PRE-SCHEDULED ESCORTED TOURS (for groups or independent travelers)
1) MADRID - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (11 days) [map] Day
1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Madrid the
next day. Day 2: Madrid. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Orientation and rest of the day at leisure. Day 3: Madrid. Panoramic tour of the city including the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Gothic Revival/Neoclassical Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena. Afternoon guided tour of El Prado Museum. Day 4: Madrid - Avila - Madrid. Day trip to the birthplace of the great mystic St. Teresa. Tour of the fortified city with its imposing medieval ramparts and 88 massive cylindrical towers. Visit of the Romanesque St. Vincente Basilica; the Convent of Santa Teresa, where she was born; the Santa Teresa museum; and the monastery of La Encarnacion to see objects, relics, writings and souvenirs of the saint and her surroundings. Possible stopover at the royal palace of El Escorial on the way back to Madrid. Day 5: Madrid - Badajoz. Begin the drive to Portugal with a stop at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Tour of the cloister's exquisite Mudejar architecture, the Gothic basilica and the Museo de Bordalos displaying magnificent religious garments. Stop in Caceres, the capital of Extremadura. Travel on for overnight in Badajoz. Day 6: Badajoz - Lisbon. Guided tour of the city, the Alfama, El Chido and La Baixa districts. Afternoon visit of the Hieronymite Monastery, a large 16th-century religious complex, and the nearby famous Tower of Belem, built in the unique lacy Manueline style (and a World Heritage site). Day 7: Lisbon - Fatima. On the way to Fatima, Holy Mass at the famous Church of the Eucharistic Miracle in Santerem, if possible. Then on to nearby Fatima. Visit of the shrine complex, including the Chapel of Apparitions, and the hamlet of Aljustrel, the birthplace of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, where some of the apparitions took place. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (the Sacred Way) ending at the Chapel of Calvary. Possibility of celebrating or attending Holy Mass and, in the evening, possibility of joining the Rosary and candlelight procession. Day 8: Fatima - Coimbra - Porto. In Coimbra, visit of the oldest university in Portugal, dating back to the 13th century, with its ornate library and Romanesque cathedral. Stroll down to the Carmelite convent where Lucia, one of the three seers of Fatima, lived for many years, and died in February 2005. In the afternoon, travel on to Porto, the world capital of port wine. Panoramic tour of the city, including a visit of the astoundingly sumptuous St.Francis church. Day
9: Porto - Braga - Santiago de Compostela.
On the way to our final destination, stop at two of Portugal's most important
shrines: Monte Sameiro, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, and Bom Jesus
do Monte, dedicated to "the good Jesus of the mountain." The latter
is particularly notable for its long, Baroque outdoor staircase leading up the
mountain to the sanctuary. Day 11: Transfer to Santiago airport and return to the U.S. [top] 2) BARCELONA - MADRID (11 days) [map] Day 1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Barcelona the next day. Day 2: Barcelona. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Orientation and rest of the day at leisure. Day 3: Barcelona. Panoramic tour of the city, including Gaudi's Sagrada Familia (the "expiatory temple of the Holy Family") a most impressive avant-garde church building started in 1882 and still under construction today. Afternoon tour of the Gothic District, in the historical center, and fascinating Park Guell, also designed by Antoni Gaudi in the "modernista" style. Day 4: Barcelona - Montserrat - Zaragoza. On the way out of Barcelona, visit of the medieval Marian shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. This spiritual destination is famous for its medieval black virgin (La Moreneta). Tour of the monastery and the basilica with possibility of attending Holy Mass. Day 5: Zaragoza - Lourdes. Zaragoza is the capital of the ancient kingdom of Aragon and the birthplace of the famous Spanish painter Goya. This city has important religious monuments, most notably the Pilar Basilica, which commemorates the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to St. James the Apostle in 40 AD. Possibility of celebrating or attending Holy Mass. In the afternoon, departure for Lourdes over the majestic Pyrenees mountains. Day 6: Lourdes. Spend the whole day today in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Visit the Grotto, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Basilica of the Rosary, the underground Basilica, and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). See the Boly Mill, where Saint Bernadette was born, and the former prison where her poverty-stricken family lived. Participate in the healing water ritual at the miraculous spring and attend Holy Mass. At night, you can join the torchlight procession. Day 7: Lourdes - Bilbao. Departure for Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country. Visit of the Santiago Cathedral, dedicated to St. James and an important stop on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St James), which crosses northern Spain on its way to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. And, possibility of visiting a "shrine" of a totally different kind: the famous ultra-modern Guggenheim Museum of contemporary art designed by American architect Frank Gehry (and the pride and joy of Bilbao). Day 8: Bilbao - Burgos. With its magnificent cathedral, a World Heritage site, Burgos offers one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. A walk through the historical center brings back memories of El Cid and Isabella, queen of Castile who completed the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors in 1492. Possibility of attending or celebrating Holy Mass. Day
9: Burgos - Madrid.
Arrival in Madrid and panoramic tour of the capital city including Plaza Mayor,
the Royal Palace and the Gothic revival/Neoclassical Catedral de Nuestra Senora
de la Almudena. Day 11: Transfer to Madrid Barajas airport and return to the U.S. [top] 3) MADRID - LISBON (11 days) [map] Day 1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Madrid the next day. Day 2: Madrid. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Orientation and rest of the day at leisure. Day 3: Madrid. Panoramic tour of the city including the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace and the Gothic revival/Neoclassical Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena. Afternoon guided tour of El Prado Museum. Day 4: Madrid - Burgos. With its magnificent cathedral (a World Heritage site), Burgos offers one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. A walk through the historical center brings back memories of El Cid and Isabella, queen of Castile who completed the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors in 1492. Possibility of attending or celebrating Holy Mass. Day 5: Burgos - Leon. The cathedral of Leon is another example of pure Gothic style to rival the best in France, including Chartres, Reims and Notre Dame de Paris. Visit of the San Isidro Basilica displaying wonderfully preserved medieval paintings of biblical scenes on its walls and vaults (sometimes referred to as "the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque period"). Visit of the former hospital of San Marcos, an elaborately decorated building in the Plateresque style now being used as a luxury five-star Parador hotel. Day 6: Leon - Santiago de Compostela. This holy shrine, dedicated to St. James, has been one of the most popular spiritual destinations in the world (after Jerusalem and Rome) ever since the Middle Ages. Millions of pilgrims come every year the easy way - by plane or motor vehicle - but some go the old-fashioned way: they walk and ride bikes or horses from great distances in France, Spain and Portugal to gain indulgences and atone for their sins. The resplendent cathedral was built over several centuries and is a masterwork of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Plateresque and Neoclassical styles. Visit of the Cathedral (with possibility of attending Holy Mass) and tour of the Old City. Day 7: Santiago - Braga - Porto. On the way to Porto, the world capital of port wine, stop at two of Portugal's most important shrines: Monte Sameiro, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, and Bom Jesus do Monte, dedicated to "the good Jesus of the mountain." The latter is particularly notable for its long, Baroque outdoor staircase leading up the mountain to the sanctuary. In the afternoon, panoramic tour of Porto, including a visit of the astoundingly sumptuous St. Francis church. Day 8: Porto - Coimbra - Fatima. In Coimbra, tour of the oldest university in Portugal, dating back to the 13th century, with its ornate library and Romanesque cathedral. Stroll down to the Carmelite convent where Lucia, one of the three seers of Fatima, lived for many years and died in February 2005. Arrival in Fatima. Day 9: Fatima. Visit of the shrine complex, including the Chapel of Apparitions, and the hamlet of Aljustrel, the birthplace of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, where some of the apparitions took place. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (The Sacred Way) ending at the Chapel of Calvary. Possibility of celebrating or attending Holy Mass and, in the evening, possibility of joining the Rosary and candlelight procession. Day
10: Fatima - Lisbon. Guided
tour of Lisbon, including the Alfama, El Chido and La Baixa districts. Afternoon
visit of the Hieronymite Monastery, a large 16th-century religious complex, and
the nearby famous Tower of Belem, built in the unique lacy Manueline style (and
a World Heritage site). [top] 4) LISBON - LOURDES (11 days) [map] Day 1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Lisbon, Portugal the next day. Day 2: Lisbon - Fatima. Arrival in Lisbon and transfer to the hotel in Fatima. Orientation and rest of the day at leisure. Possibility of joining the Rosary and candlelight procession in the evening. Day 3: Fatima. Visit of the shrine complex, including the Chapel of Apparitions, and the hamlet of Aljustrel, the birthplace of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, where some of the apparitions took place. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (The Sacred Way) ending at the Chapel of Calvary. Possibility of celebrating or attending Holy Mass and, in the evening, possibility of joining the Rosary and candlelight procession. Day 4: Fatima - Coimbra - Guarda. In Coimbra, tour of the oldest university in Portugal, dating back to the 13th century, with its ornate library and Romanesque cathedral. Stroll down to the Carmelite convent where Lucia, one of the three seers of Fatima, lived for many years and died in February 2005. Overnight in the small provincial town of Guarda. Day 5: Guarda - Salamanca - Alba de Tormes. Travel to Salamanca, Spain, today and take a stroll around this ancient university town. Time to indulge in the medieval atmosphere of its historical center and, more specifically, the magnificent Plaza Mayor. Afternoon excursion to Alba de Tormes, just outside the city, where St. Teresa of Avila died and is buried. Day 6: Salamanca - Avila. On to Avila, the birthplace of St. Teresa. Tour of the fortified city with its imposing medieval ramparts and 88 massive cylindrical towers. Visit of the Romanesque St. Vincente Basilica; the Convent of Santa Teresa, where she was born; the Santa Teresa museum; and the monastery of La Encarnacion to see objects, relics, writings and souvenirs of the saint and her surroundings. Day 7: Avila - Segovia - Burgos. Stop in Segovia on the way to Burgos. Tour of the imposing Roman aqueduct, the Gothic cathedral and the medieval citadel. Visit of the Fuencisla Sanctuary, the burial site of St. John of the Cross. Today's final destination is Burgos. With its magnificent cathedral (a World Heritage site), Burgos offers one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. A walk through the historical center brings back memories of El Cid and Isabella, queen of Castile who completed the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors in 1492. Possibility of attending or celebrating Holy Mass. Day 8: Burgos - Bilbao. Departure for Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country. Visit of the Santiago Cathedral, dedicated to St. James, and an important stop on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), which crosses northern Spain on its way to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Also, possibility of visiting a "shrine" of a totally different kind: the famous ultra modern Guggenheim Museum of contemporary art designed by American architect Frank Gehry (and the pride and joy of Bilbao). Day 9: Bilbao - Azpeitia - Lourdes. On the way to the beautiful resort city of San Sebastian, stop in Azpeitia, where St. Ignacius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, was born. His room has been converted into a chapel. Cross the border into France and reach Lourdes in the afternoon. Possibility of joining the torchlight procession this evening. Day
10: Lourdes.
Spend the whole day today in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Visit the Grotto,
the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Basilica of the Rosary, the underground
Basilica, and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). See the Boly Mill, where Saint
Bernadette was born, and the former prison where her poverty-stricken family lived.
Participate in the healing water ritual at the miraculous spring and attend Holy
Mass. At night, you have the option of again joining the torchlight procession. [top] 5) LISBON - MADRID (14 days) [map] Day 1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Lisbon the next day. Day 2: Lisbon. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Orientation meeting with your tour escort and rest of the day at leisure. Day 3: Lisbon. Guided tour of the city, the Alfama, El Chido and La Baixa districts. Afternoon tour of the Hieronymite Monastery, a large 16th-century religious complex, and the nearby famous Tower of Belem, built in the unique lacy Manueline style (and a World Heritage site). Day 4: Lisbon - Fatima. Morning departure for Fatima. Visit of the shrine complex, including the Chapel of Apparitions, and the hamlet of Aljustrel, the birthplace of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, where some of the apparitions took place. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (The Sacred Way) ending at the Chapel of Calvary. Possibility of attending Holy Mass and, in the evening, possibility of joining the Rosary and candlelight procession. Day 5: Fatima - Porto. Morning departure for Porto. Afternoon panoramic tour of Porto, including a visit to the sumptuous St. Francis church and a port wine tasting. Day 6: Porto - Santiago de Compostela. Morning departure for Santiago de Compostela. This holy shrine, dedicated to St. James, has been one of the most popular spiritual destinations in the world (after Jerusalem and Rome) ever since the Middle Ages. Millions of pilgrims come every year the easy way - by plane or motor vehicle - but some go the old-fashioned way: walking or riding bikes or horses from great distances in France, Spain and Portugal to gain indulgences and atone for their sins. The resplendent cathedral was built over several centuries and is a masterwork of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Plateresque and Neoclassical styles. Visit of the Cathedral (with possibility of attending Holy Mass) and tour of the Old City. Day 7: Santiago - Leon - Burgos. Morning departure for Leon. The cathedral of Leon is an example of pure Gothic style to rival the best in France, including Chartres, Reims and Notre Dame de Paris. Visit of the San Isidro Basilica displaying wonderfully preserved medieval paintings of biblical scenes on its walls and vaults (sometimes referred to as "the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque period"). Visit of the former hospital of San Marcos, an elaborately decorated building in the Plateresque style now being used as a luxury five-star Parador hotel. Continue on to Burgos. Day 8: Burgos - Bilbao. With its magnificent cathedral (a World Heritage site), Burgos offers one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. A walk through the historical center brings back memories of El Cid and Isabella, queen of Castile who completed the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors in 1492. Departure for Bilbao, where you'll enjoy a guided tour of the capital of the Basque Country. Visit of the Santiago Cathedral, dedicated to St. James and an important stop on the Way of St James, which crosses northern Spain on its way to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Afterwards, visit to a "shrine" of a totally different kind: the famous ultramodern Guggenheim Museum of contemporary art designed by American architect Frank Gehry. Day 9: Bilbao - Lourdes. Morning departure for Lourdes. Spend the whole day today in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Visit the Grotto, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Basilica of the Rosary, the underground Basilica, and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). See the Boly Mill, where Saint Bernadette was born, and the former prison where her poverty-stricken family lived. Participate in the healing water ritual at the miraculous spring and attend Holy Mass. At night, you can join the torchlight procession. Day 10: Lourdes - Montserrat - Barcelona. Departure for Spain over the majestic Pyrenees mountains. On the way to Barcelona, visit the medieval Marian shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. This spiritual destination is famous for its medieval black virgin (La Moreneta). Tour of the monastery and the basilica. Day 11: Barcelona. Morning panoramic tour of the city, including viewing the outside of Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia (the "expiatory temple of the Holy Family") a most impressive avant-garde church building started in 1882 and still under construction today. Continue on to Gaudi's fascinating Park Guell. Afternoon guided tour of the Gothic District, in the historical center, and the cathedral. Day 12: Barcelona - Madrid. Morning departure for Madrid. Day 13: Madrid. Orientation tour of the capital city with your tour escort with a stop at the Plaza Mayor and the Gothic revival/Neoclassical Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Almudena. Afterwards, enjoy the rest of the day on your own to visit El Prado or one of the other fine museums, tour the Royal Palace, stroll through Retiro Park, do some shopping or just relax. Day 14: Transfer to Madrid airport and return to the U.S. [top] 6) PARIS - LOURDES (12 days) [map] Day 1: Departure from the U.S. Overnight flight arriving in Paris the next day. Day 2: Paris. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon panoramic tour of the capital city, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower. Day 3: Paris. In the morning, visit Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart) Basilica. After lunch, visit Notre Dame Cathedral, which houses various relics of the Passion, including a piece of the Cross, a nail of the Passion and the Holy Crown of Thorns. Continue on to visit the Gothic Sainte Chapelle, built by Saint Louis (King Louis IX), with its beautiful stained-glass windows. Afterwards, visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré. Day 4: Paris - Lourdes. Morning departure for Lourdes via the TGV (high-speed train). Arrive mid-afternoon, in time to participate in the evening rosary and torchlight procession if you wish. Day 5: Lourdes. Spend the whole day today in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. Visit the Grotto, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the Basilica of the Rosary, the underground Basilica, and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross). See the Boly Mill, where Saint Bernadette was born, and the former prison where her poverty-stricken family lived. Participate in the healing water ritual at the miraculous spring and attend Holy Mass. At night, you have the option of again joining the torchlight procession. Day 6: Lourdes - Carcassonne. Morning departure by motor coach for Carcassonne, a completely restored picturesque medieval walled town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Day 7: Carcassonne - Nîmes - Arles - Avignon. Morning departure for Nîmes, where you can see the well-preserved Roman amphitheater and the Maison Carreé, a temple that rivals Rome's Pantheon. On to Arles, which has a fascinating Ancient History Museum in addition to its own amphitheater and an outdoor theater also dating to Roman times.Continue to Avignon, where you can visit the famous bridge and the cathedral. The bridge was built in the late 12th century at the urging of Saint Bénézet, a local shepherd boy who, according to tradition, was commanded by angels to build a bridge across the river. It originally had 22 arches and was nearly 3000 feet long. However, over the centuries, most of the bridge was destroyed by floods, and today only 4 arches remain. Day 8: Avignon - Ars-sur-Formans - Cluny. Visit the Palace of the Popes in Avignon* before leaving for Ars-sur-Formans (just north of Lyon), a small town made famous by Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, who was known for his devotion to hearing the confessions of both local people and pilgrims. During the last years of his life, it is said that the saintly "Curé d'Ars" or priest of Ars spent up to 16 to 18 hours a day hearing confessions. Visit the basilica where his body lies and the chapel containing his heart. On to Cluny, home of what was once the largest monastery in Europe. *Option: From Avignon, travel to La Salette (near Grenoble) for a visit to the famous marian shrine. Then on to Lyon, Ars and Cluny. Day 9: Cluny - Paray-le-Monial - Nevers. Morning visit of the remains of the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny and departure for Paray-le-Monial, where Jesus revealed his Sacred Heart to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Visit of the Sacred Heart Basilica and the Chapel of the Apparitions. Continue to Nevers, where St. Bernadette of Lourdes lived the last years of her life until her death in 1879. Day 10: Nevers - Chartres - Paris. Morning mass and visit of the Espace Bernadette, where you can see the remains of Saint Bernadette in a gold and crystal reliquary. Departure for Chartres, with lunch en route, to visit one of the greatest Gothic cathedrals in France. Back to Paris. Day 11: Paris - Lisieux - Paris. Day trip to Lisieux. Visit various sites related to Saint Thérèse of the Infant Jesus and the Holy Face: the Basilica of Saint Thérèse, Saint Peter's Cathedral, her family home, and the convent where she lived as a nun. Day 12: Transfer to Paris airport and return to the U.S. [top] Please tell us where and when you want to travel and we will create a custom tour that fits your specific interests, schedule and budget. Your tailor-made package will include local escort, ground transportation, guided tours and hotel rooms, etc. The price of your program will depend on your needs and the number of participants in your group, the length of the trip, the category of hotels, the number of places visited, the time of year, etc. We will do all the bookings and pay each individual provider on your behalf. In other words, you go and have fun and we'll take care of the details for you. |
Christ
the King
Mass in Fatima
Guadalupe
Monastery
Gothic
Cathedral Giant
Incense Burner
The
Grotto
Lourdes Basilica
Léon cathedral
Apparition in Fatima
Fatima, Portugal
St. Teresa, Avila
Sagrada
Familia
Santiago de Compostela
Cross in Galicia, Spain
Coimbra, Portugal
Bom
Jesus do Monte
Zaragoza Cathedral
Covadonga, Spain
Sacre Coeur, Paris
Palace
of the Popes
St.
Nazaire cathedral
Notre Dame de Paris
Detail
- Notre Dame
Chartres cathedral | | ![]() | Travel
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