Address: Grodzka 54 31-044 Kraków, Polska tel./fax: +48 12 633 65 56 tel.mov: +48 502 53 54 58 e-mail: ernesto@ernesto-travel.pl www: www.ernesto-travel.pl skype: ernesto-travel In Partnership with Marian Shrines Pilgrimage 12 days A 12 days pilgrimage through the most important Marian Sanctuaries of Western Europe. During the trip you will also visit some places related to the great saints of the Catholic Church, such as St. Teresa of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. The program includes the following countries, cities and localities: PORTUGAL: Lisbon, Fatima, Coimbra; SPAIN: Alba de Tormes, Ávila, Burgos, Loyola; FRANCE: Lourdes; ITALY: Turin or Milan, Montecatini, Florence, Siena, Assisi, Rome. 1
1 st day Arrival in Lisbon Fatima Arrival in Lisbon. Meeting with the tour leader and driver from Ernesto Travel. Panoramic tour of Lisbon by bus, during which you will be able to appreciate the emblematic sites for the Portuguese capital such as the Castle of St. George, the Lisbon Cathedral, the Commerce Square, the Tower of Belem, the Jeronimos Monastery or the 25th of April Bridge. The route will also pass next to the famous Pastry of Belem in which, for 180 years, following an old recipe of the Monastery of the Jeronimos, the most famous cakes of Portugal are produced. In addition, along the way you can see also the "electric", the trams of Lisbon, the symbol of the city. Departure for Fatima /130 km/. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay in Fatima. 2 nd day Fatima Visit to the Sanctuary of Fatima. In the complex the most important places are the Chapel of the Apparitions, built in the place of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that took place in 1917, and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in which are the tombs of the three Children sighted, brothers Francisco and Jacinta Marto and Lucía Santos. In the territory of the Sanctuary the Azinheira Grande continues to grow, the oak next to which the little shepherds waited for the Virgin to appear. Visit to the houses of the visionary children, Lucia Santos and Francisco and Jacinta Marto. Visit to the different places of the apparitions of the Virgin (such as the Valinhos) and the Angel of Peace. Cross the road of the Way of the Cross that leads to the chapel of Calvary (marked by the same path that the children followed to get from their home in Aljustrel to the Cova da Iria, the place of the apparitions). Dinner. At night, procession of candles and prayer of the Holy Rosary in the Sanctuary. The last night in Fatima. 3 rd day Fatima Coimbra Alba de Tormes Ávila Departure from Fatima to Coimbra. /85 km/ Passing through Coimbra, the city where the first university was founded in Portugal, until today a very important university center, related to several student traditions. In Coimbra will visit the convent of the Carmelite sisters where as a nun lived (for 57 years) and one of the visionaries, Lucia dos Santos, passed away. Depatrur to Alba de Tormes. /320 km/ During the way free time for lunch. On the way you will pass through Alba de Tormes, a small town where the Convent of the Carmelite Mothers 2 Lisbon Fatima Coimbra Alba de Tormes
of the Annunciation, founded by St. Teresa of Jesus, later found to be the place of her death. In the church of the convent is buried the body of the saint, exhibited in the main altarpiece next to two of its most important relics, left arm and heart. Departure to Ávila. /100 km/ Arrival in Ávila. Dinner and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Ávila. 4 th day Ávila Burgos Visit of Ávila, the hometown of Teresa de Cepeda and Ahumada, later known as Santa Teresa de Jesús. The most significant places related to the life of the saint are: the church-convent with museum of Santa Teresa (a building built on the saint's birthplace), the convent of St. Joseph (the first foundation carried out by St. Teresa ), The Monastery of the Incarnation (which Teresa entered when fleeing from her paternal home and where her cell can be seen), among others. In addition, the old city (with the impressive wall) of Avila and churches outside the walls are considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Departure to Burgos. /260 km/ Arrival in Burgos. Dinner and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Burgos. 5 th day Burgos Loyola Lourdes Visit Burgos, one of the most important cities in the history of Spain, with its impressive Cathedral of Santa Maria, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in which is the tomb of Cid, a legendary Castilian knight. It is the only cathedral in Spain that has this distinction of the UNESCO of independent form (without company of other buildings nor being united to the historical center). In addition, Burgos is part of one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago, so in the city you can see many pilgrims. Departure to Loyola. /200 km/ Arrival in Loyola. Visit to the city of Loyola, the place of birth and conversion of Íñigo López de Loyola, future Saint Ignatius, founder of the Company of Jesus (the Jesuits). In the city is the Sanctuary of Loyola, built around the tower house of the Loyola family, which includes the Basilica of Loyola and the birthplace of St. Ignatius (nowadays it functions as a museum), among others. Departure to Lourdes. /250 km/ Arrival in Lourdes. Dinner and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Lourdes. Ávila Burgos Loyola 3
6 th day Lourdes Visit to the wonderful Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, to the three basilicas that comprise it (of the Immaculate Conception, of Our Lady of the Rosary and of Saint Pius X) and to the grotto of the apparitions (where the Virgin appeared before Bernadette Soubirous). Tour of the house of the Saint Bernadette and the most significant sites related to her life. Candles Procession. Dinner at the hotel. The last night in Lourdes. 7 th day Lourdes Turin o Milan Montecatini /1150 km/ Departure from Lourdes to Tuscany. Visits Turin or Milan. Turin: an important cultural and business center of Italy, the first capital of Italy, the residence city of the Savoy House. In the Cathedral of Turin the famous Shroud (the Shroud of Turin) is lodged, in which Jesus Christ was allegedly involved after his death. Milan: after Rome and Venice the most important tourist city of Italy, the economic and industrial capital of Italy, international fashion capital. The famous Milan Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic churches in the world. During the day free time for lunch. Dinner and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Montecatini. Lourdes Milan Turín 8 th day Montecatini Florencia Montecatini Departure by train to Florence. Arrival in Florence, one of the world's cribs of art and architecture, the birthplace of the Renaissance; In this city worked such artists as: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rafael, Dante, among others. Visit of the Ponte Vecchio, one of the most famous bridges in the world. Visit of the famous Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the masterpieces of the Gothic and first Italian Renaissance, a symbol of the wealth and power of the city in the XIII / XIV centuries, and the historical center of Florence (declared Patrimonio Of the Humanity by UNESCO). Departure by train, return to hotel in Montecatini. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay in Montecatini. 4 Florencia
9 th day Montecatini Siena Assisi Roma Departure to Siena. /80 km/ Panoramic tour through Siena, a city considered the embodiment of a medieval city. The historic center of Siena was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Among the most important places of the city are the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (a great example of Italian Gothic architecture), Piazza del Campo (which is fan shaped) and the Sanctuary of Santa Catalina House of the saint, one of only four women who were granted the title of Doctor of the Church). Departure to Assisi. /135 km/ Visit of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis (the "poor man of Assisi"), the founder of the Franciscan Order, and St. Clare, faithful follower of St. Francis and co-founder of the Poor Clares. Visit of the Basilica of St. Francis (with the tomb of the saint), inscribed on the UNESCO list of the Basilica of Santa Clara, with the tomb and several relics of the saint, and the historical center of this small town that follows Conserving a unique medieval climate. Departure to Rome. /180 km/ Dinner and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Rome. Siena Assisi Rome 10 th day Christian Rome Transfer to the center of Rome. Guided tour of the Vatican Museums (the largest collection of Catholic Church art, with its most important point, the impressive Sistine Chapel), St. Peter's Basilica (the most important basilica in the world, Christian church with the largest interior space, According to the tradition built on the burial place of St. Peter, apostle and first of the pontiffs, the main creation of the Renaissance and Baroque which contains works by Michelangelo and Bernini, among others) and of the papal tombs (tomb of Juan Pablo II). Departure for the catacombs. Visit to the catacombs of San Calixto that began to exist by the middle of the second century and are part of a complex that occupies an area of 15 hectares, with a network of galleries of almost 20 km. Dozens of martyrs, 16 pontiffs, and a large number of Christians were buried there. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight stay in Rome. 5
11 th day Artistic Rome Transfer to the center of Rome. Guided tour of Christian Rome: St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran and the Santa Staircase. Visit of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Guided visit of artistic Rome (on foot): Circus Maximus, Colosseum, Forum Romanum, Campidoglio, Piazza Venezia, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, some important churches during the tour as Chiesa del Gesù. Dinner at the hotel. The last night in Rome. Rome 12 th day Departure from Rome and Italy Transfer to the airport and departure. It is possible to continue the tour of Italy going down south and visiting the sanctuaries of Loreto, Lanciano, Manoppello, San Giovanni Rotondo and continue with the ferry to Dubrovnik and visit Medjugorje. For more information or to book this tour, contact: 6