The 2023 Holy Week & Easter Pilgrimage - Stages on the Way - NOT AVAILABLE

ARRIVE IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL.

Welcome to Tel Aviv. Enjoy this evening's welcome dinner, hosted by your Local Tour Director, who will introduce you to your upcoming spiritual journey. (D)

TEL AVIV-JAFFA-CAESAREA-MEGIDDO-MUHRAQA-SEA OF GALILEE.

Your tour of the Holy Land begins in Jaffa with a walk through the beautifully restored ancient port, where medieval pilgrims started their strenuous 2-day trek to Jerusalem. Next is Caesarea, the perfect place to learn about the Roman and Crusader presence in the country. Visit the archaeological site with the ROMAN AMPHITHEATER and the impressive medieval CRUSADER FORTRESS, and admire Herod's Stadium and harbor. In the afternoon, travel to the ancient fortified city of Megiddo- one of the world's most important biblical sites. According to the New Testament, the Battle of Armageddon (another name for Megiddo) will be the final struggle between good and evil, prompting the return of Jesus to defeat the Antichrist and cast Satan into the abyss. Continue north, to Mount Carmel, considered the most holy of all mountains in ancient times. At Muhraqa, site of Elijah's contest of faith with the priests of Baal, enjoy a sweeping panoramic view of the fertile Jezreel Valley, where Gideon led the Israelites to victory against the Midianites. Arrive at your hotel in Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. (B,D)

SEA OF GALILEE. EXCURSION TO CANA & NAZARETH.

Visit Cana, site of Jesus' wedding miracle turning water into wine. Even now, many couples renew their wedding vows at this sacred place. On to Nazareth, the Virgin Mary's home village, and where Jesus spent part of his childhood. Visit the CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION; ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, built over Joseph's carpentry workshop; and pass by Mary's Well and the Church of the Angel Gabriel, where the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus. Later enjoy a CRUISE on the Sea of Galilee and see an ancient fishing boat, said to be from the time of Christ. (B,D)

SEA OF GALILEE-MOUNT OF BEATITUDES-TABGHA-CAPERNAUM- MAGDALA-JORDAN RIVER-BET SHE'AN-JERUSALEM.

Much of Jesus' ministry occurred on the shores surrounding the Sea of Galilee. It is where he recruited four of his apostles, walked on water, calmed the storm, and fed the multitude. Visit the MOUNT OF BEATITUDES, where Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount. Next, visit the CHURCH OF THE MUL at Tabgha, as well as the CHURCH OF ST. PTIPLICATION OF LOAVES AND FISHESETER'S PRIMACY, where Jesus instructed Peter "to feed my lambs and tend my sheep." Warm springs once flowed into the sea here, attracting fish, which is why Peter came here to earn a living. On to CAPERNAUM, where Jesus recruited his first followers among the fishermen. Continue to Magdala, a city dating back to the first century and where Jesus taught in the synagogue. Via the ruins of Kursi, which memorialize two of Jesus' miracles, arrive at the Jordan River and visit a BAPTISMAL SITE. Then, pass through the ancient city of Bet She' an, one of the cities of the Decapolis with its well preserved Roman amphitheater. The city is located at the foot of Mount Gilboa, where King Saul and his son died by their own hands in battle with the Philistines. On the way to Jerusalem, stop for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Holy City, considered one of the oldest places in the world, with a history dating back as far as 4000 BC. (B,D)

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO EIN KAREM, BETHLEHEM & THE GARDEN TOMB.

This morning, drive to Ein Karem and visit the CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST and the CHURCH OF VISITATION, said to be built over the home of John the Baptist's parents. Enjoy a beautiful view of the valley and surrounding wooded hills. Continue to Bethlehem and see Shepherd's Field, where the angels announced the birth of Jesus. Next, visit the CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY on the site where Jesus was born. On the way back to Jerusalem, visit the GARDEN TOMB. (B,D)

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO THE OLD CITY.

After a stunning view of the city from the revered MOUNT OF OLIVES, start your guided walking tour. Via the Chapel of Dominus Flevit, designed in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the tears of Christ, arrive at the GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, where Jesus prayed the night before his arrest. Nearby are the Cave of the Assumption of Mary, believed to be the Virgin Mary's tomb; and the Cave of Betrayal, where Judas betrayed Jesus. Follow the VIA DOLOROSA with its nine Stations of the Cross, marking the path Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. At Golgotha, visit the CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, erected on the site of the crucifixion and which houses the remaining five Stations of the Cross. Walk past the Temple Mount to see the Dome of the Rock, which is sacred to both the Jewish and Muslim people. On to the WESTERN WALL, the only remnant of the Second Temple, then stroll through the restored Jewish Quarter to MOUNT ZION and visit the UPPER ROOM, where Jesus and his disciples had the Last Supper; the TOMB OF KING DAVID; and the HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS, where Jesus was kept the night after his arrest and where Peter denied knowing him three times. (B)
 

JERUSALEM.

Spend a full day at leisure, with time to attend a worship service at one of Jerusalem's churches. Later, maybe join an optional excursion that includes a visit to the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book and the Dead Sea Scrolls; the Holocaust Memorial at Yad Vashem; and the Inn of the Good Samaritan. (B,D)

JERUSALEM. EXCURSION TO MASADA & THE DEAD SEA.

Today, travel through the Judean wilderness to the Dead Sea, the planet's lowest point on dry land. Enjoy the scenery as you follow the road between the salty water and majestic desert mountains. Catch glimpses of the Caves of Qumran, where the precious Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Ascend by CABLE CAR to the spectacular clifftop FORTRESS OF MASADA, and hear how 960 Jewish rebels made their last stand against Roman forces. Around lunchtime, reach your comfortable DEAD SEA RESORT for free time to experience the incredible buoyancy in the heavy saltwater. Return to Jerusalem, and join your travelling companions one last time at tonight's farewell dinner to celebrate the blessings you experienced on your Holy Land adventure. (B,D)
 

JERUSALEM

Your time in the Holy Lands ends with breakfast this morning. You will be transferred to Tel Aviv airport for your onward flight.  (B)

FLIGHT TO ROME

Today you will be meet on arrival at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Remainder of the day is free to relax, explore and get to know your fellow travellers.

GROUP DINNER - WELCOME TO STAGE TWO

HOTEL - DIANA ROOF GARDEN

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

MORNING -  LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR A FULL DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR WITH GUIDE.

TICKETS TO ATTEND THE PAPAL AUDIENCE INCLUDED.

Papal Audience are held on Wednesdays if the Pope is in Rome, giving pilgrims and visitors the chance to "see the Pope" and receive the Papal Blessing or Apostolic Blessing from the successor of the Apostle Peter during their visit.

The Audience with the Pope consists of small teachings and readings mainly in Italian but also in English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese and sometimes other languages depending on groups visiting. The Pope will do a greeting in each language and special visiting groups, Choirs etc from various countries will get a mention. At the end of the Audience the Pope will pray together with those attending the Audience,  the Our Father  in Latin.
                                       
 LUNCH - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

ENTRANCE TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS INCLUDING SISTINE CHAPEL

Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and enlarged by successive pontiffs, the Vatican Museums boast one of the world's greatest art collections. Exhibits, which are displayed along about 7km of halls and corridors, range from Egyptian mummies and Etruscan bronzes to ancient busts, old masters and modern paintings. Highlights include the spectacular collection of classical statuary in the Museo Pio-Clementino, a suite of rooms frescoed by Raphael, and the Michelangelo-painted Sistine Chapel.   As well as providing a showcase for priceless art, the Sistine Chapel also serves an important religious function as the place where the conclave meets to elect a new pope

DINNER - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT
 

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

MORNING - LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR A  FULL DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR WITH GUIDE.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LIFE STORY OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL.

PHOTO STOP AT MAMERTINE PRISON - TULLIANUM, VISIT AVENTINE HILL.  VISIT BASILICA S. SABINA AND BASILICA S. PRISCA

In the Basilica of St. Mary Major, wood that is said to be the remains of the Holy Crib of Christ are visible under the altar.  In the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem are two thorns said to be from the crown worn by Jesus at his execution.  In the ArchiBasilica of St. John and in the Sancta Sanctorum are pieces of wood said to be pieces of the table around which the Last Supper was held.  Also in the Sancta Sanctorum is a 28-step staircase said to have led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which would therefore have been walked upon by Jesus. Santa Pudenziana is said to be the house in which Pudente hosted St. Peter, the Carcere Mamertino is the prison in which he was held, and the Basilica of St. John purports to have some remains from his skull above the main altar. Abbazia delle Tre Fontane is held to be where St. Paul was beheaded; the eponymous three fountains are said to have sprung miraculously from the ground at the places where his decapitated head bounced.

The Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills on which Rome was built; early Christian churches there are pre-Catholic but remarkably well preserved.

LUNCH - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

 A VISIT TO SAN PAUL'S OUTSIDE THE WALLS CHURCH IS INCLUDED.  VISIT ST. JOHN'S LATERAN CHURCH. (SAN GIOVANNI IN LATERANO CHURCH).

 Along with the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls is one of the four highest ranking churches in the Catholic hierarchy. It was originally erected by Roman Emperor Constantine I, supposedly over the grave of Saint Paul himself. The basilica itself managed to retain its original primitive if ornate architectural design for centuries after its construction. Unfortunately a devastating fire swept through the ancient church nearly destroying the entire site.

However the site was quickly refurbished thanks to multinational donations of building supplies such as alabaster and lapis, which allowed for many of the original ornamentations, both architectural and otherwise to be recreated in a close approximation of the original.

The Basilica of Saint John appearde in the 4th century AD in an area that was known at the time as Horti Laterani, old estate of the Laterani Family. The property was confiscated under the empire of Neron.

Restored to the Laterani by Settimio Severo, the property and the palace that stood there finally reached emperor Constantine when he married in 307 Fausta, daughter of the former emperor Maximian.
                      
VISIT TO DOMINE QUO VADIS (SANTA MARIA DELLE  PIANTE CHURCH).  ENTRANCE TO THE SANTA  DOMITILLA   CATACOMBS  IS INCLUDED.     

 Santa Maria in Palmis (Italian: Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Piante, Latin: Sanctae Mariae in Palmis), also known as Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis, is a small church southeast of Rome, central Italy. It is located about some 800 m from Porta San Sebastiano, where the Via Ardeatina branches off the Appian Way, on the site where, according to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, Saint Peter met Jesus while the former was fleeing persecution in Rome.  According to the legend, Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?"  Jesus answered, "I am going to Rome to be crucified again".

Domitilla Catacomb is one of the largest and the most ancient underground cemeteries in Rome, part of a property then belonged to Flavia Domitilla going back to the year 120 A.D. The frescos preserved underground in this Catacomb demonstrate the Faith of the first century Christians in Rome. This is the only Catacomb in Rome which has an underground Basilica dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Nereo and Achilleo, along with Saint Petronilla, daughter of St. Peter. The Divine Word Missionaries (Societas Verbi Divini - SVD), are the custodians of  Domitilla Catacomb.

DINNER - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

HOTEL - DIANA ROOF GARDEN

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL
MORNING - LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR HOTEL - FULL DAY EXCURSION TO  ASSISI AND SURROUNDS.

Best known as the birthplace of St. Francis, Italy's patron saint, Assisi lies amid Umbria's rolling hills. Religious pilgrims have come here for centuries to visit the Basilica of San Francesco (where St. Francis is buried) and the Basilica of Santa Chiara (to see the tomb of St. Clare). Visit the Eremo delle Carceri to see caves where medieval hermits withdrew from the world.

LUNCH - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

VISIT TO SANTA MARIA DEGLI ANGELI CHURCH,  INCLUDING THE THORNLESS ROSE BUSH AND THE  PORZIUNCOLA CHAPEL WHICH  ARE INSIDE THE CHURCH.

Built on a grandiose scale, the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli is the seventh largest Christian church. Its magnificence may be at odds with the simplicity preached by St Francis himself but the flocks of pilgrims coming to visit the primitive.  The Porziuncola chapel was given to St Francis by the Benedictines, and is important because it was the initial nucleus from which the Franciscan order was born. The Cappella del Transito is the place where the saint died on October 4th 1226.

AFTERNOON - TRANSFER BACK TO ROME.

DINNER - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL                                        

FULL DAY FREE AT LEISURE . 

HOTEL - DIANA ROOF GARDEN

LOCAL TRANSPORT AND LOCAL  ASSISTANT  TO MEET CLIENTS ON ARRIVAL AT AIRPORT FOR TRANSFER TO  TO HOTEL.

Remainder of the day free.

LUNCH - OWN ARRANGEMENT

EVENING - LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR AN  EVENING TOUR WITH GUIDE

BARCELONA NEIGHBORHOODS AND TAPAS WALKING TOUR  WALKING AROUND THE GOTHIC QUARTER AND BARCELONA   RAMBLAS  INCLUDING 3 TAPAS BAR STOPS.  EACH BAR  OFFERS ASSORTED TAPAS OR PINTXOS AND ONE DRINK  (WINE, SOFT DRNK OR BEER), WITH A SMALL SWEET  TREAT TO FINISH.

Join a walking gourmet and historical guided tour through the El Born and Gothic neighborhoods. Discover the history, enjoy several delicious tapas and exquisite wines in different bars and restaurants.  Spanish tapas are presented on a plate, and they are normally a small version of some of the most typical Spanish dishes. For instance, paella or patatas bravas. Whereas, pintxos are most commonly served on a small bread base with a toothpick spearing some delight on top, like jamón, cheese, mushrooms or chorizo.

HOTEL - BARCELO SANTS
 

 08:00      LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR  LUNCH TRANSFER AND A HALF DAY SIGHTSEEING

MONTSERRAT  -  ENTRANCE TO MONTSERRAT MONASTERY IS INCLUDED.
Montserrat is a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat about one hour North West from Barcelona by train. Not only is Montserrat Monastery of significant religious importance but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking.

12:00         LUNCH AT:  LOCAL RESTAURANT    BARCELONA 

13:55         ENTRANCE TO SAGRADA FAMILIA.

Located in Barcelona, Sagrada Familia is an unfinished Roman Catholic church initially designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar, then was subsequently taken over by renowned architect Anton Gaudi. Due to Gaudi's untimely death in 1926 - and the Spanish Civil War 10 years later - the church's development was interrupted. This century-old UNESCO World Heritage Site is still under construction and is expected to be complete in 2026.

DINNER - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

HOTEL : BARCELO SANTS

 EARLY BREAKFAST AT HOTEL                             

MORNING -  LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR TRANSFER TO AIRPORT.

FLIGHT FROM BARCELONA TO SANTIAGO COMPOSTELA - (COST INCLUDED).
                                   
Arrive in Santiago Compostela where we will be meet by our Long Distance Touring Coach and transferred to our Sarria  hotel.

Remainder of the day free.

EVENING -  DINNER AT LOCAL RESTAURANT - SARRIA
                              
HOTEL - EUROSTARS GRAN HOTEL LUGO
 

08:30      TOURING COACH TRANSFER FROM LUGO TO SARRIA__32KM__0.30_HRS

09:00      CAMINO WALK FROM SARRIA TO FERREIROS (15_KM)        

The Camino enters the town by the Puente Ribeira, which crosses the Rio Sarria (also known as the Rio Oribio). By the bridge is a 1996 statue of a pilgrim, while the riverbank, which is lined with restaurants, has a modern iron fence with scallop shells. The Camino then crosses a main road and climbs the Escalinata Maior (by the Peregrinoteca pilgrim shop) to the 111.5km waymark at the top of the steps.    

The Camino then follows the Rua Maior, past the church of Santa Marina (1885, replacing a medieval church), with faded (modern) murals showing pilgrims on its churchyard wall.   Just beyond the church is the remaining tower of the medieval castle of Sarria, which probably occupies the site of the Roman settlement of Flavia Lambris. Just before the castle, the Camino turns right and climbs uphill to a modern cross, with a view over the town.

Beyond is the Monastery of La Magdalena, Sarria’s most important monument, founded c.1200 and retaining much early work, including a blocked south doorway showing St Mary Magdalene. The interior has several late Romanesque carved capitals, showing beasts and scallop shells, and elaborate late medieval tombs. Adjoining the church are monastic buildings of the 16th to 18th centuries, including a fine cloister. Originally Augustinian, and always an important pilgrim halt, it has been occupied by the Mercedarian Fathers since 1895.

The Camino leaves Sarria by the medieval Ponte Aspera, over the Rio Celeiro, and later makes its way across the railway line at a place called Sancti Michaelis, possibly the site of a medieval settlement mentioned in the Codex.

4.5km  Barbadelo – The site of a monastery from the 9th century, later a dependency of the Benedictine monastery of Samos, on the Camino between Triacastela and Sarria; it was a so-called ‘double monastery' for monks and nuns. The present building dates from c.1150-1200 and has Romanesque doorways, with carved capitals, on the north and west sides.

5.5km  Mercado de Serra – The bar on the main road has a large map of the Camino on an inside wall.

7km    Marzan O Real – Modern pilgrim fountain, incorporating the ‘peregrino’ logo designed for the 1993 Holy Year.

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT  OWN ARRANGEMENTS

12km   Morgade – Just beyond the village is a small chapel where pilgrims leave messages and other items.

13.5km Ferreiros

16:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER CLIENTS  -   FERREIROS_- PORTOMARIN___13KMS___00:20_HRS

DINNER - AT HOTEL

HOTEL - VILLAJARDIN OR SIMILAR

08:30      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER CLIENTS -   PORTOMARIN -_FERREIROS_____13KMS___00:20_HRS
                                 
FERREIROS       -   CAMINO WALK FROM FERREIROS TO GONZAR (16_KM)

14km  Mirallos – Church of Santa Maria; the west doorway has carved capitals  and a tympanum of c.1200 with lions’ heads on the consols.

17km Cruce Moimentos – At 660 metres, the highest point on the day’s walk, with fine views towards Portomarin.

21km Vilacha – Small church set in wooded country.

LUNCH :  OWN ARRANGEMENTS

23km  Portomarin – Entered by a bridge across the Belesar Reservoir, created in 1962 when the old town, on the Rio Mino, was flooded to create the reservoir. Part of the medieval bridge has been reconstructed on the west bank of the river, and forms part of a staircase to the chapel of Santa Maria de las Nieves.

In the reconstructed town, with arcaded streets, are several rebuilt monuments from old Portomarin, including two churches and a number of houses with coats of arms. In the square is the fortress-like church of San Nicolas (also known as San Juan), once owned by the Knights of St John; many of its stones still bear the numbers with which they were marked when the church was dismantled.

The modern church of San Pedro incorporates the doorway of the medieval church, which once stood on the east bank of the Rio Mino. It has a tympanum carved with a Latin inscription recording its consecration in 1182, plus consols with bulls’ heads.

30.5km Gonzar – Rebuilt church of Santa Maria.

15:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER CLIENTS -   GONZAR_-_MELIDE_______8_KMS___00:20_HRS 

DINNER - AT LOCAL RESTAURANT

HOTEL - VILLAJARDIN
 

 09:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER CLIENTS -   PORTOMARIN_-_GONZAR_______8_KMS___00:15_HRS

CAMINO WALK FROM GONZAR TO PALAS DE REI (16_KM)

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

30.5km  Gonzar

31.5km Castromaior – Simple 12th-century church, with carved crosses on its   stonework; a prehistoric camp and a medieval castle once stood west of  the village.

34km   Hospital de la Cruz – Site of a pilgrim hospital dedicated to St Stephen.

35.5km Ventas de Naron - Called ‘Salve Regina’ in the 12th-century Codex, and the site of a battle between Christians and Arabs in AD820. To the west of the village is a small chapel and cross, beyond which the Sierra de Ligonde (720 metres) commands wide views.

38km   Lameiros – Small chapel of San Marcos and houses with coats of arms.

38.5km Ligonde – A cross on the approach to the village has the emblems of the Passion carved on its base. The village has some medieval houses, including a former pilgrim hospital. The site of a pilgrim cemetery is marked by a wall with a small cross, on the west side of the village.

40km    Eirexe – Much-altered 12th-century church has a carving, probably showing Daniel in the lions’ den, on its south side.

44km   Lestedo - Church of Santiago, with a cross in front of it.

46.5km Rosario – At the summit of the ‘Alto de Rosario’ pilgrims caught their first glimpse of the Pico Sacro, overlooking Santiago, and would recite the rosary.

47.5km Palas de Rei – In the early 8th century, this was the seat of the Visigothic King Witiza; later, in the 12th century Codex it was known as ‘Pallatium Regis’. On the east side of the town, the rebuilt church of San Tirso de Villareda retains a 13th-century door with capitals. The town has a modern statue of St James, and on the Camino just west of the town is a modern statue of two pilgrims.

TOURING COACH TRANSFER LUGGAGE FOR  CLIENTS  TO HOTEL -  PALAS DE REI

DINNER - AT HOTEL

HOTEL - LA CABANA

09:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER CLIENTS  LUGGAGE TO  MELIDE_FROM_PALAS DE REI______15_KMS___00:15_HRS  

CAMINO WALK FROM - PALAS DE REI TO MELIDE (15_KM)  

50.5km San Xulian do Camino – Village with a cross and a 12th-century church with an apse and fine east window.

57km   Leboreiro – Called ‘Campus Leporarium ( = Hares’ Field) in the 12th-century Codex. The Camino has been repaved through the village, and passes a cross. The west doorway of the 12th-century church of Santa Maria has a tympanum showing the Virgin and Child, flanked by censing  angels; the smaller north doorway is carved with a cross. The apse has a series of corbels running below its roof, including a scallop and a phallus.  The interior has late medieval wall paintings showing Christ’s Passion. Opposite the church are the remains of the former pilgrim hospital, with the coat of arms of the Ulloa family. At the west end of the village is a reconstructed medieval bridge over the Rio Seco, beyond which, on the way to Furelos, are several modern monuments to the Knights of Santiago, including St James’ crosses.

61km   Furelos – The Rio Furelos is crossed by a fine medieval bridge, beyond which is the church of San Juan, with a statue of St Roch on its north wall. Nearby once stood a pilgrim hospital.

63km  Melide – A major town, possibly founded by the Romans, which once had several pilgrim hospitals. The rebuilt church of San Pedro, at the east end of the town, has an elaborate 13th-century west doorway. Next to the church is a 14th-century cross, believed to be the oldest in Galicia, with carvings of the Crucified Christ and Christ in Majesty.

In the centre of the town is the attractive Plaza del Convento, with the partly 14th-century church of Sancti Spiritus, a former monastery and pilgrim hospital, with several tombs. The square also has a number of 18th-century buildings, including the chapel of San Antonio and a local museum in the Casa Municipal.

At the west end of the town is the 12th-century church of Santa Maria de Melide, with good 12th-century doorways, and an apse with 15th-century wall paintings showing the Apostles, and Christ in Majesty flanked by angels and the emblems of the Evangelists.

Beyond the church the Camino crosses the Rio Lazaro, a reminder that another ‘lazar house’ once stood here.  Soon after Melide, the Camino enters the first of the many eucalyptus woods that lie between here and Santiago.

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT  OWN ARRANGEMENTS                          

DINNER AT LOCAL RESTAURANT

HOTEL - CARLOS 96

 

CAMINO WALK FROM MELIDE TO ARZUA (14_KM)

10:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER EMPTY - LUGGAGE TRANSFER  MELIDE_-_ARZUA______16_KMS___00:15_HRS

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

68.5km Boente – Church of Santiago, the interior of which has statues of ‘Santiago Peregrino’, ‘Santiago Matamoros’ and St Roch.

70.5km Castaneda – The lime kilns that were used in the building of Santiago Cathedral in the 12th century were situated here. It was traditional for pilgrims to carry a stone here from Cebreiro or Triacastela, on the Camino in eastern Galicia.

74km    Ribadiso do Baixo- The pilgrim refuge by the river (crossed by an ancient bridge), is a former pilgrim hospital.

77km    Arzua – Small town, named in the 12th- century Codex as ‘Villanova de Arzua’. Chapel of La Magdalena and the adjoining pilgrim hospital (now the refuge) are part medieval; on a fountain by the chapel is part of a weathered relief showing St James.

TOURING COACH TRANSFER CLIENTS TO HOTEL VILLANTIME__8.5_KM__0:12_HRS

DINNER  AT LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL : VILA PEREGRINA (ARZUA/VILLANTIME)

CAMINO WALK FROM ARZUA TO SALCEDA (14_KM)

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

77km    Arzua

84.5km Calle – The Camino passes under a ‘horreo’ (a grain store raised on staddle stones, many of which are seen along the Galician Camino) and hen crosses a small river by a boulder footbridge.

88km    Salceda - To the west of the village, built into a drystone wall, is a memorial to Guillermo Watt, a pilgrim who died here on 25 August 1993, aged 69, on his way to Santiago

TOURING COACH TRANSFER CLIENTS TO HOTEL IN VILLANTIME__8.5_KM__0:12_HRS

DINNER  AT LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL : VILA PEREGRINA (ARZUA/VILLANTIME)

09:00      TOURING COACH TRANSFER CLIENTS TO A SALCEDA FROM HOTEL IN VILLANTIME__8.5_KM__0:12_HRS 

09:00      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER LUGGAGE TO A SALCEDA______38_KMS___00:35_HRS

CAMINO WALK FROM SALCEDA TO LAVACOLLA (18_KM)

88km    Salceda

98km    Santa Irene – Small 18th-century chapel overlooks a stone fountain just after an underpass.

99km   Arca do Pino/Pedrouzo – Small modern town.

100km  Amenal - Between here and Lavacolla, the Camino passes the perimeter fence of Santiago Airport. A large carved sign marks the city’s eastern boundary, close to which is a long fence in which pilgrims have placed small crosses made of twigs.

102.5km Lavacolla – Called ‘Lava-mentula’ in the 12th-century Codex, this is where the pilgrims would wash themselves in the Rio Sionlla and put on clean clothes before their final journey into Santiago. The village comprises little more than a square with a bandstand, a modern church and several hotels. On the edge of the village is the former chapel of St Roch.

TOURING COACH TRANSFER CLIENTS TO HOTEL IN HOTEL O PINO__11_KM__0:10_HRS

DINNER  AT LOCAL RESTAURANT OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL - HOTEL O PINO

CAMINO WALK FROM LAVACOLLA TO SANTIAGO  (10.3_KM)                            

08:30      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER TO LAVACOLLA FROM HOTEL O PINO ______11_KMS___00:12_HRS

08:30      TOURING COACH TO TRANSFER LUGGAGE FROM HOTEL O PINO TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA ______23_KMS___00:30_HRS

 Walk Lavacolla - Santiago 10.3km

104km  Villamaior

108.5km  Monte del Gozo –Also known as ‘Monxoi’ or ‘Montjoie’, this is where pilgrims got their first glimpse of the cathedral of Santiago, something that is still possible today, despite much modern development in the foreground. The hill is now crowned by a modern sculpture commemorating the visits to Santiago by St Francis of Assisi and Pope John Paul II. On the slope of the hill is  the small chapel of San Marcos. On the way into Santiago is a modern archway with bronze statues of famous pilgrims to Santiago over the past 1000 years.

111km    San Lazaro - A small (rebuilt) wayside chapel in the suburbs of Santiago recalls another ’lazar house’, beyond which the Camino passes along the Rua de Los Concheiros, where traders  offered scallop shells for sale to pilgrims.

111.5km  San Pedro – An inner suburb of Santiago, with a church and a cross. From here the Rua San Pedro leads to the Porta do Camino,the site of one of the gates into the medieval city, from where a succession of narrow streets lead via the Praza de Cervantes to the Praza do Inmaculada, on the north side of the Cathedral and down a flight of steps beneath the arch connecting the Archbishop’s Palace to the Cathedral, into the Praza do Obradoiro, in front of the  Cathedral’s west front.

 112km Santiago de Compostela. Arrival in time for midday Mass at Cathedral of St James.                                                          

LUNCH :  LOCAL RESTAURANT   SANTIAGO COMPOSTELA       

AFTERNOON FREE TO RELAX OR EXPLORE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA.

HOTEL : COMPOSTELA

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

FULL DAY FREE TO EXPLORE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA.

The endpoint of the legendary Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, Santiago de Compostela is a sprawling urban hub that has been a sacred bastion of Christianity for thousands of years. The major cultural attraction here is the spectacular stone cathedral of the same name, with its elaborate facade, lofty spires and opulent interior. The city’s old town emanates outwards from the cathedral and is home to a smorgasbord of shops, restaurants and sidewalk cafes where you can mingle with Camino pilgrims or simply watch the city life go by.

LUNCH :  UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENTS

DINNER :  UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL - COMPOSTELA

 

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

09:00      LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR HOTEL - FULL DAY EXCURSION TO  FISTERRA - INCLUDING LUNCH

From Santiago to the end of the world! Traditionally, pilgrims used to finish their Camino journey in Cape Fisterra, where they burned their clothes and admired the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean.

Discover some of Galicia’s most ruggedly beautiful scenery on this full-day tour from Santiago de Compostela.  Your destination is the Costa da Morte (Coast of Death)—so named because its choppy waters have caused numerous shipwrecks. Visit the charming fishing town of Muros, see the Ézaro Waterfall; explore Cape Finisterre (one of the Iberian Peninsula’s westernmost points), and drop by the coastal village of Muxía.

DINNER :  UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL - COMPOSTELA
 

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

10:00      LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR HOTEL - STATION TRANSFER.

TRAIN FROM SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA TO MADRID (1ST CLASS)

LUNCH - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT

MADRID           

LOCAL TRANSPORT AND ASSISTANT (ENGLISH SPEAKING) TO MEET CLIENTS AT STATION FOR DINNER TRANSFER,
                                   
DINNER - UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENT                                  

HOTEL - RIU PLAZA ESPANA

 

 HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

09:00  LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR A HALF DAY TOUR WITH GUIDE (ENGLISH SPEAKING)             

Marvel at the historic sights of Madrid on this city sightseeing and Royal Palace tour. Learn the story of Madrid through its buildings as you travel from Moorish Madrid to the Habsburg and Bourbon eras of palaces and grand squares such as Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Admire the Baroque grandeur of the Royal Palace (Palacio Real) on a tour of the royal collections, and visit Madrid’s newest park, Rio Madrid. This tour shows you the very best of Madrid, and highlights the city’s sumptuous Royal Palace.

Afternoon Free

EVENING : FLAMENCO SHOW & DINNER AT:  CAFE DE CHINITAS                                                                         

Spanish trip is complete without experiencing flamenco in Madrid. Watch the show which includes a traditional Spanish meal.

19:00      SHOW & DINNER AT:  FLAMENCO SHOW
 

Full Breakfast at Hotel

 08:00     LOCAL TRANSPORT MEETS CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR FULL DAY EXCURSION

Get out of the city and see one of the most historic towns in Spain during this full-day tour of Toledo from Madrid. Enjoy a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed World Heritage city of Toledo, complete with stops in the Jewish quarter, Alcazar fortress, Gothic cathedral, and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. Enjoy a delicious lunch at a traditional Spanish restaurant and spend time on your own exploring the city’s streets. Roundtrip transportation from Madrid is provided.

LUNCH : LOCAL RESTAURANT PROVIDED

DINNER :  UNDER OWN ARRANGEMENTS

HOTEL :  RIU PLAZA ESPANA

HOT BUFFET/FULL BREAKFAST AT HOTEL

MORNING :   LOCAL TRANSPORT TO MEET CLIENTS AT HOTEL FOR AN AIRPORT TRANSFER.