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Northern Portugal
10 Day Itinerary
Day 1: USA
Depart Newark Airport on our evening transatlantic flight to Porto. Dinner served aboard flight.
Day 2: Porto / Braga
Mid-morning arrival in Porto where you will be met by our pilgrimage guide and escorted to our motorcoach for the drive to Braga. After hotel check-in visit to Monte Samiero, the “Holy Mountain of Sameiro”, considered to be Portugal’s second most important shrine honoring the Virgin Mary, under her title of the Immaculate Conception. Also visit Bom Jesus do Monte, a sanctuary dedicated to “the good Jesus of the mountain.” The sacred route to the Church has 14 stations-of-the-cross laid out on terraces that cascade down the mountain. Dinner and overnight in Braga. (B,D)
Day 3: Braga / Tuy / Viena do Castelo
Early morning departure for Tuy which sits on the border with Spain. Tuy is where Sr. Lucia received the Habit and the name Maria Lucia of Dolours. On the night of January 25, 1938, Sr. Lucia stood at her convent window and saw an ominous red glow that lit the entire sky. Scientists tried to explain it as an unusual Aurora Borealis. It covered an area of 500,000 square km with a vertical extent of 400 km. The rays reached an altitude of 700 km and were accompanied by a strange noise "similar to the sound of burning grass or brush". Millions of people in many countries saw it and feared the world was on fire and about to end. Continue to Viana do Castelo and visit Monte de Santa Luzia patroness of the blind, which overlooks the city and is crowned by magnificent Celtic ruins and the Church of Santa Luzia which was copied after Sacre Coeur de Montmartre in Paris. Return to Braga for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
Day 4: Braga / Porto
After breakfast depart for Porto. En route stop in Guimaraes to visit the Santuario Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Penha, a sanctuary honoring the Virgin Mary. It is located on top of a mountain overlooking the town. We will also spend some time in this beautiful medieval town of Guimaraes before arriving in Porto where we will have an orientation tour and see where Sr. Lucia entered the college of Vilar. The historic city of Porto, whose old center has been deemed a World Heritage site by UNESCO, is the gateway to the Vinho Verde route. The Cais da Ribeira, dockside area, has an abundance of outdoor cafes, is the perfect spot to see Rabelos, the antique boats used to transport another fermented favorite, the city's fabled Port wine, from the vineyards downstream to the cellars for aging. Dinner and overnight in Porto. (B,D)
Day 5: Porto / Lamego
After breakfast we depart to Lamego, located in the Duoro Valley, to visit the baroque Shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios (Our Lady of Cures) which sits at the top of the town. The shrine is a centre for those seeking cures for any illness. Return to Porto for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
Day 6: Porto / Fatima
After breakfast we depart for Fatima, one of the most famous Marian Shrines in the world. En route, stop in the university city of Coimbra to visit the incorrupt body of St. Isabell and the cloister where Sr. Lucia lived. Upon arrival in Fatima, visit some of the highlights of Fatima including the Capelinha (also known as the “Chapel of the Apparitions”) as well as the Basilica. This basilica contains, among other things, the tombs of two of the children of Fatima, Jacinta and Francisco, and most recently, Sr. Lucia. Dinner at your hotel and overnight in Fatima. In the evening, participate in the Candlelight Procession and Evening Rosary (in season). (B,D)
Day 7: Fatima
After breakfast, visit Aljustrel, the hamlet where the three children were raised; Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared in August 1917 after the children were released from prison; and the Fatima church where the children were baptized. Afternoon free to explore Fatima on your own, shop for religious articles and other souvenirs, or spend time in private devotion. In the evening, participate in the Candlelight Procession and Evening Rosary (in season). Dinner and overnight in Fatima. (B,D)
Day 8: Fatima / Lisbon
Morning departure for Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon. En route we will stop to visit the Monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaca, and we will stop in Santarem where the “Miracle of the Bleeding Host” will be viewed. Continue to Cascais and spend some time strolling through its streets with shops of the highest quality. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon. (B,D)
Day 9: Lisbon
Today we tour Lisbon, passing by the main avenues, "downtown" with the Rossio and Comercio squares, continue with a drive to the Alfama, the oldest quarter of Lisbon, to visit the Church of St. Anthony to celebrate Mass and the nearby St. Anthony Museum and the Cathedral. Then proceed to the monumental district of Belem to see the Belem Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries and the Jeronimos Monastery. Also visit the convent where Jacinta died and other sites depending on time. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon. (B,D)
Day 10: Lisbon / USA
After breakfast, transfer to airport for return flight to the U.S. Same day arrival into USA. (B)
Included Highlights:
* Airfare: Roundtrip from Newark airport.
* Accommodations: 8 nights Superior Tourist Class Hotels.
* Meals: 8 Breakfasts & 8 Dinners
* Sightseeing: As listed in the itinerary.
* Also Included: Daily Mass, Airport-hotel transfers, hotel tips & taxes, baggage handling, Touring by Private Air Conditioned Motorcoach, Services of Professional Pilgrimage Escort.
Prices for Fatima & Northern Portugal
2008 Departure Dates
Per person in twin *
Land Only Price *
Single room supplement
May 11 to 20
$ 1,899
$ 1,499
$ 400
October 11 to 20
$ 1,899
$ 1,499
$ 400
Depart Newark Airport
* Price is per person, based on double occupancy.
There are a limited number of single rooms available.
Add $119 departure tax, $240 fuel surcharge and $139 for optional travel insurance.
Passenger Reservation Form Travel Insurance Terms and Conditions
The Catholic Tour Company 21625 Chagrin Blvd. # 210 Beachwood, Ohio 44122
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