Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s) to Munich. Your meals will be served on board.

Welcome to Munich, Germany! Upon arrival, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival hall, where your tour guide and/-or driver will greet you. Transfer to your hotel in Fussen. Following check-in at your hotel, your pilgrimage will officially begin. Enjoy orientation meeting and delicious dinner. After dinner you will have the opportunity to explore Fussen before retiring for a restful overnight.

Following breakfast your sightseeing tours starts with a visit the Neuschwanstein Castle, built at beginning of the 20th century by an incredibly lavish German king named Ludwig II. Neuschwanstein, perched atop the mountain is a scene out of a fairy tale. Everything inside the castle is so over-the-top, there may be no décor in all of Europe to compare with it. We drive to the West to Bavarias famous Ottobeuren Abbey to join in the monastic Liturgy of the Hours. We tour the majestic basilica and visit the Chapel of St. Benedict and the Abbey Museum. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we transfer from Fussen to Munich. Our tour of Munich will begin today with Marienplatz, the central city square and Frauenkirche (the Church of Our Lady), which serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and is a famous symbol of the city. We will celebrate the Mass and continue with visiting the Asamkirche, one of the most richly decorated rococo churches in the world. A relatively small church, it is named for its two builders, the brothers Cosmas & Egid Asam. The skeleton of the saint for which the church is formally named, St. Johannus Nepomuk, is enshrined there in a glass case. Dinner and overnight in Munich.

Today you will visit the ‘Versalles of Munich’. Inside you will be taken through the beautiful baroque palace as you learn about the colourful history of the royal family as they played the real life Game of Thrones. You will also discuss court life from aristocratic flirting to the daily grind of the servants. You will also be given free time to explore the palace rooms yourselves. Outside you will explore the magnificent gardens and as you walk past fountains and statues to discover the Nymphenburg’s pleasure palaces such as the Amalienburg hunting lodge with its mini hall of mirrors and the Badenburg, a royal 18th century swimming pool. Continue to visit the Alte Pinakothek – the art museum located in the Kunstareal area in Munich. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses a significant collection of Old Master paintings. The name Alte Pinakothek refers to the time period covered by the collection—from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. Dinner and overnight in Munich.

Following breakfast, we head off on a trip in Bavaria to the 2,000 year old city of Regensburg along the Danube River. Amidst a medieval landscape founded by Marcus Aurelius we visit the home of Germanys most impressive gothic Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Peter and celebrate Mass there. We will have time to explore the ancient city with its many eras and flavors along narrow walkways and stone bridges. Continue to Prague for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we go to Prague’s most notable monument, the Prague Castle. Inside the castle walls stands its centerpiece, the colossal St. Vitus Cathedral, where we celebrate Mass. After Mass we see some of the most prized relics of Czech history including tombs of Czech kings, coronation jewels, and some outstanding artworks. At the castle gallery we see paintings of the most important masters of Renaissance: Titian, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Breughel, Holbein, Dürer and many others. Within the Prague Castle complex, we also visit the All Saints Church rebuilt in Renaissance style, the Romanesque St. George Basilica and the old convent. The afternoon is free for exploration in Prague. Dinner and overnight in Prague.

In downtown Prague we see Christian Prague’s most beloved relic, the Holy Infant Child in the Church of Our Lady Victorious. Here we will celebrate Mass. At the shrine we see the famous polished-wax statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague, said to bestow miracles on the faithful. After visiting the museum, we continue with sightseeing in the historic Old Town Square. This is the site of the famous 15th century astronomical clock that is a fascinating display of dials and hands and figures. The 18th century facades in the square hide the Gothic buildings. Below the neo-Gothic Old Town Hall we see 27 marble crosses set into the ground. Nearby, we see the Church of St. Nicholas and the gothic Týn Church dating from the 14th century. In this church you will find, among other interesting relics, the tomb of the astronomer, Tycho Brahe. Dinner and overnight in Prague.

After breakfast we drive to UNESCO World Heritage site – ancient city of Kutna Hora, nestled in rural Bohemia. Our first stop is Sedlec, the site of the original monastery and home to the world-famous Sedlec Ossuary. Popularly known as the “bone church,” the ossuary’s walls and ceiling are draped and decorated with the skeletons of around 50,000 people, created in the 1500s when the surrounding cemetery became too full. We’ll explore how, despite its morbid appearance to our contemporary sensibilities, Sedlec Ossuary served as a positive symbol at the time: one of hope and expectation, resurrection and redemption. We will continue to Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, Central Europe’s oldest cathedral-style building, also at Sedlec. We’ll visit St. Barbara’s Church, one of the most beautiful and famous Gothic churches in Central Europe and one with a compelling story linked to the city’s mining history. Following visit to Kutna Hora continue to Bratislava for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Celebrate Mass in the Franciscan Church. Guided tour of the Gothic Church of the Franciscans, the Jesuit Church, the Old Town, Primate’s Palace, Old Town Hall. Lunch on the Danube. Guided tour of the Cathedral of San Martin. Transfer to walk the streets of the Old Town to the Castle, Trinity Church, Church of St Elizabeth. Dinner at a restaurant.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by bus to Sastin – National Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows. S. Mass, visiting the Basilica. Departure to Trnava (the city of Trnava is the seat of the archbishop also called the Slovak Rome), visit the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Lunch at local restaurant in Trnava. Departure to Nitra. Visiting the Cathedral. Continue to Budapest, a city of breathtaking architecture and mesmerizing views for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast visit Buda Castle District and spend the day exploring the Matthias Church where many Hungarian kings were crowned and Fisherman’s Bastion where you will enjoy panoramic views of Budapest. During the tour, you will see the major areas of the Buda Royal Palace, the Hungarian Presidential palace, the historical squares of the Buda Castle district, such as Disz Square, Holy Trinity Square, Hess Andras Square, and you will visit the famous lookout towers and terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion. Dinner and overnight at Budapest.

Separated from its western neighbor Buda by the magnificent river Danube, the eastern part of Budapest, formally known as Pest, takes up almost two thirds of the Hungarian capital. Unlike hilly Buda, Pest is predominantly a flat plain with a pretty buzzing and bourgeois setting. It houses some truly magnificent architectural sights, including the Hungarian Parliament itself. In part, this is probably the reason why Hungarians habitually refer to their capital city as simply “Pest”. You will visit the key attractions of the Pest side of Budapest, from the beautiful Parliament building on the banks of the Danube all the way to the Great Market Hall. Straight ahead from the Parliament, you’ll enjoy views of the Chain Bridge, with the 1896-era St. Stephens’s Basilica lined up just beyond it. Take advantage of St. Stephen’s observation deck with amazing panoramic views over the city. Visit the Hungarian State Opera House. The Jewish Quarter is another historic location worth visiting along the way, famous Gozsdu Courtyard and the Great Synagogue – a splendid Byzantine-style building attached to which is the Jewish Museum (a Holocaust Memorial is found behind the synagogue’s courtyard). The fully pedestrian Vaci Street is a great place to stop for lunch and some last minute shopping in Pest. It has some of the best restaurants in town, as well as plenty of souvenir shops and big chain shops. In the evening, we will celebrate Mass and then gather for a farewell dinner, cherishing the shared experiences, spiritual insights, and fellowship of our journey.

As our journey draws to an end, we depart from Budapest Airport, carrying with us not only memories of ancient cities, beautiful landscapes, and historical monuments but also a deepened faith and a renewed spirit. As we make our journey home, we hold these experiences close, ready to share the blessings and grace we’ve received with our families and friends.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.