Why is the Douro River a Great Place for a Jewish Vacation

Everyone deserves a vacation. Whether you’re going away for business or pleasure, you need a break from obligations and some time to relax. Though there are many types of vacations out there, and Jewish vacations are especially fun for Jewish travelers who want an immersive travel experience, one with tasty kosher cuisine. The most common places people imagine when considering a vacation are well-known (Paris, the Bahamas, etc.) While there’s no doubt that they’re some of the best places for travel, there are other locales that are fit for Jewish travelers. One of them is the Douro River. 

What is the Douro River?

The Douro River is a winding waterway in the northwestern parts of Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula. The centerpiece of the lovely Douro Wine Region, this river nourishes and supports the various vineyards and towns that lie beside its banks. 

What’s so Great About the Douro River?

Amiable Weather: The Douro River is known for its temperate weather, and in the best months it is quite relaxing and cozy for a trip.

Great Wine: It is a wine region, after all. Kick back and relax with a glass of great port wine while visiting this easygoing locale. 

Wonderful Sights: From the vineyards that scale hills to the quaint little towns full of quiet but impactful sights, the Douro Valley has no shortage of unforgettable views and Instagram-worthy destinations. 

Why Go on a Glatt Kosher Vacation Through the Douro Valley?

Rich in Heritage: Portugal is rich in Jewish history, and the Douro Valley itself is home to a variety of buildings, relics and other reminders of Sephardic Jewish culture. There’s a lot that you can discover on a trip through this river. 

Comfortable Trips: There’s a lot of places in the Iberian Peninsula that are worth visiting when it comes to Jewish heritage tours, but the Douro let’s you do it in style. A river cruise through this wine region allows you to explore your heritage in the comforts of a mobile.

Great Food: A Glatt Kosher vacation is great when it's directly through a locale that’s full of Jewish history, because it makes the kosher cuisine all the more exquisite. What a better venue for a food trip than a place where you can also feed your mind with great history. 

3 Tasty Kosher Fish Recipes for your Autumn Dinners

Most seafoods are not kosher, from clams to shrimps to crustaceans. Due to seaside cultures and abundant natural resources, a lot of different cuisines from other countries incorporate seafood, some of which cannot be eaten by a kosher-compliant traveler. However, journeys facilitated by Glatt Kosher tour cruises lets you savor such cuisine without any non-kosher ingredients. Fish is also a kosher seafood, and in a time when vacation plans are being finalized, kosher seafood looks appealing for a future kosher food trip. 

Fish is a parent ingredient in a lot of classical Jewish cuisine. The fact that it can be paired with meat or dairy allows it to fill certain mealtime niches, when the primary meal is either meat or dairy-based. As such, the versatility of fish-based cuisine is astounding. Here are a few delicious kosher recipes for you to enjoy. 

Joan Nathan’s Classic Gefilte Fish Recipe (via Epicurious)

Gefilte Fish is a lot like a beef sausage. Well, maybe in how both of them are forcemeats made from the ground meats of their respective animals, but beyond that they’re actually a bit different, but we digress. Gefilte fish is a classical Ashkenazi cuisine, a cool meal for any occasion.

Get the recipe here: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/classic-gefilte-fish-40014 

Kosher Fish and Chips by Brynie Greisman (via Kosher.com)

Fish and Chips is an English dish, one that combines the soft textures of fish with the crunchiness of potatoes. This lovely meal is enjoyed in pubs, restaurants, piers and households all over the world. Really, the concept of combining a common dockside catch with some chewy fries is a brilliant one, a kind of meal that exemplifies a sort of laid-back vibe that many of us haven’t felt in a long while.

Get the recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/fish-and-chips-8069 

Kosher Tuna Melt Sandwich via the Jewish Kitchen

Some of the things that we miss on our previous Jewish cruises are the sandwiches. Sandwiches are usually meals of convenience, a packed snack that’s portable and easy to sink your teeth into. Sandwiches served in restaurants are quite delightful and quant in their presentation, and this particular recipe reminds us of such great luxuries.

Get the recipe here: https://thejewishkitchen.com/tuna-melt-sandwich/