Europe Travel Itenerary

Travel Tours to Europe

Day 1 MANILA – AMSTERDAM – LISBON
We will fly to Amsterdam where we will proceed to the Immigration counter for visa formalities. We then take the connecting flight to Lisbon and stay there for overnight accommodation.

Day 2 LISBON – FATIMA
We begin the day with a city tour of Portugal’s capital city. We visit and celebrate mass at the church of St. Anthony de Padua. The church was built on the site where the saint was born. Across is the Lisbon Cathedral where St. Anthony was baptized. We take a short walk in Alfama, the oldest and most picturesque quarter of Lisbon. We go on to the Discoveries Quarter to see the exquisite Belem Tower and the magnificent St. Jeronimos Monastery. We then journey on to one of the world’s greatest Marian pilgrimage centers, Fatima.

Day 3 FATIMA
After the celebration of the holy mass, we meet our local guide for a walking tour of Fatima. We visit the Chapel of Apparitions; Basilica, where one can find the tombs of the two seers, Francisco and Jacinta; Aljustrel, home of Francisco and Jacinta; Lucia’s house with the well where the angel appeared a second time; Valinhos, site of Our Lady’s 4th apparition; Loca do Cabeco, where the children received the first and the third visit of the “Angel of Peace”; and the stations of the cross composed of 14 little chapels; and the parish church. The rest of the day shall be free for private devotions and prayers. Some time shall be spent at the Sanctuary in the Cova da Iria. Opportuniy is given to meditate and pray at the Chapel of Apparitions, the very heart of the Sanctuary. A marble pillar marks the exact spot on which the Statue of Our Lady is placed. In the evening, we join the Rosary and Candlelight procession.

Day 4 FATIMA – SALAMANCA – BURGOS
We continue the journey toward the ancient university town of Salamanca. There shall be a photostop at the Plaza Mayor before driving to Burgos for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 5 BURGOS – LOYOLA - LOURDES
We depart for the town of Loyola where a mass will be arranged at the Chapel of St. Ignatius de Loyola, the birthplace of St. Ignatius de Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. Then, we travel by long distance coach to the town of Lourdes, where in 1858, the Mother of God appeared to the then 14-year old Bernadette Soubirous in the remote Grotto of Massabielle. The message with which Our Lady entrusted to Bernadette can be summarized in four words that evoke and amplify the Good News of the Gospels: Poverty, Prayer, Penace and Church. In the evening, we catch the Rosary and Candlelight procession.

Day 6 LOURDES
We celebrate mass at one of the chapels in the Basilica. The rest of the day is free for private individual activities. Everyone can take time to explore the three superimposed churches built over the Grotto of Apparition: the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Upper Basilica); the Crypt; and the Rosary Basilica. Opportunity is given to spend time meditating and praying the Holy Rosary at the Grotto of Massabielle, the spot where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette and identified herself as “I am the Immaculate Conception”. The Sanctuaries and pools are always open and religious ceremonies are held everyday: Masses, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; Stations of the Cross; Blessed Sacrament Procession and Blessing of the Sick: Confessions; and the Rosary Procession every evening.

Day 7 LOURDES – NICE
After mass, we drive along the harbor of the French Riviera to the city of Nice, often called as the “Queen of the Riviera”.

Day 8 NICE – ASSISI
Leave Nice for Italy to enjoy the panoramic view of the French Riviera. Then, we continue our journey driving through the delightful hills of the Perugia countryside to the walled city of Assisi, hometown of St. Francis and St. Claire.

Day 9 ASSISI
After celebrating mass, we meet our local guide for a morning tour of Assisi. We visit the huge 13th century Basilica of St. Francis where one can see many of the Saint’s possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. Next is a visit to the Church of St. Clare who founded the Order of Poor Clares and followed the teachings of St. Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. We are given the privelege to see the saint’s incorrupt body in the Crypt. Then, we go on to the Basilica of Sta. Maria degli Angeli, where St. Francis spent most of his life. This is where we see the Porzuincula, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint prayed.

Day 10 ASSISI – CASCIA – ROME
We journey on to Cascia, home of Saint Rita of Cascia, who was born in the nearby frazione of Roccaporena in 1381 and died there in 1457. Saint Rita is the patron saint of "impossible or lost causes." Her intercession is also sought by abused women. Inside the Basilica of St. Rita lies her incorrupt body, several relics of her life, and a eucharistic miracle from before the time of the Saint. we visit St. Augustine Church with its Convent and enjoy a wonderful vista of the town of Cascia. We proce to travel south to the eternal city of Rome. Then, we visit and have mass at the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, built over the burial place of the Apostle of the Gentiles and consecrated in year 324. We continue with our sightseeing tour of Rome’s famous landmarks such as: Piazza de Venezia; view of the Colosseum; and the Roman Forum.

Day 11 ROME
We head for the Vatican City to visit the tomb of the late Pope John Paul II before visiting the Basilica of St. Peter, built over the tomb of the apostle. Then, we visit Rome’s major basilicas and churches, starting with the Basilica of St. John Lateran, then to the Cathedral of Rome and the Mother of All Churches, dedicated to Our Saviour, and to Sts. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. Opposite the Basilica is the Scala Santa (Holy Stairs) where one can find 28 marble stairs carefully preserved and which, by tradition, were the steps walked upon by Jesus Christ on his way to trial before Pontius Pilate. We visit and celebrate mass at the Sta. Maria Maggiore, Patriarchal basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and famous for its mosaics, dating back as far as the 5th century and for the holy relics of the crib. We walk our way to the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, dedicated to St. Alphonse Maria de Ligouri, known by the name of its famous icon - Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Then , we go on to the Catacombs of Domitilla, which contains an underground Basilica and 17 kms. of galleries and corridors spread over four different levels with almost 150,000 burials.

Day 12 ROME
We visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. The rest of the day is spent for private individual activities. The group re-covenes in front of the Vatican Square. We then visit the Trevi Fountain.

Day 13 ROME - AMSTERDAM – MANILA
We transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport to take the flight back to Manila via Amsterdam.

Day 14 MANILA
We arrive at the airport in Manila, Philippines.