pilgrimage
13 days 12 nights Lisbon - Sintra - Evora-Marvao - Castelo de Vide - Fatima - Batalha - Accobaca
Join us on an unforgettable pilgrimage to Portugals Holy places,
Day 1
Lisbon
Arrival in Lisbon. Transfer to airport.
Day 2
Lisbon
A panoramic visit of the city. Sightseeing tour through the central area of Lisbon- Praça dos Restauradores, Av. Da Liberdade, Praça Marquês de Pombal, Parque Eduardo VII. Visit the cathedral and stroll through the streets of Alfama.
Day 3
Lisbon- Sintra- Lisbon (32km/40 min )
Continue touring Lisbon along the the river Tagus until reaching Belém, the western area of the city. Admire the Belem Tower which is the most original monument in the city of Lisbon. Another highlight of this area is St. Jerome’s monastery with its amazing church dedicated to St. Mary of Bethlehem. This monastery is situated in a wide square called “Praça do Império” where the 1940 Exhibition of the Portuguese World took place Leave Lisbon and arrive in Sintra - a lovely picturesque village found by the Celts and fortified by the Moors who remained there until the XII century and now a popular tourist area. The tour proceeds to Cabo da Roca, the most western point of continental Europe. Drive along the coastal road passing places like Estoril and Cascais.
Day 4
Évora- Marvão (133km/1h45 min) - Castelo de Vide (15km/15 min)
Depart South to Évora, passing across the Vasco da Gama bridge. This bridge was once the longest one in Europe with its almost 18 km length. Travel through the newest area of Lisbon with post modern architecture- Parque das Nações where the world exhibit, EXPO 98 took place. The big attraction here is the Oceanário, the biggest aquarium in Europe, receiving an average of 1 million visitors a year. Reach Évora which is a world heritage site and offers its visitors the atmosphere of the southern cities with its contrasting blue or dark yellow frames around the windows and the doors. The city has a variety of sites from prehistoric times as well as the Roman and Arab periods as well as the modern era. During the trip to Marvao visitors can enjoy the landscape with a predominance of vast cereal plantation, olive groves and huge extended cork oak forests. Marvão is situated on the mountain range of S. Mamede. It stands out on the landscape at the height of 1000 metres. The city was built on a cliff during the Moorish period. Later on it became one of the first line fortresses along the border of the Portuguese kingdom. Situated only about 20 km away is Castelo de Vide. Heading in its direction the visitor can experience the existence of a micro climate where chestnut trees can be seen which is not a common occurrence in the south. Castelo de Vide is also part of the first defensive line of the border. It is very beautiful with its white washed houses and the balconies full of geraniums. An important Jewish community once existed here and its secret synagogue, dating back to the time of the persecution of the Jews, can still be seen.
Day 5
Castelo de Vide - Tomar (120km/1h30min) - Fátima (60km/45 min)
Arrive at Tomar, mainly known for its monastery that belonged to the Templar Knights. It is considered as one of the most important in Europe. The next stop of the trip is Fátima. This place is visited by millions of Catholic pilgrims from all over the world. It is also interestig to understand what happened here in 1917.
Day 6
Fátima
This day is dedicated to the visit of the sanctuary and places related to the apparitions and life of the three shepherds. Visit the little chapel of the apparitions, the exact place where the Blessed Mother appeared to Lúcia, Fransisco and Jacinta. Visit of the basilica of the Rosary to see the tombs of the seers and also the new Church of the Holy Trinity. The last one is the masterpiece of Tombazis. Its interior is full of works of art by different artists from all over the world. It gives to the new basilica a more universal aspect. The new temple can seat 9000 people. In the afternoon, visit Aljustrel- the birth place of the seers which is 1 mile away from the Cova da Iria. Visit Loca do Anjo (apparition of the angel ) and the Hungarian Calvary ( way of the cross ). Free time for personal devotion.
Day 7
Fátima- Batalha (40km/40min)- Alcobaça (21km/30min) – Nazaré (13km.20min) – Coimbra (120km/2h)
Arrive at Batalha- one of the most beautiful late gothic cities in Portugal. The beginning of its construction dates back to 1388 and it was built with the idea of being a mausoleum to the second Portuguese dynasty. It also commemorates an important battle, from where it gets its name. Proceed to the Cistercian monastery of Alcobaça. According to some experts, it is the most well preserved Cistercian monastery in Europe. In this abbey lay the tombs of Pedro and Inês who had one of the most intense and tragic love stories. The tombs are frequently named as the most beautiful gothic tombs in Portugal. From Alcobaça the trip proceeds to the seaside village of Nazaré. From the top of the cliff the visitor can have a wonderful view over the ocean. The next stop is Coimbra- the city with the oldest university in Portugal, with academic traditions going back hundreds of years. Coimbra is full of renaissance buildings and the place where St. Antony and his sister Lucy lived( one of the seers of Fátima ).
Day 8
Coimbra - Porto (120km/1h30min)
Conclusion of the visit to Coimbra, proceeding to Porto ( Oporto ). The city of Oporto has the second largest population in Portugal and is of economic and industrial importance. The wine with the same name, that can be tasted in a local cellar, is known all over the world. Regarding the city’s architecture one of the characteristics is the building in granite stone. It is a grey colour that contrasts with the famous Portuguese glazed tiles (azuejos) on the façades of the buildings. Oporto’s soul is its river- Douro. Along the shores the visitor can see the traditional boats that in the past were used to transport the barrels of Porto wine. There are also 6 bridges over the river, one of which was built by Eiffel.
Day 9
Porto ( Douro Valley )
Region of production of the famous port wine. In the high slopes around the river Douro the wine is cultivated in terraces, about 1 m large, and everything is still made by hand. It’s the region characteristics that allow the production of such a particular wine, with its hot summers and schistous soils. Visit Peso da Régua, the place from where port wine was shipped to the wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. Return to Porto.
Day 10
Porto- Braga (60km/1h) - Guimarães (25km/30min)- Santiago (205km/2h30min)
The day is dedicated to the region of Minho in the north of Oporto. The landscape is full of vineyards of the unique vinho verde. Visit the baroque city of Braga, the city of the archbishops. It has the oldest cathedral in Portugal and one of the most interesting shrines in the country - The Bom Jesus. The Bom Jesus shrine amazes the visitor with its huge stairway decorated with fountains and gardens. Not far away from here is the city of Guimarães, considered the cradle of Portugal because the first Portuguese king and founder of the nation was born here. Not far from the city’s castle can be seen the ducal palace of the Dukes of Bragança. This is the most visited monument in Braga. From this point the visitors can have a pleasant stroll through the historical center of Guimarães, very well preserved in its medieval style. Proceed to the Spanish border, reaching the region of Galizia and its capital- the holy city of Santiago.
Day 11
Santiago
Santiago de Compostela is one of the 3 holy cities of the catholic world. It offers spirituality, culture and leisure. The apostle James had the mission of evangelizing Western Europe. After a while he decided to go back to the Holy land where he was martyred. His disciples brought back his body to the Iberian Peninsula and hid it due to the persecutions. The place of his grave was forgotten or never revealed until the sign of a star with a beam of light indicated it to a monk. After the discovery of his body, Pilgrims from all over Europe demanded that the city be an alternative to Jerusalem.The cathedral is a masterpiece of Romanesque and Baroque style. Santiago is a city with a medieval atmosphere, built in granite, full of nice shops under the arcades of the buildings. Under the same arcades in the evening groups of university students can be seen, dressed in their traditional costumes, playing and singing, which creates a unique atmosphere in the city.
Day 12
Santiago- Viana do Castelo (180km/2h)- Porto (80km/1h)
Leaving Santiago de Compostela return to Portuguese territory to visit a beautiful sanctuary in Viana do Castelo, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was inspires by the one in Paris. In Viana do Castelo the church is on the top of mount St. Luzia and from there there is a nice view of the city, its river, crossed by a bridge built by Eiffel, and the ocean. Visit downtown and proceed to Porto. Free afternoon.
Day 13
Porto
Transfer to the airport.
