15 days 14 nights Lisbon - Padua - Venice - Florence - Assasi - Lanciano - San Giovanni Rotondo

 A pilgrimage to the holy places in Portugal and Italy.

 

 

Day 1    

Lisbon      
Arrive in Lisbon. 

 

Day 2    

Lisbon
A sightseeing tour with a local guide going through places like Avenida da Liberdade, Baixa ( the area of the city rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755 ), Rossio Square, Comércio Square and the oldest district of Lisbon- Alfama. Drive along the river Tagus until reaching  Belém in the western area of the city. Visit the most original icon of the city of Lisbon- the Belém tower. Another highlight of this area is the St. Jerome monastery with its amazing church dedicated to St. Mary of Bethlehem. This monastery is situated in the area called “Praça do Império” where the Portuguese World Exhibition of 1940 took place.

Day 3  

Lisbon- Venice ( airport )- Pádua (50km/1 h)
Transfer to Lisbon airport, departure at 07:50, arrival at Venice airport at 11:30 local time. The first stop is Pádua. Visiting the Impotent Basilica of St. Antony of Lisbon, as well as his tomb and relics. Possibility of celebrating  Mass. Free time for personal devotion.

 

Day 4  

Venice
Leave for Punta Sabione to take the ferry (vaporetto) to Venice and along the Grand Canal  until reaching one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Its peculiar reality makes Venice one of the most visited cities in the world, due to its canals, architecture, commercial atmosphere, the carnival, and  Murano crystal. In Venice the visitor can admire the San Marco Square with its cafés and esplanades. The Ducal Palace is situated on the square and is the symbol of the power of one of the old republics of the Italian Peninsula. Visit the famous Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto area. Possibility of visiting a manufacturer of crystal. Free time.

 

Day 5  

Venice - Florence (260km/3h30min)
Head for Florence and a sightseeing tour of this renaissance city with a local guide. This is  city that brings to mind famous names such as Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Visitors can admire the outstanding work of Bruneleschi, the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Right next to it is the baptistery with “the Gates of Paradise”. Another interesting place is the market place by the river Arno and the famous bridge full of goldsmith shops. Cross the river to the top of Michelangelo Square, where there is a wonderful overview of the city.

 

Day 6    

Florence- Assisi (170km/2h)
Departure to Assisi- the city of the patron saint of S. Francis. Before that, visit the basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli with the small chapel of Porzuincula, with old frescos and where Jesus spoke to S. Francis. It is also the place where the saint died. Arrive in Assisi, a city built of rose stone. At one end the visitor can see the two basilicas. Time seems not to have passed or touched this place. Visit the church of St. Claire, her tomb and the two basilicas of St. Francis, full of wonderful frescoes on their walls. 

 

Day 7  

Assisi- Lanciano (290 km/3h30 min)- San Giovanni Rotondo (160km/2h)
Spend  part of the morning  at leisure in Assisi famous for its Franciscan liquers. Take the road to Lanciano, the city where the first Eucharistic miracle took place (very similar to the one that happened in Santarém, Portugal ). Head to San Giovanni Rotondo.

 

Day 8    

San Giovanni Rotondo
Start the day with a walking tour to the Capuchins convent where Padre Pio spent the most part of his days and visit the crypt in the church of Our Lady of Grace where his tomb with his  exposed body is located. Visit the most recent church built by Renzo Piano.  It’s estimated that over 5 million people come to San Giovanni Rotondo every year. Travel to Monte Sant’Angelo through the winding roads of the Gargano area. From the top of the village there is a wonderful view over the Adriatic sea. The visitor can see a very original church with a grotto 70 meters deep. This was the place of the first pilgrimage of S. Francis.

 

Day 9    

San Giovanni Rotondo - Pietrelcina ( 170km/2h15min)- Rome (240km/3h)
Depart for Rome with a stop at Pietrelcina. This village is the birthplace of Padre Pio on 25th May 1887. He was the 8th son of a farmer’s family in a place founded at the time of the Romans. The visitors can walk through the same narrow streets of a modest village in southern Italy where once the little Francesco Forgione spent his childhood. Visit his father’s house and the church where he was baptized. Two kilometers away is Piana Romana, a place where he would often go with his flock and meditate in the shelter house and barn of the family. Continue to Rome.

 

Day 10  

Rome
Visit the Vatican- the smallest state in the world, nevertheless one of the most well known and visited. Take a tour with a local guide, passing through places like S. John in Literan, Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore, St. Paul ( outside ). Then the tour will proceed to EUR, built in the first half of the 20th century, with wide avenues and solid buildings. This area is a representative of the Mussolini regime. Concluding the day enjoy a delicious Italian ice cream at Piazza Navona or Fontana di Trevi.

 

Day 11  

Rome - Lisbon- Fátima (130 km/1h30 min)
Possibility of receiving the papal blessing Urbi et Orbi on S. Peter’s square. In the afternoon transfer to the airport to take the flight at 19:00 with arrival in Lisbon at 20:55 local time. Continue by coach to Fátima.

 

Day 12  

Fátima
The day is fully dedicated to the visit of the sanctuary and places related to the apparitions and the life of the three shepherds. Visit the little chapel of the apparitions, the exact place where the Blessed Mother appeared to Lúcia, Fransisco and Jacinta. Visit of the basilica of the Rosary to see the tombs of the seers and also the  new Church of the Holy Trinity which is the masterpiece of Tombazis. Its interior is full of works of art by different artists from all over the world. It gives  the new basilica a more universal aspect. The new temple can seat 9000  people. In the afternoon, visit Aljustrel- the birth place of the seers. It is 1 mile away from the Cova da Iria. Visiting Loca do Anjo ( apparition of the angel ) and the Hungarian Calvary ( way of the cross ). Free time.

 

Day 13  

Fátima- Coimbra- Fátima (90km/1h)
The next stop is Coimbra. This city has the oldest Portuguese university and its atmosphere can be felt runs all around due to the presence of the students and all the academic traditions that are hundreds of years old. The city is full of renaissance buildings. From a religious point of view this is where St. Antony (from Lisbon or Padua as one prefers) lived and took Franciscan habit. His sister Lucy, one of the seers of Fátima, also lived here..

 

Day 14    

Fátima -  Santarém (60 km/1h) – Lisbon (100km/1h30min)
Leave Fátima for Santarém before reaching Lisbon. Visit the church of the Holy Host Miracle that took place in the XIIIth century. This miracle can be compared in importance only with the miracle of Lanciano in Italy. Possibility of celebrating the Holy Mass. 

 

Day 15

Lisbon 
Transfer to Lisbon Airport.