This is a tour unlike any other you'll find on this site... It's a journey for the soul, travelling to many locations dear to the Catholic tradition but in fact appealing to anyone who believe in a spiritual self.
Check in at your international airport for your Thai Airways International flight to Lisbon.
Upon arrival, transfer to Hotel Roma in Lisbon. In the afternoon we explore the Portuguese capital with a local guide.
After breakfast visit to the Fatima’s sites. October 13 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children. Later in the afternoon we drive through the villages surrounding the sanctuary, arriving back to our hotel in time for dinner.
The day is entirely dedicated to visiting Fatima, from the celebrated grotto of the apparitions to the large basilica which now encloses the modest chapel built in the days immediately following the apparitions.
After breakfast we say goodbye to Portugal and hello to Spain as we drive to Salamanca, known for being the seat of one of the world's oldest universities, then to Valladolid, Northern Spain's largest city and the former capital of the Kingdom of Castile. Here lived Miguel Cervantes, the celebrated author of Don Quixote, here died Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas.
From the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Castile to the historic capital of Castile... Burgos. We'll see the Cathedral, declared world heritage by UNESCO, before driving on to San Sebastian where we stop for optional lunch. Here the locals call pinchos what the rest of Spain calls tapas... and say they're bigger and better than tapas. After lunch we cross the French border, and arrive in Lourdes in the early afternoon. We check in at the Hotel des Rosiers
Lourdes breakfast & dinner Lourdes is second only to Rome as a pilgrimage destination in the Catholic world. In our first day in Lourdes we visit the Upper & Lower Basilicas, the Grotto and the baths.
Full day in Lourdes, a city that attracts six million visitors every year. There's still a lot to see.
French motorways are among the best in the world. It will be a joy to drive from the Pyrenees to one of France's most famous wine regions, and visit the port city of Bordeaux on the estuary of the Garonne River. From Bordeaux, in the afternoon we drive north to Nantes, where we spend the night.
After breakfast, we visit Versailles, now an outer suburb of Paris but the actual capital of the Kingdom of France under the Sun King. In the afternoon we get a guided tour of all those iconic buildings and locations that make Paris one of the world's greatest cities.
Full day at leisure.... so much to see and do.
Nothing is very far away in Europe... Today from France we cross into Switzerland, and tomorrow from Switzerland into Italy. Our destination is perhaps the most picturesque lake in the country, that straddles Lucerne and 3 other cantons - hence its German name Vierwaldstättersee which translates as "the lake of the four settlements in the forest".
Today we have a solid drive from the middle of Switzerland to the middle of Italy, taking in some breathtaking views as we cross the Alps. Our ultimate destination is Florence. We'll get there by way of Milan on the Autostrada del Sole. In Florence we check in at the Hotel Europa Signa.
We have a full day sightseeing this comparatively small but massively important city, the cradle of Renaissance and, with Dante Alighieri, of the Italian language. Included in our city tour is a visit to the Accademia to see Michaelangelo's David in the flesh (so to speak).
From the home of the Italian language to the home of a saint celebrated throughout the world for his piety and strict vows of poverty. Assisi, near the Umbrian capital of Perugia, was the birthplace of St Francis, the founder of the Franciscan order, whose name the current Pope has adopted. We spend the day in St Francis' birthplace before checking in to the Hotel Castello.
Another holy site is on our itinerary today, the place where Padre Pio from Pietralcina lived and preached all through last century. The Catholic Church recognised him as a saint just 15 years ago. After visiting the places of devotion, we check into the Hotel Gran Paradiso.
In the morning we wrap up our visit to San Giovanni Rotondo and travel to the Eternal City, where we will spend the next three nights. The evening is at leisure.
Morning city sightseeing with local guide. The tour includes St. Peter’ Square and Basilica, the Sistine Chapel (entrance fees are included) and the Vatican Museum, the Coliseum and nearby Roman Forum, and finally the celebrated Via Veneto of La Dolce Vita fame.
Full day at leisure in Rome. If you really don't know what to do with your free day in Rome, talk to us and we can arrange several different activities to suit you.
After breakfast, transfer to Rome Airport for your flight to Bangkok, out stopover on the way to Australia. At this point, of course, you may also choose to extend your stay in Europe. Please let us know as early as possible!
We're spending the day in the Thai capital. After Customs formalities, we transfer to our Bangkok hotel.
In the morning, after breakfast, we visit one of the world's most stunning cities... its intricate canal network earned it the nickname of Venice of the East. In the afternoon, transfer to Suvarnabhumi airport for the last leg of your return flight.
Hopefully, you had a good snooze on your flight home and arrive fresh and ready to tell everyone what a wonderful time you've had and how many new friends you've made on your Viatour group... Thank you and see you soon on another magical Viatour group tour!
Image of the Burgos Cathedral by Camino del Cid Image of Lake Lucerne by Gabrielle Merk Image of the Chapel of the Apparition in Fatima by Andreas Trepte
