DAY 1 - DEPART USA - We depart our home airport to connect with our overnight flight to Paris aboard a wide-bodied jet. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner, and breakfast aloft.

DAY 2 - PARIS – Upon arrival in Paris, we are met by our Unitours Tour Manager as we board our motor coach and enjoy an orientation tour of the city, passing by the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, and travel down the famous Champs-Elysees. We visit and celebrate Mass at the beautiful Church of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur) where perpetual adoration has been available since 1885! The Sacred Heart Basilica, built on the site where St. Denis, the first bishop of Paris, was beheaded, sits atop the hill providing a breathtaking view of Paris. Our Mass will be celebrated at Sainte Pierre church where in 1534, St. Ignatius and his companions took vows to work together, marking the birth of the Jesuits. We enjoy our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 3 - PARISCHARTRES/LISIEUX - Following Mass at the Miraculous Medal Shrine of St. Catherine Laboure, we tour the sites of Paris, including a visit to the most enduring symbol of the French capital, the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cité. While there, we also make a stop at Sainte- Chappell, which is believed to hold the Holy Relics,” including nails and pieces of wood from the Cross of Calvary, procured by King Louis IX. We pass by the College of Sante-Barbe where St. Ignatius lived during his years at the University of Paris before traveling north to Chartres. Known as Notre-Dame de Chartres, the earliest foundations of the original church date back to the late fourth century! Known for the incredible relics and beautiful gothic architecture, it is a truly a jewel of our Catholic faith! Following a break for lunch on our own, we continue as we journey to Lisieux, the home of St. Therese, the “Little Flower,” also known as “St. Therese of the Infant Jesus,” where we spend some time in reflection in the village convent before we conclude our day at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 - LISIEUX/PARIS - Today, we visit the Basilica dedicated to St. Therese. The Basilica is the objective for pilgrims from around the world, who come to kneel in solemn prayer to St. Therese. We celebrate Mass before visiting nearby, Les Buissonnets, where St. Therese lived as a child. Following a stop for lunch on our own, we return to Paris. We have the remainder to do additional sightseeing on our own, shopping, or simply to relax and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful city! Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 5 - PARIS/LOURDES This morning, we transfer to the rail station and board the TGV highspeed train to Lourdes. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel near the Shrine for dinner and overnight. This evening, we join the nightly Torchlight Marian Procession.

DAY 6 - LOURDES - Today, our day is spent in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. We celebrate Mass at the Grotto, with a morning orientation visit to the Shrine and a walking tour of Lourdes, visiting Boly Mill, where St. Bernadette was born, the Cachot, formerly used as a jail, where she lived during the apparitions, and the parish church. This afternoon is free for private devotions, Eucharistic Procession, the Blessing of the Sick or the legendary, healing waters of the miraculous Lourdes Spring. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. In the evening, we can once again join the Torchlight Marian Procession.

DAY 7 - LOURDES/LOYOLA/ARANZAZU  - This morning, following Mass at the shrine, we depart Lourdes and head south to the area of Azpeitia. Here, in 1491 Iñigo Lopez de Loyola Oñaz was born in the Castle of Loyola. We know him better as Ignatius of Loyola. We visit his former house and the museum. We include a visit to Aranzazu, a popular shrine to Our Lady at the time of Ignatius and where we know Ignatius prayed for strength to overcome the temptations to which he had formerly yielded. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in the city of San Sebastian.

DAY 8 - PAMPLONA/XAVIER/ZARAGOZA  – Today, we leave San Sebastian for Pamplona, recalling this as the site where Ignatius received a wound that forced an extended convalescence that resulted in his conversion to Christ. We stop at Xavier Castle in Javier where St. Francis Xavier, the co-founder of the Jesuits, was born. St. Francis Xavier is the patron saint of missionaries due to his successful evangelization campaigns in India, Japan and many other towns and cities in Asia. Our Mass will be at the Church attached to Xavier Castle. We continue south to Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon. Zaragoza was founded by the Romans but looks like Switzerland with its luxuriant vegetation and many cascades and grottos. This city was also the birthplace of Goya, whose works grace the city. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 9 - ZARAGOZA/MONTSERRAT/MANRESA  - This morning, we visit the number one Marian shrine of Spain, the Basilica of Our Lady the Pillar, which commemorates where Mary appeared to St. James in 40 AD. Afterwards, we travel to Montserrat, home of the famous Benedictine monastery and the Black Madonna where we celebrate Mass. In March of 1522, St. Ignatius came as a pilgrim to Montserrat and placed his sword before the Black Madonna and exchanged his fancy clothes for those of a beggar. If possible, we enjoy the midday music of the famous boys’ choir here. We conclude our day at Manresa for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 10 - MANRESA  - Today we learn more about this Spanish town, so influential on St. Ignatius. A place of profound conversion for Ignatius, it was here, in a cave on the banks of the Cardoner River, Ignatius received a vision that provided him with deep insights into spiritual life and altered the course of his own life. From the initial insights he received there, Ignatius went on to pen “The Spiritual Exercises.” Ignatius remained in Manresa for about a year and a half. We enjoy an audiovisual presentation and tour of the museum at Manresa, before celebrating Eucharist in the nearby cave. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 11 - MANRESA/BARCELONA  - This morning, we drive to Barcelona to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral. Afterwards we move through the Gothic quarter, the famous Ramblas and the sites where the Olympic events were held in 1992. We enjoy a spectacular view from the top of the Montjuic hill, pass by the Exchange and visit the Church of the Holy Family or La Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi. Following a break for lunch on our own, we visit the Unesco World Heritage "Park Guell", Gaudi's greatest work of "landscape architecture.” This evening, we celebrate our “farewell dinner” at a local restaurant marking our final night in Spain and the end of our pilgrimage. Overnight at our Barcelona hotel.

DAY 12 - RETURN TO USA  - We transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories of a lifetime.