Portugal’s humble village of Fatima is home to an extraordinary religious event. On this walking tour, you’ll discover the remarkable story of three young shepherd children who claimed to have witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917. You’ll walk from their modest homes to the magnificent sanctuary that now attracts millions of pilgrims annually. Along the way, you’ll hear about the miracle that transformed this rural community into one of Catholicism’s most sacred sites.
The tour starts at Francisco and Jacinta’s house, where you’ll glimpse the simple life of these peasant children through the preserved family home. You’ll follow the Route of the Little Shepherds, passing through the 14 Stations of the Cross while hearing about the children’s remarkable courage in the face of ridicule, threats, and imprisonment.
You’ll find out how the children’s visions culminated in the famous “Miracle of the Sun” which was witnessed by approximately 70,000 people on October 13, 1917. The tour ends at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, where the three visionaries – Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia – now rest.
On this 75-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:
- Stand at Arneiro’s Well where the children first encountered the “Angel of Peace” who prepared them for later visions
- Explore the massive Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima complex which can accommodate up to 100,000 pilgrims and includes the impressive Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity
- Visit the Chapel of Apparitions built on the exact spot where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared six times in 1917
- See the fragment of the Berlin Wall, symbolizing the connection between the Fatima prophecies and world events
- View the crown containing the bullet extracted from Pope John Paul II following his assassination attempt on May 13, 1981
- Pay respects at the tombs of the three visionaries, two of whom died as children in the Spanish flu pandemic
Whether you’re a devout pilgrim or simply curious about this remarkable historical event, this tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the story that transformed Fatima from an obscure village into a spiritual center that continues to draw millions seeking peace, healing, and divine connection.
Tour Producer
Mark Whiteley
I worked as an actor, writer and theatre producer in the U.K. touring shows and winning awards for 30 years until I moved to Portugal in 2019. The only trouble with being a English speaking storyteller in Portugal is they speak Portuguese, so with the theatre company on the back burner I started building new projects according to my skills set.
Having travelled around Portugal looking for somewhere to live for two years in my motorhome. And looking at every nook and cranny, from Braga, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo in the north, to Coimbra and Fatima in the middle. And spending years in Algarve months in Lagos and Faro, so I decided that I could probably help people travel in this beautiful country better.
History and storytelling are my passion, so to combine them is, as they say a no brainer. I hope you enjoy taking my tours as much as I love making them. Thanks for listening Mark.