The Spain of St Ignatius - a pilgrimage

Ignatius the Pilgrim (Manresa)

Centro Arrupe, Loyola

Family chapel in Javier Castle

On the pilgrim road in Manresa

A Walking Pilgrimage - 2025

This is a walking pilgrimage; participants will need to be able to walk without strain at a reasonable walking speed on paved streets. As the buildings are old they frequently do not have modern accessibility feature. 
We are sad to say that this pilgrimage is unsuitable for wheelchairs or people who find walking a challenge.
We walk up to a couple of miles or so at a time. 
We also travel by bus so the ability to negotiate a few fairly steep steps is also necessary.

July and August in Loyola is warm, but rarely more than 30°C (86°F), more often in the mid 20°C's (68°F); Manresa and Barcelona will be hot 25-35°C (77-95°F), so be prepared to dress to keep cool; but remember we are visiting many religious shrines, short sleeves are required.

27 July - 3 August 2025
Travel across Spain in the footsteps of Saint Ignatius visiting: Loyola, Javier, Manresa, Montserrat and Barcelona.

NEW FOR THIS YEAR - A VISIT TO THE CASTLE AND HOME OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER

Join us on our pilgrimage where we shall be telling the story of Ignatius and visiting the places where his conversion happened in Loyola.

Our pilgrims begin with two nights in the Arrupe Centre, which is situated on the square by the Sanctuary at the heart of Loyola. Accommodation is in rooms with en-suite facilities and we shall be having full-board with wine at lunch and dinner.
Loyola is the village of Ignatius’ birth: where we will visit the tower-house of his birth, the chapel of his conversion. (Holy House).
We shall also walk to the nearby local town of Azpeitia to visit the church where Ignatius was baptised and the hospital where he stayed and preached.
We walk along the River Urola pedestrian way to the town of Azkoitia where Iñigo's mother was born to see her family house.
 

We travel across Spain by coach, visiting Javier where we will stay one night at the Jesuit Spirituality Centre. Javier is the birthplace of St Francis Xavier. We will tour the castle and home of St Francis Xavier.

We then travel on to Montserrat. We spend four nights in the Hotel Abbot Cisneros in Montserrat. The hotel is a beautifully converted historic building, next door to the monastery.  All bedrooms have en-suite facilities.  We will have full-board our first day in Montserrat and half-board on our days out to Manresa and Barcelona.  We have a full day in Montserrat, a day in Manresa and a final day in the city of Barcelona seeing the sites associated with the life of Ignatius with some time for private sightseeing.

The story of the life of Ignatius will be told as we follow in his footsteps. Holy Mass will be celebrated every day; usually in the holy sites. In Montserrat the Mass will be in Catalan, otherwise we celebrate Mass in English.

What is Included

• Transfers from airport at agreed time
• Hotel accommodation in en-suite bedrooms (private toilet and shower), full-board except for lunch in the day at Barcelona, and rest day at Montserrat where it will be half-board (i.e. DIY lunch).
• Entrance fees to the Holy House, Loyola, Seu Church Manresa etc.
• Transport by air-conditioned bus across Spain, and to Manresa and Barcelona
• Restaurant lunch en route to Montserrat, and at Manresa
• Guided walks of Ignatian Spain

What to Bring

• A sun hat and sunscreen lotion and a portable fan will be useful 
• A pair of comfortable walking shoes
• Euro - it is the Spanish currency
• You may want a lightweight rainproof or small umbrella for Loyola.
• A European Health Insurance Card or a British Global Health Card and/or Travel and Health Insurance.
• Passport and Airline tickets/boarding cards

For UK Residents see Government advice.

Guide to the 6-month passport rule — what is it?

(Link to external sites, ISC not responsible for information given)

Costs

2025 - The pilgrimage is priced in Euro at €995 (£825) plus single room supplement of €32
(Pilgrimage as an add-on to Spiritual Exercises €750)*

Once bookings start to fill up, if there are only twin rooms available at the second hotel then there would be a further supplement of €60 in total (based on 2024 costs) required for single people in a twin room; so early booking is advised.

We are now able to accept payments in GB pounds, euro or US dollars, and some other currencies- please ask us for details before making a payment.

Pay via Wise

*The pilgrimage costs are paid in Euro. Current costs are based on rates at Dec 2024 
If currency rates fluctuate by +/- 5% then the above cost would be adjusted accordingly.

We require full payment of all fees 6 weeks before the Pilgrimage. Your booking is confirmed when you pay your deposit (details will be sent to you). If you do not pay your deposit within one month of acceptance then you could lose your place on the pilgrimage.

Travel for 2024

Our Pilgrimage starts in Loyola on the 27th of July. 
We suggest flying to Bilbao. 
(There is also a twice weekly ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao run by Brittany Ferries.)
 

We offer one direct transfer bus from Bilbao Airport to Loyola at about 6.30pm (exact time will depend upon flight arrivals)
 

Direct flights are available from (based on 2023): Manchester and Gatwick via Easyjet.
from Gatwick via Vueling and from Dublin via Aer Lingus.
 

On our return we leave Montserrat at 9am and hope to arrive in Barcelona Airport at 10.30am.
So return flights should be booked from Barcelona, El Prat airport on the 3rd of August to depart after 12.30pm.

"Being in the places where Ignatius had experienced various important moments in his life was a source of blessing beyond words! Each pilgrim needs to experience the graces of these places in his or her own way...but they are there. The leaders were amazing and tried to be attentive to all needs.  So grateful. "
Sr Jeanne, 2022 Pilgrimage

“I highly recommend this joyful and well-organised Ignatian pilgrimage. We were an eclectic and colourful group of pilgrims with a wide range of theologies and spiritualities which led to some lively dinner-table discussions! Places like Loyola, Montserrat and Manresa that used to be just names to me are now full of rich associations of climbing misty mountains, eating aromatic Spanish peaches, and praying alongside Ignatian relics.” 

John, 2022 Pilgrimage

Videos of Loyola and Montserrat

Loyola Spirituality Centre

Loyola Basilica

Ignatius' Birth Place

Montserrat

click image for link to virtual tour