Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima

Explore the phenomenon of Our Lady of Fátima on a half-day tour of the shrine to the Virgin Mary. Stroll around the grounds of the sanctuary on arrival to see monuments dedicated to the sightings of Mary in 1916 and 1917. Visit the Chapel of the Apparitions that marks the most precise spot where the sightings happened and admire the stone and marble Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Most Holy Trinity Basilica, built in 2007. Go to the town of Aljustrel to see where the 3 shepherd children who saw Mary lived. Marvel at faithful reconstructions of scenes from the story using old objects such as family photographs, clothes, kitchen utensils and furniture. Itinerary: 9:00 AM - Depart from Lisbon  10:30 AM to 11:10 AM - Guided visit of the 3 shepherds old houses 11:20 AM - Arrival at Fátima Sanctuary (free time to attend mass, purchase souvenirs and explore the area)  1:00 PM - Return to Lisbon 2:30 PM - Drop off at Marquês de Pombal or Rossio square

Start with pickup from your accommodation and meet your driver/guide for the day. Travel by air-conditioned minivan or sedan north Lisbon to the town of Fátima. Upon arrival in Fátima, visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima and see the Apparition Chapel, Our Lady of the Rosary Basilica, and the Holy Trinity Basilica. Learn about the Marian Apparitions to 3 local children in 1917 and 1918 with your expert guide. Head to nearby Valinhos and see the houses where the 3 children were born. Enjoy the serenity of this tranquil location surrounded by scenic rolling hills. Travel southwest to the village of Sintra and enjoy some free time to explore the charming streets. Take a break for lunch in one of the cafés in the village. Afterward, visit the stately Pena Palace which is situated on a hill overlooking Sintra. Learn about the history of the palace, and enjoy fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding area, before returning to Lisbon.

Begin your amazing journey by meeting your friendly local guide at your accommodation. Sit back & relax while traveling to the center of Portugal and hearing about the region. After driving 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Lisbon, arrive at your first destination, the region of Fátima. Explore the religious capital of Portugal. Visit the Chapel of Apparitions to see the stone pillar that marks the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared, the Shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima. Enjoy free time to enjoy the sight. Learn interesting facts about Fátima and Portuguese Catholic and religious traditions from your guide. At the other end of Fatima’s Shrine is the Most Holy Trinity Church (Lesser Basilica, from 2007). Witness this modern piece of architecture. In 1917 a religious event changed the history of this location forever. 3 shepherds witnessed successive apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima (another name for the Virgin Mary) turning it into one of the most important landmarks in Marian worship, attracting pilgrims from all over the world. Next, be whisked away to a local village 2 kilometers away. This is where the 3 young shepherds (responsible for the importance of Fatima’s landmark) were born. Get an insight into their lives and costumes, along with a context of this landmark of Portuguese history.

After pick up at the hotel, the tour start in direction of one of the most important Christian Sanctuary in the world, located in Fatima. You will visit a religious item factory, where you can acquire those items to be blessed in the Sanctuary. You will have time to assist the mass, reflect and visit the Chapel of Apparitions, Holy Trinity Basilic and Our lady of Rosario Basilic, where the 3 shepherds, all canonized, are buried. After these spiritual moment, head to Batalha, with a mandatory stop at the monastery of Batalha, classified by the UNESCO as world heritage. Build in honor of the victory over the Castilians in the battle of Aljubarota, decisive to Portugal due to dynastic crisis. Following the tour, you will arrive to Nazaré, a fisherman village with beautiful white house and stunning cliffs. Even today, it is possible to see in its street and alleys the local culture and custom well portrayed. One of them, its people (the fishermen) wearing plaid shirts and black pants and the woman with traditional seven petticoats. Enjoy and get to know the village of Nazaré, as well as the natural phenomenon that takes place at Nazaré's North Beach where are surfed the biggest waves in the world. To finalize, you will see Obidos. A Medieval village, well preserved. For it's proximity of the Atlantic coast, it aroused the interest of invading peoples from the Iberian Peninsula, having been occupied by Lusitanians, Romans, Visigoth and Muslims, attributing to the latter the fortification of the village. Conquered from the Moors by King D. Afonso Henriques ( 1st time), having been definitively conquered in the reign of Sancho I. The village was donated in marriage by D Dinis ( 1279-1325) to Queen Santa Isabel during the nuptial spent there. This village became part of dowries for all the queens of Portugal until 1834. Inside of the walls, you will find a castle well preserve, a labyrinth of streets and white houses. Nowadays a lot of those houses are transformed into gift shop, restaurants and regional sweet stores. Between the flowered windows, colorful streets, churchs and squares, you can taste the ginjinha of Obidos, one of most traditional Portuguese liquors, obtained from the maceration of the cherry fruit, served normaly or in a chocolate cup, ending the day on a sweet way.

Discover Fatima, also known as the Altar of the World, on this private tour with a guide. Explore the places where the apparitions of the Angel of Peace took place and see other sacred locations in the town, too. After leaving Lisbon with your guide, head over to Loca do Cabeço where the first and third Apparitions of the Angel of Peace occurred. Then, drop by the Arneiro well, the location of the second apparition in 1916. Proceed to the house of San Francisco and Saint Jacinta and the house of Sister Lucia, both open for pilgrim visits. 1 kilometer from Aljustrel and 2 kilometers from the Sanctuary, you will find the Parish Church of Fatima, where the seers were baptized and integrated into the Christian community. Continue on to Cova de Iria, where the sanctuary's place of prayers and monuments are located. Then, visit the Chapel of the Apparitions, the exact location of the apparitions and considered as the heart of the Sanctuary. You will also see and contemplate in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Basilica of the Holy Trinity, Cruz Alta, Fontanário, Azinheira Grande, and a temporary exhibition.