The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2026- Page 10
Where to Next? Portugal: Tracing Sephardic Roots in One of Europe’ s Hottest Destinations
By Roni Fishkin
Portugal has become one of Europe’ s most sought-after destinations, enticing for its stunning coastline, historic cities, worldclass cuisine, and relaxed pace of life. If your social media feed is anything like mine, you are watching lots of friends experience this fabulous destination. And, Jewish travelers know that beyond the colorful streets of Lisbon and the vineyards of the Douro Valley lies another story – one that may be especially meaningful. It’ s a story of resilience, loss, survival, and, remarkably, renewal.
For centuries, Jewish communities flourished throughout Portugal. Jewish scholars, merchants, physicians, and navigators played important roles in Portuguese society, helping shape the country’ s cultural and economic life.
That changed dramatically in 1497 when Portugal’ s Jews were forced to convert to Christianity or leave the country. Many fled, but others remained, practicing Judaism in secret for generations. Today, travelers can still discover traces of that hidden history throughout the country.
While Lisbon and Porto are often the starting points for visitors, some of Portugal’ s most compelling Jewish experiences can be found in smaller towns. One of the most fascinating stops is the mountain town of Belmonte, home to descendants of Crypto-Jews who secretly maintained Jewish traditions for hundreds of years. Isolated from larger Jewish communities, families passed rituals and customs from one generation to the next, often at great personal risk.
Porto is also home to one of the largest synagogues in Western Europe, a reminder that Jewish life in Portugal is not simply part of the past. Many tour companies offer Jewish heritage tours in both Porto and Lisbon. Whether walking or in a tuk-tuk, it’ s an especially meaningful way to learn from a local expert.
One of the things I love most about Portugal is that Jewish experiences fit naturally into a broader vacation. What makes them so meaningful is that they connect travelers not only to history but also to living communities and ongoing stories. You can spend the morning exploring a historic Jewish quarter and the afternoon sampling local wines, strolling along the Atlantic coast, or enjoying fresh seafood at a waterfront cafe. In Lisbon, historic, hilly neighborhoods invite wandering( or climbing!). In Porto, the colorful riverfront buzzes with energy. Throughout the country, beautiful tilework, medieval castles, and breathtaking viewpoints seem to appear around every corner.
Perhaps what makes Portugal especially compelling for Jewish travelers today is the story does not end with persecution. What was once hidden is now being rediscovered.
Across the country, efforts are underway to preserve Jewish heritage sites, educate visitors, and celebrate the contributions of Jewish communities to Portuguese history.
For travelers interested in exploring their own family history, understanding Sephardic culture, or simply adding another layer of meaning to a European vacation,
Portugal offers a remarkable opportunity.
One of the goals of this column is to encourage readers to look beyond the obvious attractions and search for unexpected connections wherever they travel. Portugal rewards that approach beautifully.
You may arrive for the scenery, stunning beaches, food, and history. But if you look a little deeper, you’ ll find a story of endurance and identity that has survived for more than five centuries. And like many of the best travel discoveries, it’ s a story you’ ll continue thinking about long after you’ ve returned home.
Where to Next? explores Jewish life around the world through history, culture and lived experience. Each installment highlights destinations and communities that illuminate the many ways Jewish identity continues to unfold across continents and generations.