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