Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.

It is situated on seven hills at the wide mouth of the river Tagus (Tejo) where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. A port city, an economic centre, a cultural powerhouse and a thriving mix of Portugal’s rich history and vivid contemporary culture, Lisbon enchants travellers with its white bleached limestone buildings, intimate alleyways, and an easy going charm that makes it a popular year round destination.

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest city in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. Lisbon has two sites listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery.

Fatima is one of the most important catholic shrines in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

It is a town located 142 km (88 miles) north of Lisbon.  Fatima’s fame is due to the apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary that appeared to three shepherd children; Lucia dos Santos and her two younger cousins, Francisco and Jacinta. Between May and October of 1917, the three children witnessed several apparitions. The last one, on October 13th, was confirmed by a miracle witnessed by 60,000 people known in the Catholic world as “the day the sun danced”.

The title of Our Lady of the Rosary is also used in reference to the same apparition; the children related that the apparition specifically identified herself as “the Lady of the Rosary.” It is also common to see a combination of these titles, i.e., Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima (Portuguese: ”Nossa Senhora do Rosario de Fatima”).

Salamanca is probably best known for having the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe.

This university is still what gives ambiance to the town. You can see hundreds of students passing through the streets and enjoying numerous and beautifully decorated bars until late at night.

This charming town is untouched in its architectural purity. In central areas all recent buildings are constructed in Salamanca’s best tradition. The city has been declared “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO.

Burgos is a city in northern Spain and the historic capital of Castile.

Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat El Cid Campeador is a significant historical figure in the city, as he was born a couple of miles north of Burgos and was raised and educated here.

The city forms the principal crossroad of northern Spain along the Camino de Santiago, which runs parallel to the River Arlanzon.

Burgos has been selected as the Spanish Gastronomy Capital of 2013.

Lourdes is the largest Catholic pilgrimage destination in France and one of the most popular Catholic shrines in the world.

On February 11, 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed herself to a poor shepherd girl, Bernadette Soubirous. Eighteen such apparitions were reported.

The most sacred site at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is the Grotto of Massabielle, also known as the Miraculous Cave or the Cave of Apparitions. The Grotto of Massabielle is the site of St. Bernadette’s vision of the Virgin Mary where she revealed herself as the Immaculate Concepcion. The Virgin Mary is said to have pointed out a previously undiscovered spring in the grotto and instructed St. Bernadette to “Go and drink at the spring and wash there.” The spring water from the grotto is believed to posses healing properties and to date, seventy cures have been officially recognized as miraculous by the Roman Catholic Church.

Nice is the fifth largest city in France.

It acts as a magnet attracting people from all over the world. Both elegant and simple, Nice’s charm comes from its exceptional climate as well as its beauty.

Even in the winter the cafe terraces are filled with people happily drinking and contemplating the ultra famous Promenade des Anglais.

Nice is also a city of art and culture and after Paris, has the most museums in France.

Assisi is best known as the birthplace of St. Francis, Italy’s patron saint.

Framed by the long, undulating hills of Umbria and the forests of Monte Subasio, Assisi is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the world and one of Italy’s most spellbinding gems.

Assisi is closely associated with the work of the Franciscan Order. Its medieval art masterpieces, such as the Basilica of San Francesco and paintings by Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Giotto, have made Assisi a fundamental reference point for the development of Italian and European art and architecture.

Together with almost all its surrounding territories, Assisi was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2000, described as constituting a unique example of continuous history: a city-sanctuary beginning with its Umbrian-Roman origins, through the Medieval Age and up until today.

Loreto is home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Italy.

It is an important hill town to the south of Anacona.  It is inland from the Adriatic coast in the Marches region of central Italy.

The main attraction for visitors to Loreto – pilgrims or otherwise – is the imposing basilica and fortress complex which also includes the museum and the Holy House of the Virgin Mary.

The Holy House of Loreto is one of the most revered Marian shrines in the world. Since medieval times, the Holy House has been believed to be the very home in which the Virgin Mary lived, conceived and raised the young Jesus.

A large basilica has been built around the small shrine, and the sacred site attracts as many as 4 million Catholic pilgrims and visitors each year.

The Miracle of Lanciano is officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a Eucharistic miracle.

In the city of Lanciano, Italy,  around 700, a Basilian monk  was assigned to celebrate Mass in the small church of St. Legontian.

During the Mass, when he said the Words of Consecration  (“This is my body. This is my blood”), with doubt in his soul, the priest is said to have seen the bread change into living flesh and the wine change into live blood, which coagulated into five globules, irregular and differing in shape and size (the number supposedly corresponds to the number of wounds Christ suffered on the cross: one in each hand and foot from the nails, and the wound from the centurion’s spear).

The elements can still be seen today. The flesh, which is the same size as the large host used in the Latin Church, is fibrous and light brown in color and becomes rose-colored when lighted from the back. The blood consists of five coagulated globules and has an earthly color resembling the yellow of ochre.

St. Padre Pio Shrine is located in San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy.

The shrine centers on the tomb of St. Padre Pio, a Capuchin friar, priest and mystic known for his devotion to God, care for the sick and supernatural gifts. He was declared a saint in 2002.

The Shrine of Padre Pio receives 7 million pilgrims each year. The large and ultramodern Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church was built in devotion to the saint and to accommodate the increasing throngs of pilgrims that visit the place.

Rome, the Eternal City, is the capital and largest city of Italy.

It is the famed city of the Roman Empire, the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita (the sweet life), the Vatican City and Three Coins in the Fountain.

Rome, as a millennium-long center of power, culture and religion, has exerted a huge influence over the world in its roughly 2,800 years of existence.  The historic center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rome has an immensely rich historical heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere, making it one of Europe’s and the world’s most visited, famous,  influential and beautiful capitals. Today, Rome has a growing nightlife scene and is also seen as a shopping heaven, being regarded as one of the fashion capitals of the world. With so many sights and things to do, Rome can truly be classified a “global city.”

The Vatican City is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. It is the temporal seat of the Pope, the head of the worldwide Catholic Church. It is also the world’s smallest state.