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Every year, more and more Catholic believers gather
at the two greatest sanctuaries of Marian apparitions
in Europe, Lourdes and Fatima. Within the pleasant natural
surrounding awaits the beautiful experience of visiting
and living, discovering and participating in the religious
message. Our visit to these three countries will take
us along the path of the most revered saints of the
Church, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the
Cross. We will visit some of the oldest sanctuaries
such as Montserrat and El Pilar, both of which have
played important roles in local as well as national
history. There is always a possibility of attending
mass within their walls.
Arrival in Lisbon. We will discover the different
districts of Portugal's capital, Lisbon such as La Alfama, El Chiado and La Baixa
with its urban development subsequent to the 1755 earthquake. We will also visit
Belem with the Hieronymites Monastery -pantheon to both the Royal family and Vasco
da Gama- in the Manuelino style from the early 16th century. With every step Portuguese
history comes alive in our minds and can be easily understood at the Monument
of the Discoveries. Travel to Fatima for overnight
The appearance of the Virgin in 1917 transformed the small
town of Fatima into the destination of the millions of believers who make the
pilgrimage every year and gather on the great esplanade outside the great Neo-Baroque
basilica with its colonnades and Chapel of Apparitions. In the afternoon we will
visit Valinhos and Aljustrel. Overnight in Fatima Possibility of celebrating or
attending Holy Mass as well as participating in the religious activities and evening
procession
Coimbra, the former
capital city for more than one hundred years, boasts the oldest university of
Portugal. We will visit the university's library and Romanesque Cathedral, prior
to strolling down the narrow streets to the Carmelite convent where Sor Lucia,
one of the Fatima shepherds lived and died. After a brief stop in the border town
of Ciudad Rodrigo, we will arrive in Salamanca which is now, and has always been,
more than anything a university city. Enjoy an evening stroll and enter Salamanca
from the south, crossing the well preserved Roman Bridge. The homogenous mix of
students and visitors beckons us to stroll through its lively streets and to indulge
in the festive atmosphere. Notable monuments include the University, the Plaza
Mayor and the two Cathedrals among others. Overnight in Salamanca
This morning we will make a brief stop in the town of Alba de Tormes,
where Santa Teresa died and is buried and where the Discalced Carmelites preserve
her memory. Further on we will arrive at Avila, Santa Teresa's birthplace, which
welcomes us with its impressive walls and Cathedral, the Saint Vincent Basilica
and noble homes as well as the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation, and the
house where Santa Teresa was born. Continue to Segovia for overnight Possibility
of celebrating or attending Holy Mass
We will enjoy the visit of Segovia strolling
from its Roman aqueduct, passing by the Gothic Cathedral, to the medieval citadel.
Along the way we will discover noble houses and palaces, its Jewish Quarter and
countless Romanesque churches. Later we will head down to the Fuencisla Sanctuary
and the Discalced Carmelites Convent -burial site of the great mystic and poet
Saint John of the Cross, reformer of the masculine branch of the order-. In the
afternoon we will travel to Burgos, stopping briefly in Aranda de Duero, capital
of the Ribera del Duero wine region. Overnight in Burgos Possibility of visiting
a local winery with tasting
In the morning, we will discover
Burgos -one of the most important stops on the Path of Saint James- with its outstanding
Gothic Cathedral, World Heritage site. Possibility of celebrating or attending
Holy Mass We will travel to San Sebastian, where we can enjoy a walk along La
Concha beach before heading towards France. Possibility of organizing lunch in
a traditional Sidreria Overnight in Lourdes
In the 19th century, a sanctuary was created in this lovely
Pyrenees valley surrounding the Grotto where the Virgin appeared to Bernadette
in 1858. We will have an opportunity to visit the Neo-Gothic Basilica, the Rosario
Church, the underground Basilica, the Via Crucis and Saint Bernadette's home.
The day ends with a torch-led procession. Overnight in Lourdes Possibility of
celebrating or attending Holy Mass as well as participating in the religious activities
and evening procession
In the morning we will travel along the French Pyrenean
valleys, crossing the mountain range by way of Andorra. This tiny country has
turned into a small commercial enclave. We will enter Spain and will arrive -in
the very heart of Catalonia- at Montserrat, a peculiar geological formation, declared
a natural park, picturesque from any angle. Here we will find the Marian Sanctuary
of Montserrat with "La Moreneta". Overnight in Montserrat. Possibility of celebrating
or attending Holy Mass as well as renewing wedding vows
Travel to Barcelona and enjoy a scenic tour
visiting the grand avenues of the Eixample district with its modernist buildings
-notably the homes on the Paseo de Gracia such as Lleo Morera, Amatller, Batllo
and Mila- and the Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of architect Gaudi. Following a
stop in another of his better known works, the Guell Park, we will arrive at the
top of Montjuich with its magnificent views of the city and the coast. We will
explore the vast historical district on foot and visit Santa Maria del Mar, the
Gothic quarter, the cathedral and Las Ramblas, the emblematic pedestrian walkway.
Return to Montserrat for overnight. Possibility of organizing a tapas lunch in
Barcelona
This morning we will leave Catalonia and shall
enter Aragon, discovering its capital Zaragoza. The city has important monuments
including the Aljaferia -the ancient palace of the Arab emir-, its Gothic Cathedral
the Seo of San Salvador and the Basilica del Pilar, site of the Virgin's appearance
to apostle Santiago. Possibility of celebrating or attending Holy Mass Continue
to Madrid for overnight
A
first glimpse of Madrid provided by a scenic tour will allow us to appreciate
the dimension and beauty of this city as well as its vital points such as Paseo
de la Castellana, Gran Via, Alcala Street and Plaza de Espana. Nearby we find
one of the best examples of the Bourbon urban layout: the Paseo del Prado with
its fountains, gardens and museums. Of special interest are the Mile of Art, Prado
Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. We will also
visit its cathedral La Almudena as well as the historical center with the Main
Square and the Puerta del Sol. Overnight in Madrid Possibility of organizing a
farewell dinner or attending a flamenco show
Transfer to the Madrid Airport. |
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