Hotel: Parque Serra Da Lousa, Portugal
Date: 1/8-22/8/2023
Mehadrin
Our Destination
The Heart of Portugal
Who would have thought that one country could offer so much!
In Portugal, old and new worlds meet in harmony, city and nature, Jewish history and modernity. This beautiful country offers a wealth of possibilities for vacationing for any taste, and we get a taste of each: the lively touristy coastal cities, magnificent protected nature reserves and of course – the highlight of the trip: getting to know the Portuguese "Jewish roots" and experiencing the tears and longing of descendants the Annusim. Prepare yourselves for an unforgettable experience.
The perfect location of the hotel midway between Porto in the north and Lisbon in the south and its proximity to the freeway makes it the ideal starting point for trips in any direction.
About the hotel
Parque Serra da Lousã Hotel
A boutique hotel (less than 50 rooms) that offers an exemplary hospitality experience down to the smallest details: delicious Kosher meals prepared by international chefs and confectioners, treats and refreshments throughout the day, well-designed and peaceful seating areas, comfortable spacious rooms and a fancy lobby. Facilities at the hotel include an indoor pool, sauna and hot tub; a luxurious spa with a variety of health treatments; Turkish Hammam; a state-of-the-art well-equipped gym; Sports grounds and wide open grassy spaces.
Indoor Pool
Health Treatments
Pampering Spa
Turkish baths
A Core of Impeccable Hosting and Kashrut
A Culinary Celebration
Enjoy a whirlwind gastronomic experience throughout your stay with gourmet meals by international chefs and confectioners. The richness of flavors and aromas, elegant plating and endless choice will make every meal a happy memory. Tour Plus's world-famous pancakes will also be waiting for you there…
There is a coffee room open throughout the day and night, where you can sit for a break with a hot drink and a selection of fragrant pastries.
Half-Board + All-day coffee and cake and Full Board on Shabbat
Mehadrin
Portugal is a perfect destination for family trips
Close to our hotel, you can find many amazing attractions for family trips and children, attractions that your children won't stop talking about and will leave them wanting more. From the variety of children's attractions, we have selected the following to present to you:
The biological park of Serra da Lousã
The biological park of Serra da Lousã is a unique zoo that showcases rare Portuguese species as close as possible to their natural habitat, in a protected environment. These species are either domestic or wild, some of which have already disappeared from national territory. The biological park also includes educational farms with native breed pets, Portuguese wild animals, an ecological museum, a cooper museum, a riding center, a fruit tree maze, a museum of living traditional arts and crafts.
The zoo is located near the hotel.
Ocean of Fun - Zoomarine! The park
The park offers many diverse attractions, especially for children. You can find a dolphin pool, sea lions, sea lions, tropical birds, and birds of prey in the park. In addition, you can enjoy a variety of attractions such as a giant wheel, a roller coaster, swimming pools and more. Zoomarine is the perfect experience for you!
The park is located about a four-hour drive from the hotel.
The Caves of Dripping
The Caves of Dripping are breathtaking caves that reveal the hidden beauty of Portugal.
In addition, you can be impressed by a magnificent and unique exhibition of minerals and fossils from Portugal and many other countries.
The caves are located about an hour drive from the hotel.
The Maritime Museum of Ilhavo
The Maritime Museum of Ilhavo is one of the 20 most stunning museums in the world. Water can be seen from every part of the building and is a central feature of the museum. The museum's goal is to preserve the memories of maritime work and to develop the maritime culture and identity of the Portuguese people.
In the museum, you can be impressed by traditional ships and boats, a fishing room, and a room dedicated to locals, which presents life at sea. It's definitely an amazing experience for children!
The museum is located about an hour drive from the hotel.
Dino Park is a museum of dinosaurs
Dino Park is a museum of dinosaurs that exhibits original fossils and dinosaur eggs. In the museum space, you can see fossilized bones of some of the most fantastic animals that ever lived in Portugal, or some of the rarest dinosaur fossils, including the important nest of dinosaur eggs. At the park, you can discover and explore other periods in the history of dinosaurs and other fantastic animals.
The museum is located about an hour and forty minutes' drive from the hotel.
Adventure Park in Figueira da Foz
Adventure Park in Figueira da Foz offers an unforgettable experience for the whole family. In the park, you can find rope climbing among the trees at all kinds of heights and shapes – nets, bridges, giant slides, and more. In addition, at the park, you can find a paintball field where the whole family can play together!
The park is located about an hour drive from the hotel.
Enjoy every moment
Our Trips
We will also have organised tours in English between the 1st-8th of August
Tuesday - Arrival Day – Ben Gurion to Lisbon / Porto airport
We will land in Lisbon at 22:00 and take a bus to the hotel.
* Please bring food and drink for the first day until arriving at the hotel.
Wednesday - Trip 1 – Aveiro
Aveiro, known as the “Venice of Portugal”. On Aviero it is written that it is similar to Venice, because of the one canal that divides the town into two parts. We will tour the charming town sloping with canals with narrow boats decorated with colorful paintings. A perfect day to take a boat ride “moliceiros.” Then we will visit the Museum of Ceramics, one of the most important and special places for the history ceramic vessels in Portugal. We will continue our way to the Costa Nova neighborhood on the Atlantic coast, we will see the special houses and the lagoon in which the city of Aveiro sits
Thursday - Trip 2 – Porto
After breakfast we will leave for the city – Porto. The northern capital of Portugal. A port city that crosses the Douro River, over which several bridges stretch. The city developed as a trading city, a port of departure for the fine wines of northern Portugal and a vibrant economic and social center, which operated extensive ties with Great Britain at the height of its economic power. We will cruise the Douro River, tour the town squares, the picturesque Riviera district which is at the foot of the Pont de du Luis bridge. Then the Sao Bento train station, the shopping areas around See de Santa Catarina and the amazing Sa Cathedral in its architecture. We will visit Clarigos Tower, in the Palacio de Bolsa, one of the most popular sites in the city. We will end with a visit to the magnificent Kadori Synagogue in the city and then return to the hotel.
Friday - Trip 3 – COIMBRA
We will reach the beautiful Coimbra, the former Portuguese capital nestled on the banks of the Mondago River. We will visit the old university and if we succeed, we will also enter its special library, which contains hundreds of thousands of volumes of manuscripts. From here we will visit the famous nature reserve, Bosacco forest, in the center of which is a luxurious hotel/palace decorated with blue tiles and painted, surrounded by botanical gardens.
Sunday - Trip 4 – Excursion BELMONTE
We will start our diary with a visit to the city of Tomar. Following the expulsion from Spain, many Jews came to Tomar and became a significant minority in the city. Being artisans and merchants, they enriched the city with new culture and design. Some think their contribution was significant to the success of trade with the new colonies. However, as early as 1497, the law was changed, and the Jews were forced to convert. Many of them continued to live with dual identities, others managed to leave Portugal. We will enter the city center and visit the oldest synagogue in Portugal. We will continue our tour in the town of Ovid, an ancient village with picturesque medieval alleys and surrounded by a wall. We will stop at the fishing village of Nazara, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean
Monday - Trip 5 – TOMAR, OBIDOS, NAZARE
We will start our diary with a visit to the city of Tomar. Following the expulsion from Spain, many Jews came to Tomar and became a significant minority in the city. Being artisans and merchants, they enriched the city with new culture and design. Some think their contribution was significant to the success of trade with the new colonies. However, as early as 1497, the law was changed, and the Jews were forced to convert. Many of them continued to live with dual identities, others managed to leave Portugal. We will enter the city center and visit the oldest synagogue in Portugal. We will continue our tour in the town of Ovid, an ancient village with picturesque medieval alleys and surrounded by a wall. We will stop at the fishing village of Nazara, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.
Tuesday - Departure Day – Lisbon
We will load our luggage after breakfast, say goodbye to the hotel staff and drive to the capital of Portugal – Lisbon. Lisbon is located on the banks of the Tejo River. We will see the church of St. Jeronimo, built in the Manueline style, a symbol of Portugal’s golden age. We will continue to the monument to the discoverers of a monument symbolizing the voyages of discovery of America and Portugal’s contribution to humanity. We will walk through the alleys of the Jewish quarter which was part of the ancient Alfama quarter. We will get to know the lower city and the Baiaisha district and visit the impressive lively Comercio and Rossio squares, where martyred Jews were put on the stake by the Inquisition. Later we will visit the Expo 98 area, which was established for the 1998 world exhibition, to mark the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's journey to India. At the end of the trip We will drive a short distance to the airport and organize our return to Israel.
Trip Notes
- The order of the trips and the days of the week on which the trips will take place are at the sole discretion of the company.
- The pricing of the travel package is for one person for four trips + a fifth bonus trip, this calculation allows any traveler who is interested in this to give up one of the days of the trip and spend this day individually or dedicate it to rest or alternatively travel independently, please contact the guide for detailed and personal advice.
- If for some reason you decide to give up a day trip, please let the guide know ahead of time.
- Existence of the trips is conditional on a minimum number of participants.
- When ordering a travel package in advance, there is no credit for unused trips.
- Please stock up on food and drink for the first day until arriving at the hotel.
- On the day of arrival and on the day of departure, transfer time and transfer route to the airport according to the sole discretion of the company.
- On the last day, the rooms are cleared after breakfast (regardless of the time of the flight/transfer)