A pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines and Apparitions of Portugal, Spain and France is a spiritually powerful and profound experience for the countless Catholics who visit yearly!

Portugal, with its charming and captivating landscapes, holds a particularly special place in the hearts of pilgrims for its revered sanctuary of Fatima, where Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in 1917.  

Spain provides the magnificent backdrop for Santiago de Compostela, the final resting place of St. James Major, as well as the Eucharistic Miracle of Oviedo, the historic Holy Cave of Covadonga, Loyola, birthplace of St. Ignatius Loyola, and Gaudi’s breathtaking Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.  

The Pyrenees foothills of France is home of St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes. Renowned for its miraculous spring, Lourdes is known as one of the world's most beautiful and significant pilgrimage sites. A Marian journey through these countries will surely deepen devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and strengthen the faith of all who travel this awe-inspiring and holy part of the world.   

DEPOSIT IS NON-REFUNDABLE

 

05 / 07 May:                     Hotel Santa Maria Fátima 4* (https://www.hotelstmaria.com/en/)

07 / 09 May:                     Gran Hotel Los Abetos 4* (https://granhotellosabetos.com/ )

09 / 10 May:                     Hotel AC Oviedo Forum 4* (https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/ovdfo-ac-hotel-oviedo-forum/overview/)       

10 / 11 May:                     Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervion 4* (https://www.barcelo.com/en-ie/barcelo-bilbao-nervion/)

11 / 13 May:                     Hotel Padoue 4* (https://www.hotelpadoue.fr/en/hotel-in-lourdes-france)

13 / 15 May:                     Hotel Abat Cisneros 3* (https://www.montserratvisita.com/en/where-to-sleep/hostal-abat-cisneros-montserrat)

15 / 16 May:                     Hotel AC Diagonal L’Illa 4* (https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/bcndl-ac-hotel-diagonal-lilla/overview/)

Depart the USA from your local airport. Enjoy a full meal and inflight entertainment (movies, music, etc.) on your overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal.

Welcome to Portugal! Upon arrival at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport, you will proceed through Immigration and Customs. You will be greeted by our local Trinity Tour Travels guide and driver, and our pilgrimage begins with a brief, panoramic city tour of Lisbon by bus. Mass of Thanksgiving is celebrated at the magnificent Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua (who was born and baptized here) in the Old City. A traditional Lisbon lunch follows nearby prior to our drive north toward Santarem. Here, we visit the Church of the Holy Miracle, where in the 13th century, a woman concealed a consecrated host at the recommendation of a sorceress to “assist” in dealing with her unfaithful husband. The host began to bleed profusely, and the couple confessed the sacrilege to the priest, who immediately safeguarded the host in a wax container. The second Eucharistic Miracle occurred when upon subsequently opening the tabernacle, the host was no longer in the wax container but in a crystal pyx. It was placed in a silver monstrance where pilgrims can still view it today. Following veneration of this Eucharistic Miracle, we travel to Fátima, (near Aljustrel, a hamlet of Fatima and the birthplace of the three shepherd children to whom the Virgin Mary appeared). Rosary Candlelight Procession can be attended each night in Fatima, schedule permitting. Check-in, dinner, overnight in Fátima, Portugal.   

Following breakfast at the hotel, we take a short walk to Cova da Iria to visit the Little Chapel of the Apparitions. It stands on the exact location of the first Marian Apparition on May 13, 1917, to three shepherd children: Lucia (10), Francisco (9) and Jacinta (7). An International Mass is celebrated here this day. We visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, where the sacred tombs of St. Francisco, St. Jacinta and Sr. Lucia are contained. The basilica honors the Blessed Mother’s consistent requests to pray the rosary through its 15 beautiful altars dedicated to the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. We visit the Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus before heading to Valinhos to see the two homes of the little shepherds and the site of the first and third visits of the “Angel of Peace.” The angel first appeared to the three children in 1916 to prepare the way for Our Lady of Fátima in 1917. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, I am the Angel of Peace,” and gave the children the prayer still recited by many today: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, and do not hope, and do not love You.” Mass is celebrated in Fátima this day. Dinner & overnight at the hotel in Fátima.   

We celebrate an early Mass at a chapel next to the basilica and have breakfast at the hotel prior to our departure to Santiago de Compostela (7-hour drive). En route, we stop in Porto, one of the oldest European centers with vast and rich history! We visit the prominent Gothic Church of São Francisco. Noted for its magnificent Baroque interior, this church is in the center of the city, where we enjoy leisure time and lunch in this charming and colorful city! We end our time in Porto with a visit to a local winery for an authentic Porto wine tasting before continuing to Santiago de Compostela. Check-in, dinner, overnight in Santiago, Spain.   

Breakfast at the hotel and we begin the day with a visit to the 11th-century breathtaking Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica.  It is the burial place of St. James the Great and is among the remaining churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle (others include St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican; St. Thomas Cathedral, India; and St. John Cathedral, Turkey). It marks the end of the pilgrimage route of El Camino and is named after the great saint who brought Christianity to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). We explore the Old Town, known for its incredibly winding streets and charming plazas. Mass is celebrated this day at the Pilgrim’s Chapel. Lunch and free afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Santiago.   

Breakfast and check-out at the hotel. We drive to Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias, northern Spain (4-hour drive). We visit the spectacular Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo, known for its array of architectural styles, from Pre-Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance. This beautiful cathedral houses the tombs of Asturian kings as well as the Camara Santa, a 9th-century chapel that contains venerable relics of the Holy City of Jerusalem, including the burial cloth of Jesus’ face. Lunch and leisure time this afternoon for continued sightseeing (schedule permitting). Mass location to be determined. Check-in, dinner, overnight in Oviedo, Spain.   

Following breakfast and check-out, we travel to Covadonga (approx. 2 hours), nestled in the breathtaking Picos de Europa mountains. Here, we visit the awe-inspiring Holy Cave of Our Lady of Covadonga, where a chapel is carved directly into the mountain. This sacred shrine honors the Virgin of Covadonga (“La Santina”), whose intercession is believed to have led to the Christian victory in the Battle of Covadonga in 718, initiating the Reconquista. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of reclaiming Christian identity in Spain after centuries of Moorish occupation. It remains a powerful symbol of faith and perseverance.

After our visit to Covadonga, we make a brief but meaningful stop in Guernica, a town tragically bombed during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. The destruction of Guernica became a global symbol of the horrors of war, immortalized by Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece, Guernica, arguably the most powerful anti-war painting of the 20th century. As we reflect on this tragedy, we will discuss the complex role of the Catholic Church during Franco’s regime, its varied involvement, and the lessons we can draw today about justice, peace, and the sanctity of human life.

This visit invites us to pray for peace in our world, especially in times of conflict where innocent lives are lost. We will briefly reflect on why Pope Leo is increasingly seen as the “Peace Pope,” for his advocacy for nonviolence, diplomacy, and human dignity in modern conflicts.

Location of Mass to be determined.

Check-in, dinner, and overnight in Bilbao, Spain.

Following breakfast and check-out, we travel toward Lourdes, France. En route, we stop in Loyola, in the Basque region of Spain, the birthplace of St. Ignatius of Loyola. We visit the Sanctuary of Loyola, where a series of spectacular edifices are built around St. Ignatius’ birthplace. Also known as the Shrine or Basilica of Loyola, this sanctuary rests along the Urola River and honors the saint who founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit order) and is known as the patron saint of all spiritual retreats. We see the home of St. Ignatius’ family with many artifacts and collectibles. Lunch before we travel to the Pyrenees Mountains toward Lourdes. Beautifully nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees stands the splendor of Lourdes, the birthplace of St. Bernadette Soubirous, to whom Our Lady appeared in 1858 near the remote Grotto of Massabielle. Identifying herself as the “Immaculate Conception,” Our Lady appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette 18 times and has become one of the world’s leading Marian Shrines. Candlelight Rosary Procession evening following dinner. Mass location to be determined. Check-in, dinner, overnight in Lourdes, France.   

Breakfast at the hotel followed by an entire day visiting the historical and profoundly spiritual birthplace of the visionary child, Bernadette. We begin at the Grotto of the Apparitions, where this beloved saint first encountered the Virgin Mary. With only rudimentary knowledge of the Catholic faith, she reported the visits to her parish priest, who became convinced because of the young girl’s lack of doctrinal knowledge. During one of Our Lady’s visits, she asked Bernadette to dig a hole in a particular spot on the ground. A small spring of water began to bubble up, and she was asked to drink from it. Almost immediately followed numerous accounts of supernatural healing from the water. Today, gallons of water continue to gush from the same spring source and pilgrims can collect this water in bottles. To date, countless miraculous cures have been documented from the waters of Lourdes. We continue our walking tour, where we visit the Basilica of St. Pius X, the Boly Mill (the water mill where Bernadette was born and where her father worked), the Soubirous family room (at the jail where they lived in poverty when her father no longer had employment), and we tour the majestic Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Mass is celebrated here this day. Following dinner, we join the nightly Rosary Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.   

Following breakfast at the hotel, we travel to the majestic marvel of Montserrat, Spain (6.5 hours). Stopping along the way for breaks, we arrive to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat on the rugged, yet tranquil Montserrat Mountains in Catalonia. Within, we see the statue of the Black Madonna to whom many miracles have been attributed. According to tradition, the statue was originally carved by St. Luke around 50 AD and was brought to Spain. It was hidden from the Moors and was later rediscovered by shepherds in 880 AD. One legend maintains that Benedictine monks could not move the statue to construct their monastery, so they chose to build around it. Another states that upon discovery, the Bishop of Manresa suggested that it be moved to Manresa. Still, it couldn’t be lifted, and as a result, the statue of the Virgin remained in Montserrat, where she continues to be venerated today. Mass is celebrated here this day. Heavenly evening Vespers with Gregorian Chant (optional). Check-in, dinner, overnight in a monastery in Montserrat, Spain.   

Early morning Lauds (optional) followed by breakfast near the monastery. An adventurous cable car ride down a cliffside and an entire day dedicated to personal prayer, Stations of the Cross within the cliffs, exploring, lunch, shopping and relaxing. Mass is celebrated at the shrine this day. Dinner and overnight at the monastery in Montserrat.  

An early breakfast near the monastery before a short drive to Manresa, the place of profound conversion for St. Ignatius Loyola. In 1522, the saint lived for 11 months in a natural cave on the banks of the Cardoner River to pray and do penance. Here, he received a vision that provided him deep spiritual insight, and from where he wrote “The Spiritual Exercises.” We travel a short way to Barcelona. A bit of free time for exploring the charming café and shop-lined streets near the hotel before a tour of the unforgettable Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi. Free time nearby prior to the international evening Mass at Sagrada Familia. A special Spanish Farewell Dinner completes our pilgrimage with time for recapping and sharing stories of our memorable journey! Check-in and overnight in Barcelona, Spain.  

After our final breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the U.S. from El Prat International Airport in Barcelona, Spain. A lifetime of memories will not be forgotten from Shrines and Marian Apparitions of Portugal, Spain and France!