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Photograph to come · Wide view of the sanctuary at Fátima with the basilica and esplanade

Fátima, Lourdes and Medjugorje

The Three Great Marian Apparition Sites in One Pilgrimage

Fourteen days across Portugal, France and Herzegovina, with three nights at Fátima, four at Lourdes and four at Medjugorje, joined by two short flights. The three places where Our Lady is said to have come, in one journey.

Departures

Current Tours to Croatia & Bosnia

Upcoming departures to Croatia & Bosnia. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Six stops across three countries

Lisbon, Santarém, Fátima, Aljustrel, Lourdes and Medjugorje.

Itinerary · EU_PT-FR-BA-14D-01

Fátima, Lourdes and Medjugorje

Fourteen days, arriving in Lisbon and departing from the Adriatic, with a night in Lisbon, three at Fátima, four at Lourdes and four at Medjugorje. Two internal flights carry the pilgrimage from Portugal into France and from France across to Herzegovina. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–5

Lisbon, Santarém and Fátima

Photograph to come · The Little Chapel of the Apparitions, Fátima
The Little Chapel of the Apparitions at Fátima.
Day 1

Depart the United States

We depart on our overnight flight to Lisbon. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
Day 2

Arrival in Lisbon

Our local tour escort meets us at Humberto Delgado Airport and accompanies us by motorcoach to the hotel. This evening we gather for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.Overnight in Lisbon.
Day 3

Santarém and Fátima

We travel north to the old city of Santarém and the Church of St. Stephen, which holds a Eucharistic miracle dating to the thirteenth century. We continue to Fátima and visit the hamlet of Aljustrel, home of the three shepherd children, with its parish church and the cemetery.Mass is celebrated at the Church of St. Stephen in Santarém. Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
Day 4

The Apparitions and the Via Sacra

We begin at the Little Chapel of the Apparitions, marking the first apparition of 13 May 1917, and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, whose nave holds the tombs of St. Francisco, St. Jacinta and Sister Lúcia. In the afternoon we walk the Via Sacra to Valinhos, and this evening join the Candlelight Rosary Procession.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
Day 5

Fátima

The day is set aside for private prayer at the sanctuary, with nothing scheduled. Pilgrims are free to return to the sites of the apparitions, to attend Mass, or simply to rest before the journey continues.Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
DAYS 6–7

Lourdes and the Grotto

Photograph to come · The Grotto of Massabielle, Lourdes
The Grotto of Massabielle at Lourdes.
Day 6

To Lourdes

We transfer to Lisbon Airport for the short flight to Toulouse, where our local guide meets us and accompanies us by motorcoach to Lourdes. The first evening is free for private prayer, and after dinner we may join the Candlelight Marian Procession, which runs from April through October.Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
Day 7

The Grotto of Massabielle

We begin at the Grotto, where in 1858 Our Lady appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous, a poor and unschooled girl of fourteen. We take part in the water gesture at the spring Bernadette uncovered, walk the life-size Stations set into the hillside, and see the underground Basilica of St. Pius X.Mass is celebrated at the Grotto. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
DAYS 8–9

Bernadette’s Lourdes

Photograph to come · The Basilica of St. Pius X, Lourdes
The Basilica of St. Pius X, the underground church at Lourdes.
Day 8

Bernadette’s Lourdes

A presentation fills in the fuller story of Bernadette before we walk to Boly Mill, where she was born, and the Cachot, the single damp room where her family lived in poverty by the time Our Lady appeared to her. We continue to the Carmelite Monastery and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and its mosaics.Mass is celebrated at the Grotto a second time. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
Day 9

The Blessing of the Sick

The morning is free for personal prayer or a return to the Grotto. In the afternoon we join pilgrims from around the world for the International Blessing of the Sick, a Eucharistic procession through the sanctuary grounds during which the sick and the infirm receive a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the sanctuary’s first church, built directly above the Grotto. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
DAYS 10–14

Medjugorje, and Home

Photograph to come · St. James Church, Medjugorje
St. James Church at Medjugorje.
Day 10

To Medjugorje

We transfer to the airport for our flight east, and on arrival our local guide accompanies us on the drive of about two and a half hours into Herzegovina to Medjugorje, where reported apparitions of Our Lady have drawn pilgrims from around the world since 1981.Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 11

Apparition Hill

We follow the path up Apparition Hill, where the young visionaries first met Our Lady in 1981, pausing before the statue that marks the site of the first apparition, and stop at the Blue Cross at its base. This evening we join the villagers for the Rosary before the Croatian Mass and the Blessing of the Sick.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church, the heart of the Medjugorje pilgrimage. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 12

Krizevac Mountain

We climb Krizevac, where in 1933 the villagers raised a thirty-foot cross to commemorate the Passion, praying the Stations along the rocky path to the summit. Eucharistic Adoration is offered several days each week at the outdoor altar and in the adoration chapel, and pilgrims are welcome as their schedule allows.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 13

The Community of Cenacolo

On our last full day we visit the Community of Cenacolo, founded by Sister Elvira Petrozzi for young men and women in recovery, whose testimonies of their return to Christ have moved countless pilgrims. We pray before the bronze statue of the Risen Christ on the grounds of St. James Church.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church, and we join the Rosary and the Croatian Mass a final time. Farewell dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 14

Return Home

After an early breakfast we transfer to the airport for our return flight home, with hearts renewed by Our Lady of Fátima, Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Medjugorje.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
IMMERSIVE PHOTOGRAPH
The Grotto of Massabielle, LourdesWhere Our Lady appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · The Church of St. Stephen, Santarém
The Church of St. Stephen at Santarém, which holds a Eucharistic miracle.
Photograph to come · Aljustrel, the home of the shepherd children
Aljustrel, the hamlet of the three shepherd children.
Photograph to come · The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Fátima
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary at Fátima.
Photograph to come · The Cachot, Lourdes
The Cachot, the room where Bernadette’s family lived in poverty.
Photograph to come · The Candlelight Marian Procession, Lourdes
The Candlelight Marian Procession at Lourdes.
Photograph to come · Apparition Hill, Medjugorje
Apparition Hill above Medjugorje.

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to Fátima, Lourdes and Medjugorje?

Groups travel from April through to October, and that window is not arbitrary: the Candlelight Marian Procession at Lourdes runs only from April through October, and it is one of the reasons pilgrims come. May and October carry the anniversaries of the Fátima apparitions and fill the sanctuary. The Medjugorje Youth Festival at the start of August fills that village in turn.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for this route?

A United States passport valid for at least three months beyond your return date is required, and no visa is needed for stays under ninety days. Portugal, France and Croatia are all in the Schengen Area; Bosnia and Herzegovina is not, so the coach crosses a staffed border on the way into Medjugorje and again on the way out. Carry your passport on those days.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Croatia & Bosnia?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

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