Marian Shrines and Italy Tour - BHT0081
Marian Shrines & Italy Tour
The pilgrimage that one can easily call Grand Europe's Catholic Tour we travel to major Marian Shrines and Catholic Sanctuaries in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Croatia!
This is an exciting tour—no wonder it's our bestseller :-) as it covers the three most popular and amazing Marian Shrines, Fatima, Lourdes, and Medjugorje, and Italy from Assisi to Loreto, Lanciano with Eucharistic Miracle Sanctuary to Monte Sant' Angelo with Michael Archangel, Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, and then a finale in eternal Rome with four Patriarchal Basilicas!
We need to take two flights, Lourdes—Rome and Rome—Medjugorje, to cover the most exciting Catholic destinations in Europe!
LISBON - FATIMA - SALAMANCA - AVILA - LOURDES - ROME - ASSISI - LORETO - LANCIANO MONTE SANT ANGELO - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - ASSISI - MEDJUGORJE
Day 1 - DEPARTURE TO EUROPE. PORTUGAL, LISBON
Departure from your gateway city, flight to Portugal, Lisbon, meals served on a plane.
Day 2 - LISBON - FATIMA
Upon arrival in Lisbon, transfer to Fatima. Before we leave Lisbon and head towards Fatima, the group will take a city tour of Lisbon, St. Anthony's birthplace, and celebrate private Holy Mass. After a lunch break on the way to Fatima, time permitting, we will stop in Santarem, but this visit isn't guaranteed. The town is hosting one of Europe's most visited Eucharistic Miracle Shrines! In Fatima, the group will check into the hotel, have dinner, and participate in a candlelight procession at 9:30 pm in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 3 - FATIMA ALJUSTREL VALINHOS
Visit places connected to the apparition in Fatima, tiny village Aljustrel, home of visionaries, the pasturage at Valinhos, where Our Lady also appeared and the Cova da Iria, the actual place of the apparition where Our Lady of Fatima gave a message to the world through Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia. Holy Mass in one of the chapels in the Shrine. In the evening, participate in the prayer service (optional). Dinner and overnight stay in Fatima.
Day 4 - FATIMA - SALAMANCA - AVILA
Depart Fatima early this morning to travel eastward across Spain to Avila. Before Avila, we will make a stop in Salamanca. We will walk the streets of one of the oldest Universities in Europe, the University of Salamanca, built in 1218 by Alfonso IX of Leon. We can enjoy the beautiful Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the biggest in Spain. Here in Salamanca, we enjoy some free time, among the amazing churches in the old town, for lunch before we continue our journey to Avila. Two things distinguish Avila, the perfectly preserved eleventh-century walls surrounding the old town and the mystic writer Santa Teresa, who was born here and whose shrines are a must-see for all Catholic pilgrims! In Avila, we will walk the city's narrow cobblestone streets as we trace the life of St. Teresa of Avila, see the chapel built over the former location of her home, see the garden where she played as a child, and visit the museum dedicated to her life. The museum also contains relics of St. Teresa and her spiritual advisor St. John of the Cross. We’ll also have the opportunity to visit the Convent of the Incarnation, where St. Teresa first took her orders and would remain based for more than thirty years. The museum has an interesting drawing of the crucifixion by St. John of the Cross and a reconstruction of the saint's cell when she was prioress there. Dinner and overnight in Avila.
Day 5 - AVILA - LOYOLA - LOURDES
After breakfast in Avila, we will depart for Loyola. Part of the afternoon we will dedicate to the visit to the Sanctuary of Loyola. Birthplace (Azpeitia) of the founder of the Jesuit order St. Ignatius of Loyola. After a visit and Holy Mass, we are on our way to Lourdes. After dinner, TIME PERMITTING in the evening, walk to the shrine of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, the prayer of the Rosary during the candlelight procession. Night in Lourdes.
Day 6 - LOURDES SHRINE
Tour of the Shrine of about 2.5 hours, visiting the Grotto of Massabielle where the Blessed Virgin appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The group will also see The Baths, The Basilica of Immaculate Conception with a Crypt, which is underneath and was the first chapel built here as a place of worship, and the Rosary Basilica, Church of St. Bernadette. A visit will then continue with the town of Lourdes, the visit to all of the places associated with St. Bernadette. First, it will be to Bolly Mill on Rue Bernadette Soubirous, where the saint was born on January 7th, 1844, and it is the place where she spent the first years of her life. The group will also visit “Cachot,” or the jail where Bernadette lived with her family in great poverty at the time of the apparitions. Return to the Sanctuary area for lunch on your own. Free afternoon until dinner, and in the evening, the group can participate in the Candlelight Marian Procession starting each day at 9:00 pm. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
Day 7 – LOURDES – FLIGHT TO ROME – ASSISI
If the flight schedule allows us, we will celebrate the early Holy Mass in Lourdes before we head to Toulouse Airport for a flight to Rome. After landing in Rome, we will continue immediately to Assisi. Check in to the hotel in Assisi, dinner, and overnight in the City of Peace!
Day 8 - ASSISI
After a good night's rest and breakfast, we will have a sightseeing tour of Assisi, the City of Peace, St. Francis, and St. Claire. The group will be learning about St. Francis and his life. Your walking guided tour will start at the church of Santa Chiara to see The Cross that spoke to St. Francis and pray his prayer before the same Crucifix. The group will learn more about St. Claire, the founder of Poor Clair's, and see her incorrupt body. The visit will also include the crypt with the tomb of St. Francis in the basilica dedicated to the Saint. Our tour of the City of Peace will end with "Porziuncola," one of three restored churches of young Francis that nowadays is inside the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. After a guided tour of the City of Peace, leisure time until dinner at our hotel! Second night in Assisi.
Day 9 - ASSISI - LORETO - LANCIANO - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
This morning we will leave for San Giovanni Rotondo! It will be a holy journey today, visiting two small but very holy sanctuaries, Loreto & Lanciano! The first stop today is to visit Our Lady of Loreto and the Holy Family Shrine! We will explore this picturesque & charming little Loreto for about 2 – 3 hours before continuing to Lanciano! Here in the Eucharist Miracle church, we will celebrate the Holy Mass and pray before the famous relic, Eucharistic Miracle, from the 9th century. Only a couple hour's drive and we are in San Giovanni Rotondo for dinner and overnight.
Day 10 - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - MONTE SANT’ ANGELO - ROME
After breakfast, we will spend the morning in the sanctuary of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, walk to the church of Our Lady of Grace, celebrate the Holy Mass, and visit St. Pio's tomb. After sightseeing at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio, we are on the way to Monte Sant' Angelo to visit the Grotto, where Michael Archangel had appeared on a few occasions from the 5th to 17th century. Later in the afternoon, we are on our way to Eternal City, Rome. Dinner and overnight in Our hotel in Rome.
Day 11 - ROME
The first morning in Rome will be dedicated to the Four Patriarchal Basilicas - and in the Jubilee Year 2025, walk through the Holy Doors.
nue with the Holy Mass at St. Mary Major Basilica. This afternoon we will also visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome, the seat of the bishop of Rome (Pope), the Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta), the actual stairs Jesus walked on the day he went to Pilate (Antonia Fortress). We will end our day at our hotel with dinner and the first night in Rome. After some free time in the late afternoon for shopping, we end our day at our hotel with dinner.
Day 12 - ROME HISTORICAL & FAREWELL DINNER IN ROME
We are back to the Vatican, this time visiting the heart of the Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica, and underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter and Square dedicated to the same Saint. From here, we will continue a short bus sightseeing of Rome, passing by sites like Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emmanuel II Monument, the Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Imperial Forums (Caesar, Augustus, Trajan), and Circus Maximus. Later in the afternoon, we’ll take a walk from Trevi Fountain to Pantheon and to the most romantic Rome's "piazza" Piazza Navona! Dinner is in a typical Italian restaurant, wine, and "canzona"!
Day 13 - ROME - SPLIT, CROATIA - MEDJUGORJE
After breakfast, as the last part of the Christian Tour of Rome, we visit the Basilica St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Domitilla Catacombs, where we celebrate the Holy Mass. In the afternoon, we fly to Split in Croatia and transfer to Medjugorje. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje!
Day 14 & 15 - MEDJUGORJE
On your first morning in Medjugorje, after breakfast, you will meet with your local English-speaking guide, who will give you an introduction, a little walk from your hotel to the Church St. James just before the English language Holy Mass at 10:00 AM. You will have a chance to participate in many activities during your stay in Medjugorje. Visiting Bijakovici village, all six visionaries come from it; you will go up the Apparition Hill, Podbrdo place where Our Lady first appeared. According to their words, visionaries Ivan, Marija, and Vicka still receive daily apparitions, while for Jakov, Vicka, and Mirjana, this happens only once a year. Every evening before Mass at 5:00 pm (at 6:00 pm during summer), you and thousands of other pilgrims will pray for The Rosary. All three Mysteries are prayed during the evening program. In Our Lady's messages, it was repeated many times how important it is to come to Mass, where "we meet Jesus alive." Messages of Prayer of the Rosary, Holy Mass, and Confession are the center of the program at St. James church. On Thursdays and Saturdays, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and on Fridays, Veneration of the Cross in the Church. After the Mass, there is also the Blessing of the Sick and the religious items and souvenirs you have with you. With your guide you will have a chance to climb the "Cross mountain", Krizevac as local people know it, and visit the "Blue Cross", another place of the apparition of Our Lady. Each pilgrim will have time for private devotions, lunches, and shopping...
Day 16 - FLIGHT HOME
Early morning breakfast (or breakfast box), transfer to Split International Airport, flight back home, and arrival the same day!
INCLUDED:
- Flights from your departure airport – airport tax included
- Flight Lourdes (Toulouse) - Rome
- Flight Rome - Medjugorje (Split or Dubrovnik)
- 2 nights first-class 4* hotel in Fatima
- 1 night first-class 4* hotel in Avila
- 2 nights first-class 4* hotel in Lourdes
- 2 nights first-class 4* hotel in Assisi
- 1 night first-class 4* hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo
- 3 nights first-class 4* hotel in Rome
- 3 nights first-class 4* hotel Medjugorje
- Breakfast and dinner daily, drinks included
- High-class air-conditioned tourist coach
- Tour escort all the way
- Local English-speaking guides Lisbon, Fatima, Avila, Lourdes, Rome, Assisi, Medjugorje
- Entrance fees according to the itinerary:
- Avila Convent of Incarnation
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- Vatican Museums
- Holy mass daily in Fatima, Avila, Lourdes, Rome, Assisi, SGR...
- Rome farewell dinner, wine & “popular canzonas”...
- Whispers, tour headsets for the city tours
NOT INCLUDED:
- Lunch daily
- Tips for guides, escorts, and drivers
- Porterage of luggage, in & out of hotels
- Travel Insurance is strongly recommended
- Personal items, visa costs
RATES April 27 - May 12, 2025 - price per person in double room: SOLD OUT!
Tour with Fr. Maurice Quindoy
Air & land price - flight from LOS ANGELES....................$ 4770.00
Land only - EU flights included.............................................$ 3290.00
Single room supplement:.........................................................$ 895.00
RATES May 5 - 20, 2025 - price per person in double room: SOLD OUT!
Air & land price - flight from Chicago & Toronto............$ 4535.00
Air & land price - flight from Newark & New York.........$ 4495.00
Land only - EU flights included...............................................$ 3290.00
Single room supplement:...........................................................$ 895.00
RATES Sept. 22 - Oct. 7, 2025 - price per person in double room: SOLD OUT!
Air & land price - flight from Los Angeles & San Francisco...............$ 4665.00
Air & land price - flight from Houston & Miami...................................$ 4735.00
Land only - EU flights included.................................................................$ 3290.00
Single room supplement:.............................................................................$ 895.00
RATES Oct. 14 - 29, 2025 - price per person in double room:
Air & land price - flight from Newark; New York & Boston.................$ 4525.00
Air & land price - flight from Houston & Miami...................................$ 4635.00
Land only - EU flights included.................................................................$ 3290.00
Single room supplement:.............................................................................$ 895.00
- Prices are close estimates and will be confirmed after the airline reservation is made in your name.
- For the price from your departure city, USA and Canada, please get in touch with us!
CONTACT:
Email: info@bluehearttravel.com
Toll-free number: +1 877 545 5562
Phone: +1 307 222 4856
