LED BY SINGER SARAH AROESTE AND CHEF SUSAN BAROCAS

Explore the richness of Jewish history and heritage through this specially designed Savor travel experience! Dive deep into the world of Eastern Mediterranean Jews, starting off in Thessaloniki (Salonika), Greece, once known as the “Jerusalem of the Balkans.” Then travel to N. Macedonia where synagogue remains from the 2nd century still stun visitors and cemeteries from 1497 begin to reveal the magnificent Sephardic history of the region following the Jewish expulsion from Spain. Discover the country’s significant Jewish story, natural beauty, unique musical traditions, and delectable food and wine.
Enjoy exclusive Sephardic music and food experiences, walking tours and more with Ladino singer/songwriter Sarah Aroeste and Sephardic chef/writer Susan Barocas as we all experience together the delectble flavors and vibrant music of Sephardic culture past and present.

3560 EUROS PER PERSON

635 EUROS SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ADDT’L

(PRICES IN USD SUBJECT TO CONVERSION RATES)

Sunday, August 24 Welcome to Thessaloniki (known as Salonika
until the early 20th century). Check into the City Hotel Thessaloniki
and relax before joining the group for a stroll along the waterfront
of this once vital port city and Sephardic community, followed by a
welcome dinner to kick off our adventure.

Monday, August 25 Spend the day touring and learning aboutThessaloniki’s rich Jewish history, from the famed white tower and port to its synagogues and Jewish museum. Share a special dinner with members of the Jewish community and musical program with Sarah.

Tuesday, August 26 Spend the morning in a hands-on cooking class learning about and making traditional Sephardic dishes from Salonika. After we share a relaxing lunch of all the dishes, enjoy an afternoon on on your own to explore and shop followed by dinner at a traditional taberna to take in local Greek music.

Wednesday, August 27 Depart Thessaloniki in the morning for Stobi, N. Macedonia, where our tour of archaeological sitesincludes the remains of one of the oldest synagogues outside of Israel. Afterwards, savor a wine tasting at Stobi’s Lazar Winery where we learn about the region’s famed wines, followed by atalk about Sephardic food history by Susan. We end the day with a drive to Bitola, known as Monastir among Sephardim.

Thursday, August 28 Wake up in Bitola for a day of seeing and experiencing centuries of Sephardic history. We start with a visit to the oldest Jewish cemetery in the Balkans and then continue our Savor walking tour of Jewish sites including well-known Jewish homes, the remains of the Talmud Torah Building, the Monument of the Deported Jews and monument to a national hero, Jewish partisan Estrea Ovadija Mara. Enjoy a group lunch at the famed Epinal Hotel, followed by a stroll through the spice market. Spend the rest of the afternoon with a hands-on cooking class of localdishes with Susan and Macedonian friends.

Friday, August 29 Spend the morning exploring the Bitola archiveswith a newly discovered 16th-century torah scroll and conducting family research (optional). Lunch is on your own on historic Sirok Sokak street with a free afternoon to visit the NI Institute and Museum Bitola or wander the city streets and shops. Gather for a late afternoon workshop with Sarah on Ladino music from Monastir before experiencing a song-filled Shabbat with local Macedonian friends.

Saturday, August 30 Enjoy a day-long excursion and jeep ride exploring scenic Mt. Pelister, where many of the resistance fighters hid following the Nazi invasion during WWII. End the day with a traditional dinner in the foothills.

Sunday, August 31 Depart Bitola for Heraclea Lyncestis, the best-preserved city from the Ancient Macedonian Empire, renowned for its elaborate mosaics, ancient theater and Roman baths. A scenic shoreline drive brings us to the Sveti Naum Monastery along the shores of Lake Ohrid. Enjoy a lunch of local dishes at Ostrovo and a boat ride on the beautiful lake. We continue to Ohrid, check in at our hotel and relax beforegathering for a group dinner.

Monday, Sept 1 Enjoy a walking tour of magical Ohrid,
learning about its Jewish history and visiting some of its Macedonian church, and the National Workshop for Handmade Paper. Have a spectacular lunch at Kaneo before an afternoon drive to N. Macedonia’s capital, Skopje. Check in to the Marriott and relax before dinner at Dukat with Macedonian Jewish friends.

Tuesday, Sept 2 Spend the morning exporing Čaršija, Skopje’s well-preserved Ottoman Old Town, with its famed Skopje’s well-preserved Ottoman Old Town, with its famed Mustafa Pasha Mosque and Bit Pazar market, the largest in the Balkans outside of Istanbul. Visit the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle before enjoying lunch at Pivnica An, a traditional Macedonian restaurant in an old Ottoman Inn. After lunch, cross the Stone Bridge over Vardar River to Pela Square, the center of a recent architectural Macedoniato Pela Square, the center of a recent architectural transformation of the capital. Stroll down Macedonia transformation of the capital. Stroll down Macedonia Street to see a memorial to Mother Teresa, born in Skopje eveningStreet to see a memorial Mother Teresa, born in Skopje in 1910, followed by time to rest before a special evening cultural program.

Wednesday, Sept 3 Visit the Monopol Tobacco factory, still active today, that served as a transit camp before deportation to Treblinka of the Jews of Bulgarian-occupied Macedonia during World War II. Afterwards, take a break with some free time and lunch on your own before we visit Skopje’s impressive, modern Holocaust Memorial Center. The museum highlights Jewish life in Macedonia before World War II and the fate of 98% of the the country’s Jewish community who were killed in the Holocaust. Following time to rest and pack, we gather for a final group dinner.

Thursday, Sept 4 Group transport to Skopje airport. Farewell!

Sarah Aroeste is a Ladino singer/songwriter, author and activist committed to bringing awareness of Sephardic music and culture to audiences around the globe. With eight Ladino albums to her name, and two Sephardic children’s books (with three more on the way!), Aroeste is credited with helping to revitalize a tradition for young and old.

Susan Barocas is a writer, chef and teacher passionate about exploring, presenting and preserving Sephardic cuisines, cultures and history. Founding director of the innovative project Jewish Food Experience, she brought Sephardic food to the White House as guest chef for three of President Obama’s Passover Seders.