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Photograph to come · The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján

In the Footsteps of Pope Francis

Buenos Aires, San Miguel, Tigre, Luján, San Nicolás, Córdoba and Alta Gracia

Twelve days in Argentina with the Pope who came from it, from the parish in Flores where he first heard the call to the Basilica of Luján, the shrine at San Nicolás and the Jesuit estancias of Córdoba.

Departures

Current Tours to South America

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

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Seven stops between Buenos Aires and Córdoba

Buenos Aires, San Miguel, Tigre, Luján, San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Córdoba and Alta Gracia.

Itinerary · AM_AR-12D-01

The Pope Francis Itinerary

This twelve-day route is built around one man’s life, and it is the only one of ours that reaches the Jesuit Block at Córdoba where he spent two hidden years. 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 1–3

Arrival and the parish at Flores

Photograph to come · The Basilica of St. Joseph in Flores
The Basilica of St. Joseph in Flores
Day 1

Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Argentina. Dinner and breakfast are served during the flight, and the group travels together from the first evening.
Day 2

Arrival in Buenos Aires

Our escort meets the group on arrival and travels with us by motorcoach to the hotel. After check-in there is free time to rest, and in the evening we gather for a welcome dinner at a traditional Argentine grill.Overnight in Buenos Aires.
Day 3

Flores, the neighbourhood of Pope Francis

We go to Flores, where Jorge Bergoglio was born, raised and formed, and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Joseph, his home parish. It was in a confessional here, at seventeen, that he met the mercy of God in the way that set the whole course of his life.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
DAYS 4–7

San Miguel, Tigre, Luján and San Nicolás

Photograph to come · The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján
The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján
Day 4

San Miguel and Avenida Santa Fe

We travel out to San Miguel for the Colegio Máximo de San José, where he studied, taught and later served through his Jesuit formation, and celebrate Mass in its chapel. The afternoon is free along the Avenida Santa Fe.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
Day 5

The Tigre delta

Mass in the city, then out to the delta of the Tigre, where a river cruise threads the wooded islands and there is time at the Puerto de Frutos market. In the evening the group gathers for a tango lesson.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
Day 6

The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján

We make our pilgrimage to the national sanctuary of Argentina, raised in honour of the Virgin of Luján, patroness of the country. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires the future Pope came here often to receive young pilgrims, hear confessions and celebrate Mass. We celebrate Mass at the basilica.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
Day 7

Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás

North to San Nicolás de los Arroyos, where Our Lady appeared to Gladys Quiroga de Motta from 1983 and the apparitions were approved by the local bishop in 2016. We tour the shrine and celebrate Mass in the chapel among the Argentine faithful who come here.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
DAYS 8–10

Córdoba and the Jesuit estancias

Photograph to come · The Jesuit Block at Córdoba
The Jesuit Block at Córdoba
Day 8

Córdoba and the Jesuit Block

We fly to Córdoba, the heart of Argentina’s Jesuit inheritance, and walk the Manzana Jesuítica with one of the oldest universities in South America. Mass at the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, then the residence where Bergoglio lived from 1990 to 1992 as confessor and carer to his elderly brothers, a time he called a purification.Dinner and overnight in Córdoba.
Day 9

Alta Gracia

Into the sierras to Alta Gracia, one of five Jesuit estancias raised across the Córdoba countryside in the seventeenth century, whose church and workshops sustained the missions for more than a hundred and fifty years. We celebrate Mass there and have time to walk the estancia.Dinner and overnight in Córdoba.
Day 10

The estancias and the return

Estancia Caroya, the first of them, founded in 1616, then Estancia Jesús María, whose vineyards made some of the earliest wine in the Americas. We celebrate Mass in the estancia church before the evening flight back to Buenos Aires.Dinner and overnight in Buenos Aires.
DAYS 11–12

Buenos Aires and home

Photograph to come · The Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires
Day 11

Buenos Aires and the cathedral

On our last full day we tour the city through its neighbourhoods and landmarks, and celebrate Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, where Cardinal Bergoglio served as archbishop before his election. The afternoon is free, and we gather in the evening for a farewell dinner.Overnight in Buenos Aires.
Day 12

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the intercession of Our Lady of Luján, we transfer to the 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®
Flores, Buenos AiresThe parish where a boy of seventeen went into the confessional on the feast of St. Matthew and came out believing he had been called.
Photograph to come
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 Colegio Máximo de San José at San Miguel
The Colegio Máximo de San José at San Miguel
Photograph to come · The delta of the Tigre river
The delta of the Tigre river
Photograph to come · The shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás
The shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of San Nicolás
Photograph to come · The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Córdoba
The Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Córdoba
Photograph to come · The Jesuit estancia at Alta Gracia
The Jesuit estancia at Alta Gracia
Photograph to come · Estancia Jesús María and its vineyards
Estancia Jesús María and its vineyards

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 South America?

Groups travel all year. Argentina sits in the southern hemisphere, so its summer runs from December through February and its winter from June through August, and Buenos Aires is mildest in spring and autumn. The Sierras de Córdoba are cooler than the capital in every season. The shrines receive pilgrims year round.

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 Argentina?

United States citizens need a passport and do not need a visa for a short stay in Argentina. This route stays within one country throughout and includes two internal flights between Buenos Aires and Córdoba. We confirm the current entry requirements for each group before travel.

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 South America?

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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