Immaculate Heart: Marian Pilgrimage

Arrival in Lisboa:

• Clear immigration
• Meet and greet with Tour Manager and Tour Guide

Highlights: 

• On bus sight-seeing of Lisboa (Subject to arrival time)
• Belém Tower - A monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery,  serving as a symbol of the country
• Stop for a sweet treat at Pastéis de Belém
• Church of Jerónimos Monastery - A national monument classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, this notable 16th century architecture became part of Portuguese identity 
• Sintra - Long the home of Portugal’s monarchs, Sintra is a magnificent town of marvelous historic mansions (If time permits) 

Lisboa Highlights:

• Lisbon Cathedral - Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa, popularly known as the Lisbon Cathedral is Lisbon’s oldest cathedral. Built in 1150 at the site of an old mosque, after it was taken over from Moors, the church was founded by Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal
• Church of Saint Anthony de Padua - Built on the site where St. Anthony was born in 1195, this church is dedicated to the saint known as a matchmaker and patron saint for the recovery of lost items

Santarém Highlight:

• Sanctuary of the Holy Miracle Santarém - Church of St. Stephen, which contains the oldest recorded Eucharistic Miracle
• Stolen by a woman in payment to a sorcerer, the Sacred Host began to emit a brilliant beam of light and then to bleed; Reverently returned to the Church of St. Stephen, this miracle has been on continuous display since 1269

Fátima Highlights:

• Chapel of the Apparitions - Where the Blessed Mother appeared in 1917 to three simple shepherd children (Francesco, Jacinta and Lucia) and exhorted mankind to pray for world peace

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima:

• Basilica of the Trinity - The color of the stone that covers it is a local stone known as "white of the sea." Surrounding the structure are 26-foot lateral doors in bronze, each dedicated to one of the 12 apostles of Christ
• Basilica of Our Lady of Rosary - Constructed in 1928 and contains Francesco and Jacinta’s graves
• Little Chapel of the Apparitions - This is the spot where Our Lady appeared and asked the three little shepherds to build a chapel
• Hamlet of Aljustrel - Where the three children were born and used to live
• Valinhos - The site of Our Lady’s appearance after the children’s return from prison 
• Stations of the Cross - We will walk from Fatima to Valinhos to Aljustrel (about 2km) and back to Fatima by bus; On the way back, visit the Chapel of Calvary which overlooks all of Fatima

Coimbra Highlights:

• Saint Teresa Convent - Sr. Lucia, one of the visionaries of Fatima lived here. In 1948 she entered the Carmelite convent here in Coimbra and took her vows on May 31, 1949, taking the religious name Sister Maria Lúcia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart. As a cloistered nun, she had little contact with the outside world (perhaps her most famous visitor was Pope John Paul II)
• Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova - A magnificent display of gold-covered altarpieces, with the one on the chancel containing the silver and crystal urn of Queen Saint Isabel
• Monastery of Santa Cruz - The first two kings of Portugal King Afonso Henriques and of his successor, King Sancho I are both buried in the church

Santiago de Compostela Highlights:

• Welcome to España!
• El Camino de Santiago “The Way of Saint James"- We will walk in the modified shortest version. The hike is about 3 km from this town to the tomb of St. James, The Apostle (Optional)
• Cathedral de Santiago - This is where St. James is buried. It’s a supreme piece of Romanesque architecture and one of Spain’s most iconic buildings 
• Tomb of St. James the Apostle - The Patron Saint of Spain. The holy site of veneration of pilgrims
• Portico de la Gloria - An attraction of its own, this is the cathedral’s main gate with 200 sculptures in all
• Capilla de las Reliquias - Tombs of kings and queens 12th to 15th centuries
• Praza del Obradoiro - In the centre is a stone slab marking “kilometre zero” on the trail of El Camino de Santiago

Alba de Tormes Highlights:

• St. Theresa of Ávila Burial Place - A great mystic, she was the first woman to be named a Doctor of the Church

Ávila Highlights:

• Ávila Cathedral - Contains many of St. Theresa’s relics
• Convent of La Santa - Built on the site of the house where she was born
• La Encarnacion Convent - The first convent she founded

Segovia Highlight:

• Shrine of St. John of the Cross - It was in Segovia that St. John of the Cross had another vision of Christ crucified in which Jesus asked him what he desired. John replied, "Lord, give me trials to suffer for You that I may be despised and held in no account." After his death on 14 December 1591, his body was transferred to this shrine in Segovia.

Burgos Highlight:

• Sta. Maria Cathedral - Rodrigo Diaz, better known as El Cid, Castile’s most famous hero, prayed at the steps of Burgos’ first cathedral before departing on his forced exile following his banishment by King Alfonso VI of Castile-León.

Loyola Highlights:

• The birthplace of St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits
• Basilica dedicated to St. Ignatius and visit his family home which contains the place referred to as the Room of the Conversion

Lourdes Highlights:

• Welcome to France!
• Travel through the Pyrenees Mountains into Lourdes
• St. Bernadette's birthplace, and where Our Lady appeared in 1858 near the Grotto of Massabielle
• Candlelight Procession - An opportunity to join fellow pilgrims from the world

Highlights:

• Guided tour of Lourdes in the footstep of Sr. Bernadette
• Watch the video presentation showing the story of Lourdes 
• The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes:
  • The Grotto where Our Lady appeared under the title of the Immaculate Conception 
  • The Crypt
  • The Upper Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. 
  • Crowned Statue and the Rosary Square
  • The Underground Basilica St. Pius X
  • The Grotto
  • The Healing Baths of Lourdes
  • The Church of St. Bernadette
  • Chapel off Reconciliation 
  • St. Joseph Chapel 
  • The Stations of the Cross 

Enjoy a scenic drive from Lourdes to Barcelona

As the capital of the Catalonia region of España, Barcelona boasts  a population of more than 1.5 million. The city illustrates a significant religious tradition that unravels the city's history and past.

Barcelona has always been a destination mark on spiritual routes and pilgrimages for decades- a remarkable architectural legacy made up of cathedrals, churches and monasteries preserved for generations to come.

Barcelona Highlights:

• Basilica de la Familia Sagrada - the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Designed by architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), his work on Sagrada Família is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Barcelona Cathedral - Dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city. The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt
• La Rambla - A tree-lined lively and iconic street pedestrian street, it stretches for 1.2 kilometres 
• Park Güell - One of the largest green spaces in Barcelona, ​​with more than 17 hectares;  designed by Antoni Gaudi, who had been commissioned by Eusebi Güell
• Mercado de la Boqueria - A large public market in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona; one of the city's foremost tourist landmarks, with an entrance from La Rambla
• Monserrat Abbey - Located on the mountain of Montserrat; it is notable for enshrining the image of the Virgin of Montserrat