A Catholic Pilgrimage Through Eastern Europe
14 Days / 13 Nights
Day 1: WARSAW
Arrive in Warsaw. Meeting with the tour guide. A panoramic bus ride to the
hotel. Dinner and Overnight.
Day 2: WARSAW
Morning: a guided tour of Warsaw: a stroll down the picturesque streets of
the Old Town, Castle Square, the Royal, St. John's Cathedral (built in the 14th
century), the Royal Way, the Lazienki Park with the Chopin's Monument, the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier. Lunch in restaurant.
Afternoon: a tour of Niepokalanow, a pilgrimage site connected with St. Maksymilian
Kolbe.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 3: WARSAW - KRAKÓW
Depart Warsaw after breakfast.
En route to Krakow: a tour of the 14th century National Shrine and Monastery
of Jasna Gora (Bright Mountain) in Czestochowa with the marvelous painting of
the Black Madonna, the Mecca of the Catholic religion in Poland.
Lunch in restaurant.
Afternoon: a guided tour of the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow - Lagiewniki,
where St. Faustyna Kowalska (whose remains were brought from the Church of St.
Joseph) was laid to rest. Pope John Paul II consecrated the sanctuary on September
17, 2002, entrusting the world to God's Divine Mercy.
There is the possibility of attending a mass.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 4: KRAKÓW
Guided tour of the most famous sights of Krakow: the largest market square
in Europe surrounded by old streets and home to historical tenement houses and
churches; a visit to St. Mary's Church (Gothic style); a stroll down the Royal
Way to Wawel Castle, which was the seat of the Polish monarchs for centuries;
a tour of the Royal Chambers and the Cathedral.
Lunch in restaurant.
Afternoon: excursion to Wieliczka - a unique and world-renowned salt mine entered
into the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list, with the beautiful Chapel of St.
Kinga. Return to Krakow, traditional Polish dinner in one of restaurants in
the Market Square. Overnight.
Day 5: KRAKÓW
Morning: a visit to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: a tour of the Church of the Virgin
Mary - the second most famous pilgrimage site in Poland, entered in the UNESCO
World Cultural Heritage list.
A brief tour of Wadowice - the birthplace of Pope John Paul II: a tour of the
Church of the Blessed Mother and the Papal Museum - the home of Pope John Paul
II. Lunch in restaurant
Afternoon tour of the museum in Auschwitz-Birkenau in Auschwitz - the former
concentration camp, a shocking testament to the holocaust. Return to Krakow,
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 6: KRAKÓW – BUDAPEST
Depart Krakow after breakfast.
En route to Budapest: a tour of Lavaca, a charming town and the pearl of the
architecture of the Middle Ages, formerly referred to as the Nuremberg of Slovakia,
with the Gothic style Church of St. James, one of Slovakia's most valuable monuments.
Lunch during the way. Continue to Budapest
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 7: BUDAPEST
Guided tour of Budapest: The Gellert Hill - overlooking the Danube River,
one of the most famous sites in Budapest; St. Stefan's Basilica, where the most
famous Hungarian relic, the mummified palm of St. Stefan, Varhegy (Castle Hill)
- the Old Town, from which the facades of the Royal Palace can be seen from
afar, as well as the elevated and exquisite tower of the Church of St. Matthias,
surrounded by the white Fishermen's Bastion.
Lunch in restaurant. During the afternoon guided visit of the charming town
of Szentendre - a town constructed in the middle ages in a Mediterranean style,
built atop of the former Roman legionary town.
Dinner in Folk restaurant with music. Overnight.
Day 8: BUDAPEST – VIENNA
Depart to Vienna. During the way a tour of the Pannonhalm Monastery - the
only functioning Benedictine Monastery in all of Hungary.
Arrive in Vienna late morning. Lunch in restaurant.
During the afternoon visit of the Mariazell Sanctuary, the largest pilgrimage
sanctuary in Central Europe with the wondrous image of the Blessed Mother.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 9: VIENNA
Full Day Guided tour of Vienna: The Jewish Quarter; Juden Square; Synagogue;
The Jewish Museum; Ringstrasse, Hofburg - the former imperial palace; Josefplaz
- the beautiful late Baroque style square; Kärtner street, which is home
to the many magnificent buildings designed by Austria's most famous architects
which leads to St. Stephen's square on the north side, where St. Stephen's Cathedral
- a symbol and most important monument of Vienna towers over the entire Old
Town; the Belvedere Palace - the most beautiful palace complex in Vienna and
an outstanding example of Baroque style architecture in the world.
Lunch in restaurant.
Dinner with wine tasting in the Grinzing district, famous for its production
of young wine.
Overnight.
Day 10: VIENNA
Full day excursion to the Wachau Valley, one of the most beautiful and scenic
sites in Austria: Durstein, a picturesque town with the Augustine Monastery
with beautiful galleries and an impressive collection of sacral art as well
as the beautiful Baroque church; The Melk Monastery - the most wondrous Baroque
monastery in Austria triumphantly overlooking the Danube River and the surroundings;
Mass in the St. Peter and St. Paul Baroque church;
Heiligenkreuz - one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in Austria; Mayerling
- the Carmelite monastery built on top of the destroyed Mayerling castle. Lunch
in restaurant.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 11: VIENNA – PRAGUE
Depart Vienna after breakfast.
During the way, a short stop in the town of Telc - with its Old Town entered
into the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list as a unique example of folklore
architecture along with the Baroque style Church of the Blessed Mother. Lunch
in restaurant. Dinner and Overnight.
Day 12: PRAGUE
Full Day tour of the city: Hradcany (The Castle District); Katedrala Sv. Víta
(The Cathedral of St. Vitus) - a tapering yet massive structure which was built
over 6 centuries and remains the most important church in the Czech Republic
until today; the Loreta Treasury; the Strahov Monestary; the unforgettable Old
Town Square with the Gothic church of Our Lady of Tyn; the lovely Zlata ulicka
(Golden Street); St. Charles Bridge (Gothic style and one of the oldest bridges
in Europe); The Church of Our Lady Victorious, the first Baroque church with
the famous wax figure known as the Prague Child Jesus; and St. Wenceslas Square,
the central point of modern Prague. Lunch in restaurant.
Dinner and Overnight.
Day 13: PRAGUE
Guided visit to Kutna Hora, a town with an amazing view of the Gothic Cathedral's
exquisite mass located in the distance. An optional mass at the Church of St.
Barbara it’s possible. Free time during the afternoon for last shopping.
Lunch in restaurant. Farewell Dinner in typical restaurant with Folk Show. Overnight.
Day 14: PRAGUE - DEPARTURE
Transfer to the airport.
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