GPS Self-Guided Roadtrip Vacations to Portugal CATHOLIC TOUR (11D/10N)

Catholic Tour - Day 1 Lisbon Arrival at Lisbon airport. Pick up of the car. Accommodation at your hotel. If you have time explore city's city’s downtown (Lisboa’s Baixa) . Overnight in Lisbon.

Catholic Tour - Day 2 Lisbon During the morning we suggest you visit the old Lisbon. Don't miss the Cathedral (Sé).It contains several medieval tombs, one of which is titled enigmatically “the tomb of the Unknown Princess”. The sacristy holds the relics of Saint Vicente. It also has a spectacular Baroque organ from the 18th century. Close to Lisbon Cathedral is the Igreja de Santo António, erected on the very spot where the saint was born.In the afternoon go to Belém, the quarter dedicated to the Portuguese discoveries where you find the Tower of Belém and the Discoveries Monument. The fabulous manueline style of Jerónimos Monastery cannot be missed. Overnight in Lisbon.

Catholic Tour - Day 3 Lisboa / Alcobaça / Batalha / Fátima Head north to Alcobaça. Here you can visit the first and largest gothic church in Portugal with the tombs of D.Pedro and Inês de Castro, known by their tragic love story. This Gothic church is a spiritual place which creates a peaceful environment. The floor plan is shaped like a cross. Continue to Batalha to visit another impressive monastery. The “Sala do Capítulo” (Chapter House) is unique in Portugal: it has a square floor plan and it has an ingenious vault. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded there. The “Claustro Real” (Royal Cloister) is astonishing. The bones of the building materialize and then merge into the vault and then back into the columns. Departure to Fátima. Overnight in Fátima.

Catholic Tour - Day 4 Fátima A place of faith and devotion, Fátima attracts tourists from all over the globe. The Fátima apparitions, which occurred in the 20th century, have transformed this small town into one of the most important centres of the ‘cult of Mary’ in Portugal, not only endorsed by the Catholic Church but also known around the world. Visit Aparições Chapel. Not long after the apparitions of Our Lady, the small chapel was built in 1919, and it is in the simple style of a rustic chapel. The Basilica was started in 1928, in the exact spot where shepherds were playing moments before the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima. It is built in Neo-baroque style. The belfry is 65m high and is topped by a bronze crown with a cross. Overnight in Fátima.

Catholic Tour - Day 5 Fátima / Coimbra / Braga Departure to Coimbra, a medium-sized city on the banks of the River Mondego. The highlights of Coimbra are the new and old Cathedrals and the Santa Clara Convents. The old Cathedral houses chapels and tombs of important figures from the Middle Ages. Inside the new Cathedral one can find a late 17th. century gilded wooden altarpiece. Do not miss Santa Cruz church, it is considered a National Pantheon since it contains the tombs of the first two kings of Portugal (King Afonso Henriques and King D. Sancho I). Head north to Braga in the afternoon. Overnight in Braga.

Catholic Tour - Day 6 Braga Braga is an ancient city that was once the seat of the local Roman government, the capital of Galicia, the capital of the Suevo-Bracara kingdom and an ecclesiastical centre. Even today, the Portuguese still call it the "archbishop’s city ". In the 16th. century it was known as the Portuguese Rome. Visit Braga Cathedral, the oldest in Portugal. Inside you will find the Capela dos Reis (Chapel of the Kings) is a Gothic chapel in which the parents of King Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, are buried. There are many sanctuaries around Braga, we can highlight Bom Jesus do Monte, The beautiful sanctuary lies in the outskirts of Braga and consists of a church on top of a hill which is reached by climbing a colossal stairway built into the hillside. Overnight in Braga.

Catholic Tour - Day 7 Braga / Valença do Minho / Santiago de Compostela Separated from Spain by the River Minho, Valença do Minho is an attractive town in the north of Portugal, encircled by a strong 5 km wall. An 18th century Romanesque church reconstructed in Neoclassical style. One item of particular interest inside is the 16th. century Gothic-Mujedar bishop’s chair. Departure to Santiago de Compostela. Discover the capital of the Region of Galicia. Millions of people from all over the world come to this city every year, many of them reaching the end of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Overnight at Santiago de Compostela.

Catholic Tour - Day 8 Santiago de Compostela The historic centre is set around the cathedral. This part of the city has the UNESCO World Heritage designation. Here you will find monuments that are real artistic gems of different architectural styles. Buildings with centuries of history that give the city a unique appearance. The original church that once occupied this spot had small and humble beginnings, but today the giant edifice that is Santiago cathedral attracts visitors and pilgrims from all over the world. Admission to the cathedral and the passageway that allows you to view the tomb of saint James are free, but there is an additional pass that you can purchase which allows you an "all access" look around the crypt, cloisters and other museum areas. Overnight in Santiago de Compostela.

Catholic Tour - Day 9 Santiago de Compostela / Viana do Castelo / Porto The waters of the Minho come from the Atlantic and Viana do Castelo was founded at the mouth of one of the many rivers that wind through the region. It is a city which has a port, naval dockyards, a marina and a riverside front. The city lies on flat land except for one large hill, at the top of which stands an imposing landmark: Santa Luzia.The church is a compact edifice, visibly inspired by the Parisian Sacré Coeur Basilica in MontmartreThe city is famous for its Nossa Senhora da Agonia festivals, the Viana goldsmiths and the many varieties of local sweets and more substantial dishes. It also has many churches and manor houses and traditional streets and houses, all of which are very attractive.Departure to Porto. Overnight in Porto.

Catholic Tour - Day 10 Porto / Aveiro / Óbidos / Lisboa Visit Porto in the morning. Do not miss the Cathedral, Clérigos Tower and São Francisco church. Aveiro is a medium-sized city that extends over an alluvial plain whose canals and tributaries flow into the city alongside the houses. The traditional moliceiros (seaweed-gathering boats) can be seen in this area. Visit the museum, the former Convent of Jesus, is full of mementos of Princess Saint Joana, who died there in 1490. In the afternoon, on entering the delightful town of Óbidos, you will be travelling back in time. Walk through the walls of this town, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle. Visit the Santa Maria and São Tiago churches. Overnight in Lisboa.

Catholic Tour - Day 11 Departure If your flight is only in the afternoon spend your morning at the eastern part of Lisbon. Parque das Nações (the Park of Nations) hosts a wide variety of facilities, including cable car, a train station and a pleasant shopping centre in addition to extensive cultural and commercial zones.

The ones described or similar:

In LISBON €Hotel Fénix Garden , Hotel Principe Lisboa€€Hotel Tivoli Jardim , Hotel Britania, Hotel Lisboa Plaza€€€Pestana Palace , Hotel Tivoli Lisboa , Heritage Av Liberdade, Hotel Britania

In PORTO €Vila Galé Porto , Castelo de Santa Catarina €€€Hotel Infante Sagres , Pestana Porto , Pousada do Porto - Palácio do Freixo, Hotel Intercontinental Palácio das Cardosas

In FÁTIMA €Hotel São José, Lux Mundi, Hotel Cruz Alta€€Lux Fátima, Hotel Santa Maria, Hotel Estrela de Fátima€€€Dom Gonçalo Hotel & Spa

In BRAGA €Albergaria Bracara Augusta, Hotel do Lago, Grande Hotel€€Hotel do Parque, Hotel do Elevador, Hotel do Templo€€€Pousada de Braga

In SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (SPAIN) €Rosa Rosae€€San Francisco Hotel Monumento, Hotel Compostela€€€San Francisco Hotel Monumento, Hotel Compostela

€ Standard: A solution for the travellers who cannot afford to pay a high price but still expect a good quality tour. Our hand-picked basic accommodations to be used will be guest-houses or 3 star hotels. If you are seeking a good quality tour but could not be ready to pay a high cost, this is the best choice.

€€ Superior: Paying more than standard for better accommodation services having a comfortable trip. You will stay in very good accommodations (4 star hotels, very charming 3* or equivalent) except cities where this type of accommodations is not available.

€€€ Deluxe(Primera): Mostly first-class hotels, where travellers will receive utmost impeccable services with personal care (5 star hotels, very charming 4*, Pousada, very charming small rural accommodation) are applied for this grade. However, there may be some combination of first-class accommodations and hand-picked moderate accommodations in towns that do not have first class hotels. It is the perfect choice for those who wish value for money services.

RENT A CAR (Per Car)      LOW SEASON     HIGH SEASON (1 Apr - 31 Oct)

ECONOMY NO AC                  €200                    €328
KIA PICANTO or similar
ECONOMY                              €245                    €404
VW POLO 1.2 or similar
COMPACT                               €305                   €474
FORD FOCUS or similar
STATION WAGON                  €347                   €488
OPEL ASTRA 1.4 or similar
VAN 7 PAX                              €694                   €1044
FORD GALAXY or similar
AUTOMATIC                           €490                   €606
OPEL ASTRA 1.4 or similar
PREMIUM                               €1122                  €1181
MERCEDES C220