Fatima, Grottoes of Mira de Aire, Alcobasa, Nazaré

I invite you to see the underground Portugal, amazing and unforgettable! The karst grottoes of Mira de Aire, included in the seven natural wonders of Portugal, delight in their genuine splendor! These caves are considered the largest in Portugal, but from 11 and a half kilometers, you can see about 600 meters. And, most likely, these 600 meters of underground walk will be the most unforgettable! The caves were discovered (as usual) by accident, in 1947. By 1974, local authorities were able to make some of this charm accessible to tourists: they made paths and steps to go down, and installed an elevator to climb up. There are 24 "halls", passing through which you will look at the underground river, small bridges and lakes. Most admire stalactites in the form of spaghetti, for example, and stalagmites, which also came up with different names. Closer to the exit surprise fountains of different shapes and sizes, illuminated by thousands of colorful light bulbs. It is recommended to visit families with children.

In addition to the natural miracle, you will also see a religious miracle. We will visit one of the most revered shrines of the Catholic world along with Santiago de Compostela and Lourdes. About 5 million pilgrims from all over the world come to Fatima every year to see the place where the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherds in 1917. She appeared to them six times, the first on May 13, 1917, and the last on October 13 of the same year. Thanks to the memories of her older sister Lucia, it became known that the Mother of God told the children three secrets and ordered them to strictly comply with her request. People come to Fatima to see the architectural miracle, where we will definitely visit, the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, built in 2007. This fourth largest temple in the world can accommodate around 9,000 people at a time! Most of the liturgical masses here are served in foreign languages. It is said that you should come to Fatima twice: the first time when you ask Our Lady of Fatima for something hidden, and the second time to thank her for what happened. Many believers claim that it was the Virgin Mary who answered their requests and performed a miracle, albeit small.

To understand what Fatima is, you need to visit this holy place filled with peace and tranquility.

Then you will visit the majestic monastery and the Church of the Order of Cistercians in the city of Alcobasa, which is included in the list of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Cistercian monks are also called Bernardines, in honor of Bernard of Clairvos, who played a significant role in the formation of this ascetic order. Here, in Alcobas, the monastic order of Cister began the construction of one of its largest residences in the distant XII century. And in the XIV century, King Pedro I chooses this church of Santa Maria de Alcobasa to house the most luxurious sarcophagi in the whole country - his and his beloved Ines de Castro. You will be impressed by the tragic love story, which did not end with the death of the beautiful Donna Inesh. Inside the monastery, you will be able to understand how the brothers of the order lived apart by examining the common bedroom hall and the parlatorium, the only room where the monks could chat. They also had a kitchen with 18-meter ceilings. And numerous and all completely different gargoyles are among the most outstanding in the world. And don’t expect to see a typical and uninteresting monastery. You and your children will love this place.

In order to hit you finally on this day, we will go to the ocean, on the coast of the city of Nazareth. It is often referred to as a fishing village. The beach is much bigger than you can imagine. It can be well seen from the observation deck in the upper part of the city, comfortably attached to the top of a 110-meter cliff. It was from this rock directly into the ocean that the hunter wanted to jump on horseback, according to the main legend about this place, when he was stopped, and thus saved from death by the Mother of God. On the tour you will be told another legend about the local lords and their outfits. The lower and upper city is connected by a rather cute lift, which has changed quite a bit since 1889. Getting to Nazareth is the cherished dream of any surfer, because it is in Nazareth that the biggest waves in the world are caught! World records are not uncommon here. You may be lucky to see another sporting achievement. In the summer, take a swimsuit with you in case you want to swim.

The tour plan includes time for lunch in one of the typical restaurants.