Day 1: Depart USA
Our spiritual pilgrimage begins as we board our transatlantic flight to Warsaw. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

Day 2: Arrive Warsaw
After arrival in Warsaw we are met by our local representative and transferred to our hotel. Delight in the "new" Warsaw, which has been lovingly restored after the devastation of World War II.

Day 3: Warsaw
We begin with morning mass at St. Stanislaw Kostka Church, where martyred Solidarity priest Father Popieluszko worked and is buried. Visit the bustling Old Town Square, where horse-drawn carriages carry visitors past beautifully rebuilt Baroque houses and Renaissance-style storefronts. Traditional Polish cafes and shops surround the square, which has been restored to its 13th-century charm. Stroll the streets of this historic area, which is mostly closed to traffic, and explore its beautiful churches and castle. See the birthplace of Madame Curie, Chopin’s monument and the Royal Castle, residence of Polish Kings.

Day 4: Warsaw / Krakow
Depart Warsaw and drive to the city of Immaculata-Niepokalanow, home of the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Franciscan monastery founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, at present one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Poland. Continue to Czestochowa, a city which has been the principal center of Catholicism in Poland for the last 600 years and is a shrine for pilgrims. Visit Jasna Gora Monastery with religious, historic and artistic value. Our guide will show us the Gothic Chapel of Our Lady in which hangs the famous Black Madonna Icon on a magnificent silver and ebony alter. Tour the treasury and celebrate mass at the Shrine. Proceed to Krakow, our home for the next three nights.

Day 5: Krakow
We begin with morning mass and a visit to the Convent of Sisters of Mercy in Lagiewniki, where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Next, visit the Gothic Royal Castle and the Cathedral remodeled in the beginning of the 16th century according the new Renaissance taste. Drive to the Old Town to visit St. Mary’s Church, famous for its wooden alter, and see the ancient Market Square and Cloth Hall. This afternoon drive to Auschwitz, site of the infamous death camps where millions were killed during World War II. Return to Krakow.

Day 6: Krakow
Begin our day at Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. His museum is in his family house. Continue to a place that was a popular pilgrimage place for the Pope when he was a young man: Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where in the 17th century the Palatine of Krakow founded a Franciscan Monastery. On the slope of the hill and in the valley is an architectural ‘Way of the Cross’ comprising 42 Mannerist and Baroque chapels and some small Calvary churches. This afternoon we drive to Wieliczka to see the oldest salt mine in Europe, a world-class tourist attraction. It is a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground salt lakes with a rich interior of decorated chapels including the famous Blessed Kings Chapel, plus other galleries and workings made of salt. Wieliczka salt mine is listed by UNESCO as an object of World Cultural Heritage. Return to Krakow.

Day 7: Krakow / Prague
Depart this morning for the Czech capital of Prague. En route stop at Velehrad to visit the Shrine in memory of the two missionaries from Byzantium, "Cyril and Methodius", who brought Christianity to the Czech lands. In 1985 His Holiness Pope John Paul II conferred the "Golden Rose" on Velehrad, a Papal distinction conveyed to only three other venerable places of pilgrimage - Lourdes, Guadalupe and Czestochowa. Continue to the "Golden City" of Prague, one of Europe’s most attractive capitals.

Day 8: Prague
Spanning the River Vltava, Prague ranks as one of the most beautifully preserved cities in Europe. The town is famous for its Gothic and Baroque architecture. Visit the Shrine of Loretto, one of the most important shrines in Europe. Wonder at the graceful enormity of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, the Church of Our Lady of Victory and the statue of the infant Jesus of Prague. After mass, cross the historic Charles Bridge, built in 1400, and admire its Baroque statuary. Recall the timeless masterpieces of Mozart, Wagner and Berlioz while viewing the city’s many theaters and opera houses.

Day 9: Prague / Bratislava
This morning depart Prague for Bratislava. On the way stop in Brno to visit the Capuchin Church of Saints Peter and Paul. After mass depart for Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, which is situated on the Danube.

Day 10: Bratislava / Budapest
Visit St. Martin’s Cathedral and depart for Budapest. En route, stop at the only Benedictine Abbey in Hungary, where will celebrate mass. The Holy Father visited the Pennonhalma Abbey on the occasion of its 1,000 anniversary celebration. Proceed to lovely Budapest which straddles the Danube. The Buda Hills rise on one side of the river, housing the city’s ancient past. Pest is on the other side, modern and inviting. The two are linked with a series of elegant bridges.

Day 11: Budapest
Visit Heroe’s Square, one of the largest and most inspiring spaces in Budapest, with its towering stone column and statue of the Archangel Gabriel. See the interior of Parliament, the massive, neo-Gothic building that stands majestically on the Danube. Discover the magic of Fishermen’s Bastion, with seven stone towers overlooking the famous river, and the distinctive Castle District with St. Mathias Church. After mass, return to our hotel. This evening a special farewell dinner will be arranged in our honor at a local Hungarian restaurant.

Day 12: Budapest / USA
Following breakfast transfer to the airport for our flight back home.

The above itinerary is only a small taste of what we have to offer. Customized itineraries and competitive quotations will be furnished upon request.

Additional itineraries are available at our Information Center.