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The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima

Portugal Pilgrimages

Lisbon, Fátima, Porto and the Shrines of Portugal

Ten days from Lisbon north to Porto and back, with three nights at Fátima, a day walked on the Camino Português, and the shrines of Alcobaça, Nazaré and Coimbra along the way.

Departures

Current Tours to Portugal

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

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Ten stops across Portugal

Lisbon, Sintra, Santarém, Óbidos, Fátima, Alcobaça, Nazaré, Porto, Ponte de Lima and Coimbra, travelling by motorcoach, with one day on foot along the Camino Português.

Itinerary · EU_PT-10D-01

Our Standard Portugal Pilgrimage

Two nights in Lisbon, three at Fátima and two in Porto, with a final night back in Lisbon. 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.

Day 1 – 3

Arrival and Lisbon

The old city of Lisbon
Lisbon and the Tagus
Day 1

Departure from the United States

We depart on our overnight flight to Lisbon.
Day 2

Arrival in Lisbon

Our tour manager meets us at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport and transfers us to our hotel. After check-in we gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.Dinner and overnight in Lisbon.
Day 3

Sintra and St. Anthony’s

We journey to Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage town, to visit the Moorish Castle and explore the town centre. Returning to Lisbon, our pilgrimage opens in prayer at the Church of St. Anthony, built on the site where the Doctor of the Church was born in 1195. This evening we dine at a local seafood restaurant.Mass is celebrated at the Church of St. Anthony of Lisbon. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon.
Day 4 – 6

Fátima

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima
The Sanctuary of Fátima
Day 4

Santarém, Óbidos and Fátima

We begin at the Lisbon Cathedral, the Sé, the oldest church in the city, then travel north to Santarém to venerate a consecrated host that began to bleed in the thirteenth century and has been kept at the Church of St. Stephen ever since. We continue through the walled medieval city of Óbidos to Fátima, where after dinner we join the faithful for the nightly Candlelight Rosary Procession.Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
Day 5

Fátima and the Way of the Cross

The day is given entirely to Fátima, where Our Lady appeared six times to Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto in 1917. We begin at the Capelinha das Aparições, built on the spot of the apparitions, then visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, where the three are buried, and the Igreja Matriz, where they were baptized. The afternoon takes us along the Way of the Cross through Aljustrel, Valinhos and Loca do Cabeço.Mass is celebrated at the Chapel of the Apparitions. Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
Day 6

Alcobaça and Nazaré

We depart for the Monastery of Alcobaça, the largest Gothic church in Portugal, founded in 1153, and tour the church, the cloisters and the Royal Pantheon with its carved tombs of King Pedro I and Inês de Castro. We continue to the coast at Nazaré and climb to the Sítio viewpoint and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré, among the oldest Marian shrines in Iberia, before returning to Fátima for a last Candlelight Procession.Mass is celebrated at the Monastery of Alcobaça. Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
Day 7 – 8

Porto and the Camino

The old city of Porto above the Douro
The Douro at Porto
Day 7

Porto

We travel north to Porto, Portugal’s second city, on the banks of the Douro. We visit the Cathedral, begun in the twelfth century, its cloisters lined with azulejo tile panels, and the Church of São Francisco, whose gilded Baroque interior is among the most ornate in the country. The afternoon is free to explore the Ribeira riverfront.Dinner and overnight in Porto.
Day 8

The Camino Português and Ponte de Lima

We drive to Vitorino dos Piães and set out on foot along the Camino Português, the Portuguese road to Santiago de Compostela. Following the yellow arrows and scallop shells, our walk of about twelve kilometres passes country chapels, vineyards and old stone paths into Ponte de Lima, Portugal’s oldest municipality. Those who prefer not to walk may spend the day at leisure. We gather at the medieval bridge over the Lima before free time in the town.Mass is celebrated at a wayside chapel on the Camino Português. Dinner and overnight in Porto.
Day 9 – 10

Coimbra and Return

BAND 4, COIMBRA
Santa Clara-a-Nova, Coimbra
Day 9

Coimbra and Lisbon

We travel south to Coimbra and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, where the incorrupt remains of St. Elizabeth of Portugal rest in a silver and gold casket above the altar. Queen of Portugal and a great-niece of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, she was known throughout her kingdom as a peacemaker and a servant of the poor. We continue to Lisbon for our farewell dinner.Mass is celebrated at the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon.
Day 10

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the intercession of Our Lady of Fátima, we transfer to Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport for our return flight home.

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®
The colonnade of the sanctuary at Fatima
FatimaThe sanctuary colonnade, early in the day.
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
The Lisbon skyline
Lisbon
GALLERY 2, SINTRA
The Moorish Castle, Sintra
The sanctuary at Fatima
The sanctuary at Fatima
The monastery at Batalha
The monastery at Batalha
GALLERY 5, NAZARÉ
Our Lady of Nazaré
A yellow scallop shell marking the Camino
A waymarker on the Camino

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 Portugal?

Spring and autumn bring the mildest weather and lighter crowds. The 13th of each month from May to October marks the anniversaries of the apparitions at Fátima and draws large numbers to the sanctuary, 13 May and 13 October most of all. Some groups plan for those dates and others plan around them, and we will help you decide which suits your pilgrims.

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 Portugal?

You will need a passport valid for at least three months beyond the date you leave Europe. United States citizens do not currently need a visa for tourist stays in Portugal of up to 90 days within any 180 day period. The European Union has an online travel authorisation, ETIAS, which is expected to add a short registration step for visa-free travellers; we will let your group know in good time if it applies to your departure.

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 Portugal?

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

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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