Fátima Sanctuary tour: Basilicas and shepherds' village

Walk through the places where the three shepherds lived and prayed

A half-day tour from Coimbra to Fátima's Sanctuary, the site of the 1917 apparitions of Our Lady to three shepherd children. You visit the shepherds' homes in Aljustrel and Aldeia de Valinhos, then the Basilica of Nossa Senhora do Rosário with its 65-meter tower, the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, and the Capelinha das Aparições where mass is sometimes held. Transport by air-conditioned minivan and a live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese are included. The tour returns to your Coimbra hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Fátima Sanctuary and Pastorinhos Village

• Visit Casa de Lúcia, Jacinta e Francisco
• Visit Casa de Lúcia, Francisco e Jacinta
• Visit Basilica of Nossa Senhora do Rosário
• Visit Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity
• Visit Capelinha das Aparições
• Return to hotel in Coimbra

The experience

The tour starts in the villages where Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto grew up. You visit their homes in Aljustrel and Aldeia de Valinhos to see the everyday places where the three children lived before the apparitions of 1917 changed the course of the sanctuary's history. These stops ground the story in the actual landscape the shepherds knew.

At the Sanctuary itself, you enter the Basilica of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, where the remains of all three shepherds rest beneath its distinctive 65-meter tower. The Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, the newer of the two main buildings, follows. The Capelinha das Aparições (the small chapel marking the exact spot of the visions) is the final stop. If mass is being held during your visit, you can attend. The minivan is air-conditioned and the guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese throughout.

The half-day format means you leave Coimbra in the morning and return by early afternoon, leaving the rest of your day free. Bottled water is provided, and the pace suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan from your Coimbra hotel.
• a live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• bottled water.
• and all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00Last departure this season: 31 Dec

Book up to12h before

AgesUp to age 90

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Viajeportugal

Is this one for you?The half-day pace means an early start and a morning of steady walking through the villages and basilicas, so it suits travelers who want to see the main sanctuary sites without committing a full day. Families with infants can request specialized seats.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What exactly did the three shepherds see at Fátima in 1917?

The three children (Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta) reported apparitions of Our Lady at the Capelinha das Aparições on the 13th of each month from May to October 1917. The site became a major place of Catholic pilgrimage and devotion, and the Sanctuary was built to preserve the memory of these events.

Can I attend a mass at the Capelinha das Aparições during the tour?

Mass is sometimes held at the Capelinha das Aparições during the tour, and you have the opportunity to attend if it coincides with your visit. It is not guaranteed on every departure.

How long is the drive from Coimbra to Fátima?

The tour is a half-day experience lasting around four hours total, which includes the drive from Coimbra, visits to Aljustrel and Aldeia de Valinhos, and time at the three main sites of the Sanctuary before returning to your hotel.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included. The tour focuses on the sanctuary sites and the shepherds' villages. You return to Coimbra by early afternoon.