ALTAMONT — St. Lucy/St. Bernadette Church in Altamont is sponsoring a trip departing from Albany to Portugal next spring.

Travelers will leave Albany on April 23 on a bus to JFK Airport in New York City and return on May 4, 2019 and will be escorted by local travel expert Jean Gagnon. Space is limited to 40 participants.  

The tour will start in Lisbon, where travelers will stay for three nights. Sightseeing in Lisbon will include the Jeronimos Monastery, the old quarter of Alfama, Sintra and the Estoril coast.

The next two nights will be in the city of Evora, visiting the famous Ossuary chapel, decorated with human skulls and bones from 5,000 bodies. The tour includes two nights at the Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort, located on the ocean outside of the medieval city of Obidos. There will be an opportunity to purchase an optional tour to Fatima and the vast monastery of Alcobaca.

Porto will be the last stop for three nights, en route touring the university city of Coimbra and a local cork factory. There will also be a visit to the Douro valley vineyards. This tour takes advantage of United Airlines new nonstop service from Porto back to JFK.

Including all flights, transportation from Albany to JFK, two nights in a five-star hotel, eight nights in four-star hotels, breakfast daily, three dinners and three lunches (all including wine), a fado show, two wine-tastings and one port-tasting, a market visit and cooking class, all included sightseeing, and an early booking discount of $100, the rate starts at $3,945.00 per person, double occupancy, if registered by Oct. 1.

An information meeting will be held at Plaza Travel Center, 623 New Loudon Rd, Latham, on Tuesday, July 31. at 6 p.m. those who plan to attend the July 31 session should contact Gagnon at or at Plaza Travel Center at 518-785-3338.

Although sponsored by the church, these tours are not “pilgrimages” or “religious” events.  All are welcome to participate.