Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to Portugal! Check into your hotel, and tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers.
On your guided sightseeing tour of the capital of Portugal, see the enormous monument dedicated to Henry the Navigator, as well as the 16th-century Belém Tower, the Moorish citadel, and impressive Black Horse Square. Visit the Cathedral La Sé , where St. Anthony was baptised, and St. Anthony's Church, where it is said he was born. Admire the beauty of St. Mary of Belém Church, part of the Jeronimos Monastery complex. This building dates back to the mid-1400s and was built as thanks to the Virgin Mary for Vasco de Gama's successful voyage to India.
Leaving Lisbon, head north and stop in Santarém to visit the Church of the Eucharistic Holy Miracle to then arrive in Fátima, home to one of the most famous Catholic shrines. Enjoy an orientation walk and visit the Tomb of the Visionaries and the Chapel of the Apparitions, where the Virgin Mary repeatedly appeared to three shepherd children in 1917, culminating in her revelation of the Three Secrets of Fátima. This evening, join pilgrims from around the world for the Rosary and candlelight procession at the Our Lady of Fátima Basilica.
Today's Distance: 118 mi / 190 km (B/D)
Spend the day at the Sanctuary at leisure or join an optional excursion to Tomar with a visit to the Monastery-Fortress of the Knights Templar. Upon return to Fatima, attend [M] Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady with time to wander on your own. This evening, perhaps join in praying the Rosary once more. (B/D)
Journey north and stop in Braga, one of the oldest Christian cities in the world, and visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, UNESCO World Heritage site and pilgrimage destination, where devout followers have walked the “Stations of the Cross” for contemplation and penance since 1811. See the unique zigzag stairway dedicated to the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste—and the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.
Continue into Spain and head for Santiago de Compostela, one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations since the Middle Ages. On arrival, an orientation walk introduces you to the old city centre. Then, attend the [M] Pilgrim Mass.
Today's Distance: 273 mi / 440 km (B/D)
This morning, spend some time on your own or join an optional excursion to Cabo Finisterre, where pilgrims have traditionally completed their walk and burned their robes. Later, return to Santiago de Compostela, known throughout history for the key 9th-century pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago (or Way of St. James). (B)
Today, travel to Burgos, historic capital of Old Castile. Your visit takes you to the magnificent Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and burial place of Spain's national hero, El Cid.
Today's Distance: 304 mi / 490 km (B)
Travel through the Basque region toward Lourdes. En route, pause to reflect at the 17th-century Sanctuary of Loyola, built in honor of St. Ignacio of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit religious order. Cross into France and stay overnight in Lourdes, home to another world-famous pilgrimage destination. Join the nightly Rosary and candlelight procession for a memorable spiritual experience
Today's Distance: 298 mi / 480 km (B/D)
Today, a local spiritual expert will introduce you to this important Marian Shrine. You will see all the main sites and hear the story of how the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. The afternoon is at leisure to further explore this little market town. According to the schedule, attend [M] Mass at the Sanctuary either early in the morning or in the evening. (B/D)
Head for the France/Spain border. Spend time in the town of Manresa, known for its Basilica of Saint Mary of Seo, but more importantly for Pont Vell, a bridge associated with the worship of St. Ignacio of Loyola. See the architectural compound of Santa Cova, the sanctuary home of St. Ignacio of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, when he stayed in the city. Reach the beloved Marian shrine of Montserrat, located on top of a monumental massif, and spend the night next to the Monastery.
Today's Distance: 249 mi / 400 km (B/D)
Visit the Sanctuary of Montserrat this morning, where the Benedictine monks dedicate their life to prayer, providings helter and work. Life in the monastery follows a set rhythm in which work and prayer both play a part, according to Saint Benedict's motto, Ora et labora. Spend time in prayer, admire the image of Our Lady of Montserrat, and attend Mass (Mass). Leave the idyllic scenery of Montserrat, and driving through the countryside dotted with celebrated vineyards, reach Barcelona, the lively capital of Catalonia.
Today's Distance: 37 mi / 59 km (B)
Get to know the city on a guided sightseeing tour including a drive around Montjuic to see the Olympic Stadium for a great panoramic view of the port and city. Continue to the city centre's Plaza Catalunya and Paseo de Gracia to admire Gaudi's eccentric Houses Batllo and Mila, as well as his Sagrada Familia, an unfinished architectural masterpiece that is still a consecrated expression of the Catholic faith. Celebrate Mass (M), then, this evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate faith, life, and friendship. (B/D)
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- 11 Breakfasts
- 7 Dinners
- Lisbon Roma (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Fatima Coracao de Fatima (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Santiago de Compostela Gran Hotel Los Abetos (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Burgos Corona de Castilla (First-Class)
- Lourdes Mercure Lourdes Imperial (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Lourdes Christina (Moderate First-Class)
- Montserrat Abat Cisneros (Superior Tourist-Class)
- Barcelona Porta Fira (Superior First-Class)
- Barcelona Catalonia Park Putxet (First-Class)
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
- (2024) February 4 Departure: Anniversary of the first apparition in Lourdes
- (2024) May 11 Departure: Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
- (2024) July 21 Departure: Feast of St James in Santiago
- (2024) October 11 Departure: Anniversary of the last apparition in Fatima
- (2024) December 1 Departure: Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Lourdes
Enjoy inside visits to Europe's the must-see sites with a great mix of included excursions, free time and affordable value. Read more
Cosmos build free time into every one of their holidays, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Read more
Cosmos' easy going, fun-filled and multilingual Tour Directors and Local Guides love exploring as much as you do. Read more
Trip Reviews (5) Most Recent 'Fatima, Lourdes & Shrines of Spain' Reviews
The tour itself covered a lot and I did and saw more than I could have expected (the itinerary did not leave a lot of alone time).
Between the optional excursions, some long distance travelling days (time to catch up with sleep on the bus), local ...read more included tours, daily masses, nightly processions at Fatima and Lourdes, meals with the group, pretty much every day was full on. However, you could choose to skip some of the activities (eg. optional excursions) if you wanted to but why would you!
I attended 3 out of the 4 optional excursions and they did not disappoint - they are a must do whilst in that region of the world. If you come for a pilgrimage, then this tour would suit you. Just note that some of the paths of the places visited are uneven and you must be able to climb up and down steps, otherwise you're just going to miss out on seeing some of the good stuff - wear comfortable shoes. Also, expect a lot of walking at certain places.
Suggestion: If you want to see more of Lisbon and Barcelona, take extra days before/end of the tour.
I personally would have liked more time in Lourdes because there were many things to see and do.
We were fortunate enough to have a priest travelling with us on the tour (unplanned but greatly appreciated) because he provided the private English-spoken masses at some beautiful, rustic old churches along the tour and in some of the quaintest chapels around. That's why we were privileged to be able to have more than the scheduled masses on the tour. The other masses were public ones and usually in one or more foreign languages.
Our tour director, Ines, worked hard on organising a lot of these private masses throughout the tour (as well as other things) and was very knowledgeable of the history of the regions we visited. Our driver, Sandro, was expert and skilled at manoeuvering our large coach through some of the region's narrowest and smallest streets and laneways as well as providing a safe journey throughout the tour - so thanks to them both for their hard work!
The local guides (including those on optional excursions) were also very good to excellent quality speakers and knowledgeable about their subject matter. A special mention to Julia (in Lisbon) and Sonia (in Tomar) for their enthusiasm and they kept good pace.
The accommodation throughout the tour was mixed but generally good. Fatima hotel - great location. Burgos hotel - good location but I had a tiny, unbearably hot room which I could not control. Santiago de Compostela hotel - outside the main town centre but the most luxurious-looking hotel of the lot.
Lisbon and Barcelona hotels - located away from the main downtown areas (which I personally preferred because they were quieter and closer to the airports for the start/end of the tour). Also, Hotel Porta Fira (Barcelona) had a great breakfast selection.
Lourdes hotel (Quality Hotel Christina) - sadly, the worst accommodation of the tour due to: its bad location (about 850m walking distance one way to the sanctuary, according to Google Maps); a good brisk 10 - 15 minute walking pace (for an able-bodied person). As I had visited the Lourdes sanctuary many times throughout the day and night, the location was not ideal (especially when walking in the rain). The food served at this hotel was also average and minimal (at breakfast). This hotel was also very crowded with tour groups and pilgrimages (some of them young, excited, screaming children/teenagers) which made it difficult to get a lift to our rooms on the top floor. But having said that, I guess being on a pilgrimage tour means that you sometimes need to contend with being a little less comfortable.
The tour I took started on 24 Apr in Lisbon and the weather there was good at the time but as you get up in the mountains, along the Pyrenees (think Lourdes), then expect it to be cold, windy, rainy, sometimes hail and snow. As we went back down to Barcelona, the weather was a bit warmer but still some patchy showers.
As for Global Journeys handling of my booking, there was initially a bit of a mix up with the premature closing of my booking quote but when Georgie returned to work to handle it, there weren't any problems. It was pretty much straightforward from then on.
Overall, a very fulfilling pilgrimage tour. I managed to see and do everything that I wanted to (and then some). And made a lot of friends along the way.
Another point was both hotels were located about 150 meters from the main entrance, so between the events, we could quickly walk back to the hotel, have a shower, or get changed, or have a rest, or even a diner, then return back to the church to participate with other events in no time. Visiting other different places gave us a more interesting trip.
Brochure
Cosmos Worldwide (2025-26)
Availability
AUD
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Cosmos. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Cosmos. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
