Jewish Lisbon Private Tours

Our guide Juao was amazing With scarce remnants to touch and feel he was able to entertain us for approx 3 hrs He clearly has a deep knowledge of Portugals Jewish history We would highly recommend this tour to all who are interested Barry And Charlotte Katzen

Very Informative and insightful tour. Paolo is very passionate and has huge amounts of information on the history of the Jews in in Lisbon and Portugal. We came away from the tour with so much knowledge and understanding of the rich, sad history of Portuguese Jewish people.

We did a shortened two hour walking tour of Jewish Lisbon but I could have listened to Paolo the guide all day long. He was very interesting, informative, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend as the history of Jewish Lisbon is fascinating.

We have participated in a few Jewish walking tours throughout Europe and this was, by far, one of the most interesting, factual and in-depth we have experienced. We really enjoyed the tour despite there being very little left in terms of actual historical Jewish artifacts/buildings/monuments. Paola did an outstanding job explaining what took place in various areas so that we had a good appreciation of the events, the times and what it felt like to be living there hundreds of years ago. It requires much advance planning to view the synagogue in Lisbon so we did not visit it on this trip. Paolo, as a professional historian, is an exceptionally knowledgeable guide who shares the history of the Jewish people in Portugal from thousands of years ago to present, as we walk from point to point. He was very personable and provided fulsome answers to our questions. As a bonus, we found out Paolo has been instrumental in helping to preserve and document the Portuguese Jewish history by ensuring discovered artifacts are safely displayed in a museum (which is part of the tour). We came away from that tour with a much deeper knowledge and understanding of the rich history of Portuguese Jewish people as well as the more recent influx of Jews to Portugal. We highly recommend this tour. It is easy walking - all downhill, and a beautiful stroll through Lisbon. The tour was about 3.5 hours long, so wear comfortable shoes!

This tour was recommended by friends who visited Lisbon earlier this year. Paolo was a very good guide. We also definitely recommend. A lot of walking, good overview of the city and the Jewish history. There is not a lot left in Lisbon from that period, but we knew that. It was nice to walk, see and hear about the history. Separately we set up a tour of the synagogue. You must do this in advance and send them copies of your passport and a small donation.

Paulo was an excellent guide for the Jewish Tour of Lisbon. I know we got to learn about and go to places of Jewish interest had we not taken this tour with him. His own family history was of interest as well to us. We did the full day tour and got to go to the Ashkenazi synagogue where we learned about its origins. This was a special part of the day. Unfortunately we weren't able to get into the Orthodox one due to their policies and difficulty getting permission to get in. I'd recommend Paulo for this tour. He was very friendly and very knowledgeable

Very informative. Paulo was very knowledgeable about the Jewish culture in Lisbon. We were moved by the visit to synagogue.

Paolo was an excellent, well informed guide. He was extremely knowledgeable about the Jewish areas and the Jewish history in Lisbon. The tour was well paced and his English was excellent. Although it was pouring, we were still able to do the whole tour. He brought interesting perspectives to the tour. Well worth the price.

Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the Jewish history of Portugal! It was a fantastic experience seeing the old Torah’s. We highly recommend this tour!

We had an incredible experience with Jewish Lisbon Private Tours! Our guide, Paulo, was outstanding — deeply informative, passionate, and truly brought the rich history of Jewish Lisbon to life. His storytelling kept the tour engaging from start to finish, and it was clear how much heart he puts into his work. Every detail was thoughtfully presented, making the entire experience both educational and meaningful. We highly recommend Jewish Lisbon Private Tours to anyone looking for a deeper, more personal understanding of Lisbon’s Jewish heritage. Thank you, Paulo, for an unforgettable day!

We spent the day with Paulo on a Jewish heritage tour of Lisbon. While there's limited visible Jewish history remaining today, we explored many fascinating sites and learned a great deal. We highly recommend this tour!

Traveling with Paulo was a pleasure. We saw most of the Jewish sites in Lisbon in one day. He was very organized, knowledgeable and friendly

This walking tour was amazing. Top rated value for money. Paulo Scheffer is so knowledgeable about the history of Jews in Portugal and he delivers this with incredible passion. This is a must tour if you are in Lisbon. Thanks Paulo for exhilarating half day tour.

My husband and I had a lovely, informative and interesting day with Paulo. He arrived on time, we moved along at a nice pace, lots of activity, lovely lunch and really enjoyed the day.

Paulo was an amazing tour guide. He was informative and interesting. We enjoyed every moment of the tour. The time went by so fast. Also, had a great authentic Portuguese lunch.

My wife and I spent a couple of weeks in Central and Southern Spain and in Portugal. Besides the Wonderful Port and Sherry tasting in the Douro Valley and in Jerez our trip had a Jewish history focus. None of our guides (and there were many) did a better job then Paulo did of sharing his knowledge of the historical plight of the jews in Portugal especially as it relates to the Conversos. All in all, I highly recommend Paulo. He was real mensch

Our Jewish Tour of Lisbon was excellent. It was eye opening and helped us understand the role Jews played in Portugal throughout the centuries. We visited Jewish historic sites and got a deeper understanding of how Jews became a secret society. Our guide took us to a small reformed Synagogue in the city and we saw many historic artifacts. It was an informative tour and I highly recommend it

We were picked up at the airport and started the tour right away. I loved the views of the city. We learned a lot about the history of the city. I was impressed how clean and friendly it is. Our tour guide Paulo was wonderful.

No question that this was the absolute best experience of our trip in Lisbon and we did a lot. Paulo was absolutely outstanding. To show us the history of Jews and Lisbon with the inquisition and how the government treated Jews at various times was so enlightening and the trip to the memorial And the way Paulo was able to weave a story throughout. The city was amazing. We are so grateful that we took this tour. If you have any interest in Jewish history you have to carve out time to do this Simply outstanding — five stars is not enough.

Paulo was an excellent tour guide. He was very informative, and we particularly appreciated his bringing us to the small Polish synagogue and meeting with its representative.

Paolo was so knowledgeable, compassionate, interesting and creative in every way. He is a total natural and a people person. He has taken so much time to learn and intuit the Jewish history of Lisbon and is able to synthesize the information and tell a compelling story. Don't miss the opportunity to share in his blessings and your good fortune.

Paolo was very knowledgeable and provided us with a lot of information on the history of the Jewish people in Lisbon. We especially enjoyed the synagogue visit at the end. It was very special. In addition all of the little stops he made were appreciated

Paolo was a great tour guide. Gave us a very good overview of the Jewish history throughout Lisbon. Brought us to some very interesting spots that we never would have discovered on our own. Thank you Paolo for a wonderful morning!

Paulo, Was above excellence. He was tremendously knowledgeable with great historical stories. We enjoyed his company immensely.. Paulo is the very best of the best and if we ever come back to Lisbon,he will be our tour guide.

I can't think of enough superlatives to describe how interesting Paolo's Jewish Lisbon walking tour is. Paolo is not only extremely knowledgable and passionate about the subject but he is also a brilliant storyteller. On his tour we got a unique perspective about Lisbon and saw plaques and Jewish artefacts that we would never have found ourselves.

It was a great day. Paolo picked us up at our hotel right on time, and was knowledgeable, friendly and spoke fluent English. He answered all our questions in a wide ranging tour, both historically and geographically in Lisbon. Even brought us to a wonderful local restaurant for lunch. Happy to recommend this tour.

The personal touches that the guide gave sharing not only the area history but also his personal experiences really brought the subject to life.

The Views were amazing, as was Paolo, my Tour Guide! He was professional, interesting, & most informative of his knowledge of Jewish history of Lisbon. I so enjoyed listening to his stories of Jewish Lisbon past. I highly recommend him, also, for his information on Lisbon in general.

Loved seeing culturally significant sights in a relaxed and pleasant environment. The befuddle was well maintained and expertly navigated through the streets of Lisbon, which can be challenging.

Paolo is very knowledgeable about the history of the Jews. The Synagogue tour was a real highlight. A terrific tour for anyone interested in the history of the Jews and their travails throughout Europe.

Our guide was the best! He was friendly and knowledgeable! We saw the sites we hoped to see and he gave us history of each one!

I would highly recommend Daniel as your tour guide. He was very personable and informative. Learned so much about the Jewish experience in Lisbon!

If you want learn the history and current status of the Jewish People in Lisbon, you must take this tour with Paolo. He was so knowledgeable and knew where to take us to see Jewish sites. He also showed us many other sites in Lisbon. Great tour

This was an incredible tour. Paulo has deep knowledge of the Jewish history of Lisbon. He weaves it together with the history of Portugal and paints a total picture of what the Jews have gone through from the earliest times until the present. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough for those who are looking for a real history lesson.

Very personable and knowledgeable tour guide. Very sensitive to my wife’s walking limitations. We enjoyed the day with Paulo

My wife and I from Chicago did the tour by ourselves with Paolo/Paulo. It was first rate! He is very knowledgeable with significant depth…if you are interested. Very personable, pleasant, energetic, and very well informed. A “winner” all the way. Will surely pass the message to our friends and acquaintances

While the Jewish history in Portugal isn't much, Paolo made the best of it for us. We visited ancient Alfama, where we visited Rue de Judiaria, the Jewish quarter, where we discovered the most ancient and traditional neighborhood in all of Lisbon, through the narrow streets and local small squares. As November 1st is a day of remembrance in Portugal, we unfortunately were not able to visit Shaare Tikvah Synagogue, However, we went to a small private congregation that's history and museum was unbelievable. We got to visit One of the most beautiful views of Lisbon City just by side Sao Jorge Castle from Miradouro da Graca along with a few other places. Great day, thank you Paolo

My husband I loved the tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and geared the your towards our interests. It was an educational and enjoyable half-day.

We did a half-day tour with Paolo learning about the Jewish history in Portugal. While we are not Jewish, we are very interested in their history here. Paolo is the one for the job! He is very knowledgeable about Portugal's history in general, and specifically the Jewish legacy here. He also told us many interesting facts that you won't read in a history book, and stories of elderly Jewish men and women that he has interviewed about their lives here many years ago. We highly recommend this tour.

We met in the morning and heard of the Jewish community in Portugal. Paulo is very knowledgeable and very nice. We visited the synagogue and heard about the history of the Jews. Very professional. I think 8 hours was too long because we didn’t see many places but the stories and the explanations were great.

We had a wonderful tour, spending the whole day with Paolo. He picked us up right on time at our hotel. Not only did we get a great history of Jewish Lisbon, we got to visit ALL the major spots around town from the Alfama to Belem that would have been difficult to get to ourselves all in one day. The air conditioned van was a great escape from the hot, sunny weather and the traditional pastries at the BEST spot in town were a lovely treat at the end of the day. I highly recommend this tour! Thank you, Paolo!

We took the full day Jewish history of Lisbon tour with Paulo. Paulo specializes in Sephardic Jewish history of Lisbon, which makes the tour as informative as it is enjoyable. Instead of just visiting the standard "must see" places, Paulo's knowledge about the vibrant history of the Jews of Lisbon from centuries ago (and today) brings the story of an almost-forgotten people to life. With Paulo's help, we also discovered our Portuguese roots on this tour. A meaningful, educational and fun experience. Highly recommend if you are looking for a tour with a focus on this topic.

The tour with Paulo far exceeded our expectations! He’s very knowledgeable and studied in the history of the Jewish people in Portugal but the history as a whole. It was nice to learn the history of the country and what those streets of Lisbon has seen over the past 1600+ years. Great time and company! The Fedes

Paulo was our guide. He is very pleasant, very knowledgeable and speaks English like an American (with a Portuguese accent). We saw many beautiful views of Lisbon with him—most of which we have seen before because we visited Lisbon many times. We heard good things about the Jewish tour, but it is popular and always booked in the past. It was all day & lunch is not included. Paulo did treat us to Patel de Belém— a wonderful pastry and coffee—>it was fabulous! We learned so much about the Jews and their history in Lisbon. Paulo should write a book he knows so much about the history of Jews in Portugal! We got to tour & visit one of the Temples, but the other one would not allow us due to COVID. I would highly recommend this tour if you are interested in Jews in Lisbon/Portugal. You won’t be disappointed!

Paulo gave us a full day tour (walking and van) of Lisbon with emphasis on the Jewish history. He also took us to the small Ashkenazi synagogue where we learned about the synagogue's history from one of the members and viewed many of their historical artifacts, We had a one hour lunch with him in a small restaurant where we were able to learn about his personal history and get more information about Jewish Portugal.

Very excellent & knowledgeable tour guide. Made a special visit to a working synagogue. Missed the other one. Had a great tour of Lisbon city. Would recommend this again. Only 2 of us in an air conditioned van.

Paulo was an excellent and highly knowledgeable guide specializing in Jewish legacy tours of Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Sadly, not too much left of the former Jewish community in Lisbon but we saw the highlights and then many other ‘must see’ parts of the city.

Spent 3 wonderful days in Lisbon with Paulo. HE is so knowledgeable and pleasant! We had 3 amazing days with him!

My uncle and I took Paulo's Jewish Lisbon Tour last year. My uncle is Israeli and we met up in Portugal to travel together. First thing that I will say is that Paulo's knowledge of Jewish History and of Lisbon, coupled with his wonderful personality, patience and graciousness, made our day unforgettable. I even connected with him, keep in touch and refer friends who I know are travelling to Lisbon. I would highy recommend Paulo and his company for the Jewish tour but also for any other tours he offers in Portugal. You will only learn, grow and meet a most amazing person!