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800-206-TOUR(8687) |
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YOUR TRIP INCLUDES:
~ 2 nights: Santa Maria Jardim, Fatima, Portugal
~ 1 night: Hotel
Abba Fonseca, Salamanca, Spain
~ 1
night: Hotel AC Ciudad de Pamplona, Pamplona
~ 1 night:
AC
San Antonio, Leon
* "Land Only *" does not include airfare or airport transfers.
Sample Day-by-Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart USA Board your overnight transatlantic flights from your home town. Meals are served on board.
Day 2: Arrive Lisbon Arrive Lisbon. Meet your Priest, tour guide and fellow pilgrims. After an orientation drive through Lisbon, we stop and visit St. Anthony's Church. Despite what might be assumed from his name, Saint Anthony was born and grew up in Lisbon. Traditionally, the invocation of his name is considered the best means of locating lost objects. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon.
Day 3: Lisbon - Santarem - Fatima After breakfast depart Lisbon for Santarem, where one of the oldest cities in the world is located. We will walk through its narrow streets to the Church of St Stephen, containing the oldest recorded Eucharistic miracle. This miracle has been on continuous display since 1269. We then continue on to Fatima, the place where the Blessed Mother appeared in 1917 to three simple shepherd children and exhorted mankind to pray for world peace. Dinner and overnight in Fatima
Day 4: Fatima Six times, from the May 13 to Oct 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in the diocese of Leiria. A new church is under construction, however just as beautiful, an older church was constructed here in 1928, and millions of pilgrims visit each year. Fatima is one of the most visited holy places for Catholics from around the world. The atmosphere of intense spirituality and the importance of Fatima have been attested to by the visits of two Popes: Paul VI and John Paul II. Touring Fatima, see the Little Chapel of the Apparitions, Basilica, the site of Francesco and Jacinta's graves, the Hamlet of Aljustrel, where the children lived, and Valinhos, the site of Our Lady's appearance after the children's return from prison. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra (The Sacred Way) culminating in the Chapel of Calvary, which overlooks all of Fatima. Join pilgrims from around the world in an evening candlelight procession to pray the rosary. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.
Day 5: Fatima -
Salamanca Day 7: Burgos - Loyola - Lourdes After breakfast depart Burgos, heading for Lourdes, France. En route stop in Loyola, the birthplace of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Here, we'll see the 17th Century Basilica dedicated to St Ignatius. Behind the sanctuary is the family home of St. Ignatius, which we'll visit during our stop. The most venerated place in this building is the room where Ignatius at age 30, was brought following his serious wounding at the Battle of Pamplona. Later we motor through the Pyrenees Mountains into Lourdes. Here, standing between the spectacular mountain-river, Gave de Pau, stands picturesque Lourdes, the birthplace of St Bernadette to whom Our Lady appeared in 1858 near the Grotto of Massabielle. Settle into your hotel, explore before dinner, followed by a candlelight procession (every evening from Apr through Oct) before retiring for the evening.
Day 11: Pamplona - Puente la Reina - Santo Domingo de la Calzada - Santo Domingo de Silos
After
breakfast in the hotel we will depart Pamplona. In our journey we will visit two of
the most important cities related to El Camino: Puente la Reina and
Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Puente la Reina means literally the "bridge
of the Queen" and was built by doña Mayor de Navarra in the 11th century
to help the pilgrims to cross over the river Arga. In this medieval city
we will be able to visit the Church of the Crucifix built by the members
of the Order of the Temple and the Church of Santiago which contains one
of the finest multicolored sculptures representing the Apostle Santiago
that can be found along the Santiago Route. Santo Domingo de la Calzada
is situated on the banks of the Oja River and its name refers to its
founder: Saint Dominic de la Calzada who built a bridge, hospital and
hostel here for pilgrims. There are many miracles related to Saint
Dominic but he most famous one concerns that of the rooster and the
chicken. The story goes that in the 14th century, a German 18-year old
named Hugonell, from Xanten, goes on pilgrimage to Santiago de
Compostela with his parents. A Spanish girl at the hostel where they
were staying makes sexual advances toward Hugonell; Hugonell denies her
advances. Angry at this, the girl hides a silver cup in the German’s bag
and then informs the authorities that the youth had taken it. Hugonell
is sentenced to the gallows, in accordance with the laws of Alfonso X of
Castile. The parents sadly decide to examine their son’s body, still
hanging on the gallows, but suddenly hear his voice - he tells them that
Saint Dominic has saved his life. His parents quickly make their way to
Santiago de Compostela to see the magistrate. The magistrate, who is at
the time eating dinner, remarks: “Your son is as alive as this rooster
and chicken that I was feasting on before you interrupted me.” And in
that moment, the two birds jump from the plate and begin to sing and
crow happily. Dinner and overnight in
Santo Domingo de Silos. Day 12: Santo Domingo de Silos - Leon Breakfast in the hotel. In the morning we will do an excursion to Santo Domingo de Silos. We will visit the Benedictine abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, one of Spain’s greatest Christian monuments. Its main feature is a great double-storey XI Century Romanesque cloister, whose beautiful sculptural decoration is in many ways unique. After the visit we will be able to listen to the Gregorian chants by the monks of the monastery. The monks are considered one of the two or three best choirs in the World. Dinner and overnight in Leon.
Day 13: Leon - Astorga/Ponferrada After breakfast in the hotel we will meet with a local guide. Leon amasses some of Spain’s most important historic-artistic monuments, like its Cathedral, a Gothic gem and a masterpiece of the Gothic architecture with the best collection of stained-glass windows in Europe (only after Chartres). Next to the Cathedral, there is the Roman Saint Isidoro Basilica (eleventh and twelfth century), where Saint Isidoro of Seville tomb is kept; and the Saint Marcus Monastery, with its fantastic front in Plateresque style bedecked with shells (the symbol of the pilgrim). After the visit we'll continue our journey. Depending on the available hotels we will stay in Astorga or in Ponferrada. The historical and religious city of Astorga, called Astúrica by the Romans, once had 25 hospitals. On it the French and the Plata Routes to Santiago converge. The extraordinary Gothic Cathedral, from the 15 C presides over the town. The Episcopal Palace or Gaudí Palace houses the Museo de los Caminos, which displays pieces from all churches related to the Route to Santiago. The city of Ponferrada, with Prehistoric and Roman antecedents, had two accesses in the middle Ages. One was via the Roman bridge spanning the Boeza river, sunk in the 18 C; the other was via the path of the Gallegos and then, crossing the river by the Medieval bridge of Mascarón. At the end of the 11 C, the Bishop of Astorga, Osmundo, commissioned the building of a new bridge, "la Pons Ferrata", a pass with iron banisters which gave name to the city. Later on, between the 11 and 14 C, the Castle of the Knights Templar was built. At the end of the 15 C, the Catholic Monarchs commissioned the construction of the Hospital de la Reina, next to the fortress. In this monumental town also stand the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Encina, from the 16 C (built to commemorate the apparition of the Virgin in a grove of Holm oaks) and the Baroque church of San Andres, from the 17 C, which is home to an outstanding retable from the 13 C, "The Christ of the Wonders". Overnight in Astorga or Ponferrada.
Day 14: Astorga/Ponferrada - Villafranca del Bierzo - O Cebrerio - Santiago de Compostela
After
breakfast at our hotel we will depart for Santiago de Compostela. In our
way we will visit Villafranca del Bierzo, a town founded in the 11 C,
where the Cluny Order had an important representation. We can enjoy the
Collegiate Church of Santa María, built between the 13 and 16 C; the
churches of Santiago (12 C) and San Nicolas, as well as the Agua Street,
full of palaces and emblazoned houses. The Castle-Palace of the
Marquisate is worthy of being visited. Later we will enter Galicia by
Lugo, not far from Santiago. The first village in the region of Lugo
along the Route is Cebreiro, with an altitude of 1,300 meters. A group
of "pallozas" can be seen (Pre-Romanesque circular houses with straw
roofs) and a beautiful Pre-Romanesque temple, from the 9-10 C,
containing a Chalice, the Paten of "Santo Milagro" (Holy Miracle) and a
precious Romanesque carving of Santa Maria la Real. In the evening we
will arrive to Santiago de Compostela. In the beginning of the 9C the
sepulcher of Santiago el Mayor (James the Greater), evangelist in Spain,
was discovered. Pelayo, a hermit who lived in the former diocese of Iria
Flavia, had a "divine revelation" in the deep of the forest. He sees
"altar lights" and hears "angels singing". The parishioners of San Félix
de Solobio, at the foot of the forest, announced the event. The Bishop
Teodomiro went in the forest, found the mausoleum and identified it as
the Apostle Santiago’s tomb. At a time when Europe needed to be united,
the Route to Santiago was the first element that made it possible. The
find of the sepulcher of the first Apostle Martyr became an
unquestionable symbol, compatible with the diverse conceptions of the
Christian people. Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela. Day 15: Santiago de Compostela Breakfast in the hotel. We'll set out in the cool morning air to join the walking pilgrims at the Monte del Gozo (Mount Joy) from which the spires of the Cathedral are first visible. We will walk the last couple of miles of El Camino. Very soon, we will arrive at the Cathedral, the destination we have been yearning to reach for a long time. After arrival in the Cathedral square and give thanks to God for taking care of us during our pilgrimage, we will visit and attend the International Pilgrim Mass at the Cathedral of St. James, one of the finest examples of architecture in all of Europe. Access to the Doorway of Glory is via the Obradoiro façade. Once in its interior, we will be carried away by the emotions produced by the sight of so many extraordinary valuable works of art. Tradition invites us to perform some rites: The most important and meaningful one is the hug to the Saint, go under the main altar and visit the crypt where the relics of St. James are preserved. Later on, the pagan rite of the bumps. It consists in reaching for a branch on the mullion, below the figure of the Sitting Apostle and, later making three wishes. On the other side of the column, there is another statue believed to impart wisdom and talents to whoever bumps his head against it. In the afternoon we will visit the city of Santiago: Obradoiro Square, Fonseca Palace, Gelmirez Palace, Franco Street, etc. Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
Day 16: Departure from Santiago de Compostela Breakfast in the hotel. In the morning we will say hasta luego (see you soon or good bye) to our new friends. We transfer to Santiago Airport for your departure and/or additional tours that are available.
Any questions? Call 800-206-TOUR - or - E-Mail Us
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Round-trip air from
New York (special
