A Pilgrimage to Portugal and Spain with Kim Zember, Jackie and Bobby Angel, and Fr. Edwin Leonard

We depart on an overnight flight from DFW to Lisbon, Portugal. Dinner and breakfast are served on the plane. Quotes for add-on flights from most major airports, as well as for Premium Economy and Business Class seating, are available upon request and quoted starting 120 days before departure. Because we work with group airfare, we are unable to request specific seat assignments or locations on flights, as seats are assigned by the airline. If this is an important part of your trip, please book your own air and choose the land-only option with us.

We arrive in Lisbon, where we are greeted by our driver and English-speaking tour manager, who will be with us throughout the trip. Our bus takes us to the Christ the King Statue, which overlooks the city of Lisbon. We celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, built on the site where the great saint was born. Then we visit a local food hall for lunch, settle into our hotel, and have time at leisure to explore Lisbon on our own. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Lisbon. (Welcome dinner with wine)

Following breakfast, which is included each morning, we drive through the picturesque countryside of Portugal to Santarem, where we see the Eucharistic Miracle in the Church of St. Stephen and celebrate Mass. We continue to Fatima to visit the Basilica and check into our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. Overnight in Fatima.

We begin our Fatima pilgrimage with an International Mass, followed by a visit to the Little Chapel of the Apparitions. Explore the Hamlet of Aljustrel (home of the three shepherd children), the Parish Church, and the site of the “Miracle of the Sun”. Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary to see the tombs of the saints and its fifteen altars. Conclude the day at Valinhos, the site of the Apparitions. There will be time for prayer and private devotions. In the evening, we join in the Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.

We celebrate Mass and visit the Holy Trinity Basilica before we pray the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra. The “Sacred Way” marks the path the three shepherd children took to their first apparition with Our Lady. Checking out of the hotel, we drive through northern Portugal into Spain to the beautiful ancient town of Avila, completely encircled by walls. En route, we stop for a late lunch at Castelo Branco. Overnight in Avila.

This morning, we visit Avila, the birthplace of St. Teresa. We see the Basilica de San Vicente, which stands on the site of St. Vincent’s martyrdom, and the Incarnation Convent, where St. Teresa became a nun. We also see the Convent of St. Teresa, built upon the saint’s home, which contains her relics and those of St. John of the Cross. Mass will be celebrated. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the town on our own. Dinner and overnight in Avila.

Depart for the city of Salamanca, known for its large University, the oldest in Spain. See the grand Plaza Mayor, an iconic square filled with food, shopping, and city events. Continue to La Clerecia, a church and college of the Jesuit Order, and La Casa de las Conchas, now a public library adorned with shells that symbolize the pilgrimage to Santiago (El Camino). We visit the magnificent Salamanca Cathedral before driving to Alba de Tormes to see the Carmelite Monastery founded by Saint Teresa in 1571. We celebrate Mass at this Monastery where the Saint died and is buried. Explore the museum dedicated to St. Teresa of Avila, which holds her incorrupt heart and left arm. Return to Avila for dinner and overnight.

We say goodbye to the beautiful town of Avila and drive two hours to Segovia, where Saint John of the Cross is buried. Segovia is a relatively small city with a huge number of impressive monuments and buildings inside its medieval walls. We briefly see the convent of St. Jose, one of the Discalced Carmelite nuns’ convents, founded by St. Teresa herself. See the stunning Segovia Castle and the Church of St. John of the Cross, where we celebrate Mass. A special lunch awaits us today at Restaurant Candido (TBC). Following lunch, we continue to Madrid. Dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Madrid.

Following a morning city tour, we celebrate Mass at the Cathedral de la Almudena and visit the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation, an active Augustinian Monastery known for its extensive relic collection. Here we may venerate the relic of Saint Pantaleon, which contains the saint’s blood and is famous for liquefying annually in July. In the afternoon, we have time at leisure to visit the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace, or explore the different city neighbourhoods on our own. Our pilgrimage concludes with a farewell meal at a local restaurant featuring traditional Spanish paella and local wine. Overnight in Madrid. (B. Special dinner)

This morning, following breakfast, we are transferred to the airport for our flight home.