In the Footsteps
of Lisbon’s Holocaust Refugees

Telling the story of Lisbon’s Jewish Refugees in WWII.

As the Holocaust began, tens of thousands of Jewish people raced across Europe to escape the Nazis. When all other avenues for escape slammed shut, one remained open: Lisbon.

Over the course of the late 1930s and 1940s, tens of thousands of Jewish people came to Lisbon on their way to refuge in the Americas or Palestine. Their time here was not without challenges, as they contended with poverty, deep fear for their safety, and the ever-watchful eye of the Portuguese secret police.

But this story is also a happy one amidst so much tragedy. Lisbon was indeed the port of call that they needed to escape. Come with us on our Lisbon Jewish Refugees Tour as we visit the places they walked, tell the stories they made, and the legacies they left here in Lisbon.

Tour highlights.

A family of three Jewish refugees (a woman, a man, and a small boy) dressed in overcoats and hats wait to board a large ship at the Port of Lisbon, which you will see on our Lisbon Jewish Refugees Tour. The photo is in black and white.  This photo is courtesy of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  • Visit the train station where many Jewish refugees entered the city.
  • Look at photographs and read letters and accounts from the refugees themselves.
  • Spend time in the historic cafes where refugees congregated and made community for themselves.
  • Visit the sites that punctuated their experiences: embassies, aid organizations, ship ticket offices.
  • Finally, visit their last view of Lisbon, at the docks where they boarded the ships that would bring them to their new homes, and the memorial which has been created there to remember them.

Includes.

  • Lisbon Jewish Refugees Tour length: 7 hours.
  • A private fully-guided tour by a professional historian.
  • A morning snack of coffee and doughnuts.
  • A three-course lunch at a traditional Portuguese restaurant (note: a Kosher restaurant is available for an extra fee).
  • Transportation between all sites.
  • For each person who takes this tour, $18 will be donated to HIAS, the Jewish-American nonprofit organization that was founded to protect Europe’s Jewish refugees and which still works to resettle refugees of all backgrounds today.

Price.

PeopleCost
1€520 / $565
2€615/ $670
3€710/ $775
4€805/ $880
5€900/ $985
6€995/ $1090
7€1090/ $1195
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Accessibility.

Lisbon can be challenging for people with mobility accessibility needs. We’re more than happy to tailor our tours. Click here for more information.

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