Marian Shrines and Italy Tour - BHT0081
Marian Shrines & Italy Tour
Medjugorje extension - 3 nights
* Our best-selling Europe Catholic 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 Eternal Rome with Four Patriarchal Basilicas, Domitila Catacombs, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain...
We need to take two flights, Lourdes—Rome, and for those who will extend the tour, also a flight from Rome to Medjugorje, to cover the most exciting Catholic destinations in Europe!
LISBON - FATIMA - AVILA - LOURDES - ASSISI - LORETO - LANCIANO
MONTE SANT'ANGELO - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - MONTECASSINO - ROME
NEW DATES & REVISED ITINERARY FOR 2026
15 DAY TOUR - OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO 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 a 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. We will visit the 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 - LOURDES
After breakfast in Avila, we will depart for Lourdes. We will drive across northern Spain and into southern France, as we make our way to the holy sanctuary of Lourdes. Our route takes us through the Basque Country, known for its lush green hills, distinct culture, and unique language. We’ll then approach the Pyrenees Mountains, a natural border between Spain and France. This part of the journey offers breathtaking views, with dramatic mountain passes, quaint villages nestled in the valleys, and winding roads that lead us into the heart of the French countryside. Crossing into France, we continue to Lourdes, one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees. We will have an option to walk to the shrine of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and pray the Rosary during the candlelight procession. Tonight we are in our hotel in Lourdes, for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 & 7 - LOURDES SHRINE - GUIDED VISIT & FREE DAY
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 8 – 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 are on our way to the hotel in Assisi or the area. Check in to the hotel, dinner, and overnight in the City of Peace!
Day 9 – ASSISI
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 Clares, 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 the 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 10 - 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, the Eucharistic Miracle, from the 9th century. Only a couple hour's drive and we are in San Giovanni Rotondo for dinner and overnight.
Day 11 - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - MONTE SANT’ ANGELO
After breakfast, we will spend the morning in the sanctuary of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, walking to the Church of Our Lady of Grace, celebrating Holy Mass, and visiting St. Pio's tomb in the crypt of a vast and beautiful new church. After sightseeing at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio, we are on the way to Monte Sant'Angelo to visit the Grotto, where the Archangel Michael had appeared on a few occasions from the 5th to the 17th century.
Monte Sant’Angelo, located in the Gargano Mountains of southern Italy, is one of the most important sanctuaries dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. Its history goes back to the late 5th century, when tradition tells us that the Archangel Michael appeared several times between 490 and 493 AD. Here you will hear that St. Michael consecrated the cave himself, declaring it a place where sins would be forgiven. Unlike most churches, the sanctuary was never formally consecrated by human hands, but remains sacred because of the Archangel’s presence.
Day 12 - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - MONTECASSINO - ROME
An easy morning will include the farewell Holy Mass before we pack and leave for Rome! About two hours before we reach Rome, we will stop for a visit to Montecassino Abbey. Montecassino, founded around 529 AD by Saint Benedict of Nursia, is the birthplace of the Benedictine Order and the Rule of Saint Benedict, which has shaped monastic life in Europe. The abbey has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, most recently after World War II; yet it still stands as an impressive testament to the Benedictine motto, “Ora et Labora”—“Pray and Work.” St. Benedict is buried here alongside his sister, St. Scholastica. Later in the afternoon, we are on our way to the Eternal City, Rome. Dinner and overnight in our hotel in Rome.
Day 13 - ROME
The first morning in Rome will be dedicated to the Four Patriarchal Basilicas. We will begin our Catholic Tour of Rome with the opening Holy Mass and start withHoly 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), and the actual stairs Jesus walked on the day he went to Pilate (Antonia Fortress). We will end our day with a visit to the church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem with the relics from the True Cross and the tomb of Saint Helen, who brought the relics to Rome. At the end of the day, we are back at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 14 - 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 the Square dedicated to the same Saint. From here, we will continue a short bus sightseeing of Rome, passing by sites like Piazza Venezia, with the King Victor Emmanuel II Monument, the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, the Imperial Forums (Caesar, Augustus, Trajan), and the Circus Maximus.
We will also visit the last of the four basilicas on our schedule—Saint Paul Outside the Walls, built over the tomb of Saint Paul the Apostle, who was martyred nearby by beheading. This majestic basilica, one of the oldest and largest churches in Rome, is renowned for its stunning cloister, golden mosaics, and portraits of all the popes through history. Here, pilgrims have the opportunity to pray at the Apostle’s tomb and reflect on his tireless witness to the Gospel. Later in the afternoon, we’ll take a walk from the Piazza Trinita dei Monti, down the Spanish Steps to the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and to the most romantic Rome's "piazza", Piazza Navona! Dinner out in a typical Italian restaurant.
Day 15 - ROME - FLIGHT BACK HOME - OR FLIGHT TO CROATIA / MEDJUGORJE
Early morning breakfast (or breakfast boxes) and transfer to Rome International Airport for the flight back home!
Have a safe and sound flight back home!
EXTENSION OF A 3 DAY TOUR TO MEDJUGORJE
Those who will continue pilgrimage to Medjugorje will check out from our Rome hotel and head to the city center for a farewell Holy Mass before we continue pilgrimage with a flight to Croatia.
Tonight we are in Medjugorje, dinner and overnight in the village of Our Lady Queen of Peace!
Day 15 - 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 Domitila 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 16 & 17 - 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, 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 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 18 - FLIGHT HOME
Early morning breakfast (or breakfast box), transfer to Split International Airport, flight back home, and arrival the same day!
15 DAY TOUR MARIAN SHRINES & ITALY INCLUDES:
- 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
- 3 nights first-class 4* hotel in Lourdes
- 2 nights first-class 4* hotel in Assisi
- 2 nights first-class 4* hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo
- 3 nights first-class 4* hotel in Rome
- Breakfast and dinner daily, drinks included
- High-class air-conditioned tourist coach
- Tour escort all the way
- Local English-speaking guides in Lisbon, Fatima, Avila, Lourdes, Rome, Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo & Montecassino
- Entrance fees according to the itinerary:
- Avila Convent of Incarnation
- Montecassino Abbey
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- Holy Mass daily in Fatima, Avila, Lourdes, Rome, Assisi, SGR, Montecassino
- 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
- ETIAS - EU travel authorization (operations will start in the last quarter of 2026)
MEDJUGORJE EXTENSION 3 DAY TOUR INCLUDES:
- Flight Rome - Medjugorje (Split or Dubrovnik) on DAY 15
- 3 nights in a first-class, 4* Hotel in Medjugorje
- Dinner and breakfast daily
- Drinks at dinner
- Tour guide with the group at all times
- Round-trip transfer Airport - Medjugorje Hotel - Airport
- Return flight to the US or Canada from Croatia (as part of your round-trip flights from the US or Canada)
MEDJUGORJE EXTENSION PRICE - BASED ON MIN 5 PEOPLE:
Per person in a double room: US$ 660,00
* For the final price, including the Medjugorje extension, return flights from Croatia will need to be arranged.
RATES May 4 - 18, 2026 - price per person in double room:
Air & land price - flight from Chicago & Toronto............$ 4535.00
Air & land price - flight from Newark & New York.........$ 4495.00
Land only - EU flights included...............................................$ 3330.00
Single room supplement:........................................................$ 895.00
RATES Sept. 21 - Oct. 5, 2026 - price per person in double room:
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.................................................................$ 3330.00
Single room supplement:..........................................................................$ 895.00
RATES Oct. 5 - 19, 2026 - 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.................................................................$ 3330.00
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 in the USA or Canada, please get in touch with us.
- Please note that airline tickets are non-refundable once purchased. Any changes or cancellations are subject to the airline’s rules and fees.
- Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your return flight. Travelers who do not meet this requirement may be denied boarding or entry by immigration authorities.
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