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Portuguese Jewish Heritage

During 3 hours, I will show and explain the Jewish occupation and its historical evolution in Porto and Portugal. From the high medieval times until today.

The main subjects will be the medieval períod and peaceful one. The Jewish quarter construction and how the history gets grey. The conversos or “Cristãos Novos” and the lack of religious freedom. The inquisition and its terrible impact. And, finally, the local community after the XX century.

Since I started to give this tour my main concern was to offer good and correct information. After giving this tour dozens of times, I can affirm that my public was the most important challenge and “tool” for my success because each doubt and each question were and still are important.

At a calm pace, I will provide you a tour as we planned or am ready to adapt to some preferences and be able to listen to your question, so we can share stories and have an excellent tour together.

A Jewish Oriented Trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates, is a federation of seven principalities in the Arabian Peninsula united into one country in 1971. The largest and most famous of which are Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In August 2020, Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced the normalization of their relationship, thus actually allowing Israeli tourists to visit the magical kingdom on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

Today the seven emirates enjoy unimaginable abundance and wealth. In the UAE they have been able to utilize the huge funds received from the utilization of natural resources, especially oil, in order to flourish the long-standing wilderness, promote the country and make it special and extraordinary. All wealth and prosperity grew in less than fifty years. The rugged Arabian desert dances and magical and secluded bays of the Persian Gulf. At that time the inhabitants of the principalities made a meager living mainly from sheep, cattle, basic agriculture, fishing, and pearling.

Since then the inhabitants of the emirates have upgraded themselves significantly and today the emirates are synonymous with luxury, investment, innovation, ambition to which the world bears amazing eyes. The magnificent architecture, the artificial islands, the centers of art and commerce, all embody modernity and groundbreaking progress alongside culture and tradition. A trip to the Emirates is a special and varied experience. The Emirates trip is a combination of futuristic and unique urban landscape alongside dunes and remote deserts, Neve Dekalim, fishing villages, luxury hotels, authentic markets, spectacular beaches, and more like your imagination – the land of unlimited possibilities.

Galilean Cooking Workshop

Experience Galilee’s rich flavors and legendary hospitality in a village cooking class near Haifa, and cook lunch in a local kitchen. Join a Druze, Muslim or Christian family for a traditional coffee then prepare a seasonal menu. Local favorites include makluba, hubeza and sinya; wild greens, smoked green wheat and regional vegetables that infuse the dishes with a distinctive Galilean flavor. Share the feast around the family table, and get a unique taste of village life.

Bruce Avishai

Bruce lived in the Boston, Massachusetts area and later graduated from Rutgers College with a degree in Political Science. He immigrated to Israel in 1972, where he has lived on a Kibbutz, worked as a guide in the Sinai desert, maintained a private farm for 10 years, and finally became a professional guide in 1991. Bruce’s first impression of Israel was that it is a most unique and sometimes indescribable place to be. Bruce’s personal journey and growth as a professional guide have only reinforced those feelings. He always desires to try to show people Israel’s “uniqueness”, in order for them to have true and lasting impressions of Israel. Bruce resides in Rehovot, just south of Tel Aviv, is a father of 3, and grandfather of 5.

Caesarea Maritima is an ancient city that was built by Herod the Great in 25–13 BC. It is located along the coast of Israel between Tel Aviv and Haifa, in a place formerly called Pyrgos Stratonos. This is also where Herod built his palace on a cliff overlooking the sea. Civil life of the new city began in 13 BC, when Cesarea was turned into the capital of Judea, and the official residence of the Roman procurators and governors. The remains of all major buildings erected by Herod lasted until the late nineteenth century. The remains of the medieval town can also be seen, which are the walls, the palace and the site of the cathedral crusade.

Modern Caesarea Maritima has a population of 4,500 inhabitants and it’s the only Israeli locality managed by a private organization, the Caesarea Development Corporation. It’s organized as a communal settlement, though not as a kibbutz or moshav. It is a city built in honor of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus. Today it’s a small archaeological enclave declared a National Park with preserved Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins; also it has a Roman aqueduct and amphitheater.

Acre Old City Market

The Crusader city of Acre lies on the Mediterranean coast just north of Haifa. It is one of the most beautiful ancient cities in Israel with a hidden Crusader city beneath the ground and the 18th century Old City above ground. One of the most exciting things to do in Acre is walking through the Old City where the main streets are lined with market stalls and shops that open up onto the street.

The Acre Old City Market is a dirty, colorful, loud and bustling market where the local residents do their shopping among curious tourists. The prices are very reasonable, the vendors friendly and you can even try bargaining. Most of the market is covered so you won’t be in the sun and vendors display their goods hanging from every possible surface and spread out onto the street. The market operates during daylight hours and it is perfectly safe to walk around during the daytime. If you follow the market streets you will eventually reach the sea.

The market’s real purpose is to supply locals who live in the Old City with all they need. Among the goods on sale there is clothing, kitchen utensils, toys, jewelry, accessories, shoes, leather goods and more. Food on sale includes both raw and ready-to-eat food. See the fish monger; butcher; vegetable stalls; cheese and spice stalls. At the bakery see large trays of traditional baklava sweet cakes being prepared. You can find unique traditional items in the Acre Old City Market like hooker pipes. In among the market, stalls are several restaurants selling grilled meats, fish dishes, shawama and falafel.

Having entered the Old City Market and walked for a few meters you will see a doorway on your right that opens up to a gentrified, restored 18th century market street. This market is dedicated to arts, crafts and souvenirs. It is completely different to the Old City Market and is lined with elegant boutiques, eateries and pubs. If the Old City Market is a bit much for you then head in to this quieter and cleaner side street.

Hopla Guide

Hi there! We are Laura et Georges, the team behind Hopla Guide.

We run this project together, and in our spare time, we run our life together. We are an international couple, she’s Argentinian, he’s French, but both “Made in Alsace”.

Travellers, food lovers, culture addicts, wanderers… our lives brought us in many places, from Europe to Latin America.

Every trip, we seek for authentic experiences. We want to discover it all, but freely, spontaneously.

During our trips, we found ourselves with two options: either we had to follow a guided group, losing our independence, or wander around with the feeling of missing out on important places.

What to see ? In what order ? And what souvenirs to buy and bring back home ?

Is there no other way?

What if we could visit a city on our own, with freedom and flexibility, and be sure we are going to see everything, learn about the local culture, and have fun at the same time?

What if we could be guided explorers?

One day, we decided to put our abilities together and innovate. Laura has a master’s degree in tourism specialized in management, marketing and eco-sustainability. Georges has a master’s degree in history of art from Paris-Sorbonne university. We both have professional experience in tourism companies.

That is how Hopla Guide started. We built a solution, reimagined guided tours, and created a complete experience, both physical and digital.

Cultural information had to be accessible to the explorer at any time, so we chose to build a mobile app, allowing interactivity and flexibility.

But we wanted to go further and create something that doesn’t stay on your phone but materialises in the real world. So we selected exciting items that enhance the visit and bring the tour on another level of interaction, using other senses : touch, taste and smell.

We believe in slow tourism, in a respectful and deeper way of discovering. We empower little groups to live a true cultural exploration, not just a quick run in the city to take some pictures and go away without learning anything. Our explorers are meant to get an honest grasp of the local identity.

We invite you to take part in our story and give a chance to another kind of cultural experience.

Jewish Seville: La Judería

Discover with us the most beautiful corners and the most illustrious characters of what was the most extensive Jewish quarter of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Jewish Quarter of Seville is the ultimate place to retrace the footprints of Jewish history in Spain. A neighborhood of singular beauty described by the great romantic travelers of the 19th century. A place to discover the fascinating history of the Jews in the capital of Andalusia.
This visit can be combined with a visit to the Real Alcazar, the oldest royal palace in use in Europe. In the Royal Palace of Seville, Jewish intellectuals, musicians and poets played an important role both in the court of the Muslim king Al-Mutamid and in the court of the Christian kings Fernando III and Alfonso X.
Discover with us the heart of Jewish Andalusia and the fascinating story of the Royal Jews of Seville.

Jewish Cordoba: The City of Maimonides

The Jewish quarter of Córdoba is one of the best preserved medieval Jewish quarters in all of Europe. Home of great thinkers and unsurpassed beauty, its streets and houses keep secrets that fascinate both locals and visitors. In it we can visit the only medieval synagogue preserved until today in Andalusia. Discover with us the fascinating history of this neighborhood, declared a world heritage by the UNESCO, as well as the life and work of its most famous inhabitants such as the great thinker Maimonides.

Day trip from Vienna: Fun, Art, Food & Culture

We will leave early morning to explore the most peaceful and relatively unknown part of Austria.

Vienna woods is just a few minutes away and so different. Lets plan some amazing photo-stops and lets walk a little bit around the tranquil area.

After a scenic drive through the southern vine street, we will reach BADEN – former residence city of the Habsburg family. After a coffee break we will continue to Forchtenstein castle.

It is the only fortress in eastern Austria, that was never captured during the Turkish wars. The strong walls served as the treasury of the Esterhazy’s princes, safeguarding all costly and precious possessions. This collection of family treasures and way more, can still be seen there today.

Next stop will be the charming city of Eisenstadt, capital of Burgenland.

Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt is one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Austria and presents a fascinating view of the resplendent life once lived at the court of the Princes Esterházy. But the palace is still the hub of the cultural scene today and regularly provides the picturesque backdrop for festivities and social events.

Only a few minutes to recover, because the next sight is a “bloody window to Hungary’s past”.

The iron curtain memorial!!!!!! The end of the soviet empire! See the place where the iron curtain was opened in 1989, even before the wall in Berlin was destroyed.

Burgenland and Hungary share the Neusiedler See, a lake known for its reeds and shallowness, as well as its mild climate throughout the year. The Neusiedler See is Austria’s largest lake, and is a great tourist attraction, bringing ornithologists, sailors, and wind and kite surfers into the region north of the lake.

We will spend the rest of the day at and on the lake. Your personal, private guide, will now be your captain. The boat ride is included – does not have extra costs. Unique experience – explore Lake Neusiedl like a local, together with your captain Peter. Especially for families with KIDS a most entertaining excursion. Bring your sun glasses, sun cream and don’t forget your swimwear.

Enjoy the superior service and the personal atmosphere of this unique private tour to Austrias east and Hungary!

Elisabetta Gulino

Born 1962 in Caltagirone/Sicily, daughter to a German speaking Swiss mother and a Sicilian father, I spent my childhood and youth mainly in Sicily, South Tyrol, and Switzerland.

Very early I got in touch with the fascinating world of foreign languages and tourism. After spending long periods of time abroad – in Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, Spain and France – for study and work purposes and after getting a University degree in Modern Languages at Verona University, I gained work experience in different industries: foreign trade, manufacturing industry, education, tourism. Music, Photography, Architecture, Crafts, Food & Wine have ever since been among my main interests.

I now work in tourism, a very dynamic, exciting and demanding environment, which constantly offers me new challenges and opportunities. Since 1997 I have been working as a freelance official tour guide in Ferrara and its Province, and as an official tour leader since 2000.

Listing Language: Spanish