Our Lady of the Pillar Basilica at Zaragoza, Spain 2.jpg

13 day Pilgrimage to the Iberian Peninsula
~ Spain & Portugal ~

February 15 - 27, 2027

$4,395 - includes ground travel, accommodations, and airfare

Fr. Ray Schmidt

Join Fr. Ray Schmidt on an unforgettable pilgrimage through Spain and Portugal, visiting the great Catholic shrines, saints, and sacred treasures of the Iberian Peninsula!

Special Opportunity: Celebrate the Jubilee Year of St. James in Santiago de Compostela

Discover the extraordinary Catholic heritage of Spain and Portugal on this unforgettable pilgrimage through the Iberian Peninsula during the Jubilee Year of St. James. Walk in the footsteps of great saints, pray at some of Europe’s most revered shrines, and experience centuries of Catholic history from Madrid, Segovia, Ávila, and Salamanca to Fátima, Coimbra, and Santiago de Compostela. Continue across northern Spain to the Basque Country, Zaragoza, Montserrat, and Barcelona as we encounter magnificent basilicas, ancient monasteries, Marian shrines, and the places made holy by saints whose lives continue to inspire the Church.

Highlights include:

Madrid and St. Isidore the Laborer and St. Maria de la Cabeza, Segovia and St. John of the Cross, Ávila and St. Teresa of Ávila, Salamanca, Seville and St. John of God, Lisbon, Fátima and Our Lady of Fátima, Coimbra and St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Santiago de Compostela and the Tomb of St. James the Greater during his Jubilee Year, Burgos, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aránzazu, Loyola and St. Ignatius of Loyola, Zaragoza and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, Montserrat and the Black Madonna, and Barcelona — including the magnificent Basilica of the Sagrada Família.

The Transformative Power of Pilgrimage: Lessons from St. Thérèse of Lisieux

St Therese age 14 or 15 when she went on pilgrimage to Rome

“Before my journey to Rome I had not felt any special devotion to this Saint, but on visiting the house where she was martyred, and on hearing her proclaimed ‘Queen of Harmony’, I felt more than devotion to her; I felt real love as for a friend. She became my chosen patroness as well as the keeper of my most intimate thoughts....”

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux, describing the grace she received at age 14 during her pilgrimage to Rome and her visit to St. Cecilia’s home (The Story of a Soul).

"... I saw splendid monuments; I studied the countless wonders of art and religion; and better than all, I stood on the very soil trodden by the Apostles and bedewed with the blood of Martyrs, and my soul grew strong by contact with those holy things.”

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux, recalling her 1887 pilgrimage to Rome with her father Louis, her sister Céline, and a diocesan group (The Story of a Soul)

Your trip includes

Round-trip airfare from Dulles International Airport
All airport taxes and fuel surcharges
First-class hotel accomodations:
- 1 night: Feb. 16, Hotel Las Moradas, Avila, ES
- 1 night: Feb. 17, Hotel Ilunion Mérida Palace, Mérida, ES
- 1 night: Feb.18 Hotel Palacio de Santa Inés, Granada, ES
- 2 nights: Feb. 19-20, Hotel Executive VIP Picoas, Lisbon, PT
- 1 night: Feb. 21, Hotel Don Gonçalo, Fatima, PT
- 1 night: Feb. 22, Oca Puerta Del Camino Hotel, Santiago de Compostela, ES
- 1 night: Feb. 23, Hotel Palacio de los Blasones, Burgos, ES
- 1 night: Feb. 24, Hotel Catalonia El Pilar, Zaragoza, ES
- 2 nights: Feb. 25-26, Hotel Pestana Arena Barcelona, Barcelona, ES
Single supplement, while available, for an additional $1,000
Transfers as per itinerary
Breakfast and dinner daily
Wine and mineral water with dinners
Transportation by air-conditioned motorcoach
Tour escort throughout
Assistance of professional local Catholic guide(s)
Sightseeing and admission fees as per Itinerary
Daily Mass with Fr. Ray Schmidt and spiritual activities

Not included:

Lunches and beverages not mentioned
Travel Insurance
Tips for your guide and driver. (est. $100 total)
Suggested church donations: $2–$5 per Mass
Passports, visas, and any required travel documentation

NOTE: Participation in this active pilgrimage requires the ability to walk 10,000–12,000 steps per day, unassisted, at an average pace across uneven surfaces, including steps and cobblestones.

Join our February 15–27, 2027 pilgrimage Spain and Portugal, visiting the great Catholic shrines, saints, and sacred treasures of the Iberian Peninsula! Reserve your place today through our fast and secure online registration.

Simply complete the online registration form to reserve your place. If you do not yet have a passport, you may provide your passport information at a later date. We accept all major credit and debit cards, with a 3% processing fee.

Please note our flight schedule below

DOUBLE OCCUPANCY PRICE: $4,395

SINGLE OCCUPANCY PRICE: $5,395

Download Brochure

Price reflects cash discount

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

A 50% deposit is due at time of registration
Final payment/balance is due on or before December 1, 2026
Registration after December 1, 2026 requires payment in full at time of bookng

PAYMENT METHODS:

We accept major credit cards, checks, money orders, and ACH transactions. There is an additional 3% fee for each credit card transaction.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

All payments are 100% refundable if a cancellation request is received in writing by December 1, 2026
All payments are 50% refundable from December 1, 2026 to 30 days prior to departure
There are no refunds for cancellation requests received after 30 days prior to departure
Processing fees will be deducted from refunds of payments made by credit card

Travel Insurance

Although travel insurance is optional, it is strongly recommended. We encourage you to purchase it within 14 days of the initial trip deposit in order to qualify for Cancel for Any Reason coverage.

You have two options for purchasing travel insurance:

Purchase directly from Faye through our website after submitting your application
Purchase a policy from your own insurance provider

Follow this LINK to view our Travel Protection Plan details.

You don’t want to think about things going wrong when you’re preparing for a long-awaited trip. But life is unpredictable—plans change, illnesses and injuries happen, luggage gets lost, and even severe weather can disrupt your plans. Having the right travel protection ensures you can travel with confidence, knowing you’re covered no matter what comes your way.

We’ve partnered with Faye to provide reliable travel insurance coverage for your pilgrimage. Please use the link below to receive a fast and easy quote.

For more information on why Faye, click HERE.

Itinerary

Dulles International Airport

Day 1

Pilgrimage Mass and Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with a late-morning Pilgrim Mass at the parish, asking God’s blessing upon our journey and all that lies ahead. Following Mass, we travel together to Washington Dulles International Airport, where we check in for our overnight nonstop flight to Madrid, Spain. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board as we cross the Atlantic and begin our pilgrimage to the great Catholic shrines, saints, and sacred places of the Iberian Peninsula.

Day 2

Madrid, Segovia & Ávila

Arrive in Madrid early this morning and meet our private motorcoach to begin our pilgrimage in the heart of Spain. Our first stop is the Real Basílica Colegiata de San Isidro, where we venerate St. Isidore the Laborer and his wife, St. Maria de la Cabeza. From there, we continue on foot through central Madrid to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Almudena, dedicated to the patroness of the city, and then to the magnificent Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, renowned for its impressive dome and sacred art. Following these visits, we will enjoy time for lunch before departing Madrid.

This afternoon, we travel to Segovia to visit the Monastery of St. John of the Cross, honoring the great Carmelite mystic, Doctor of the Church, and spiritual companion of St. Teresa of Ávila. After time for prayer and reflection, we continue through the beautiful Castilian countryside to Ávila, one of Spain’s most important Catholic pilgrimage cities. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel and gather for dinner and our first overnight in Spain.

Santa Maria la Real de La Almudena Cathedral cropped Dreamstime.png

Cathedral Almudena, Madrid

New Cathedral of Salamanca

Day 3

St. Teresa’s Spain

After breakfast, we begin the day exploring Ávila, the great walled city of St. Teresa of Jesus. We walk to the Convent and Basilica of St. Teresa, built over the site of her birthplace, and then continue to the Cathedral of Ávila, one of the earliest Gothic cathedrals in Spain. From Ávila, we travel to Alba de Tormes, where St. Teresa spent her final days. Here we visit the Basilica of St. Teresa, where her remains are venerated, and enjoy time for lunch.

This afternoon, we continue to Salamanca, one of Spain’s most beautiful historic cities and a center of Catholic learning for centuries. We visit the impressive Old and New Cathedrals of Salamanca and celebrate Mass before departing in the late afternoon for Mérida. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel and gather for dinner and overnight.

Day 4

Two Doctors of Charity

After breakfast, we depart Mérida and travel south to Montilla, where we visit the Basilica of St. John of Ávila. Here we honor one of Spain’s great priest-saints, spiritual writers, and Doctors of the Church, whose remains are enshrined in the basilica. We will have time for prayer and reflection at this important pilgrimage site before continuing deeper into Andalusia.

This afternoon, we travel to Granada to visit the Basilica of St. John of God, where the saint is buried in an ornate shrine. Known for his extraordinary care for the poor, the sick, and the abandoned, St. John of God founded the religious family that continues his mission throughout the world. Following our visit, we check into our hotel in Granada, enjoy dinner together, and settle in for the night.

Main altar in the Basilica of San Juan de Dios, Granada

Seville Cathedral

Day 5

Seville to Lisbon

After breakfast, we depart Granada and travel west to Seville, the historic capital of Andalusia. Here we visit the magnificent Cathedral of Seville, one of the largest Gothic churches in the world. Within the cathedral, we honor St. Ferdinand III, the holy king of Castile and León, and see the tomb of Christopher Columbus, while taking in the extraordinary sacred art and architecture of this great Spanish cathedral.

Following our visit, we continue west across the Iberian Peninsula and cross into Portugal, making our way to Lisbon. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel, enjoy dinner together, and settle in for the night as we prepare to begin the Portuguese portion of our pilgrimage.

Day 6

Lisbon & St. Anthony

Today we explore Lisbon, Portugal’s historic capital and one of Europe’s great Catholic cities. We begin along the Tagus River at Belém Tower, originally dedicated to St. Vincent, the patron saint of Lisbon. The tower is richly decorated with the Cross of the Order of Christ, the Catholic military-religious order that succeeded the Knights Templar in Portugal and whose cross appeared on the sails of Portuguese ships during the Age of Discovery. Nearby, we visit the magnificent Jerónimos Monastery, where monks prayed for the king, sailors, explorers, and missionaries departing from Lisbon for distant lands. This area of Belém became one of the great spiritual and historical launching points for Portugal’s global voyages.

We then continue into the heart of Lisbon to visit the Lisbon Cathedral, the city’s oldest church, and the nearby Church of St. Anthony, built on the traditional site of the saint’s birthplace. Here we honor St. Anthony of Padua, who was born in Lisbon before becoming one of the Church’s most beloved Franciscan saints, preachers, and Doctors of the Church. Following our day of pilgrimage and sightseeing, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Belém Tower, Lisbon

Sanctuary of Fatima

Day 7

Fátima – Our Lady’s Message

Today we leave Lisbon and travel north to Fátima, one of the most important Marian pilgrimage destinations in the Catholic world. It was here in 1917 that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the three shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos and Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto—calling the faithful to prayer, penance, conversion, and especially devotion to the Rosary. The apparitions at Fátima took place during a time of war and upheaval in Europe, and Our Lady’s message continues to resonate as a powerful invitation to entrust the world to God through prayer and sacrifice.

We spend the remainder of the day immersed in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, including time at the Chapel of the Apparitions, built on the site where Our Lady appeared, and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, where Saints Francisco and Jacinta and Sister Lucia are entombed. Pilgrims will have time for prayer, reflection, and participation in the devotional life of the sanctuary before settling into our hotel in Fátima for dinner and overnight.

Day 8

Saints of Portugal & St. James

We depart Fátima early this morning for Coimbra, one of Portugal’s great historic and Catholic cities. Our principal pilgrimage stop is the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, where we honor St. Elizabeth of Portugal, the 13th-century queen renowned for her charity, peacemaking, and care for the poor. We also hope to visit the Carmel of Coimbra, closely associated with Sister Lucia, the last surviving visionary of Fátima, who lived there as a Carmelite nun for most of her religious life. Because both visits require special arrangements on a Monday, access will be coordinated in advance.

From Coimbra, we continue north into Spain and make our way to Santiago de Compostela, one of Christianity’s great pilgrimage destinations. For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have journeyed here along the Camino de Santiago to venerate the tomb of St. James the Greater, Apostle and one of Christ’s closest disciples. We visit the magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, built over the traditional burial place of the Apostle, and have time to pray at his tomb before checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Cathedral of León

Day 9

The Camino Through Castile

Leaving Santiago de Compostela, we continue east along one of the great historic routes of the Camino de Santiago, following the path traveled by generations of pilgrims across northern Spain. Our first stop is Astorga, where we visit the striking Episcopal Palace, designed by Antoni Gaudí for the Bishop of Astorga. The palace now houses a museum devoted in part to the Camino and the religious history of the region, making it a fitting stop as we continue our own pilgrimage journey.

We then travel to León for lunch and a visit to the Cathedral of León and the Basilica of San Isidoro, one of Spain’s most important Romanesque churches and the burial place of St. Isidore of Seville, one of the great scholars and Doctors of the Church. After time for prayer and exploration, we continue to Burgos, another historic city along the Camino, where we check into our hotel, enjoy dinner together, and overnight.

Day 10

St. Ignatius & Our Lady of the Pillar

Today we journey into Spain’s beautiful Basque Country to Azpeitia, birthplace of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. At the Sanctuary of Loyola, we visit the impressive basilica and the ancestral home where Ignatius was born in 1491. It was here that his remarkable story began—a life that would eventually lead from soldier to pilgrim, priest, spiritual master, and founder of the Jesuits. The sanctuary offers us an opportunity to reflect on his conversion and the spirituality of discerning and following God’s will that became the heart of his Spiritual Exercises.

We then travel southeast across northern Spain to Zaragoza, home to one of Christianity’s most ancient Marian traditions. According to Catholic tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. James the Greater here around A.D. 40 while she was still living in Jerusalem, encouraging him in his missionary work and giving him a pillar upon which her image rested. The great Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar now stands at the site and will be the focus of our pilgrimage in Zaragoza. We arrive this evening, check into our hotel, enjoy dinner together, and overnight in Zaragoza.

Sanctuary of Loyola

Basilica at the Montserrat Monastery, Spain - Dreamstime.jpg

Sanctuary of Montserrat

Day 11

Our Lady of the Pillar & Montserrat

We begin the day in Zaragoza, visiting the Cathedral of the Savior and the nearby Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, one of the great Marian shrines of the Catholic world. According to ancient tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared here to St. James the Greater while he was evangelizing Spain, strengthening him in his mission. The basilica preserves the revered pillar associated with that apparition and remains a powerful place of prayer and Marian devotion.

Later in the morning, we depart for the spectacular mountain sanctuary of Montserrat, home to the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat and the beloved image of Our Lady of Montserrat, known as the Black Madonna and patroness of Catalonia. We spend the afternoon at the monastery with time for prayer, exploration, and reflection amid one of Spain’s most dramatic landscapes. In the early evening, we continue to Barcelona, where we check into our hotel, enjoy dinner together, and overnight.

Day 12

Barcelona’s Sacred Treasures

Our final full day begins in the heart of Barcelona at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia, where we honor St. Eulalia, the city’s young virgin martyr, and St. Raymond of Peñafort, the great Dominican canon lawyer and patron saint of canonists. We then visit Antoni Gaudí’s extraordinary Basilica of the Sagrada Família, one of the most remarkable churches in the world and a profound expression of Catholic faith in stone, light, and symbolism. Advance timed tickets will be arranged, with tower access included if available.

We continue to the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus atop Mount Tibidabo, where sweeping views of Barcelona accompany this striking shrine dedicated to Christ’s Sacred Heart. Our final pilgrimage visit is the beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, one of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic architecture and a church deeply rooted in the faith and history of medieval Barcelona. This evening, we return to our hotel and gather for a special final pilgrims’ dinner, sharing memories of the journey before our last overnight in Spain.

Basilica of the Sagrada Familia

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Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Barcelona

Day 13

Return Home

This morning, we enjoy our final hours in Barcelona before transferring to the airport for our late-morning flight back to Washington Dulles International Airport. As we return home, we carry with us the graces of the pilgrimage, the witness of the saints, and the memories of the sacred places we have visited throughout Spain and Portugal.

Our journey concludes with gratitude for the opportunity to pray together, deepen our faith, and experience the extraordinary Catholic heritage of the Iberian Peninsula.

AMDG Travel Disclaimer

From time to time, local religious or national holidays, weather, traffic conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances may require adjustments to the sequence of activities or result in the omission of certain sites or events. While every effort will be made to operate the itinerary as planned, the itinerary should be understood as an indication of the planned schedule rather than a binding guarantee of specific stops or events. Hotels listed on the itinerary have been carefully selected and contracted in advance for this pilgrimage. However, due to availability changes, operational requirements, or circumstances beyond our control, it may occasionally be necessary to substitute a hotel. In such cases, AMDG Travel will secure accommodations of equivalent or higher quality, consistent with the overall standard, location, and character of the pilgrimage.