in the morning and park in afternoon. I would find out more about the free tour, if it doesn't have great reviews, then perhaps do the Jewish tour instead of it. But keep in mind that the Jewish tour might not cover everything in BCN, while the regular tour might cover more places.
The regular tour got great reviews on Yelp. Nearly all 5*, with the occasional 4*.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #595 on: May 12, 2015, 11:42:05 PM »
Decisions, decisions. Right now we're booked at the AC Hotel Sevilla Torneo for our 1 night in Seville. It's on the far northern edge of the city. We booked it using 10k Marriott points.  I'm debating switching to Fontecruz Sevilla, Autograph Collection, which is right near (5 min walk) the Alcázar and not far (23 min walk) from the train station were we'll be renting a car, for 35k.

If you value Marriott at .4˘, 10k is worth $40 and 35k is worth $140.

The AC hotel is going for €40 (~$45) and the AU hotel is going for €178 (~$200), so from purely a best-redemption value the AU hotel wins.

BUT, is it worth saving the 25k for something else (nothing in particular at this point) and just take a bus into town twice? Also, if I use the extra 25k for the AU hotel, I'd be all out of Marriott points (not that it makes a big difference).

Any suggestions?

Offline SamKey

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #596 on: May 13, 2015, 12:47:12 AM »
Decisions, decisions. Right now we're booked at the AC Hotel Sevilla Torneo for our 1 night in Seville. It's on the far northern edge of the city. We booked it using 10k Marriott points.  I'm debating switching to Fontecruz Sevilla, Autograph Collection, which is right near (5 min walk) the Alcázar and not far (23 min walk) from the train station were we'll be renting a car, for 35k.

If you value Marriott at .4˘, 10k is worth $40 and 35k is worth $140.

The AC hotel is going for €40 (~$45) and the AU hotel is going for €178 (~$200), so from purely a best-redemption value the AU hotel wins.

BUT, is it worth saving the 25k for something else (nothing in particular at this point) and just take a bus into town twice? Also, if I use the extra 25k for the AU hotel, I'd be all out of Marriott points (not that it makes a big difference).

Any suggestions?
Not sure where you're getting your Marriott values from... They're wirth more like .55-.6

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #597 on: May 13, 2015, 12:49:46 AM »
Not sure where you're getting your Marriott values from... They're wirth more like .55-.6
Still, at .55 the AC is $55 and the AU is $192.50, which still seems like a reasonable value, no?

Offline yg99

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #598 on: May 13, 2015, 10:14:48 AM »
I was in BCN a couple of times and I have never heard of a Jewish tour.

Saw the old shul on my own and it was very interesting (for me at least).

What else is there in BCN that the jewish tour shows you?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #599 on: May 13, 2015, 10:18:44 AM »
I was in BCN a couple of times and I have never heard of a Jewish tour.

Saw the old shul on my own and it was very interesting (for me at least).

What else is there in BCN that the jewish tour shows you?
That's because you planned a trip without consulting the forums. ;) The tour tells you about the history of Jews in BCN (yes, you could get that from a history book, but it's more meaningful when you're walking the streets. It also shows you the streets that Jews lived on, a doorpost that clearly had a Mezuzah on it once, and a few stones in the wall that have Jewish names on them because they were tombstones that were taken from the Jewish cemetery and made into city walls. :(
« Last Edit: May 13, 2015, 10:26:50 AM by @Yehuda »