Discover Portugal's fascinating religious heritage and storied past on a private outing that combines a visit to the pilgrimage site at Fátima with an exploration of Lisbon's major historic landmarks. Spend the morning among the spiritual in Fátima, and then delve into the streets of Belém and Alfama in Lisbon to uncover the secrets of the city, past and present.
After you're picked up from your hotel, start your morning with a visit to Fátima, a Catholic sanctuary and pilgrimage site that's drawn visitors to its shrine since visions of the Virgin Mary appeared here in 1917. Listen as your guide recounts the story of the apparition, describes how Mary appeared to 3 young shepherds, and explains how subsequent miracles and prophecies established Fátima as an important sacred location.
Enjoy some free time to tour the sanctuary, grab lunch, or even attend Mass if you'd like. Afterward, meet back up with your guide to seek out the highlights of Lisbon. Cruise through the waterfront Belém, where you can see the fortified Belém Tower—a landmark World Heritage Site that dates back to 1515 and the Age of Discoveries. Stroll by the fountains of mosaicked Rossio Square, walk beneath the triumphal arch at Praça do Comércio, and lose yourself in the hilly streets and colorful lanes of the atmospheric Alfama district.