Portugal, Spain, and France

Small group. Mass daily. Lovely meals. Wine tasting. Dinner in a brewery. Plus a few apparitions, a Eucharistic Miracle, some chanting monks, and lots of saints.

Is this pilgrimage trip for you?

You need to be flexible.
This pilgrimage is not for grumpy people or those unable to be joyfully flexible. Europe is fully back to normal, but the world is still a bit uncertain. While I don’t expect any complications, we have be able to adjust our plans if needed.

So if you are easy-going and excited to travel, even with some uncertainties mixed in, this could be the trip for you!

You should be in good physical shape.
We will do a bit of walking, much of it outside, and much of it on uneven ground. We can walk up to several miles on a few of the days. Please do consider this before signing up.

Itinerary

May 27th: We meet today at 3 PM in the lobby of our Lisbon hotel and head out to explore this beautiful city. We will visit where Saint Anthony of Padua was born and the room where Mary appeared to Jacinta. We have a fun dinner planned for this evening.

May 28th: This morning we travel north to Fatima. We will stop along the way to see the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem. This evening in Fatima we will attend the rosary and candlelight procession.

May 29th: Today our local guide will take us to the home of Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. We will celebrate Mass in the Chapel of Apparitions. You’ll have time for confessions and adoration in the shrine. Overnight in Fatima.

May 30th and 31st Today we cross over into Spain. We are staying in a quaint hacienda, formerly a Dominican convent with a cool connection to the US. From here we will day trip to Ávila and walk in the footsteps of Saint Teresa.

June 1st and 2nd This afternoon we will move inside the city. We are staying two nights in a former convent, now a five star hotel, in the center of Salamanca. We will tour the city and you’ll have some time to explore on your own.

June 3rd: Today we head north. We will be stopping in Santo Domingo de Silos to join afternoon prayer with the famous chanting monks. From here, we head to Burgos. Located on the Camino, Burgos has been a beautiful spot to rest for hundreds of years. The cathedral is one of the best in Spain. You’ll even have some time today to walk a bit of the Camino and get a taste for perhaps a future pilgrimage.

June 4th: Today we travel to France, but first we will stop in the birthplace of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and celebrate Mass here. Later today we arrive in Lourdes. You’ll have time to freshen up before we follow in the footsteps of Saint Bernadette. We’ll visit the spot of her birth and the home where she lived. After dinner this evening you’ll have a chance to participate in the evening candlelight procession.

June 5th: After Mass this morning, you’ll have the day to enjoy the shrine. Reconciliation, the healing waters, adoration, and personal reflection before our dinner.

June 6th: Morning departures. I am available to help you get where you need to be… airport, train station, etc.

Price

$4,200 per person – ground only.

The cost is per person, in double occupancy, meaning two people to a room.

Your $1,000 deposit secures your space.

Final payment is due April 27th, 2024. Final payment is nonrefundable.

Traveling alone?
I match singles with other traveling singles (of the same sex) and that always works out great. If you are uncomfortable sharing a room with a stranger, you can request a single room for an additional $800. Single rooms at this price are extremely limited. So, first come, first served.

Included in the price

Accommodations for 10 nights
We are staying one night in Lisbon at a five star hotel.

We are staying two nights in Fatima at a quaint hotel overlooking the Shrine.

We are staying two nights just outside Salamanca in a former convent, now a five star hacienda.

We are staying two nights in Salamanca at a five star hotel in the city center.

We are staying one night in Burgos in a 16th century palace.

We are staying two nights in Lourdes at a classy hotel just off the Shrine.

Breakfast daily plus 8 additional meals.

Drinks, including wine, are included in all our meals.

All group ground transportation
We’ll be traveling in a private motor coach.

Excellent local experts

Full time service of a tour director
I’ll be with you at all times.

No hidden costs
If we do it as a group, it’s included in the price! You are responsible only for things you do on your own, souvenirs you wish to buy, and Mass donations directly to the churches.

Guaranteed price
Once I receive your deposit, your tour price will not go up!

All tips for group meals, guides, and drivers
Would you believe that many tour companies require you to tip as you go? Not only does that add to the advertised sticker price of a tour, it’s also a huge hassle to you! No need to worry about that here. Tips are already included.

Entry fees and tours
All entry fees and tours to our included group activities.

You time
We have a lot planned, but time on your own is important. We take our time in churches to give you the opportunity for prayer and reflection. We also include free time for you to explore, shop, and relax.

Not Included

Your flights
We will begin on May 27th at 3 PM with a city tour, Mass, and dinner.

You should fly into LIS no later than May 27th. Most flights from the US will depart late on the 26th, and arrive the morning of the 27th.

Most people like to arrive a day or two early to get over jet-lag and to enjoy the sea – the waters in Portugal are gorgeous. Also, Lisbon is an amazing city. Our hotel also has a spa and a rooftop pool and bar, great ways to fight off jet-lag! If you need extra nights at the hotel, you can book that directly with them.

Our last group activity is dinner together on June 5th. We have the hotel rooms for the night of the 5th so you can schedule your flight June 6th or later.

There is an airport in Lourdes, airport code LDE. Flights here will connect you to cities within Europe.

There is also an airport in Toulouse, TLS, with more flight options, but it’s about an hour and a half outside of Lourdes – accessible by train or car.

Another option is to take the high speed train to Paris and spend a few days there. The high speed train departs Lourdes and arrives in Paris less than five hours later, the cost is around $150 per person. Most of the people on my trips take this option. Might as well spend a day or two in Paris if you are this close.

Most airlines are offering free changes should anything happen to the trip. Some airlines are not offering refunds, but rather a credit.

If you need to cancel your trip for any reason, or if the situation in the Europe changes and we need to cancel or postpone the trip, it’s your responsibility to work with your airline to cancel, reschedule, or request refunds.

If you have any questions or concerns about booking your flight, email me.

Airport transfers
Taxis, private drivers, and Uber are readily available.

No Hassle Cancellations

No other tour or pilgrimage company offers this level of free cancellation coverage.

If you need to cancel for any reason at all, up to 60 days before the start of the trip, you will be refunded 100% of the cost of the pilgrimage.

If you need to cancel for any reason at all up to 30 days days of departure, you’ll get everything back minus the deposit.

If you need to cancel after that time, you’ll need to use trip insurance for refunds, because I will have paid in full for everything by that point. 🙂

If for any reason I need to cancel or postpone the trip, you will be refunded 100% of the cost of the pilgrimage.

In all cases, you are responsible for working with the airline to get credit or refunds for changed or cancelled flights.

Trip insurance is a wise investment in case something comes up while you are in Europe. If you think there is any chance you may need to cancel, I recommend you purchase travel insurance. A “Cancel for Any Reason” plan will let you, well, cancel for ‘most’ any reason. Most plans should allow for at least a 75% refund should you need to cancel at any time before departure. I have a friend who specializes in trip insurance, you can contact him directly, but you are under no obligation to use him and I don’t get any sort of kick backs, so shop around and find what is best for you.