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 269555 times)

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1060 on: April 24, 2019, 01:11:15 PM »
Can do BCN in 1-2 days, then maybe hop over to MAD for a day. I liked Madrid better, but BCN has the Kosher food, which is huge.
Going to London afterwards so not really interested in cramming 2 cities.

Plan is to land Monday afternoon, BCN through Wed night (2 full days on ground, maybe go to beach for one of them), and then fly Thurs morning - Tuesday in London.

Offline kopite1

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1061 on: May 03, 2019, 05:56:39 AM »
Was in BCN for less than 24 hours this week.

Lunch at Shaq Shuq which I was a bit disappointed with. Dinner at Ilan's Burger which was excellent.#

Unfortunately the shul in the Call was closed due to Labour Day.

Offline Minyan

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1062 on: May 14, 2019, 10:46:22 AM »
Any recommendations for a hotel using points within walking distance to a shul in Barcelona on Shabbos?  I would prefer using Bonvoy points.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1063 on: May 14, 2019, 01:42:04 PM »
Any recommendations for a hotel using points within walking distance to a shul in Barcelona on Shabbos?  I would prefer using Bonvoy points.
There's only 1 active Shul - Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona and it barely had a Minyan during the week. I'd first check that they have a Minyan on Shabbos before planning my stay around it.

Offline Minyan

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1064 on: May 14, 2019, 03:26:59 PM »
There's only 1 active Shul - Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona and it barely had a Minyan during the week. I'd first check that they have a Minyan on Shabbos before planning my stay around it.
Any Chabad with a minyan during the week or Shabbos in Barcelona?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1065 on: May 14, 2019, 03:31:05 PM »
Any Chabad with a minyan during the week or Shabbos in Barcelona?
Not that I could find. In 2014 there was 1 Chabad guy who was the Mashgiach at Maccabi and I believe there was a separate Chabad Rav that provided the Hechsher there, but I couldn't find a Chabad Minyan.

Was in BCN for less than 24 hours this week.

Lunch at Shaq Shuq which I was a bit disappointed with. Dinner at Ilan's Burger which was excellent.#

Unfortunately the shul in the Call was closed due to Labour Day.
Didn't go to Maccabi?? Haven't heard of Ilan's - glad to hear there are new options.

Offline Minyan

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1066 on: May 14, 2019, 04:18:45 PM »
There's only 1 active Shul - Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona and it barely had a Minyan during the week. I'd first check that they have a Minyan on Shabbos before planning my stay around it.
Their email address does not work

Offline DTM

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1067 on: May 17, 2019, 07:43:06 AM »
There's only 1 active Shul - Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona and it barely had a Minyan during the week. I'd first check that they have a Minyan on Shabbos before planning my stay around it.
This may be helpful
https://chabadbarcelona.org/en/shabat/

Offline chevron

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1068 on: May 18, 2019, 11:38:23 PM »
Ilans burger is great!

Offline damaxer91

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1069 on: May 22, 2019, 10:32:54 AM »
Anyone have a guide for Madrid that they can recommend?

Offline kopite1

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1070 on: May 23, 2019, 10:20:33 AM »

Didn't go to Maccabi?? Haven't heard of Ilan's - glad to hear there are new options.


No - I was there on my own for a big football (soccer!) match so wanted something relatively quick and cheap.

Offline Jo 08701

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1071 on: May 24, 2019, 11:00:47 AM »
I visited Toledo this week,  the Shul is closed on Mondays.
Can anyone update the Wiki,  it says it's closed on Tuesday. I went Monday for nothing.

Offline Jo 08701

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1072 on: May 24, 2019, 11:06:42 AM »
I met a lady who works in the shul outside, and I showed her the thread on DDF that it says closed on Tuesday?.
She explained to me that Monday is a day when all museums are closed in Spain. It's against the law to be open.
She didn't let me in even for a second to get a peek. She said she can lose her job.
Will write a TR about my short visit in Spain & Jordan.
But first I felt a need to update this info ASAP.  I know a lot of people might travel through Spain in the coming days,  coming home from Israel.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1073 on: May 24, 2019, 02:33:30 PM »
I visited Toledo this week,  the Shul is closed on Mondays.
Can anyone update the Wiki,  it says it's closed on Tuesday. I went Monday for nothing.
Sorry for the misinformation in the wiki. If you read my TR, you'll see I was there on a Monday: "We knew that we were going on a Monday and therefore the El Transito Shul/Museum would be closed, but we planned on visiting Toledo anyway." I must have mistyped when entering the info into the wiki. Also, it said "Tuesdays?" with a question mark, so I'm not totally to blame! :P

Offline Jo 08701

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1074 on: May 26, 2019, 12:25:01 AM »
I am not blaming you at all. I wasn't planing a major trip therefore I wasn't checking 100 percent before. Just had a long stopover figured will give a peek in DDF and take it from there.

Offline ejb123

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1075 on: May 30, 2019, 09:59:57 AM »
Read the wiki and trip reports. There is so much out there.

Going Tuesday - Sunday and trying to plan out my itinerary. Been reading the posts and reviewed the wiki. A few questions for those who have been to Barcelona recently:

-Do the kosher restaurants offer any shabbos take out options?
-Any suggestions for shabbos afternoon walking/exploring? We are staying in the marina area.
-Any take any good day trips to Girona? Do you need a guided tour or can you rent a car and drive?
-Is it possible to add a stop along the coast with the Girona tour?

Thank you in advance.

Offline kopite1

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1076 on: May 30, 2019, 11:15:40 AM »
Going Tuesday - Sunday and trying to plan out my itinerary. Been reading the posts and reviewed the wiki. A few questions for those who have been to Barcelona recently:

-Do the kosher restaurants offer any shabbos take out options?
-Any suggestions for shabbos afternoon walking/exploring? We are staying in the marina area.
-Any take any good day trips to Girona? Do you need a guided tour or can you rent a car and drive?
-Is it possible to add a stop along the coast with the Girona tour?

Thank you in advance.

Can only help with your first question as was recently in Barca albeit only for 24 hours and not on Shabbos, but I had lunch in Shaq Shuq and 99.9% sure it said in there that they did Shabbos meals. I'm not sure if that means take-out or pre-paid eat in however.

I had dinner in Ilan's but don't recall any mention of Shabbos meals

Offline saw50st8

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1077 on: June 26, 2019, 04:30:51 PM »
Has anyone stayed in Madrid and done day trips? We are considering a trip arriving Monday night and leaving Sunday morning but with 4 kids and 4 adults, moving around seems difficult.

Offline xbetar

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1078 on: June 28, 2019, 04:32:49 PM »

Offline Danlover111

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #1079 on: July 28, 2019, 04:01:41 AM »
going to Barcelona this week whats the nicest spg hotel?