GRAND MARIAN PILGRIMAGE With Dubai Day Trip
Chaplain: Rev. Fr. Moises "Mox" Ciego, National Shrine of the Sacred Heart - Makati
April 29 to May 13, 2023
As Christians, we reach out to God in praise and in gratitude as well as to seek refuge in pain and turmoil. 2020 has truly been a tough year for all. But now more than ever, we need God’s voice to help us navigate our way in the midst of great uncertainties.
DAY 01 – APR 29 (SAT) – MANILA / ROME (D)
Arrival at Rome International Airport at 20:05. Meet and assist with our English-speaking Tour Director. Transfer to the hotel for a welcome dinner and overnight.
DAY 02 – APR 30 (SUN) - ROME / SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO (380 KM) (B,D)
Early buffet breakfast and check-out. Drive to San Giovanni Rotondo. We will spend our day in San Giovanni Rotondo, the name of a town and commune in the province of Foggia and the region of Apulia in southern Italy. San Giovanni Rotondo was the home of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina from July 28, 1916, until his death on September 23, 1968. Visit (with Tour Director) the Shrine of Saint Padre Pio, the Tomb, and the Crypt. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
DAY 03 – MAY 01 (MON) - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO / LANCIANO / ROME (156 + 242 KM) (B,D)
Early buffet breakfast inside the hotel. Hotel check-out. Morning Mass. Proceed to Lanciano to visit (with Tour Director) the Eucharistic Miracle. Transfer to Rome. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel and rest. Dinner and accommodation in the hotel.
DAY 04 – MAY 02 (TUE) – ROME (B,D)
Buffet breakfast in the hotel. A full day of visits (with a local guide) in Rome. We first visit St. Peter's Basilica, the most magnificent church in Christendom. Pass by the Tomb of Pope John Paul II. We continue with a guided visit to one of the most significant art collections in the world, the Vatican Museum, with the Sistine Chapel (entrance included). We see the Tapestries Gallery, the Belvedere with its marvelous classical statues, the rooms wonderfully frescoed by Raphael, and Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel, which was recently restored to its original splendor. Visit the patriarchal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Have time for your meditation and private devotion. Continue the Rome tour with a visit to the Roman Colosseum (photo-stop), Roman Forum, Monument Vittorio Emanuelle II, Piazza Venezia, make a wish at the Trevi Fountain and continue to roam at Piazza di Spagna where you will be given free time. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 05 – MAY 03 (WED) - ROME / LISBON (B,D) FLIGHT FROM ROME TO LISBON
Early check-out and box breakfast. Drive to the Vatican to attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter's Square. Proceed to the airport for the flight to Lisbon. Arrival and transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 06 – MAY 04 (THU) – LISBON / SANTAREM / FATIMA (82 + 61 KM) (B,D)
Buffet breakfast. In the morning, a sightseeing tour (with a local guide) of Lisbon, including Tagus River, Marques de Pombal Square, and Liberdade Avenue. We pass by Belem Palace (external visit), the official residence of the President of Portugal. Stop at Belem Tower (exterior visit), an icon of the Age of Discovery and the Monument of the Discoveries. Close by is Jeronimos Monastery (external visit), a magnificent example of the Manueline style. See the Baixa, Praca do Comercio, and the Suspension Bridge. We will head to the birthplace of San Antonio de Lisboa (better known as Saint Anthony de Padua). Transfer to Santarem. We visit (with Tour Director) the Church of Saint Stephen in Santarem to view the venerated relic of the Bleeding Host. We then continue our journey to Fatima, one of the major Christian pilgrimage centers in all of Europe. Yet this Shrine is located in a town ironically named after the daughter of Mohammed, Islam's great prophet. In 1917, the image of the Virgin Mary appeared here to three shepherd children, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and Lucia Dos Santos. Possibility to take part in the evening Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
DAY 07 – MAY 05 (FRI) - FATIMA (B,D)
Early buffet breakfast inside the hotel. We will have Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. We will see (with Tour Director) the Basilica, where the tombs of Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta are located, the Chapel of the Apparitions of the place where Our Lady appeared, and the Church of the Holy Trinity. Today we also visit (with Tour Director) Aljustrel, where the shepherds were born. Continue to Valinhos and see (with Tour Director) the Stations of the Cross and the Calvary, the site of Our Lady's 4th Apparition, and where the children received the first and third visit of the "Angel of Peace." After the visit, we will proceed to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ortega and the Parish Church. Return to Fatima for dinner in the hotel. Possibility to take part in the evening Candlelight Procession. Overnight in hotel.
DAY 08 – MAY 06 (SAT) - FATIMA / SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (420 KM) (B,D)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Drive to Santiago de Compostela. Arrival and city tour (with local guide) of this historic city, including Santiago de Compostela Cathedral (entrance included), Plaza del Obradoiro, Monasterio de San Martin Pinario, Convento de San Francisco, Fuente de Los Caballos, and the Palacio de Raxoi (external visit). The city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Transfer to hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 09 – MAY 07 (SUN) - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA / BURGOS (490 KM) (B,D)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel and check out from the hotel. Departure for Burgos. Burgos, a provincial capital in Spain's autonomous community of Castile and León, is marked by its intact medieval architecture. Its most recognizable landmark is the French Gothic Cathedral of Saint Mary, whose 3 main doorways are flanked by ornamented bell towers. Inside is the Chapel of Condestable, decorated with figures of Saints, and the Tomb of El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar), the 11th-century military commander. Visit (with a local guide) the Burgos Gothic Cathedral (entrance included). Transfer to the hotel for check-in and rest—dinner and overnight in the hotel.
DAY 10 – MAY 08 (MON) - BURGOS / LOURDES (407 KM) (B,D)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel and check out from the hotel. Transfer to Lourdes to visit (with the guide of the Sanctuary) the Sanctuary. You may wish to go to the Sanctuary to visit the Underground Basilica, walk the Station of the Cross, take the Holy Bath, drink the water or wash your face in the Grotto, or participate in the adoration of the sick pilgrim. In the evening, join the emotive Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
DAY 11 – MAY 09 (TUE) - LOURDES / PARIS (TGV train) (B,D)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Mass in Lourdes. Then, transfer to the station to take the TGV train (second-class ticket included) to Paris. Arrival and transfer to the hotel for check-in, dinner, and overnight.
DAY 12 – MAY 10 (WED) – PARIS (B,D)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Full-day city tour (with local guide) of Paris, including the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, where you'll pray afterward before the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Laboure. We will also see the ruins of Notre Dame Cathedral, Montmartre, and Sacred Heart Church. Dinner and accommodation in hotel.
DAY 13 – MAY 11 (THU) – PARIS / DEPARTURE TO DUBAI (ETD at 2155) (BL)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel and check-out. In the morning, a half-day city tour (with a local guide), including Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Elisées, the Triumph Arch, and the Opera, and we will have a stop in front of the Eiffel Tower (external visit). Farewell lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer to the airport for airline check-in and departure at 21:55.
DAY 14 – MAY 12 (FRI): DUBAI / MANILA (B,L)
Arrive in Dubai Int’l. Airport at 6:35 AM and carry through the required customs and immigration procedures. Our local tour guide will meet us at the arrival area when the group is cleared. We will have a welcome breakfast before proceeding to our day tour. We will visit Burj Khalifa (photo-stop), Dubai Gold Souk, Jumeirah Beach, the picturesque palace and residential area of Dubai, a photo-stop at the famed Jumeirah Mosque, and The Dubai Mall. Then, return to the airport for our 1700 departure time.
DAY 15 – MAY 13 (SAT): MANILA
Enjoy all airline amenities and relax during the flight back home. The estimated arrival time in Manila is 0550AM.
HOME, SWEET HOME!
​INCLUSIONS:
-
Flight via Emirates
o Manila to Rome
o Paris to Dubai
o Dubai to Manila
o 30 kg bag check-in
o 9 kg cabin luggage
-
Flight via TAP Portugal
o Rome to Lisbon
o 23 kg bag check-in
o 9 kg cabin luggage
-
Roundtrip in ALL airport transfers (Rome, Lisbon, and Paris)
-
Accommodation in Superior Tourist / First Class Hotels (3***S/4****), in twin/double rooms
-
ALL Hotel taxes and service charges
-
Priest / Chaplain for the entire duration of the Pilgrimage
-
Coach driver & deluxe private motorcoach, equipped with the most updated facilities
-
Road taxes, parking fees, and special permissions to enter the cities
-
Our English-speaking Tour Director from the first until the last day of the tour;
-
Half-board: 13 buffet breakfasts (B) and 12 dinners (D) in the hotel;
-
2 lunches (L) at a local restaurant in Paris and Dubai
-
Pitcher of water during meals
-
All the accommodation city taxes in the hotel;
-
City tours with LOCAL English-speaking local guides
o Rome (1FD)
o Lisbon (1HD)
o Santiago de Compostela (1HD)
o Burgos (1HD)
o Lourdes (1HD)
o Paris (1FD+1HD)
-
Entrances with pre-booking to:
1) Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in Rome;
2) Santiago de Compostela Cathedral;
3) Burgos Cathedral;
-
Headphones to visit the Basilicas in Rome;
-
1 second-class ticket for the TGV train Lourdes/Paris;
-
Booking of the tickets for the Papal Audience in Rome (on Wednesday);
-
Booking of the daily Holy Mass
-
Hotel taxes and service charges;
-
Booking of the HOLY MASS in each city
-
Pilgrimage tours to Churches, as mentioned in the itinerary
-
Leisure tours to cities, as mentioned in the itinerary
-
Dubai City Tour
o Transit / Layover UAE Visa
o Roundtrip airport transfer
o Meals: 1 Buffet Breakfast, 1 Buffet Lunch
o City Tour – as indicated in the itinerary
o Local Tour Guide
o Deluxe private motorcoach
-
Tour Escort from Manila
-
The pre-departure briefing (2 weeks before departure)
-
Tour Kit
-
Travel Insurance with CoVid coverage (up to 74 y.o.) NOTE: Surcharge will apply to 75 y.o. and up
-
FREE Visa Assistance
EXCLUSIONS:
​
-
Visa, Appointment, Biometrics, and Courier Fee
-
All airline taxes and fees – US$ 196 PP
-
Philippine Travel Tax – US$ 32 PP
-
Tipping to Tour Director/Tour Guide and Driver (Europe & Dubai) – US$ 150 PP
-
Porterage: all airports, hotels, and train
-
Drinks and lunches (except in Dubai)
-
RT-PCR test/s (if applicable)
-
Others not specified explicitly in the INCLUSIONS
PACKAGE RATE is a minimum of 25 pax per group
Less than 25 pax per group:
20 to 24 pax: 4,288/pax
15 to 19 pax: 4,588/pax
TERMS of PAYMENT: Note: Lack of payment will cancel the booking.
$ 500 – NON-Refundable deposit per person upon confirmation of the reservation.
100% – balance payment required after visa approval.
CANCELLATION FEES:
-
50% cancellation fee is to be charged on or 90 days before arrival
-
75% cancellation fee is to be charged on or 60 days before arrival
-
100% cancellation fee is to be charged 45 days before arrival, including no show
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:
-
THERE IS NO REFUND FOR ANY UNUSED SERVICES
-
For the pax who cannot pass immigration in the Int’l Airport OR miss the flight, the tour fare is non-refundable
NOTES/REMINDERS:
-
NO PORTERS are included in the service for all segments (Airport, Hotel, and Train)
-
Granting and non-granting of Schengen visas are solely under the Embassy Consul's discretion.
-
Standard check-in time is between 1400-1600 HOURS (2 to 4 pm), and check-out time is 1200 NOON (depending on the hotel's policy).
-
The passenger can carry only one (1) baggage w/ a maximum of 30 kg for the long haul and a small handbag as space under the bus is limited. Don't have any supplements for those passengers carrying extra luggage.
-
ONLY 23kg bag check-in is allowed for the Rome to Lisbon flight.
-
If all the luggage does not fit on the bus, please be aware that the extra bags will be sent to the next overnight destination by a shipping company, and the client must pay and afford the shipping cost.
PAYMENT PROCESS:
(1) Payment shall be made in either a bank deposit or cash payment.
We accept Credit Card payments (a 4% add-on rate is required for Bank Charges)
(2) EMAIL copy of deposit slip (with the name of the payer) together with bio-page passport copy & 2x2 colored photo
(a scanned copy is acceptable).
Email Address: travelbookings@1gazelle.com
(3) Once payment is confirmed, we will email the visa application form and the acknowledgment Receipt.
(4) Airline tickets, tour and hotel vouchers, and tour kits will be released two (2) weeks before departure, during the
pre-departure briefing.
For Booking Confirmation:
> Deposit payment through:
- BDO US Dollar Account #: 1062 5027 0794
- Account Name: GAZELLE TRAVEL AND TOURS
- Branch: SM East Ortigas
> Email a copy of the deposit slip to travelbookings@1gazelle.com