Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

If you've always wanted to visit a mosque, synagogue or Hindu temple, this is the ideal half-day excursion. A knowledgeable guide will lead you to the holy places of four different world religions preparing you with the proper religious etiquette for each center of devotion. Being exposed to new cultures through their religious beliefs and artistic expression is one travel's central benefits.

Meet your knowledgeable guide at the pier, boarding your motorcoach for the drive from the harbor to the church of Nuestra Señora de Africa. Dominating a lovely square, this charming yellow and white Baroque confection holds a central place in the life of the dominant Christian population. Our Lady of Africa has been the patroness of Ceuta ever since she is said to have saved the city from a devastating 16th century plague.

Her statue was brought here from Lisbon by Henry the Navigator of Portugal shortly after his father, King John I, overtook the city in 1415, winning it from the Moors. After surviving the plague years later, Christian devotees built the church on the site of a former mosque. They have venerated the statue ever since. The Day of Our Lady of Africa is a time of celebration for Christians and a public holiday. The annual fair begins at the end of July and lasts until August 5.

Your next stop is the mosque Sidi Embarek, the most important place of worship for the Islamic population. Your guide will share insight into the history of Muslims in Ceuta, the culture and lifestyle of this timeless world religion, and the never-ending political discussion on who should rightfully claim Ceuta and its sister city Melilla: Morocco or Spain. Enjoy some free time close to the mosque before continuing the tour.

At the Bet El Synagogue, Jewish history comes to life. After the expulsion from Spain in 1492, a small number of Jews escaped across the Strait of Gibraltar, just 8 miles away, to the Spanish fortress city of Ceuta. Despite the Inquisition on the Iberian mainland, they were largely left alone for the next five centuries. Though the Jewish community is small, just 300, they still have functioning Sephardic synagogues, schools and butcher shops.

Your visit to a Hindu temple exposes you to a religion claimed by millions in India and 1.2 billion around the world and the basic beliefs of reincarnation, karma and nirvana. The temple evokes the religion's mystical aspects and is a wonder in itself.

Leaving the temple, you'll enjoy 30 minutes of free time before re-board your motorcoach and return to your ship with a new sense of the cultural richness of Ceuta, and by extension, the world.