Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Upon arrival in Barcelona, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and then continue to the Arrival hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. You will be escorted to the vehicle for your transfer to your hotel. Upon arrival, you will check in and have free time to rest and refresh or explore. This evening, you will enjoy a welcoming dinner, followed by an overnight in Barcelona.

This morning, your day will begin with breakfast and a sightseeing tour of Barcelona! Enjoy the stunning panoramic views of the Port of Barcelona, Montjuic, Plaza de España, and Plaza de Catalunya. The Port was created 2,000 years ago on the coastal area, to protect and provide access for ships and goods. Currently, it is home to numerous walking areas, businesses, cultural and sporting events. Plaza de España is right outside the center of town and was formerly known for its old bull-fighting ring. Presently, the Plaza is renowned for containing the Museum of Catalan Art, situated on the side of Montjuic. Plaza de Catalunya is in central Barcelona and is known for its fountains and statues. Your day of touring will continue with a guided walk through the Gothic Quarter which contains remains from an ancient Roman village, including the Cathedral of Barcelona. We will continue to the Eixample Quarter to visit Antoni Gaudi’s stunning, but unfinished Roman Catholic Basilica, La Sagrada Familia. In the afternoon, we will travel to Manresa, with a visit to the Sanctuary of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the Holy Cave where St. Ignatius lived. Continue to Montserrat, home to the miraculous Black Madonna, and arrive in time for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, located on a rugged mountainside. According to Catholic tradition, St. Luke carved the statue of the Black Madonna around 50 A.D. and brought it to Spain. While in Spain, it was hidden from the Moor, and then later rediscovered by shepherds. In 880 A.D., the shepherds and the Bishop of Manresa were drawn to a grotto by a bright light and heavenly music. Upon discovery of the statue of the Black Madonna in the grotto, the Bishop of Manresa suggested that it be moved to Manresa. However, the status was too heavy that it could not be lifted. As a result, the Virgin remained in Montserrat and continued to be venerated there for centuries. As years progressed, several chapels were built upon the site, and in the eleventh century, the abbot-bishop Oliba founded a monastery on Montserrat, next to one of these chapels. Dinner and an overnight in Montserrat.

This morning, following breakfast, your group will depart for Zaragoza. While in Zaragoza, you will have the opportunity to visit the magnificent Basilica del Pilar that was built upon the site where Our Lady appeared to St. James. In 44 A.D. St. James the Greater was spreading the Gospel in Spain but making very little progress and questioning his mission. According to Catholic Tradition, the Virgin Mary, who was still living in Jerusalem, bi-located and appeared to St. James the Greater to boost his morale. While inside the Basilica, you will view the pillar that was carried by angels and from where Our Lady appeared. Following your visit to the Basilica del Pilar, you will visit La Seo Cathedral (Cathedral of Zaragoza). Formally known as the Church of San Vicente during the Visigoth period, it contains architectural elements of Gothic, Mudejar, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. In addition to the famous cathedral, Zaragoza is also known for its folklore and local gastronomy, both of which will be explored on your walking tour of the city. This evening, your group will continue to Madrid, where you will eat your dinner and enjoy a restful overnight.

After breakfast, we will enjoy a tour of Madrid including the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor. We then depart for Toledo which sits on a rocky mound isolated on three sides by a looping gorge of the Río Tajo. Every available inch of this outcrop has churches, synagogues, mosques, and houses heaped upon one another in a haphazard spiral, which the cobbled lanes infiltrate as best they can. Toledo is known as the City of the Three Religions or Cultures because for many centuries the Christians, the Moors, and the Jews lived together in relative equality and peace. The city surrounded by walls hides great treasured: its awesome Cathedral, the church of Santo Tomé, the Tránsito Synagogue, Santa María La Blanca Synagogue, the superb church of San Juan de los Reyes, Puerta de Bisagras, Puerta del Cambrón, Puerta del Sol, etc. We return to Madrid for dinner and overnight.

Today, you will depart Madrid and head towards the city of Santiago de Compostela. While en route, you will make a stop in Astorga, with a visit to the Bishop’s Palace built by Antonio Gaudi, which holds the Museum of El Camino. Later this afternoon, you will enter Galicia, by way of the city of Lugo. Your first stop will be O Cebreiro, the first village in the region of Lugo nestled in the mountains at an altitude of 1,300 meters. While in O Cebreiro, you will have the opportunity to view the iconic palloza-style houses and the site of a Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the year 1300. In the evening, you will proceed to Santiago de Compostela for your dinner and overnight.

This morning, you will walk a few miles of El Camino, immerse yourselves in the fragrant eucalyptus groves, and experience the breathtaking scenery. Later this morning you will attend the International Pilgrim Mass at the Cathedral of St. James. After Mass, there will be free time for lunch and visit the Cathedral of Santiago. Formed by Galician granite, this Cathedral is one of the finest architectural examples in Europe as it encompasses Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. Additionally, the Cathedral contains numerous valuable pieces of art that truly captivate the eye. Upon entering the Cathedral, tradition will lead as you hug the dazzling statue of St. James. Following this intimate embrace, you will descend into the crypt where the Patron Saint of Pilgrims’ relics are kept. After that, you will enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city. Some stops on your tour include the Obradoiro Square, Fonseca Palace, Gemirez Palace, Franco Street, and much more. Your evening will be free to spend at your leisure until a final dinner with your group. You will spend a final overnight in Santiago de Compostela.

Today you will enjoy an early morning breakfast and say farewell to your fellow pilgrims and a pilgrimage that will be embedded in your hearts forever. You will transfer to Santiago or La Coruna airport for your return flight(s) home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.