Shore
Excursion
Fatima
Duration: Approximately 6 hours
Take the northern highway from Lisbon and
pass through the Tagus plains and the bullfight country of Vila Franca
de Xira. Arrive in Fatima, center of the Christian faith and of world
pilgrimage. It was on May 13, 1917, when the world was still suffering
from the horrors of World War I, that the little shepherds Lucia,
Francisco and Jacinta from Aljustrel, a small village near Fatima, saw a
"lady all of light" above a small oak tree in the Cova da Iria.
According to legend, she asked them to return there on the 13th of each
month for the next five months. You will visit the Basilica, with its
stained glass window and 65-meter high tower, surmounted by a crown of
bronze weighing 7 tons and by a great crystal cross, consecrated on
October 7, 1953, which is lighted during evening services. The remains
of Francisco and Jacinta, the little shepherds, are inside the Basilica.
You'll also visit the Chapel of the Apparitions in the heart of the
sanctuary. Just outside Fatima, you will visit Aljustrel, the Marto
home, where Francisco and Jacinta were born; the room in which Francisco
died; and the Santos home where Lucia was born.
Note: Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Shore Excursion
City of Lisbon
Duration: Approximately 3 1/2 Hours
This comprehensive excursion
through Lisbon begins in the Belem quarter. Here you will see the
monuments representing the Golden Age of Portuguese discovery, which
began in the 15th century under Prince Henry the Navigator. See fine
examples of the unique Portuguese, late Gothic architecture known as
Manueline. You will see the Tower of Belem, where Portuguese explorers
left for the New World. At the edge of the River Tagus, notice the
Monument of Discoveries, built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of
the death of Prince Henry. A highlight of this tour is a visit to the
impressive Monastery of Jeronimos. Continue to the center of the city
through bustling Rossio Square, and the Black Horse Square that faces
the River Tagus as you journey to the old quarter of Alfama with its
steep and narrow streets. Here you will visit the Convent of Madre de
Deus, founded in 1509. It is one of the most evocative samples of
religious architecture of the Manueline period. Most impressive of all,
inside the Convent is the National Tile Museum, a vast collection of
tiles dating back to the 14th century.
Shore Excursion
Estoril, Sintra & Queluz
Duration Approximately 4 Hours
This tour along the famous Estoril coast
includes such memorable highlights as Sintra, the summer residence of
Kings, and Queluz, with its magnificent palace. As you depart Lisbon and
head west along the seashore, enjoy the panorama of the River Tagus and
the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean. Cosmopolitan Estoril was once
favored by expatriates and exiled European royalty, and still attracts
throngs of summer revelers who come to play in its famous casino.
Continue to the well-known seaside resort of Cascais, then on to Sintra,
considered one of the most serene and beautiful villages in Portugal.
This summer playground for Portuguese nobility is located amid the lush
woods and valleys of the northern slopes of the Serra de Sintra. Noble
homes and palaces with walled gardens and stately courtyards are
scattered throughout the forested hills. You will have time to stroll
among the narrow cobbled streets or browse through the local handicraft
shops. Then continue inland to the Portuguese Royal Palace at Queluz,
built in the second half of the 18th century to house the royal family.
A simple exterior belies the lavishness within. Of particular note are
the Throne Room, with its heavily gilded ceilings and walls; and the
Hall of Ambassadors, with a giant chessboard floor and many mirrors. You
may wander through the sculpted gardens, containing row upon row of
geometric hedges, artistically carved bushes and huge old magnolia
trees.
Note: Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
