Fátima

Embark on a full-day tour of Fatima, Obidos, Batalha, and Nazaré from Lisbon. See the shrine of Fatima, explore the seaside resort of Nazaré, and enjoy liqueur tasting in Obidos. Benefit from pickup in Lisbon city center, and then take a scenic drive to the shrine of Fatima. Learn more about the important Catholic pilgrimage site before going to the Gothic convent at Batalha. Admire the Manueline style of architecture typical of Portugal in the 16th century, and then enjoy a delicious lunch of regional food. Next, visit the beautiful seaside resort of Nazaré, popular with surfers and water sports fans. See the statue of the black Virgin Mary by Saint Joseph and look at the colorful fishing boats on the sandy beach from the top of the rock. Try some of the sweet cherry liqueur known as ginja in the medieval village of Obidos, and soak up the fairytale atmosphere of the cobbled paths and small medieval houses. Browse the handicraft stores along narrow streets, and then journey back to Lisbon through the lovely landscapes of central Portugal.

Take a trip north from Lisbon to visit the town of Fatima, home of the majestic Our Lady of Fatima Basilica, and famous for reported religious visions in the early 20th century. We will arrive first at the basilica, completed in 1953 and built at the site of religious apparitions that gained fame around the world. The basilica holds the tombs of the three children said to have seen the Virgin Mary, as well as a beautiful and ornate white marble interior. While at the basilica, you are free to attend mass if you wish. Afterwards, we will visit various sites related to the religious apparitions throughout the town. See the very site of the apparitions of an angel, and the place of the fourth apparition of Our Lady in 1917. After seeing the home of these extraordinary events, and experiencing this unique spiritual town, we will return to Lisbon in the evening.

Your tour begins with hotel pick-up in Lisbon before departing for Fátima, home to one of the largest shrines in the world, which attracts more than 5 million visitors each year. Once there, visit the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, a modern church completed in 2007. Then, stop and take your pick of religious articles or other products to get blessed at your next stop, the sanctuary. The Sanctuary is where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared and left 3 messages to the small shepherd: the end of the First World War, the end of Communism, and the attack on Pope John Paul the Second. After the sanctuary, continue your visit to the Monastery of Batalha, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This impressive convent was built by King John I of Portugal to thank the Virgin Mary following the battle of Aljubarrota against Spanish troops on August 14, 1385. Next, visit Nazaré, near the ocean. Relax as you admire the wonderful beach, charming fishermen’s houses, and amazing cliffs over the Atlantic Ocean. Feel free to visit the top of the cliff, where the famous Nazaré legend took place. After lunch, continue with a visit to the village of Óbidos, a town that is home to amazing churches and historic castle walls along its perimeter. Then it’s back to your hotel in Lisbon, where this day of cultural and religious history will end.

Take a full-day, multi-city tour that brings you to some of Portugal's most popular medieval and 20th-century architectural and religious marvels, beginning in Lisbon and ending in Fátima. Depart from Lisbon by bus at 9:00 and head to Óbidos, the 'wedding present town'. This is the town that King Dinis gave to his bride, Queen Isabel, on their wedding day in 1282. This romantic village is surrounded by the 45-foot-high walls of a medieval Moorish castle, the famous Pousada do Castelo. Stop for lunch in colorful Nazaré, a traditional Portuguese fishing village. If time permits, head to Sítio to enjoy a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. Then, kick off the afternoon with a trip to Batalha Monastery, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with beautiful stained-glass windows and the Manueline-style Royal Cloister. Arrive at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, a center of Catholic faith and globally recognized pilgrimage destination. Housed in the Basilica are the tombs of Lúcia, Francisco, and Jacinta, peasant children who, despite threats, never denied witnessing the apparition of Mary. The heart of the shrine is in the Chapel of Apparitions. Schedule permitting, you can attend Mass. Afterwards, you will return to Lisbon on a route that takes you through a rich agricultural region.

Explore some of the rural towns of Portugal on a day tour from Lisbon. Discover the towns of Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos, and São Martinho do Porto with the help of your guide. Start with pickup from your hotel in Lisbon and travel first to Fátima, where the famous apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima occurred. Explore the Sanctuary and experience the peaceful environment of this pilgrimage site. Visit the Chapel of the Apparition and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. See the former houses of the little shepherds who witnessed the apparition. Continue the journey to Nazaré, known around the world for its giant waves and McNamara's world record for the largest wave ever surfed. Enjoy lunch at the beach and see the giant waves for yourself. The next stop is Óbidos, a place of ancient legends and miracles. Enter the walls of the most romantic village in Portugal and experience what it was like to live in medieval times. Finally, relax on the journey back to Lisbon, with drop-off at your hotel.

Head to the Atlantic Coast from Lisbon, visit the romantic village of Óbidos, and see the important religious pilgrimage site of Fátima on this day trip from Lisbon. Journey into the rolling hills of the Portuguese countryside and on to the coast. Board a climate-controlled van in Lisbon and experience life as a religious pilgrim at the Sanctuary of Fátima. Learn about the visitations of the Virgin Mary to 3 local children as you view the stained glass art and the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Discover the stunning 14th-century Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the lovely Gothic windows in the west façade and admire the stained glass art that depicts the Visitation, the Adoration of the Magi, the Flight into Egypt, and the Resurrection.  Go to the Founder's Chapel, the Cloisters, and the unfinished chapels. Ride along the Atlantic coast, passing the picturesque villages of Foz do Arelho and São Martinho do Porto. Stop in Nazaré for lunch and take in the sights from the top of the Nazaré Cliffs. As you travel to Óbidos, listen to the commentary of your expert guide. You'll fall in love with this romantic village as you admire its medieval architecture, including its castle and fortified wall. Return to Lisbon at the end of your day trip. 

Travel to Fátima and Coimbra on a full-day trip from Porto. See the Shrine of Fátima and one of the oldest university cities in Europe. Choose from a tour with lunch and hotel pickup, a tour with lunch and a meeting point, or a tour with a meeting point.   Relax on the drive in an airconditioned vehicle to Fátima where apparitions of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared 3 children tending sheep in 1917.The miracle was recognized by the Vatican in 1930, and 3 different popes have been to Fátima since. Visit the stunning Neoclassical Basilica and Sanctuary, and can even have the option to attend mass in the Sanctuary. Spend some free time for lunch in the bustling city center which is full of modern-day pilgrims. Continue to Coimbra and discover the area that was Portugal’s only university city until the early 20th century. Founded in the 13th century, the hilltop college is one of the oldest in Europe. Today the university provides a backdrop to the city's charming streets.  Head to the Sé Nova Cathedral to see the only church in Portugal to survive the Reconquista almost intact. During the visit in Coimbra's historical center you can walk through the Quebra Costas, Arco da Almedina, Porta do Barbacã, and Rua Ferreira Borges. End at the University in the former buildings of the medieval Royal Palace. Among the highlights is the stunning Joanine Library with baroque details of red and green lacquer and trompe-l’oeil features. Return to Porto at the end of your tour.

Learn the story of the apparitions of Fátima on a private tour of the sanctuary, and get insights from a local guide. Visit the Chapel of Apparitions, where Our Lady appeared before 3 shepherd children in 1917. Then, enter the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary to look at the tombs of Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta. Admire the modern Basilica of the Holy Trinity, consecrated in 2007 as part of the 90th anniversary of the apparitions. Continue to the village of Aljustrel to discover the home of the children, and the church where they were baptized. Visit the sites of the apparition of the Angel of Peace and the 4th apparition of Our Lady at Valinhos.

Avoid the restricted timetables of other sightseeing tours and learn the history of Fátima at your own pace. Get an interactive folder to guide you around the shrine at leisure. Go to the Chapel of the Apparitions, built where Our Lady appeared to 3 shepherd children in May 1917. Visit the Monument of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the center of the sanctuary, designed to represent the central position Jesus plays in the message. Next, visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, where the mortal remains of the seers are buried at the site where the shepherd children were playing before Our Lady appeared. See the path that the pilgrims take on their knees to pay for their promises. Look inside the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, designed by the architect Alexandros Tombazis to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the apparitions. Finally see the Tall Cross erected in 2007 in the grounds of the Santissima Trindade Church.  

Following a pick-up at your hotel in Lisbon, you’ll travel in an air-conditioned, 8-seat vehicle to the Fatima Sanctuary. Learn about the miracle of the apparition of the Virgin to local shepherd children in 1917.  Next, your 8-hour tour moves west to the coast, with a stop at Batalha to visit the Batalha Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most fascinating Gothic monuments in Europe. King John I of Portugal built the monastery to give thanks to the Virgin Mary over a battle against Spanish troops in 1385. After lunch, you’ll visit Sítio, a clifftop village that offers some of the best views in Portugal. From high on the cliffs surrounding Nazaré, you’ll learn about the legend of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré. The statue of Our Lady of Nazaré is one of the oldest Christian art pieces. Continuing on, you’ll fall in love with the colorful, romantic village of Obidos. Its winding streets and medieval structures, castle walls and handicraft shops make this stop the highlight of the trip for many people. You’ll have the opportunity here to taste the typical liquor of this region known as ginjinha, or simply ginja.