2025 August — CTSFW Tour Opportunity: Portugal and Spain

CTSFW Tour Opportunity: Portugal and Spain

Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), invites you to come along on its next international travel tour, “Best of Spain, Lisbon & Barcelona,” February 22–March 4, 2026.

The excursion begins with an evening departure to Lisbon, a city celebrated for its maritime heritage and Renaissance architecture. Visit Lisbon’s historic sites and the picturesque landscapes of Portugal’s Alentejo region, then travel to culturally significant cities in Spain, including Seville, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona. Notable landmarks, including the Alcázar Palace, La Sagrada Família, and the Prado Museum, will provide a foundation for thoughtful examination of historical narratives and artistic achievements.

The tour will be hosted by CTSFW President Dr. Jon S. Bruss and his wife, Kristine Bruss, chief communications officer at CTSFW. Portugal and Spain might not be as prominent in the Lutheran historical narrative as other sites in Europe, but as President Bruss notes, the countries have much to offer.

“The rich, varied, long-lived, and often troubled culture of the Iberian Peninsula—from the Phoenicians to the Romans and Visigoths, from the Moorish occupation to the Reconquista, and from the Spanish Empire to Franco and beyond—is inscribed on the monuments and culture of Spain and Portugal,” said Bruss, whose book Hidden Presences: Monuments, Gravesites, and Corpses in Greek Funerary Epigram (Leuven: Peeters, 2005) explores monuments and what they say to those who pass by.

“Kris and I are excited to explore the architectural treasures and cultural richness of this land with our CTSFW friends. And there’s a bonus: in this land long known for opposition to the Reformation, we’ll also have an opportunity to visit fellow Lutherans in the fledgling Spanish Evangelical Lutheran Church.” (Read more in Lutherans Engage the World, Summer 2025).

You can find full details about the Portugal and Spain tour, including a day-by-day itinerary and registration information, by visiting here or clicking the button below.

Image captions in order of appearance, left to right, top to bottom (mobile).

• First stop: Lisbon, capital city of Portugal.
• Mid-tour: Seville in southwestern Spain
• Final stop: Barcelona, home to La Sagrada Família