MARIAN SHRINES PILGRIMAGE

The Experience

Day 1: Depart on your overnight international flight.

Day 2: Arrive at Lisbon Airport. After checking through immigration and customs, you will be welcomed by our tour escort and bus driver. Enjoy a panoramic city tour including St. Geronimo’s Monastery (from outside) and the Belem Tower. Enjoy time on your own for lunch, then continue to the old part of the city to visit the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua. Celebrate Mass and then travel to Fatima to check into the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Spend the day in Fatima. Visit the Chapel of the Apparitions, the Basilica, and the tombs of Francisco, Jacinta, and Sr. Lucia. You will also visit the Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In Aljustrel and Valinhos, see the two homes of the little shepherds and the site of the first and third visit of the “Angel of Peace”. Stop at the Parish Church and the cemetery where Francisco and Jacinta were once buried, and then celebrate Mass. After dinner, you can join the nightly candlelight procession.

Day 4: Depart from Fatima towards the north, on a scenic drive to Santiago de Compostela. Upon arrival, visit the tomb of St. James, the apostle who converted Spain to Christianity, located in the huge 11th century Romanesque Cathedral. Enjoy a walk in the beautiful Old Town with its plazas. Celebrate Mass and overnight in Santiago.

Day 5: Travel to Burgos. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of Burgos, a masterpiece of Spanish Gothic architecture. The profusion of sculptural decoration and grandiose proportions make this cathedral one of the most impressive in Spain and the third largest after the cathedrals of Seville and Toledo. Built from white limestone, the cathedral is renowned for its elegance and sense of harmony. Celebrate Mass here and then check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Say farewell to Burgos and drive towards Lourdes. En route, stop in Loyola to visit the birthplace of St Ignatius and visit the Shrine. Celebrate Mass here and then continue to Lourdes. After dinner, you can participate in the nightly rosary and candlelight procession. Overnight in Lourdes.

Day 7: Spend the day in Lourdes, visiting the historical and spiritual sites associated with the visionary child Bernadette. Begin at the Grotto of the Apparitions, then continue on your guided walking tour that visits the Basilica of St. Pius X, Boly Mill, the Soubirous family home, the Basilica of the Rosary, the miraculous spring, and the healing baths. Celebrate Mass. After dinner, you can join in the nightly rosary and candlelight procession.

Day 8: Depart Lourdes and drive towards Barcelona. En route, stop in Montserrat to visit the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat and celebrate Mass there. Then continue to Zaragoza. Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 9: After breakfast, visit the Basilica del Pilar to visit the magnificent altar built on the site where the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Apostle. Celebrate Mass in the late morning, then drive to Barcelona. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and then enjoy time at leisure to get acclimated with the festive atmosphere of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. Dinner will be at the hotel. Overnight in Barcelona.

Day 10: Enjoy a guided tour of Barcelona, including the Sagrada Familia, Paseo de Gracia, Plaza Catalunya, Montjuic, and the Barrio Gótico with Barcelona’s Cathedral. Celebrate Mass and then enjoy your afternoon at leisure. Enjoy time for shopping or personal activities. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Today, transfer to the Barcelona airport for your return flight to the United States. Depart with hearts full of gratitude, memories of sacred places, and renewed spiritual strength.

Package Deposit & Payment Schedule

Trip Deposit & Payment Schedule

• A payment of $300.00 per person is all that is due to secure your spot for this pilgrimage. This includes a $100.00 per person non-refundable cancellation fee. SEE CANCELLATION POLICY BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS
• Full payment for your trip is due 120 days prior to travel. Reservations submitted after this date are due in full and are 100% non-refundable; neither space nor pricing space is guaranteed.
• If you would like a single stay, there is an additional supplement of $798.00 for the tour. These single supplement fees are in addition to the full price per person for your trip and will guarantee you will not share a room or stateroom during your trip.

Ability to Travel

Passengers registering for this tour accept the responsibility for being in good health and able to walk and travel on this tour. Because many of the sites are not accessible to the physically challenged, those needing oxygen, wheelchairs, or other ambulatory assistance will find the tour extremely limiting to their experiences.

Persons using C-Pap machines requiring distilled water will need to inform Hidden Gem Travel ahead of time, so we can work with local operators to prepare as it is not always available. We reserve the right to refuse or revoke travel to anyone who is, in the sole judgement of us, incapable of group travel without causing undue demands upon the staff or other tour participants. Accessible rooms are very limited and subject to confirmationn after receiving the registrant's written request.

This is an adult-only tour offering.

-Very Important - Please Read-

Reservation Cancellation Policy

Those registering for this pilgrimage should be aware of the following cancellation penalties: 

From the day of registration to 120 days prior to travel, you will be charged the $100.00 non-refundable cancellation fee plus any airline & land fees. Additionally, thereafter, you will be charged any airline penalties, land penalties and a single room supplement if your cancellation forces your roommate plus the following per-person charges: 119 - 75 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = $400.00; 74 - 60 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = $600.00; 59 - 31 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = 40% total cost of trip; 30 DAYS OR LESS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE = 100% NON-REFUNDABLE. Cancellations must be submitted in writing no later than 12pm CST on the day of cancellation.

Registrations reveived after the final payment due date have additional fees  starting at $100.00 per person. Additional fees will be advised after registering.

Statements of Responsibility

Hidden Gem Travel, and ETS Tours do not accept responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air schedules, hotel overbookings, other hotel related problems or causes, and/or travel supplier cancellations or postponements. Travel suppliers include all tour operators, cruise lines, airlines, hotels, bus companies, entertainment venues, agencies, and any other travel supplier used to operate the tour.

All such losses or expenses will be the responsibility of the passenger. ETS Tours reserves the right to make adjustments to the itinerary as deemed desirable by us, and we reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure. If a tour is canceled beyond the control of us, ETS Tours will provide a refund or a future travel credit to be used two years from the date of issuance for the value of all funds paid by the passenger less nonrefundable travel supplier prepaid deposits, travel supplier change fees, nonrefundable travel protection premiums, and a $150 administration fee collected by ETS Tours.

Travel Insurance

**If you have any questions about the travel insurance please call Travel Insured at 1-800-243-3174. We (Hidden Gem Travel) are not a licensed insurance company and cannot legally answer any insurance-related questions.**

Not purchasing travel protection could result in the loss of your travel money and/or require more money to correct the situation. Without protection, there is no way to recoup any costs, losses, or expenses incurred.  The price of Travel Protection is NOT included in the price of room selections and is non-refundable once purchased.

Having travel protection is definitely important and we recommend it for everyone. However, the choice to have travel protection is solely up to you, and you are welcome to purchase through any company you like.

Click here to purchase travel insurance.

When you click the link, you will need to answer a few questions about your trip, and you'll be redirected to a page with their policy plans and pricing.

The website offers plans like the "Worldwide Platinum Trip Protector" plan with optional add-ons like CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason), Optional Bed Rest to cover any quarantine expenses, and more. Travel Insured is the company we personally use and we highly recommend them for travel insurance needs.

If you want the CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) benefit you will have to add it to the policy and you must purchase insurance no later than 20 days after you make your initial payment. CFAR is not available to NY residents.

The basic "Worldwide Platinum Trip Protector" plan which does not include CFAR can be purchased at any time, including more than 20 days after your first payment, but it will not cover the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion Waiver or the Bankruptcy/Default of an airline, cruise line, tour operator or any other travel vendors. However, you can still cancel for a covered reason and potentially receive up to 100% in refunds as long as it's a covered reason.

Depending on the reason for canceling, travel insurance will cover 75-100% of your trip cancelation and many other things like medical services, trip delay, lost luggage, and more.

We strongly suggest you call and verify which policy will be best for your travel needs. You can reach an insurance agent at 1-800-243-3174.