PORTUGAL – SPAIN – FRANCE. PILGRIMAGE OF THE DREAMS

LISBON · ALMADA · ALCOBAÇA · BATALHA · FATIMA · ALJUSTREL · BRAGA · BOM JESUS · PONTEVERDA · SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA · BURGOS · SAN SEBASTIAN · LOUDRES · MONSTERRAT · BARCELONA

DAY 1

Arrival in Lisbon. If there will be enough time left, we’ll head to the capital of Portugal from a panoramic ride along the city. We drive up to the area, where Expo world display took place in 1998. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon or its vicinity

DAY 2

Breakfast and sightseeing of the city – the Belem Tower, replica of the Fairey IIID airplane, mosaic of the Rose of Winds, Explorers Statue and Hieronims Monastery. Free time in Belem and an opportunitty to buy the famous pastéis in the pastry shop. We then continue to the bridge of the 25th of April at the Tag river to Almada. Our next stop is Christ the King Sanctuary. From the top of the post-monument we’ll see a wonderful panorama of Lisbon. Return to Lisbon. We heat to the  St Anthony cathedral and church Alfama. Dinner and accomodation at the hotel.*

DAY 3

Breakfast. We drive to Alcobaça, where we’ll see the Santa Maria de Alcobaça  monastery, the royal chambers with dowrys’ of the Portugalian kings and precious polychromes. We continue with a visit to Batalha, then we head to the Winning Mother Mary in Batalha monastery – the masterpeace in the manueline style. We will admire the chapel of the Fundator, the royal ambulatories, the capitulary, the Unfinished Chapels, the Grave of the Unknown Soilder, the hall of the kings and the refectory. Our last stop is in Fatima. Dinner, after which we’ll take part in the evening light procession. Accomodation at the hotel.

DAY 4

Breakfast. We start our day with a visit to the Mother Mary Sanctuary, where Holy Mary manifested herself. Our next stop is the Mother Mary of the Rosary basilica, the Manifestation chapel, the Holy Trinity church, the ”Light and Peace” display, where the offerings for Mother Mary of Fatima are, the statue of John Paul II and Paul VI, a part of the conrete Berlin Wall – a memento of Gods’ intervention in the fall of communism, announced in Fatima. The Way of The Cross. We head to the Aljustrel village and visit the places connected with the life of Jacinta, Francisco and Lucy. Return to the sanctuary and Free time for prayer. Dinner, after which we’ll take part in the evening light procession. Accomodation at the hotel.

DAY 5

Breakfast, after which we drive to Braga. A walk at the city, where we’lll see i.e. the cathedra and the old bishop palace. Visitting the Bom Jesus sanctuary, a wondeful architectual complex from XVIII cent. - consisting of monumental stairs, symbolizing the Holy Road of the man, the Stairs of the Five Senses and the Stairs of the Three Virtues. Dinner and accomodation in Braga or its vicinity.

DAY 6

Breakfast. We drive to Pontevedra and walk around the city. After this we head to to Santiago de Compostela and a visit the St Jacob the Apostle cathedral. We head to the Roman sanctuary, with the wonderful Entrance of Glory with over one hundred figurines, representing scenes from the bible. On the Baroque facade of the cathedral a statue of st Jacob is and in the crypt behind the main altar, the grave of the Apostole is situated. A walk around the stone streets of the old city. Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela or its vicinity.

DAY 7

Breakfast. We head to Burgos. We drive to the Santa Maria cathedral, belonging to the most distinguished statues of the gothic architecture in the world and the most wonderful gothic building in Spain. Santa Maria de Burgos cathedra is the only one in Spain, which was written down into the world UNESCO heritage llist, as a single building. A walk through the antique streets of the city. Dinner and accomodation in Burgos or its vicinity.

DAY 8

Breakfast. We start our day wtih a visit to Lourdes, on the way we stop in San Sebastian – a known health resort, over the Bay of Biscay, called the ”pearl of the north”. Dinner and acccomodation at the hotel in Loudres. Taking part in the rosary.

DAY 9

Breakfast. A day long stay in Lourdes. We head to the places connected with St Bernadette : Le Cachot, a parish church, the Bola Mill, the sanctuary: Notre Dame museum, the underground Pius XII basilica, the Masabielle Grotto, the Crypt of the First Eucharyst, Rosary Baislica and the upper church. Participating in the Way of the Cross. An opportunity to bath in the pools and/or taking part of the Eucharyst procession, connected with a blessing of the sick. Dinner and acccomodation. Taking part in the rosary.

DAY 10

Breakfast. We drive up to the Montserrat Mountain Massif. Here one of the most famous monasteries in the world can be found. A special sight at the monastery is the figurine of Mother Mary with a Child, situated in a niche, over the main altar of the basilica. Dinner and overnight in the vicinity of Barcelona

DAY 11

Breakfast. We head to the Sagrada Familia church – brilliant work of Antonio Gaudi. From there we’ll visit the Güella park – a stroll along the wonderful garden, where besides the uncomperable vegetation and garden architecture, we’ll see the Gaudi museum with multiple mementos of the creator. We’ll be walking along Passeig the Garcia, next to which two of the most important buildings are situated, designed by Gaudi and written down into the UNESCO World Heritage: Casa Mila and Casa Batillo. An afternoon drive to the Gothic district, which enraptures with its narrow and middle ages beautiful streets. We head to the St Eulali Gothic cathedral from the XII-XV century. Our last stop is at a Large Royal Palace, an old headquarters of the Barcelona counts and the kings of Aragona. Dinner and accomodation.

DAY 12

Breakfast or lunchboxes. Flight back from Barcelona

* or dinner connected with a Fado music concert in a restaurant in Lisbon (additional charges)