Following breakfast and hotel check out, we will depart for Santarem where our group will have Mass at the Sanctuary of the Holy Miracle. This world-renowned location has enshrined above its main altar a Eucharistic miracle from the 13th century. Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch. Upon our arrival in Fatima, we will explore one of the largest Marian shrines in the world. We will see the Basilica and Shrine, as well as the apparition site where Our Lady appeared. We will also walk through the same fields and pathways where the three little shepherd children, to whom Our Lady appeared, lived and worked every day. Together we will visit the little hamlet of Adjustrel on the outskirts of town where the child seers, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta were born and grew up. After a visit to the house-museum, we will see the nearby Valinhos hamlet, where the children also saw Our Lady and the Guardian Angel of Portugal (also named the Angel of Peace). Further, we will visit the Museum of the Shrine where there is conserved, in the golden crown of Our Lady, the actual bullet that wounded Pope Saint John Paul II when he was shot in St. Peter’s Square in 1981. Following hotel check in and dinner on our own, we will join the evening daily rosary and candlelight procession. Overnight in Fatima. (B)

Following breakfast, hotel check out, and morning Mass at the Shrine, we will depart Fatima and drive through the enchanting countryside to Braga to visit the sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (Good Jesus of the Mount), with its monumental outdoor Baroque stairway and gardens. We will visit the church and have Mass with time to admire the gardens. Lunch on our own. In the afternoon we will transfer to Santiago de Compostela, one of the largest pilgrimage destinations in the world and home of the mighty international Shrine dedicated to St. James the Great. Here the famous Camino ends, where pilgrims have been walking for centuries to pray before the tomb of St. James. After checking into our hotel, we will have free time for shopping and exploration on our own, with many dining options to choose from. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela. (B)

After breakfast, we enjoy a morning walking tour along the city’s narrow and winding cobbled streets, with a special visit to the mighty Cathedral that contains the tomb of St. James. Here, countless pilgrims ascend a staircase behind the main altar to pray in front of the mortal remains of the apostle. Mix and mingle with other pilgrims who have walked the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago), a storied walking pilgrimage route that has been popular since the 9th century. We will also visit the museum and the church of Santa Maria del Sar. We will have Mass at noon, with the celebrated “botafumeiro,” (pending confirmation). This is a giant thurible/incense burner that is swung during Mass, with its sweet odor symbolic of prayers ascending to heaven. Following lunch on our own, we will board our bus for an excursion to Cape Finisterre, passing through the lovely towns of Carnota and Muros. We will visit the church of Finisterre and the Sanctuary of the Virgen de La Barca, on the shore of the ocean. Finisterre, located along the shoreline, was considered in Medieval times the end of the ancient world, beyond which was unknown. Pilgrims would sometimes end their journey here, burning their clothes that were left in rags. After returning to Santiago, we will gather for a celebratory group dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Santiago. (B, D)

After breakfast and hotel check out, we will depart Santiago and make a stop on the famous Camino walk, catching a glimpse of one of the famous routes to Santiago when we visit the village of Samos. A wonderful town in the mountains, this is where the Royal Benedictine Abbey is located. We will visit the monastery and celebrate Mass in the chapel. After, we will proceed to Leon where we will visit the magnificent Cathedral, consecrated in the 13th century. It was in this city that the first parliament in European history was assembled in the year 1188. Following lunch in the historic city center, we depart for Silos where we will arrive in the evening to visit the Benedictine Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos (time permitting). Hotel check-in and dinner on our own. Overnight in Silos. (B)

Following breakfast, we continue our drive through the scenic north of Spain. During today’s journey, we will first stop in Burgos to admire the stunning Cathedral, begun in 1221. Next we will visit the incredible Baroque monument built in honor of St. Ignatius of Loyola, located where he was born and grew up. Here we will have Mass and visit his childhood home. This beautiful place is a monument to the Counter-Reformation of the post-Tridentine period and the life of St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits. Afterwards, we will have lunch at San Sebastian, a beautiful coastal town in the Basque region. We continue our drive to Lourdes, the largest Marian shrine in France and one of the most visited places in Europe. After checking in to our hotel and joining together for a group dinner at our hotel, we will conclude the evening by participating in the daily candlelight procession at dusk. Overnight Lourdes. (B, D)

Following breakfast, we begin our day in Lourdes, one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in the world. Lourdes is today the most popular Catholic pilgrimage site in France. It is here the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette eighteen times in the year 1858, revealing herself under the title of the Immaculate Conception. Since that time millions of pilgrims have visited and there have been countless cures, some scientifically documented. We will have morning Mass in a chapel and visit the Grotto where Our Lady appeared. We will also take a walking tour of the city that will include the childhood home of Bernadette, with lunch on our own and time for shopping. In the afternoon, we will visit the baths and watch a video on the life of St. Bernadette. In the evening we will have dinner on our own, followed by the nightly candlelight procession. Overnight in Lourdes. (B) 

After breakfast and hotel check out, we will depart for the picturesque journey through the countryside on our way to Catalonia. Our first stop will be high in the craggy mountains at the Benedictine Monastery of Montserrat, founded in the 11th century and dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat. This incredible place is home to about 80 monks. The monastery is an important religious and cultural retreat for groups of pilgrims from across Spain and beyond. Many locals in Catalonia make overnight hikes up the heights of Montserrat to pray in front of the miraculous statue of Our Lady and watch the sunrise from the mountain tops. After lunch and time at the gift shop, we will continue our journey to Barcelona, arriving in the evening. Hotel check-in and dinner on our own. Overnight in Barcelona. (B)