During the last week of April and the first week of May 2025 I had the opportunity to travel with a tour group to Portugal, Spain and France. We embarked upon a spiritual journey that was truly enlightening.

Lisbon, Santarem, Fatima in Portugal

We began our journey with a layover in Montreal, Canada and afterwards traveled to our connection in Lisbon, Portugal. In Portugal, I was able to meet with my friend who I had last seen in person in Madrid, Spain in 2019. It was great to be able to see her and reconnect.

The following day, our tour group visited St. Anthony’s Church, Lisbon Cathedral Se, Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower in Lisbon. We then traveled to Santarem, Portugal and visited the Church of the Holy Miracle and from there traveled to Fatima. In Fatima we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, the Chapel of Apparitions, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Basilica of the Holy Trinity.

Salamanca, Alba de Tormes, Avila, Burgos, Loyola in Spain

In Salamanca, we visited the Plaza Mayor and landmarks like the Iglesia de San Martin Tours, Casa de las Conchas, La Clerecia, the University of Salamanca and Salamanca Cathedral. In Alba de Tormes we visited the Basilica of St. Teresa and the Carmelite Musuem. In Avila we viewed the medieval walls that encircle the town and saw the Cathedral of Avila and the Basilica of San Vicente. We then traveled to Burgos, Spain where we visited the Burgos Cathedral and viewed the Arco de Santa Maria. Following this visit we traveled to Loyola and visited the Sanctuary of Loyola.

Lourdes, France

After traveling through the Pyrenees mountains we arrived in Lourdes, France. We began the tour with a visit to the Basilica of St. Pius X. We also visited the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and then we walked through the Grotto of Massabielle.

Barcelona, Spain

From France, we returned to Spain to visit Barcelona. We walked along the streets of Las Ramblas and concluded our tour with a visit to Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia.

I am thankful for the connections I made with others and am also grateful to our wonderful tour guide, Ana and our driver, Nelson. They truly made this trip unforgettable with their knowledge, expertise and kindness.