Optional field trips for the weekend

Saturday 25 July

Girona: one of the most important centers of Jewish life in medieval Europe 

Located along the ancient Via Augusta, Girona was a major hub of rabbinical scholarship and Kabbalistic thought, and the birthplace of Jewish Catalan philosopher Nahmanides (1194-1270). At its height in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Jewish community played a central role in the city’s intellectual and cultural life. 

This day trip proposes wandering through El Call, one of the best preserved medieval Jewish quarters in Europe, and exploring what daily life looked like for this community. The visit also includes the Bonastruc ça Porta Centre (Jewish History Museum), offering a powerful insight into the material and cultural legacy of Jewish Girona.

More information coming soon. 

Sunday 26 July

Tossa de Mar: A refuge for Jewish artists on the Costa Brava during the interwar period

This day trip explores the little-known history of Tossa de Mar as a refuge for Jewish artists, writers, and intellectuals during the interwar period. Often described as a “Blue Paradise,” this small fishing village on the Costa Brava became a meeting point for creativity, exile, and new ideas. 

Artists such as Marc Chagall and Dora Maar found inspiration here, leaving a lasting cultural imprint on the town. The day trip proposes walking through the streets they once inhabited, in order to uncover their stories and explore themes of memory, displacement, and artistic exchange.

More information coming soon.