Spain 

DAY 1 - DEPART - We depart our home airport for our overnight flight with dinner arriving the next day. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast while aloft.

DAY 2 - LISBON/FATIMA - We arrive in Paris and transfer to our flight to Lisbon Airport, where we are met by our Tour Manager and given a short orientation tour of Lisbon before the drive to Fatima.  If time permits, we celebrate Mass at the Church of the famous Eucharistic Miracle at Santerem. We enjoy the balance of the day at leisure before our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel. In the evening, we join the nightly International Rosary Procession.  

DAY 3 - FATIMA - This full day is devoted to visiting the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and nearby hamlets of Aljustrel and Valinhos.  We join the English language concelebrated Mass at the Chapel of Apparitions.  Following a break for lunch on our own, we visit the birthplaces of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, the Loca de Anjo and the Holy Way. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. In the evening, we join the International Rosary Procession. 

DAY 4 - FATIMA/SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – Today, we depart Fatima, passing by the ancient capital and university city of Coimbra, where Lucia, the last Fatima visionary lived as a cloistered nun.  We continue northwards into Spain and on to Santiago de Compostela, one of the most famous shrines in the western world. This is the site of the ancient pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. James.  Tradition holds that the Apostle James was cast ashore here preaching for seven years and being responsible for the conversion of Spain before returning to the Holy Land. The Cathedral of 11th to 13th century with its splendor, and the portico are masterworks of Romanesque art. We enjoy lunch on our own along the way before arriving at the Cathedral and the Old City. While dinner is included at our hotel, the adventurous might consider enjoying the varied delights of the Galatian restaurants in the nearby Old City on their own.

DAY 5 - SANTANDER – This morning, following our walk to Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago, we return to our hotel for breakfast and then head east to Santander along one of the many “Routes of St. James.”  While this is our longest coach bus day, the wonderful scenery of mountains and sea awe us as our roads hug the northern Spanish seacoast. Lunch on our own is taken along our route. Dinner and overnight in Santander. 

DAY 6 - SANTANDER/LOURDES – Today, following Mass in a local parish church, we continue eastward along the Basque coast via San Sebastian and cross the border into France.  We enjoy lunch on our own along the way before we arrive in Lourdes in time for dinner at our hotel.  In the evening, we join the nightly Torchlight Marian Procession.  

DAY 7 - LOURDES - Today is spent in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes.  We celebrate Mass at the Grotto, with a morning orientation visit to the Shrine and a walking tour of Lourdes, visiting Boly Mill, where St. Bernadette was born, the Cachot, formerly used as a jail, where she lived during the apparitions, and the parish church.  This afternoon, following a break for lunch on our own, we enjoy free time for private devotions, Eucharistic Procession, the Blessing of the Sick or the legendary, healing waters of the miraculous Lourdes spring. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  In the evening, we can once again join the nightly Torchlight Marian Procession.  

DAY 8 - LOURDES/MONTSERRAT - This morning, we depart Lourdes and traverse the Pyrenees southward entering northern Spain. We drive to Montserrat on the outskirts of Barcelona and celebrate Mass at the Monastery housing the famed Black Madonna. We break for lunch on our own. If possible, we enjoy the mid day music of the famous boys’ choir while here.  Dinner and overnight at our Monastery hotel.

Day 9 – MONTSERRAT/BARCELONA – Today, we drive to Barcelona to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral.  Afterwards, we drive through the Gothic quarter bisected by the famous Ramblas and see the important new developments at the pleasure port where many of the Olympic events were held in 1992. We enjoy a spectacular view from the top of the Montjuic hill, pass by the Exchange and visit the Church of the Holy Family or Sagrada Familia, the still uncompleted masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi. After breaking for lunch on our own, we visit the UNESCO World Heritage "Park Guell" one of Gaudi's Masterpieces of "landscape architecture.”   We return to Montserrat in time for our “farewell” dinner and overnight at our hotel. 

DAY 10 – BARCELONA/USA – This morning, we transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always.


“Spain is so rich in Catholic history, it checks off multiple “bucket lists to all
who visit this amazing country”