Fatima and Lisbon 5 days

Departure from Rome or Milan with scheduled flights or other Iata carriers. Arrival and meeting with the guide at Lisbon airport and accommodation in the reserved GT coach. Then departure for Fátima. Here the Virgin appeared to the three little shepherds on May 13, 1917. Lúcia and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco saw the shining figure appear in an holm oak and ordered them to return to the tree on the same day for six months and, in October 13, the pilgrims with them were 70,000. Accommodation at the 4 * Cinquentenario Hotel (60 m from the sanctuary of our lady of Fatima) and free time for a first greeting to Our Lady. Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Day entirely dedicated to Fátima. Visit to the places of the visionaries, the Chapel of the Apparitions and the well-known Sanctuary, places of the pilgrimage where the Catholic faith is intensely felt and annualy visited by over five million pilgrims. Return to the hotel and lunch. In the afternoon visit to the Fátima Luce e Pace exhibition, which collects thousands of ex-votos, including the crown of the Madonna with the bullet that hit S.S. Pope John Paul II in the attack of 13 May 1981 in St. Peter's Square. Free end of the afternoon for individual functions and activities. Return to the hotel and dinner. In the evening optional participation to the S. Rosary on the square and the suggestive torchlight procession. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning in Fátima to join the functions, Via Crucis, Lauds and meditation. Return to the hotel and lunch. In the afternoon we leave for Batalha, a place known for the Monastery of Santa Maria Victória. The Dominican abbey built in 1388 to celebrate the Portuguese victory of Joao I in the battle of Aljubarrota against the Castilians is beautiful. Inside, the royal cloister with Gothic eyes embellished with Manueline tracery that make them elegant and harmonious (the portal in the same style is beautiful). The Unfinished Chapels are incomparable with their magical unfinished effect. Proceed to Alcobaça. Here there is one of the largest churches in the country: the Monastery of Santa Maria, a medieval building known for the sobriety of its lines. Visit to the abbey founded in 1153, linked to the arrival of the Cistercians in Portugal in 1138 and to the birth of the nation. See the tombs of King Pedro I and his mistress Inês de Castro, who was crowned queen after her death. Then stop in Nazaré, the most colorful fishing village in the country. Free time at the swimming pool center for a walk along the seafront and return to the hotel in Fátima. After dinner, optional participation in the S. Rosario on the square and the suggestive torchlight procession. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure in the morning for Lisbon. Born from seven hills as the legend tells, there are four districts that represent tourist areas: Belém (monumental), Bairro Alto (high), Baixa (low) and Alfama (older). Start in Belém, where you will admire the Royal Palace (now Presidential), the Padrão (monument to the Discoveries), the Tower of Belém (World Heritage) and the Jerónimos Monastery (World Heritage), built by Manuel I and closely linked to epic of discoveries and the Portuguese Royal House. Bairro Alto, known for its shops and tascas (Portuguese family-run taverns). From S. Pedro de Alcântara (viewpoint over the Castle of S. Jorge) we leave through Chiado to Rossio, in the Baixa Pombalina (from the Marquis of Pombal, who rebuilt Lisbon after the great earthquake of 1755). The elegance of the neighborhood is sublime, from the boulevard Avenida da Liberdade to Piazza do Comércio, the starting point of the typical ferries. Accommodation at the 4 * Olissippo Marques de Sa hotel and lunch. In the afternoon the visit to Alfama will be completed, from the Arabic Al-hamma (baths, fountains), a neighborhood as old as Lisbon. Considered eternal for the miraculous survival of the earthquake, for many it is the heart of the city and collects the Moorish history of Portugal, including historical and local Fado attractions. Stop at the Cathedral (unmistakable for its crenellated bell towers and the splendid Romanesque rose window) and visit to the Church of Sant'António, where the Augustinian canon Fernando Bulhoes (whom we venerate today as Saint Anthony of Padua) was born. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We leave for Lisbon airport. Assistance in boarding and departure operations for Italy with scheduled flights to Rome or Milan. Arrival and end of the trip.