Israel, Spain, France, Portugal
Year round
Itinerary:
Day 1 USA/TEL AVIV
Depart the USA to begin your spiritual journey to the Holy Land. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board your trans-Atlantic overnight flight.
Day 2 TEL AVIV
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, an Altura representative will meet and assist you. Transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Welcome Dinner. D
Day 3 JAFFA/CAESAREA/HAIFA/ACRE/TIBERIAS
Drive through Cosmopolitan Tel Aviv to Jaffa , the ancient Joppa, city of Jonah and Simon the Tanner. See the restored Old City and visit the Church of St.Peter. Then travel along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea , Old Crusader City and the Capital of the Roman Province. See the Amphitheater, the impressive Aqueduct and the harbor from which St.Paul was taken prisoner to Rome. Proceed to beautiful Haifa and ascend to Mount Carmel where Elijah confronted the profhets of Baal. Visit the Carmelite Monastery, Stella Maris and the Persian Gardens. Continue to Acre, famous old Crusader stronghold; then proceed to the biblical city of Tiberias for overnight. B,D
Day 4 GALILEE
Today drive to the Mount of Beatitudes including its church , site of the Sermon on the Mount. Then to Tabgha, to view a beautiful mosaic depicting the scene of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. See Capernaum and the ancient synagogue, and Chorazim which along with Capernaum was cursed by Jesus for spurning His teaching. Enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, then on to Mount Tabor to visit the church, traditional site of the Transfiguration. Proceed later for a Baptism ceremony at the River Jordan where it flows out of the Sea of Galilee. Return to Tiberias. B,D
Day 5 NAZARETH/JORDAN VALLEY/JERICHO/JERUSALEM
Leave Tiberias for Cana, site of Jesus’ first miracle and Nazareth where Our Lord spend His childhood and early years. Visit the church of Annunciation, Joseph’s Carpenter Shop and walk through the old bazaars to see Mary’s Well. Depart to Beit Shean, ancient Scythopolis and through the scenic Jordan Valley towards Jericho, the oldest known inhabited city in the World. Tour the ruins and archelogical site. See Mount of Temptation to the west then continue south to the Dead Sea, with a stop in Qumran, site of the Dead sea Scrolls discovery. View Mt.Nebo and follow the ancient Roman route through the Judean Desert, via the Good Samaritan Inn and Bethany, where Jesus raise Lazarus, before continuing to Jerusalem. B,D
Day 6 JERUSALEM: MT OF OLIVES/GETHSEMANE/KIDRON VALLEY/BETHLEHEM
Drive to the Mount of Olives and the place of Ascension for a wonderful view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem. Visit the Pater Noster Church and the Chapel of Ascension. See the Palm Sunday road, on which Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Drive to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Drive down the Kidron Valley to the Church of St.Peter in Gallicantu, built over the Palace of the High Priest Caiaphas. Proceed to Mount Zion and visit the Room of the Last Supper, King Davids Tomb and Dormition Abbey. Continue to Bethlehem to see the Church of Nativity, built over the stable where Jesus was born. Visit the plains of Boaz and Shepherd’s Fields. View Mt. Herodium where Herod’s Palace stood. Return to Jerusalem. B,D.
Day 7 JERUSALEM: EIN KAREM/NEW AND OLD CITY
This morning drive pass the Knesset, to the Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the Book and see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Proceed to the Model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and on to the Church of Visitation in Ein Karem, traditional home of Elizabeth and the birthplace of John the Baptist. Continue to Yad Vashem for a visit to the Memorial of the Holocaust. In the afternoon, enter the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall, the Temple Area with the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Pool of Bethesda, St.Anne’s Church, birthplace of Mary, Arc of Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) , and the Via Dolorosa and Holy Sepulchre. Stroll through the Bazaars before returning to your hotel for a special farewell dinner. B,D.
Day 8 JERUSALEM/LOD/BARCELONA Transfer to the airport for your flight to Barcelona, the sophisticated Catalonian capital. An Altura representative will meet and assist you. Transfer to your hotel. B,D
Day 9 BARCELONA/MONTSERRAT/ZARAGOZA Depart for Montserrat to visit the 16th century Benedectine Monastery and see the Shrine of the Black Virgen. Enjoy the magnificent mountain setting and continue to Zaragoza where The Blessed Mother appeared to St.James in 40AD. Celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Pillar, first Marian Shrine of Chrsitendom and drive through the city to your hotel for overnight. B,D
Day 10 ZARAGOZA/LOURDES Drive north across the Pyrenees towards the great pilgrimage center of Lourdes. Upon arrival you may join the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Lourdes. B,D
Day 11 LOURDES Nestled in a dramatic mountain scenery in the French Pyrenees, Lourdes is the birthplace of St. Bernadette. The blessed Virgen first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 in the Masiabelle Grotto and further apparitions took place. Celebrate Mass at the Basilica and follow the Stations of the Cross. You may also see the baths were miraculous cures have taken place and later join again the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Lourdes. B,D
Day 12 LOURDES/BURGOS Today we head towards the Spanish border and on to Burgos, ancient capital of the united kingdom of Castilla and Leon and home of the Basilica of Burgos, one of the largest in Europe. Overnight in Burgos. B,D
Day 13 LOURDES/FATIMA Morning orientation tour and departure through the beautiful countryside towards the Portuguese border. Proceed then to Fatima, another great Marian center, for overnight. B,D
Day 14 FATIMA On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgen appeared to three shepherd children near the Village of Fatima and ask them to pray for world peace. Visit the Chapel of the Apparitions; the Basilica, sites of Francisco’s and Jacinta’s graves; Aljustel, where the children lived, and Valinhos, site of the Virgen appearance after their return from prison. Celebrate Mass and follow the Station of the Cross along the Via Sacra. In the evening join the Candlenight Procession and pray the Rosary. B,D
Day 15 FATIMA/LISBON Drive to Santarem, site of the Holy Miracle of Santarem. Celebrate Mass at the Church where the venerated relic of the Bleeding Host is kept since 1269. Continue to Lisbon for an orientation tour including St. George’s Castle, the Tower of Belem , point of departure for Vasco Da Gama and other navigators, the gothic-style St.Jeronimo’s Monastery and the Monument of the Discovery. Overnight in Lisbon. B,D
Day 16 FATIMA/USA Transfer to the airport for you return flight(s) home. B
The European portion of this itinerary can be operated as an independent program with extra nights.
Every Spiritual Journey includes:
· Roundtrip air transportation via the finest scheduled service airlines
· Meeting and assistance service at airports
· First class and/or first class superior hotel accommodations
at selected hotels
· Breakfast and dinner daily
· Sightseeing by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach including
entrance fees
· Professional English – speaking tour guides/escorts
· Roundtrip transfers including baggage handling
· Hotel taxes and service charges
· Travel documents
· Assistance by local Altura Representative
FREE TRIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM
· One free journey for every five paying passengers
· Travel credits for very odd-paying passenger
· Assistance with creating your program brochure
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