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 336564 times)

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #280 on: June 23, 2014, 07:00:21 PM »
Also, I would highly suggest not going to Toledo. Waste of time & money. TR to come.

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #281 on: June 23, 2014, 08:11:13 PM »
Also, I would highly suggest not going to Toledo. Waste of time & money. TR to come.

I would disagree with you on this if you have a tour guide. If you are without one, I can't comment.

Offline Dak613

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #282 on: June 23, 2014, 09:40:57 PM »
Yehuda,
If you can get the email address from the Rabbi of the Madrid Orhodox Shul, I would appreciate it. 
I received an email from the Chabad of Madrid who stated ( and I quote)
"It is the policy of Chabad not to endorse any establishment unless directly involved."
Therefore, let's all calm down and understand that an establishment can be strictly Kosher even if not affiliated with Chabad and therefore not under its hashgacha nor recommended list.
I would like to find out more about La Escudilla and other kosher options in Madrid. please advise
Thanks in advance

Offline moish

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #283 on: June 24, 2014, 01:45:11 AM »
Also, I would highly suggest not going to Toledo. Waste of time & money. TR to come.
completely disagree.

Depends on what your expectations are. While I was in Toledo, i came across an israeli tourist who was completely unimpressed. He thought he would see shuls the likes of which are found in rome and budapest. he was disappointed. i didnt have those expectations and was able to soak up the experience
« Last Edit: June 24, 2014, 01:50:54 AM by moish »

Offline moish

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #284 on: June 24, 2014, 01:47:25 AM »
So I reached out to someone from Gibraltar to get the inside scoop on the restaurant in Madrid and he responded as follows:

There is some truth to both sides of the coin here

There is always politics in every country between Chabad and the local community.

However I know people who won't trust the kashrus and won't eat there

I think it's all up to ones personal level of strictness

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #285 on: June 24, 2014, 12:31:36 PM »
There used to be another restaurant in Madrid called Naomi Grill. Not sure if it is still around or what hechscher it has, but maybe there is a way to find out.

Offline rediplus

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #286 on: June 24, 2014, 01:28:17 PM »
www.jewisheurope.org has some useful links

Offline SamKey

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #287 on: June 25, 2014, 12:55:13 AM »
There used to be another restaurant in Madrid called Naomi Grill. Not sure if it is still around or what hechscher it has, but maybe there is a way to find out.
I believe that is La Escuidilla

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #288 on: June 28, 2014, 08:33:03 PM »
Also, I would highly suggest not going to Toledo. Waste of time & money. TR to come.
I take it back. We did a tour of Jewish Barcelona and really liked it. Would have gotten 5% of it had we walked around without a tour. Now I realize how Toledo would probably have been very nice with a guide (and if both Shuls were open - we went on Monday knowing that 1 Shul is closed on Mondays). At the same time, the Toledo tour guide wanted over 300 euros so that would not have been a option for us anyway. I think that the less a city has in actual Jewish sites, the more you'd get out of a tour guide who can basically give you a live history lesson and show you the few remaining pieces of Jewish history. As Toledo has little to see (the Santa Maria la Blanca shul is literally just an empty - albeit nicely designed - room. No pews, no clear space that was once an Aron, etc.) having a guide would have made a world of a difference. So if you can afford Solomon, I'm sure it'll be great. I don't think it's worth going without a guide unless the El Transito shul has what to see without a guide (again it was closed when we went).

FYI We met a couple in BCN who told us El Transito is closed the entire month for construction, so if you were planning to go soon, look into that.

Offline moish

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #289 on: June 29, 2014, 02:55:51 AM »
the transito is is a much better experience. i went without a guide and was fascinated. having gone on a monday, it wasnt fair of you to write what you wrote.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #290 on: June 29, 2014, 03:23:35 AM »
the transito is is a much better experience. i went without a guide and was fascinated. having gone on a monday, it wasnt fair of you to write what you wrote.
I realize that now. Was frustrated in the moment.

Offline Menachem613

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #291 on: July 08, 2014, 11:22:24 AM »

What are your dates?

July 23-24 Spain
July 25-26 GIB
July 27 fly home from LHR

Offline Dak613

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #292 on: July 09, 2014, 10:44:56 PM »
Does anyone know about kosher food in Mallorca.  It seems that there is a shul and on the website it lists some kosher options....

Offline DXD

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #293 on: July 13, 2014, 09:46:18 PM »
DXD's Early Summer Adventure TR:
ORD -> Barcelona -> Milan -> Venice -> Florence -> Rome -> Naples -> Rome -> Prague -> ORD

Part 1:

Flew to BCN on USAir booked with AAdvantage miles. It was just myself and my wife. We really wanted to check out Barcelona before spending the majority of our trip in Italy. However Barcelona did not live up to our expectations.

USAir A330-200 was pretty decent experience - good enterntainment system. Biggest problem was that they did not have a record of our kosher order, so we needed to crack open some of our trip supplies. The attendant did give us something like 30 small pretzel packets...

Landed early in the morning to took the AeroBus to the central square (Placa Cataluyna). There was no reasonably-priced  point availability, so I got Vueling Hotel through travelpony.com. The price was okay, but the hotel was within walking distance to the airport bus. The rooms were smallish, but comfortable and each room had a theme of a destination where Vueling flies.

Highlights of Barcelona:
1. Just the vibes of the city outside the tourist areas - architecture, nightlife, etc.
2. Parc Guell (up the hill). Worth the shlep for the views and Gaudi architecture. You may want to skip the pay portion of it - you pretty much see the same things from the free part of the park.
3. Parc de Ciutedella - central and very nice.
4. Sangra Familia is as impressive as it looks in pictures - we did not go in, but it's definitely unique.

Not impressed with:
1. Las Ramblas and Bari Gottic in general. Crowded with swarms of tourists by day and shady after sun-down. You really do see the pick-pocketers scanning the crowd for the next easy take.
2. La Pedrera - yes the roof-time sculptures are famous, but 16 euros per entree (audi guide extra) is a total ripoff

Food:
We only went to 2 places:
1. Macabbi - off Las Ramblas. It was okay - nothing spectacular, but pricing was not horrible and the location was in the middle of tourist action.
2. Delicias - about a 45 minute walk from the central area. It was better, and it was more of a 'locals' place. The subway doesn't stop by there, but it's pretty easy to get there on the bus too. My wife wanted to try chicken paella, and even though it was not on the menu they made it special for her.

Next it was off to Milan. We booked on EasyJet since it was not that much more additional than booking with points (so we saved those points). We did have to pay for one checked bag - the lady in the check-in counter gave us one for free. It was my  first time on EasyJet, but it was pretty comparable mid-tier airlines. Regardless it was a short flight.

Part 2 - Italy...

Offline Centurion

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #294 on: July 15, 2014, 07:30:34 AM »
anyone been to Santiago de Compostela, A Coruņa, Spain (SCQ)
need to go from/to madrid

im assuming avios for travel? aa/usair?   food?hotel?

http://www.kosherdelight.com/SpainSynagoguesLaCoruna.htm ( anyone know them?)
TIA
you can only make a first impression ONCE

Offline davidch

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Re: Spain And Gibraltar Master Thread
« Reply #295 on: July 17, 2014, 02:00:57 PM »
Hi I'm gonna be in Barcelona in about two weeks an was wondering if anyone can suggest a place to stay( hostel /hotel/ appt.......) going with four guys.. Thanks a lot!!!

Offline avadah

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #296 on: August 31, 2014, 07:54:12 AM »
Has anyone here been to Ibiza?

Offline Hershelsdeals

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #297 on: September 07, 2014, 07:32:38 AM »
Has anyone crossed over from Gibraltar to Spain by foot recently or vice versa ? Was wondering how the queues were, like how long does it take to cross.

Offline Menachem613

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #298 on: September 07, 2014, 07:56:51 AM »

Has anyone crossed over from Gibraltar to Spain by foot recently or vice versa ? Was wondering how the queues were, like how long does it take to cross.

Did Spain to GIB. Walking across took 5 minutes tops.

Offline Hershelsdeals

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #299 on: September 07, 2014, 08:02:08 AM »
Did Spain to GIB. Walking across took 5 minutes tops.
Thanks.  How long ago? Time of day?