Itinerary Snapshot

A complete sample itinerary is available for an even fuller sense of the experience.

WEEK #1 | Barcelona, Toledo, & Madrid

Arrive to Barcelona and continue along the Mediterranean shore. Discover Gaudí’s fantastical architecture, explore ancient Toledo, and enjoy the trendy and art-filled city of Madrid, Spain’s modern capital.

WEEK #2 | Seville, Cordoba & Granada

Travel through Spain’s beautiful Andalusia Region, continuing the journey to the stunning city of Seville. Tour the world famous Alhambra Palace in Granada and scale the Rock of Gilbratar.

WEEK #3 | Slovenia, Florence, & Pisa

Our third week begins in the alpine mountains of Slovenia where you’ll raft, canoe, hike and go caving in the back country. Return to Italy and travel through the Tuscan countryside and on to Florence and Pisa. Soak up the best of Italian culture — everything from viewing Michelangelo’s David to learning how pasta and gelato are made.

WEEK #4 | Rome & Pompeii

We conclude our experience in Rome, a city that is both ancient and stunningly modern, with visits to the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican and a day trip to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius — Europe’s only active volcano.

Program Highlights

For a more detailed view of the program, check out the Program Itinerary

Explore Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona, Seville, Gibraltar, Toledo and Madrid

Wander the majestic Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens

Learn about Spain’s rich Sephardic Jewish heritage and the story of the Inquisition

Hike in the snow-capped Sierra-Nevada Mountains and discover the mysterious “gypsy caves” of Sacramonte

Spend a memorable Shabbat on the Rock of Gibraltar

Enjoy an authentic flamenco show, sample delicious local cuisine and view the art of Picasso

Tour Seville’s old bull-fighting ring and the Real Madrid’s stadium in Madrid

Soak in the sun on Spain’s Costa Del Sol

Navigate the canals and waterways of old Venice by gondola

Marvel at the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Explore the Tuscan countryside and the beauty of the Italian Alps

Take in the high art of Florence, home to Michelangelo, Da Vinci & Dante

Explore the treasures of the Vatican and the Jewish Quarter in Rome

Pay homage to the Roman Empire, visiting the Colosseum, Pantheon and Forum Romanum

Raft the Soca River, trek in Postojna Cave and enjoy Slovenia’s glacial Lake Bled

Test out your problem solving skills as you decipher codes in the Escape Room

Channel your inner warrior while taking part in a gladiator-for-a-day class

Learn how traditional Italian pastas, gelato and glass are made

Scale Mt. Vesuvius, and visit the lost city of Pompeii

Connect with Italy’s fascinating Jewish history and enduring Jewish communities

How the Connection Works

As a connected experience, this program combines Spain Discovery + Italy Discovery. At the end of our travels in Spain participants on Mediterranean Discovery will fly from Spain to Italy, generally arriving around the same time as the remainder of the Italy Discovery group. Trip connections are always supervised and all-inclusive. The cost of the connecting travel from Madrid to Milan is included as part of our optional supervised flight.

DAY #1 | Tuesday | Take Off!

• Depart from New York
• Spend the night in the sky en route to Europe

DAY #2 | Wednesday | Hola Espana!

• Arrive to Barcelona in the morning
• Meet local staff – ice breakers and orientation at Gaudí’s famous Parc Güell
• Visit Sagrada Família – the famous Church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Evening: Ascend “Jew Mountain” via funicular for a walking tour
• Overnight: Barcelona, Spain

DAY #3 | Thursday | Barcelona

• Depart to Montserrat – the Benedictine monk mountain retreat
• Hike in Montserrat Natural Park and visit the Benedictine Monastery
• Relax with beach time along the Mediterranean shore
• Evening: Spend a memorable Kabbalat Shabbat with the Jewish community of Barcelona
• Overnight: Barcelona, Spain

DAY #4 | Friday | Barcelona & Montserrat

• Depart to Montserrat – the Benedictine monk mountain retreat
• Hike in Montserrat Natural Park and visit the Benedictine Monastery
• Relax with beach time along the Mediterranean shore
• Train to Madrid for Shabbat
• Evening: Spend a memorable Kabbalat Shabbat with the Jewish community of Madrid
• Overnight: Madrid, Spain

DAY #5 | Saturday | Shabbat in Madrid

• Shabbat morning program and lunch
• Tour the Madrid Jewish Quarter
• Tour Madrid Synagogues
• Havdalah service and dinner at an authentic Madrid restaurant
• Evening: Night out on in Madrid
• Overnight: Madrid, Spain

DAY #6 | Sunday | Toledo

• Depart to Castilla – the center of Spain
• Stop on the way to view the Don Quixote windmills
• Enjoy a walking tour of Toledo – panoramic view of the city from Alcazar Fortress
• Retrace the lost history of Jewish Spain at the now transformed Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Taller del Moro
• Arrive to Madrid in the evening
• Overnight: Madrid, Spain

DAY #7 | Monday | Madrid

• Experience the unique spirit of Spain in Madrid’s Central Plaza Espana and Plaza Mayor
• View the masterpieces at the Prado Museum of Art
• Tour of Real Madrid’s football stadium – Home of Spain’s most famous soccer team
• Depart for Seville
• Overnight: Seville, Spain

DAY #8 | Tuesday | Sevilla

• Travel to Seville – the center of Andalusian Spain
• Horse show at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez de La Fontera
• Visit the Alcázar of Seville royal palace and navigate its natural hedge maze
• Evening: Cruise down the Guadalquivir River through Seville
• Overnight: Seville, Spain

DAY #9 | Wednesday | The Rock of Gibraltar

• Cool off with a morning of aquatic fun!
• Arrive to Gibraltar in the United Kingdom!
• Afternoon walking tour of Gibraltar’s Old Town district
• Evening: Meet with a former Jewish mayor and enjoy a kosher dinner
• Overnight: Gibraltar, United Kingdom

DAY #10 | Thursday | Top of the Rock!

• Ascend the Rock of Gibraltar via the cable car
• Explore St. Michael’s Cave and get close to Gibraltar’s famous wild monkeys
• Hike up to O’Hara’s Battery at the Top of the Rock!
• Follow the Mediterranean Steps path down to Jew’s Gate
• View the African Continent from Point Europa – Southernmost tip of Europe
• Tour of the World War II Tunnels (time permitting)
• Evening: British-style fish & chips dinner
• Overnight: Gibraltar, United Kingdom

DAY #11 | Friday | Seville & Cordoba

• Explore Seville’s famous bull-fighting ring
• View the tomb of Christopher Columbus and climb the Giralda Bell Tower
• Continue northward to Cordoba!
• Evening: Kabbalat Shabbat service at the Jewish Museum
• Overnight: Cordoba, Spain

DAY #12 | Saturday | Shabbat in Cordoba

• Shabbat morning program and lunch
• Trace the history of Spain’s Golden Age at the architecturally stunning Mezquita
• Explore the Casa de Sefarad Museum and the monument to Maimonides
• Walk along the streets of Juderia – The Jewish Quarter
• Evening: Relax at the exquisite Old Moorish Hammam “baths
• Overnight: Cordoba, Spain

DAY #13 | Sunday | On to Granada!

• Wake up early to depart for Granada in the Sierra Nevada highlands
• Explore the world famous Alhambra Palace
• Stroll through the Generalife Gardens, the oldest surviving Moorish gardens
• Enjoy tea in the Moorish quarter El Albayzín
• Evening: Take-in a sunset view of Granada from the Mirador de San Nicolás overlook
• Overnight: Granada, Spain

DAY #14 | Monday | Sierra Nevada Mountains

• Full-day hike in the Sierra Nevada Mountains – Ride a cable car to the summit
• Discover the Roma “Gypsy” caves of Sacromonte
• Evening: Enjoy an authentic and traditional Flamenco show
• Overnight: Granada, Spain

DAY #15 | Tuesday | Adios!

• Depart for a morning flight
• Arrive back to New York in the afternoon

How will my teen travel to the program?
An optional supervised flight is offered – typically from New York City. In some cases a supervised flight may also depart from Newark, Atlanta, Boston, or Miami. You are responsible for your transportation to the supervised flight departure city. Flight arrangements will be released in the spring. Families are also able to book their own tickets that mimic the supervised flight itinerary or book separate flight itineraries entirely and make arrangements to meet our staff in Europe. Learn more about our supervised flights.

Where will my teen be sleeping?
We stay in a variety of 3-star hotels, and each teen will have their own sleeping accommodations.

How is the program staffed?
Each group is accompanied by a team of madrichim (counselors), a local European tour leader, and a bus driver. Staff names are posted approximately 3-4 weeks prior to your departure, and you can expect a staff welcome call in the lead up to summer. Learn more about our staff team.

What’s the summer weather like?
The weather throughout Spain, Italy and Slovenia is a typical Mediterranean climate – dry heat, cool evenings, and little to no rain. Temperatures will typically be in the 80s and 90s. Because of the dry nature of the heat in the Mediterranean, the sun is deceptively strong, and you should plan to bring plenty of sunscreen and a good hat for outdoor touring.

How do you approach security?
The safety of the teens under our care is our guiding consideration. Learn more about our organization’s approach to safety & security.

What’s the typical group size?
Although it varies from year to year, our average group size in Europe is 30 teens.

What’s the food like?
Meals will be either kosher or vegetarian. Some meals will be provided according to the “pizur” system – an allowance for purchasing your own meal at a local eatery. Participants can buy whatever food they wish with pizur funds. Europe draws travelers from all over the world, so there is a wide range of cuisine available.

Will I need a visa?
If you travel with an American, Canadian, or EU passport – good news! – you don’t need a visa to enter any of the European countries we visit.

For more information, check out our general FAQs.