Your trip includes
-
Round trip airfare from Columbus (CMH)
- Airport Taxes and Fuel Surcharges
- Hotel accommodations: (or similar) in double occupancy
- ~ 1 night: Aug 27 - 28: Lumen Lisboa Hotel, Lisbon, Portugal
- ~ 3 nights: Aug 28 - 31: Hotel Santa Maria, Fatima, Portugal
- ~ 4 nights: Aug 31 - Sep 4: Grand Hotel Moderne, Lourdes, France
- ~ 4 nights: Sep 4 - 8: Hotel Grace, Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Breakfast and Dinners daily
- Wine and mineral water with dinners
- Transfers as per itinerary
- Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach
- Free Wi-Fi on motor coach
- Headsets where needed
- Assistance of a professional local Guide
- Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary
- Mass daily & Spiritual activities
- Luggage handling (1 piece per person)
- Tips to hotel staff, restaurants, luggage handlers
- Flight bag & PDF digital confirmation of all travel documents
Not Included
- lunches and beverages not mentioned, tips to your guide & driver.
Itinerary
Day 1 | Wednesday, August 26: Depart for Lisbon
Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.
Day 2 | Thursday, August 27: Arrive Lisbon
Upon landing at Lisbon Portela Airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival’s hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. You will be escorted to the bus and we will begin a panoramic sightseeing tour of Lisbon. We will stop at the St. Jerome’s Monastery, built to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for guiding Vasco da Gama on his voyage that linked Europe and Asia. Continue to drive by the Belem Quarter that contains the iconic entryway to the Lisbon harbor, the Belem Tower. This important structure of history has many beautiful sculptures, such as depictions of, St. Vincent and Our Lady of Safe Homecoming. Next stop is St. Anthony’s Church, built upon the site of Saint’s birth, it is here that we will celebrate Mass. Although this patron Saint of lost things is known as St. Anthony of Padua (Italy), he was born in Lisbon, Portugal. This Church is built upon the site of St. Anthony’s birth and is also where Saint John Paul II visited in 1982. After Mass, we will drive to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 | Friday, August 28: Lisbon - Santarem - Fatima
Today, we will travel north to the old city of Santarem. In Santarem visit and attend Mass at the Church of St. Stephen, which holds (13th century) Eucharistic Miracle: The Miracle occurred when a woman yearned to change the ways of her unfaithful husband and consulted a sorceress. The sorceress agreed that she would cure the husband’s infidelity in exchange for a consecrated Host. Visit the Church of St. Stephen where another miracle occurred; the miraculous Host was originally put in a wax container, however, when a priest opened the tabernacle to view the Host, the container was found broken, and the Host was found enclosed in a crystal pyx. Continue to Fatima with a visit to the Hamlet of Aljustrel, the home of the three shepherd children. visit of the Parish Church and Fatima Parish Cemetery. Continue to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Days 4 & 5 | Saturday & Sunday, August 29 & 30: Fatima
Next two days will be a memorable experience as you pray and meditate upon one of Our Blessed Mother’s apparition sites. Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children; Lucia (age 10), Jacinta (age 7), and Francisco (age 9). These apparitions occurred monthly from May until October of 1917. Historically, as the entire world was in true turmoil, Our Lady’s most prominent message during this time was to pray for world peace. The destruction of the world at that point in history was also mentioned by Our Lady in her messages of Fatima, and more specifically, in her second secret to the children. Our profoundly reflective day begins with a visit to the Little Chapel of the Apparitions. This simple, yet modern, the chapel is the site of where the Virgin Mary first appeared on May 13, 1917. Continue with a visit to the stunning neoclassical church, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. This Sacred space contains the tombs of Blessed Francisco, Blessed Jacinta, and Sister Lucia. View the monument, that commemorates the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in the square. Due to Our Lady’s consistency in Her messages to pray the Rosary, this Basilica also features fifteen altars that are dedicated to the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. While in the Basilica, you will be able to feel, through the Love of Our Lord and Lady, the many graces that were received here. Visit the Museum with the exhibition: Fatima: Light and Peace. Continue with a visit to the Holy Trinity Basilica. After free time for lunch, we will experience Christ’s unconditional love by participating in the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra. The “Sacred Way” marks the path taken by the shepherd children of Fatima to their first apparition with Our Lady. It is composed of fifteen small chapels in commemoration of the Passion of Our Lord. The fifteenth station, the Resurrection, can be found close to the Chapel of Calvary, dedicated to St. Stephen, King of Hungary. Ending the day with a visit to Valinhos, the site of Our Lady’s August 1917 apparition and the first and third apparition of the Angel. Your night will conclude with private devotions, and a candlelight procession, requested by Our Lady (1917). Enjoy dinner and a comfortable night’s rest in Fatima.
Day 6 | Monday, August 31: Fatima - Lourdes
Following breakfast, transfer to Lisbon airport for short flight to Toulouse. Upon arriving at Toulouse airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival’s hall, where you will be greeted by your driver. Embark on a scenic drive to Lourdes. Check-in to your hotel and relax or explore before dinner. Following dinner, you will have free time to pray the Rosary and to attend the candlelight procession. (April-October only). These processions are lit by candlelight and guided by the Most Holy Rosary. Following this prayerful experience, you will return to your hotel for an overnight.
Days 7 - 9 | Tuesday - Thursday, September 1 - 3: In Lourdes
Over the next three days, you will wake up in a small town that is nestled within the Pyrenees Mountains. During your time in Lourdes, you will pray and meditate in yet another site of Our Lady’s apparitions. Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette in 1858, and announced herself as “The Immaculate Conception”, near the Grotto of Massabielle. At the first two apparitions, little Bernadette prayed the Rosary with Our Lady and left without any exchange of words. During the following apparitions, Our Lady emphasized God’s love for us, penance and the necessity of performing acts of penance for sinners. Throughout your time in Lourdes, you will have the opportunity to attend Mass at the Grotto of where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette; watch a video presentation that explains, in detail, the story of Lourdes; drink water from the miraculous spring that has healed many, and submerge yourself in the healing baths. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to experience Christ’s unconditional love as you meditate on the “life-size” Stations of the Cross that overlook the Grotto of Massabielle. Also, while in Lourdes, you will walk in and meditate upon the footsteps of St. Bernadette. You will have the opportunity to see Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette; and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. In the evening, you will have free time to attend the Blessed Sacrament Procession before dinner. Following dinner participate in the candlelight procession and the Rosary.( April- October). Return to hotel for a restful night of sleep.
Day 10 | Friday, September 4: Lourdes – Medjugorje
You will have an early morning transfer from Lourdes to board your flight(s) to Medjugorje. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver, who will take you on the 2.5 hour drive to the village of Medjugorje. Dinner and overnight.
Days 11 - 13 | Saturday - Monday, September 5 - 7: Medjugorje
The most beautiful features of Medjugorje are its simplicity and peace. While in Medjugorje, you may experience your faith grow, and share in the faith journey of pilgrims from all over the world. A local guide will accompany your group throughout your stay in the village.
Some activities that will accompany you in your spiritual journey:
Attend Daily Mass: Each morning at 10:00 AM, your group will assemble at St. James Church for Mass (English-Speaking). At the end of each Mass, regardless of language, there is a blessing of the religious articles that you have with you.
On Feast Days and Sundays: English Mass is at 12 PM.
Climb Apparition Hill: This mountainous hill is where the visionaries first encountered Our Lady. At the base of this hill is a Blue Cross, where it is said Our Lady appeared to the children while they hid from the communist police in the early days of the alleged apparitions. While climbing, your group is invited to recite the Rosary, pausing five times for each decade of the Rosary. At the top of the hill, you will witness the exact location of the first alleged apparition of Our Lady to the visionaries, and enjoy private time for prayer.
Climb Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain): In 1933, the villagers built a 30′ high cross atop a mountain to commemorate Jesus’ passion and death on the cross. Your group will have the opportunity to climb this mountain, and venerate that very cross. While climbing, your group is invited to pray the Stations of the Cross (to meditate on Jesus’ suffering Road to Calvary), pausing fifteen times for each Station.
Apparitions: Each evening at 6:00 PM your group can join the villagers and fellow pilgrims of Medjugorje at either St James Church or Apparition Hill to commemorate the time Our Lady appears to the Visionaries. There you can pray the Rosary, as you all await that time (6:40 PM).
*Afterward, Croatian Mass is held at St. James Church and is free to all to attend. It is broadcasted by the radio, simultaneously in order to translate the services from Croatian into many languages. Following the Croatian Mass, there is a Blessing of the Sick.
**For details about the Visionaries, please visit: www.206tours.com/visionaries
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Our Lady has always called us to be close to her Son. For this, you will have the opportunity to adore the Blessed Sacrament at the altar outside of St. James Church. Adoration is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays; Veneration of the Cross is held on Fridays inside the church. Additionally, there is an Adoration Chapel on the grounds of St. James Church, where Adoration is held in the afternoon hours.
Visit to the Community of Cenacolo: You will have the opportunity to visit the community of Cenacolo, founded by the Sisters of Charity, for young men and women who have taken a wrong path and are on the road to recovery. You will be able to listen to their inspirational words about their journeys back to Jesus Christ.
Prayer at the Statue of the Risen Christ: The bronze statue of the Risen Christ is located on the grounds of St. James Church. Many pilgrims sit and pray on the benches surrounding this peaceful statue. This statue miraculously seeps droplets of water at all times of the day, out of Christ’s right knee.
*Please be advised that there will not be a spiritual director with you throughout your stay in Medjugorje. Daily Mass in English and English confessions are available at St. James Church in Medjugorje.
Day 14 | Tuesday, September 8: Return Home
After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach for Dubrovnik, Split or Sarajevo Airport for return flights home.
*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of places to be visited. Occasionally local religious holidays, national days, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of visits or the missing of certain visits.
Would you like to arrive earlier or stay later?
Let us know at the time of registration if you would like to arrive earlier, or stay later, than the scheduled tour dates, and pending availability, we will change your airline reservations accordingly, additional fees may apply. Pre- and/or post-stays at the hotel will cost an additional fee. These options should be available to you when registering online, or simply contact us: sales@206tours.com