Fatima, Santiago de Compostela, Lourdes, Lisieux & Paris
Day 1
LISBON
On arrival in Lisbon you are met by our Tour Director and we takes you on a guided tour through the main interesting places of Lisbon like Liberty avenue, Rossio, Black Horse Square and Belém, with the World Heritage Monuments classified by Unesco, the Belém Tower, built in Manueline style during the Age of Discoveries, in 1520, to defend the Tagus River bank.
We will also visit Jeronimos Monastery (16th century), one of the few surviving examples of medieval, Manueline architecture. Commissioned by Manuel I (after whom the style of architecture is named), work began on the monastery in 1502.
It is also the resting place of Vasco da Gama who set sail from Bélem in 1497 to discover India, and of Luís de Camões, Portugal’s most famous poet who wrote “Os Lusiadas”.
Day 2
LISBON
After breakfast, our local guide takes you on a walking guided tour to the Castle of St. George. This historic citadel with magnificent views over Lisbon and the river is the ancient nucleus of the city.
Then we will visit the Church of St. Anthony built on the place where St. Anthony of Padua was born in 1195. This church, which dates from the end of the 18th century, was financed by the alms of the inhabitants of Lisbon and its baroque style shows lively colors.
This little church is known all over the world, by the pilgrims dedicated to this saint who helps lost cases and things and girls to find a husband. In the main chapel there is his statue, which comes out to the feasts of Lisbon every 13th of June of every year. Then continue your walking tour to the old Moorish quarter of Alfama, characterized by twisting, cobbled streets and whitewashed houses.
In the afternoon we take you to visit the Portuguese Côte-d’Azur: Estoril, Cascais and the beautiful Sintra classified as World Heritage Site by Unesco, boasts the former summer residence of the Portuguese royal family. Then we head to Queluz to visit the Palace of Queluz, an 18th century Rococo palace, supposedly modeled on Versailles palace.
Day 3
LISBON – FATIMA – 190KM
After breakfast, we travel to Fatima. First stop in Obidos to visit this beautiful preserved walled hilltop town that looks like a picture-postcard, with its monuments, narrow winding streets and whitewashed houses with windows and terraces full of flowers dating from the Middle Ages.
Then we continue to Nazaré. A stunning beach, typical fishermen houses and steep cliffs over a bright blue sea have made this fishing town become a popular holiday resort, mainly due to its traditional character.
Fishermen can still be seen wearing shirts and black trousers, and their wives seven layers of petticoats: you can watch them mending nets or drying fish on the beach.
Then we continue to Fatima, one of the most important Marian centers of pilgrimage in the catholic world. The famous sanctuary of Fatima attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, especially on the 13th of May and the 13th of October, to celebrate the appearances of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children.
We take you to the Shrine, to the Chapel of the Appearances and to the House of the three shepherds Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco. Opportunity to attend a mass at the Chapel of the Appearances.
Day 4
FATIMA – COIMBRA – AVEIRO – OPORTO – 218KM
After breakfast, we attend a mass at Shrine of Fatima and afterwards we leave to Coimbra. One of Europe's oldest university towns, it has kept its secular academic traditions, as seen in the black caped students, in the soulful tones of the Fado and in the Burning of the Ribbons (Queima das Fitas).
Overlooking the city is the University, with its famous tower and a sumptuous Baroque library. In the adjacent quarters you will find the Old Cathedral. We will visit The University, the Library and the church of Santa Clara.
Afterwards we proceed to Aveiro. Famous for its lagoon, this town is crisscrossed by canals where colorfully painted moliceiro boats sail. Then we continue to Porto.
On arrival we will take you on an orientation tour through the second largest city of Portugal. Visiting places like Ribeira riverside district is a warren of narrow, twisting streets and shadowy arches which is classified by Unesco as World Heritage Site, The Bridge of D. Luis I, Neoclassical Stock Exchange Palace.
Day 5
PORTO – VIANA DO CASTELO – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – 240KM
After breakfast, we head to Viana do Castelo. Spread along the north bank of the Lima estuary, this town is famous for its handicrafts and colorful regional costumes.
Up above and dominating the city is the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia, with a fantastic view of Viana, the river and the ocean. Walking tour in the historical center.
Then we continue our journey in direction of Santiago de Compostela via Tui, Vigo and Pontevedra.
Day 6
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Santiago de Compostela, World Heritage City and capital of Galicia, is the final landmark on the St. James pilgrimage route. Centuries of splendor and development have left us an urban layout in which the medieval Christian heritage is mixed with monumental Baroque buildings.
The legend tells that the appearance of the remains of the Apostle St. James were the origin of this city (IXth C.), which soon became a center for pilgrimages and a holy city on a par with Jerusalem and Rome.
Our local guide will take you on a guided tour through this fantastic center of pilgrimage. You will visit the most important places like Plaza del Obradoiro, Portico de la Gloria, the College of San Jerónimo and the Pazo Raxoi accompany the Cathedral and the Old Royal Hospital, also known as Hostal dos Reis Catolicos, today a five-star luxury hotel.
Day 7
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – LEON – BURGOS – 499KM
After breakfast, we take you on a long scenic drive marked by a landscape of mountains which has led to a traditional isolation from the rest of the country, allowing them to preserve, almost intact, ancestral traditions, customs and even languages.
On arrival in Leon we take you on a short orientation tour. Then we continue to our final destination of the day, Burgos.
Day 8
BURGOS– ST. IGNATIUS DE LOYOLA – LOURDES – 453KM
After breakfast, we take you for a short orientation tour of Burgos. That was the capital of the unified kingdom of Castilla-Leon between the 10th and 15th centuries, its privileged location on the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela and the monopoly it held over the trade of merino wool, also contributed. All that splendor left a profound mark on present-day Burgos.
You will have time to explore the masterpiece cathedral, declared World Heritage Site by Unesco. Erected on top a Romanesque temple, the cathedral was built following a Norman French Gothic model. Afterwards we travel to Azpeitia, where Ignatius de Loyola was born in the Castle of Loyola in 1491.
You will have time to visit the Basilica of Loyola and the old tower House where St. Ignatius was born, the founder of the Company of Jesus 1540. Then we continue our journey to Lourdes
Day 9
LOURDES
It was the events that occurred on 11th February 1858 that drastically changed the future of Lourdes. On that day a young girl of 14 years, Bernardette Soubirous, a child of a poor family of four children whose father was a ruined miller, went with her sister and another girl to gather wood along the banks of the River Gave.
Above an open cave, Bernadette saw a “Beautiful lady“ who appeared to her 18 times between the 11th of February and the 16th of July and said to her: “Do penance and pray for sinners“.
Today is at leisure to explore the Sanctuary and visit the Basilica, the springs, Grotto of the Apparitions, House of Bernadette…
Don’t miss the two famous Processions which take place daily: the Blessed Sacrament Procession each afternoon and the Torchlight Marian Procession each evening.
Day 10
LOURDES – TOURS – 577KM
After breakfast, we leave to Tours for a long journey crossing France.
Day 11
TOURS – LISIEUX – PARIS – 407KM
After breakfast, we take you on short orientation drive of the city of Tours and then leave directly in direction of Lisieux.
We will visit the Sanctuary of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Peter’s Cathedral and its Chapel of the Virgin, the Basilica and the Covent of the Carmelite.
After the visit we head to Paris.
Day 12
PARIS
After breakfast, our local guide will take you on a guided tour through the city of Paris.
You will see the most outstanding places of the city like Champs-Elysées, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Concorde, Opera Garnier, Notre-Dame Cathedral and we will take you to Montmartre to visit the Sacré Coeur basilica.
In the afternoon we take you to attend a mass in the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal.
Day 13
PARIS
Day at leisure for shopping.
Day 14
PARIS
After breakfast, you will have a last opportunity to say “Au revoir” to Paris and Europe as long as you are transferred to the airport.