In the Footsteps of St. John of the Cross Pilgrimage to Spain

• Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Spain

• Arrive at Madrid airport and transfer to Segovia, where St John of the Cross is buried
• Opening Mass at a local church
• Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
• Overnight in Segovia

Accommodation: Convento de San Juan de la Cruz (pending availability) or Real Segovia (space confirmed)

Meals included: Dinner

• Visit the Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites where St John of the Cross is buried and walk its gardens
• Mass at the tomb of St John of the Cross (pending availability)
• Free evening to explore Segovia city center, including Segovia Cathedral and Iglesia de la Vera Cruz
• Overnight in Segovia

Accommodation: Convento de San Juan de la Cruz (pending availability) or Real Segovia (space confirmed)

Meals included: Breakfast

• Depart for Duruelo, where St. John became the first Discalced Carmelite friar
• Visit the Duruelo Monastery, the first house of the Discalced Carmelite Friars established by St John in 1568
• Pray in the Monastery’s Chapel of St John of the Cross
• Continue on to Medina del Campo, where he grew up
• Visit the Capilla de San Juan de la Cruz, where he celebrated his first Mass
  • If possible, celebrate Mass in the Chapel
• Visit the Convent of El Carmen Calzado de Santa Ana, founded by St Teresa of Avila and a meeting place of the two saints, also home to the tomb of St John’s mother
• Arrive in Avila, where he became a friar, and explore the city center with its Cathedral, considered Spain’s first Gothic Cathedral
• Enjoy dinner together as a group
• Overnight in Avila

Accommodation: Centro de Espiritualidad Avila

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

• Morning in Avila, the birthplace of St Teresa
• Visit the Monastery of La Encarnacion, where St. John served as a confessor and received a vision of Christ on the cross
• Also visit the Monastery of St John of the Cross which holds various relics
• Celebrate Mass with time to pray and reflect in the same place St John of the Cross would go to retreat
  • After lunch, visit Fontiveros, where he was born
• Visit the Church of San Juan de la Cruz, built over his birthplace, and the Church of S Cyprian, where he was baptized
• Continue on to Alba de Tormes, where St Teresa of Avila is buried
• Return to Avila for dinner
• Overnight in Avila

Accommodation: Centro de Espiritualidad Avila

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

• Morning in Avila, with Mass
• Transfer to Toledo, where he was imprisoned
  • Option to stop en route at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of El Escorial to visit the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo, with its library and burial site of Spanish monarchs
• Free evening to explore Toledo
• Overnight in Toledo

Accommodation: Convento de Toledo

Meals included: Breakfast

• Visit the ruins of the Carmelite monastery where the friars held him captive, and other sites related to this chapter in his life
• Explore the city center with its Cathedral, the cloisters of the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, and the El Greco Museum
• Mass at the Cathedral or Monastery (pending availability)
• Overnight in Toledo

Accommodation: Convento de Toledo

Meals included: Breakfast

• Depart Toledo with a stop at the iconic Mirador del Valle on the way out of the city, and continue on to Ubeda, where St John of the Cross died
• Visit the Museo San Juan de la Cruz, with relics and artifacts from his life included the room where he died
  • Mass in the chapel where his funeral took place (pending availability)
• Continue on to Granada, where he wrote a large portion of his corpus
• Enjoy dinner as a group
• Overnight in Granada

Accommodation: Eurostars San Antón

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

• Visit the Carmen de los Martires Gardens, believed to have been planted by St John of the Cross, as well as the Monastery of San Jose, where he and St Teresa would meet to discuss Carmelite reform
• Mass at the Monastery (pending availability)
• See the Cuesta de Gomerez, traditionally believed to bear the imprint of St John of the Cross’ footprints
• Free final afternoon to visit the Alhambra, explore the Albacin neighborhood and the tea shops of Caldereria Nueva, or pray and reflect in the Cathedral
• Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant
• Overnight in Granada

Accommodation: Eurostars San Antón

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

• Transfer to Malaga airport and depart on your journey home

Meals included: Breakfast