El Camino Pilgrimage: Portuguese Way of Saint James

LIMITED AVAILABILITY!!!

Join Dr. Anthony Lilles for pilgrimage walking the El Camino focused the Portuguese Way of St. James.

Included on the pilgrimage is the Traslatio: sacred boat journey across the Ría de Arousa, retracing the legendary final voyage of the Apostle’s remains to Compostela.

This pilgrimage is only open to 14 priests so REGISTER SOON!

Flight Information:

• June 14th: Depart from USA from your local airport
• June 15th by 2:00 PM: Arrive at Lisbon airport (LIS)
• June 29th: Depart Madrid airport (MAD) to your local airport
  

Rooms: 

Price based on Double occupancy with bath for those occupants. A private room and private bath are available for an additional $450.

Package Includes:

• 14 nights accommodation in hotels / hostels / guesthouses / monastic guesthouse in a room with private bathroom
• Breakfast
• 10 pilgrim dinners on the Camino, from Day 4 to Day 13. (Dinners can be served at the accommodation itself or at a local restaurant.)
• 3 dinners at Fátima, Porto and Santiago de Compostela.
• Pilgrim's boat.
• Trip dossier. (Pilgrim Passport, shell….)
• Bus transportation from Lisbon to Porto.
• Van available during the walking days to assist pilgrims and carry luggage (One max 20 kg (44 lbs) weight/luggage /person).
• Necessary transfers along the Camino, to begin the walks according to itinerary: From Porto to Lebruge. From Barcelos to Ponte de Lima.
• Luggage transportation. Only one piece per person is allowed, not exceeding 20 kg (44 lbs).
• Local tour guides in Porto .
• Tour conductor for all the pilgrimage, coordinating logistics ,assisting and walking with the group.
• Management of certifications with the pilgrim's office.
• Local tourist taxes in Portugal and Santiago.

Does NOT Include:

• Lunches
• Tips for drivers and tour guide ($120 for whole trip)
• Entrance tickets
• Transportation not indicated above
• Transportation to the airport at the end of the pilgrimage
• Medical Insurance (recommended - Allianz Travel Insurance Single/One Trip basic)
• Laundry (recommend bringing a bar of soap or a box of Earth Breeze Laundry detergent sheets).

Pricing:

$1,000 plus own transatlantic flights with arrival in Lisbon and departure from Madrid. Please note that this registration fee is non-refundable) unless we have a waitlist or you can find someone to take your place) after March 1, 2026.

Itinerary:

• Day 1: June 15 (Monday) Lisbon
  • Arrival at Lisbon airport by 2 pm and transfer onto tour bus.
  • Basilica of St. Anthony.
  • Mass.
  • Transfer Lisbon/Santarem.
  • Visit Santissimo Milagro (San Esteban) Church.
  • Transfer to Fatima for dinner & candlelight Rosary procession.
  • Overnight in Fatima.

• Day 2 : June 16 (Tuesday) Fatima / Coimbra/ Porto
  • Breakfast
  • Cova di Ira - homes of Sr. Lucia, Frabcesco & Jacinta.
  • Transfer to Coimbra.
  • Visit Carmelite convent where Sr. Lúcia lived for most of her adult life. 
  • Mass.
  • Lunch on your own.
  • Transfer to Porto. 
  • Tour Porto. 
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Porto.

• Day 3: June 17 (Wednesday) Porto / Labruge - Sao Miguel de Arcos (17 km )
  • Breakfast.
  • Transfer O Porto – Labruge.
  • First day of Camino: from Labruge to Sao Miguel de Arcos
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Sao Miguel de Arcos or nearby.

• Day 4 : June 18 (Thursday) S.M de Arcos - Barcelos (19.8 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner
  • Overnight in Barcelos or nearby.

• Day 5: June 19 (Friday) Barcelos / Ponte de Lima – Rubiaes (17.4 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Transfer Barcelos to Ponte de Lima (53 km – 40 min).
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Rubiaes or nearby.

• Day 6 : June 20 (Saturday) Rubiaes – Tui (19.1 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Tui.

• Day 7 : June 21 (Sunday) Tui – Porriño (16.1 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner
  • Overnight in Porriño or nearby.

• Day 8 : June 22 (Monday) Porriño – Redondela/Arcade (15.5 km )
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Redondela or surrounding area.

• Day 9 : June 23 (Tuesday) Redondela – Pontevedra (19.6 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner
  • Overnight In Pontevedra.

• Day 10: June 24 (Wednesday) Pontevedra - A. Armenteira (21 km )
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in A. Armenteira or surrounding area.

• Day 11 : June 25 (Thursday) A. Armenteira - Vilanova de Arousa (23.6 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Vilanova de Arousa or surrounding area.

• Day 12: June 26 (Friday) Vilanova de Arousa -Pontecesures / Padron-Esclavitude (8.3 km)
  • Breakfast
  • Traslatio: sacred boat journey across the Ría de Arousa, retracing the legendary final voyage of the Apostle’s remains to Compostela.
  • Walk from Pontecesures to Padron A. Esclavitude.
  • Overnight in Padron A. Esclavitude or surrounding area.

• Day 13: June 27 (Saturday) Esclavitude / Santiago de Compostela (15 km)
  • Breakfast.
  • Mass.
  • Dinner.
  • Overnight in Santiago de Compostela

• Day 14: June 28 (Sunday) Santiago de Compostela 
  • Breakfast. 
  • Mass at the Basilica of St. James (Santiago). 
  • Free time!! 
  • Lunch & Dinner on your own.
  • Optional : Visit to Finisterre (local bus available — private pay : 7-15 euros each way; takes about 3 hours by bus; non-stop) 
  • Overnight in Santiago de Compostela.

• Day 15: June 29 (Monday) Santiago de Compostela – Return home
  • Breakfast.
  • Depart for airport or train station or bus station on your own to the airport. 

*** There are multiple ways to get back to MAD (Madrid airport) or to extend your pilgrimage to France (direct flight to Paris CDG from Santiago, etc.), Italy, other famous cities in Spain by bus or trains. A train ride from Santiago to Madrid takes around 3.5 hours and costs $45 - $115. By bus, it takes around 10 hours and costs around $69 - $108. If you book your flight in months in advance, you can get a pretty good fare on one way ticket from Santiago to Madrid airport (MAD). ***

About the Tour Company

Mr. Curtis Williams is the owner of Pilgrimage tour company called “Praying the Way.” He has led many groups of all sizes along all the Caminos. His hope is to help pilgrims to experience spiritual dimensions of the walk and help enter into prayer through the silence they experience all around as they walk toward Santiago de Compostela!!

Have Questions? Contact:

Agnes Lilles at 303-638-6301 or priestlyrenewal@myavila.com

Dr. Anthony Lilles at 805-212-2693

Thank you to our generous sponsors, an anonymous benefactor, and the Initiative for Priestly Renewal for subsidizing the costs for priests and seminarians to attend.