Barcelona has a fascinating and ancient story to tell. Some legends say it was founded by Hercules, a powerful hero from Greek mythology. Historical facts tell us that the city was founded over 2,000 years ago by the Romans. At that time it was called Barcino and not of great consequence. But slowly the importance of the city grew thanks to its location on the Mediterranean Sea, which was important for trade with its strong, protective city walls.

The importance of the city for trade was one of the reasons it became a flourishing Jewish centre. The Jews at the time were very involved in trade all around the Mediterranean. And so the city of Barcelona grew bigger and more important and the Jewish community grew with it, contributing to the economic success and development. By the 13th Century Jews made about 15% of the population of the city.

In the combined tour, we will dive into both the history of Barcelona as a whole and the city’s Jewish history, reflecting on how these two histories are tied together and influenced one another.