To 206 tours,

This is our fifth pilgrimage with your company, and our expectations were always met everytime.  

Our guide Frederica was not only outstanding, but also concerned about the well being of all the pilgrims.  She was patient, reasonable yet firm.  One incident I will always remember that speaks of her excellent work ethic is in Florence.  It rained the whole day during our only one tour day in Florence.  A few of us decided to go back to the hotel before entering the museum due to the slow lines.  The rest of us waited another half an hour and were able to enter and see the statue of David with our local guide who was trying his best to speak over the people.  After the tour, everyone decided to go back to the hotel by bus and not go shopping anymore.  There was one pilgrim who wanted to go shopping, and Frederica said it was ok and that she will come back for her via taxi to pick her up. Frederica was exhausted like the rest of us and never complained.  Her charitable attitude is a gift to the pilgrims, and the tour company most of all.  This pilgrimage is quite hectic and stressful compared to the previous ones I had with 206.  I was not surprised with the caliber of your tour guides because we had the same positive experience with our 100th anniversary Fatima, Spain, Lourdes pilgrimage in 2017.  All the guides we had were exemplary as well.  

I must also mention the hotel accommodations and food was outstanding as well.  Our hotels were a few minutes  walk from the St. Peters basilica, how convenient!  Not to mention the beautiful views from our hotel in Asissi, and Rotondo.  It was a well balanced pilgrimage, exhausting but rewarding at the end of the day.  Thank you very much for making each of the pilgrims feel valuable.  May Our Blessed Mother Mary always guide and protect 206 tours.

Sincerely,

Rene and Amelia Abadesco

Cara,

Dan and Carol Steele

In response to your query, here are my comments on the recently completed series tour number 40, Fatima, Lourdes and Paris: I was the priest Chaplain on this tour which entirely exceeded my expectations. In short, it was wonderful in every regard. Ivan, our tour guide, was splendid, a thoroughly seasoned professional, sensitive to everyone’s needs and always in good humor. The pilgrims were wonderful, truly an inspiration, very dedicated and devout Catholics. Transportation, hotels and meals all were very fine. I would have to say that it was a life-changing event, certainly life enhancing. I feel enormously enriched by the experience, a real source of grace for sure! Kudos to the 206 staff. Well done, good and faithful servants!

God Bless,

Fr. Albert DeGiacomo

Reflections on a recent Pilgrimage: The Best Shrines of France (Tour 5)

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to be the Spiritual Leader on this Pilgrimage to the Best Shrines of France, September 28 to October 9, 2024.  Let me offer a few random thoughts:

Having a wheelchair assist was a blessing especially navigating the complexities of Charles de Gaulle Airport. 

The Gentleman who met me at the Airport in Pau was most pleasant and I enjoyed my ride with him through the countryside from Pau to Lourdes.  My luggage unfortunately did not make the flight.

I met Slavica (not sure on the spelling) immediately as I arrived at the hotel in Lourdes.  The driver had already told her my suitcase did not arrive.  She told me not to worry – that she would take care of it – and she did.  The suitcase arrived the next afternoon. 

It seemed that several 206 Tours were converging on Lourdes at the same time, so it was had to know who was in my group and who was not.  And what exactly were my responsibilities for people in other groups?  At Masses in Lourdes, one of the priests seemed to take charge – assigning me to preach, assigning another to preside.  Who was he, and who put him in charge?  It was not clear to me.

Leaving Lourdes, we embarked on a new, beautiful bus – I believe the driver was Roberto.  He was excellent.  It’s too bad I don’t speak Spanish.  With only a very small group we certainly had a lot of room on the bus. 

All the hotels selected were very good, especially the hotel in Rocamador.  The restaurant across the street was terrific.  I had never been there before.  It came as quite a surprise – you never expect to find a canyon in France.  Loved the place.

I’m not sure if you received any feedback about me.  If so, and if you are able to share it, I would be interested.  Another thing that I would ask for: would you have the names and addresses of the participants?  They were generous tippers and I would like to send them a Thank You note.

One practical suggestion: it is hard to get in and out of a tub (European tubs seen to be on the high side) to shower.  I don’t feel safe getting in and getting out.  I was afraid of slipping.  Not sure what you can do about that but it could weigh in on your hotel selection and older tour participants.

I enjoyed the experience very much, especially being with Slavica – she was excellent.  I hope to see her when I go the Medjugorje with our Parish group (a 206 Tour) in the spring of 2025.

Thank you for arraigning my flights from Paris to Madrid and then from Barcelona to Paris to Boston.  All went well.  Of course, the wheelchair assist was a great blessing.  Thank you also for the generous stipend given for the Pilgrimage.  

I am not sure of the protocol but if I can be of service to 206 Tours in the future, please call me.

Thank you for the excellent work you do.

Father George E. Morin

Dear Rinda and 206 Team,

I apologize for the delay in sending this feedback. I am happy to put my thoughts together by way of feedback on this pilgrimage.

This pilgrimage was a big success, thanks to all the meticulous preparations and arrangements made by 206 Tours. I have been a spiritual director for about a dozen pilgrimages of 206 Tours. I find this particular pilgrimage to Greece with a 3-day cruise and Medjugorje among the highly satisfying and successful ones.

First of all, thanks to the team at 206 Tours who were highly organized and responsive to the needs of the pilgrims. Your help is highly appreciated.    

In the Greece part of the tour along with the cruise, the tour guide Anna was excellent and competent. The bus driver Marinos was a great driver with excellent driving skills.

Thank you for the wonderful Mass arrangements. Even when we didn’t have the churches for Masses, other venues like the hotel hall or under the tree turned out to be very effective and spiritually nourishing. For example, we had a Mass under the trees in Ancient Corinth. It turned out to be a Mass with great sharing of faith about St. Paul and his ardent apostolic zeal.

The pilgrimage included some sites to cultural and museum visits and ancient ruins of Greek civilization, which was all much appreciated.

Local guides in the different cities were very good.

Hotel and travel arrangements were highly commendable for all the pilgrims. In my case, though my flights were on Turkish Airlines were cancelled on both directions, 206 Tours made all the wonderful arrangements.

The group of pilgrims, 36 people, were a cohesive and a happy bunch.

Medjugorje, a small group of people: In my nearly five-day stay at Medjugorje, we were about a maximum of 10 people on different days. Hotel Grace made great arrangements and were highly helpful. Andrej Zovko was a good tour guide. 

The three-day cruise (with Celestyial Discovery) taking us to Epheses, Patmos, Mykonos, and Santorini were most enjoyable and spiritually-nourishing at the same time. The cruise ship, I thought, was exceptionally clean and comfortable.

My Spiritual Accompaniment to the 206 Pilgrims: As usual, I celebrated the daily Mass, heard confessions, was available for spiritual conversation and direction, led the daily prayers and the Rosary, and blessed the religious articles. I represented for 206 Tours, as I have done on all other pilgrimages, spiritual accompaniment and comfort and encouragement.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as spiritual director for 206 Tours. It’s a most enjoyable and enriching experience for me. It was an honor!

I shall look forward to future pilgrimages as a spiritual guide with 206 Tours. 

Thank you for all your wonderful arrangements for my personal travel, accommodations, and generosity. 

Thanks, Chris Wright, for your wonderful help with my two cancelled flights on Turkish Airlines.  

Warm prayerful wishes from San Francisco,

Father Charles Puthota

My husband and I traveled to the Marian Shrines in October. What a wonderful experience.  

This was our first time traveling with an organized group and ORGANIZED it was. 

Over all our flights were good. Knowing what we know now, next time we will upgrade to business class.

The hotels were clean and comfortable. The food in each of the restaurants was plentiful and delicious.

Our tour guide, Vanessa, was wonderful. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable of each area we visited but she was personable, funny, and extremely patient.

The time we spent at each shrine, village, basilica, cathedral, and holy place was well spent. Celebrating daily Mass in these holy places was an experience we never will forget, especially morning Mass at Fatima and Lourdes.

We hope to one day make a pilgrimage to the shrines in Ireland.

Thank you for a remarkable experience.

Genevieve and Charlie

Dear Liz:

Everything went very well.  All of the pilgrims were quite satisfied, if tired.  Feedback from the participants was that the high points were the Masses—we all appreciated the sites that were arranged for Mass.  The hotels were excellent.  Assisi was especially meaningful for most of us—and has inspired an effect here to install a veneration chapel for St. Carlo Acutis in the coming year.  Our guide, Marco, was outstanding.  He went out of his way to connect with every person on the trip, and he was always upbeat and optimistic.  Marco is a gem.

Parishioner feedback is that there is interest in a pilgrimage to Lourdes and Fatima.  I’ll be in touch.

Fr. Lou

This was my first pilgrimage and my first time in Europe. The trip was amazing and the pilgrimage was even more amazing!
Everything was almost perfect, except on one or two of the bus trips, the driver did not provide water or even a snack if that was permitted. But the water was essential, specially on one of the trips where we were gone most of the day.
Other than that, it was a remarkable trip and I feel so blessed to have been able to be on that journey

And a special thank you to the agents at 206 Tours, they were very prompt with their responses and they were very eager to help. Thank you, it really helped to ease my anxiety, and to know that everything was being taken care of by the tour agents.

Thank you
And I will be going on other pilgrimages sponsored by 206 Tours.

Dolores Z Torres

Dear Olivia, First let me say how helpful you and your staff were. This was especially important as I was traveling alone and had not been overseas since the Pandemic. Second, (depending on health) I would like to come back next year. 

It was a great trip, very spiritual and I truly did feel Mary’s presence. With a lot of help from Cicero, I was able to climb Apparition Hill which was my highpoint. 

Our guide, Slavenka Jelavic, was outstanding and a pleasure to be with. I really liked her. The hotel accommodations were OK (It is a pilgrimage) but I was on the street side and it was really, really noisy which affected my sleep. So, I would be looking for a quieter part of the hotel. 

I would opt for first class across the atlantic. Depending on how much that raised the airfare. 

Does Slavenka work just with Judy Weible on the October pilgrimages? If I came back, I would like to have her as the local guide. 

Overall it was a very special trip that was spiritually impactful to me and deepened my Catholic faith.  Thank you.

-Peter

Hello Alexandra,

Just a little word to thank you for all your work to prepare our pilgrimage in Lourdes, Rome and Medjugorje.

We had a great time, everything was perfectly organized and we enjoy a lot our two guides Patricia and Dado.

Thanks to you and all the 206 Tours team.

I untrusted all of you to the Gospa at Medj.

Blessings,

Fr. Luc

I had such an amazing experience with 206 Tours (Camino walk from Sarria to Santiago) that it’s going to be a challenge to keep this review not novel-length. The highlights include daily Mass, the other pilgrims (each are a highlight), the tour guide Jorge’s fascinating explanations and contagious faith, the food, the lodgings especially the Pazo, the experience of reaching the destination to venerate the remains of St. James and ask for his powerful intercession. As chaplain, I really enjoyed walking with each pilgrim and hearing how our Lord has been working in their lives, and connecting them to the mercy of God through the sacrament of confession (yes, sometimes while walking!). The meals at roadside restaurants and hotels were delicious, with laughs and great conversation had by all, sometimes lasting for hours! My first tour with 206 and hopefully not my last!

The pics are in Santiago, one myself standing by pulpo (octopus) a couple of us outside the cathedral, and one inside the cathedral.

-Fr. Nathan Harburg

Dear Natasha, once again 206 tours has come through with a fabulous pilgrimage.  Thank you for arranging my seating arrangement.  It was very convenient sitting towards the front of the plane in the aisle seat  closest to business class.  Thank you.

Our guide Nena was fabulous.  Not only was she knowledgeable about the sites we visited from a religious and historical point of view, but her enthusiasm for her job was evident in her presentation.  I am getting on in years, and as a result, I had sometimes a little difficulty in walking quickly on the cobbled stones, especially uphill, but Nena always looked out for me, and on the rare occasions when I needed help, she would assist me.  We all felt very special when because of 206, we had the privilege of having mass at the church in Ephesus.  What a beautiful moment. All of the hotels and food was very good. The cruise was delightful.  The staff there was very accommodating.  I was very happy with the trip, and I advertised your company and the benefits to other pilgrims I met who were with other tour groups. I encouraged them to book with 206 for their other trips. 😉 Once again, thank you for a wonderful pilgrimage, and God willing, I will be able to make the Rome trip in late fall next year.

Mary Auguste

P.S.  The priest we had was wonderful and shared some new insights into our daily recitation of the Rosary.  We all felt blessed.

Father Lawrence Lew was our Spiritual Director during our most recent trip to Greece.  He was the most amazing spiritual Father and the best guide I could have ever wished for.  This is my second pilgrimage and by far he was the best.  Someone who has such a strong faith, warm and such a multi talanted blessings.  He made the trip so enriching and to this day, has made such a profound impact in my spiritual journey.

Hi Piernha,

Just wanted to say I truly enjoyed my trip with 206 tours. Our accommodations were great and our bus driver and especially our tour guide were exceptional!

I meant to thank you also for making sure my friend Alice and I got seats together on the airplanes.

I am considering the Rome trip next year. I would probably be rooming with another church member.

Again my sincere praise for a trip well done.

God bless you for all your hard work.

Sincerely,

Laurie Reid

I am pleased to address you,

It was a wonderful trip, congratulations to the organization of the tour to Greece 206 Tours. It was my first experience. I felt good about everything, the guide Anna Semertzi, the hotels, drivers, meals, all staff very friendly including the tour group. Newark airport in NJ was the most complicated, we were already very tired, and the Met hotel was very dark inside the room.  I felt very happy with the Holy Mass, the rosary, every day, everything fantastic. God is the owner of everything impossible to forget him.

Thank very much.

Cordially,

Myriam Grace

Everything was perfect. I have no complaints. Because there was so much walking, I did not take one trip up a mountain where there were uneven rocks.

A few others stayed back and we enjoyed ourselves over coffee and pastry.

Fr. David was a good leader especially when he wore his colorful shirts which made it easy to follow him. Thank you for planning this trip. I have some great pictures if you need them. Thank you for planning this trip.

Alice Lattrell

Oh my goodness!  There are no words! What an incredible experience!!! From the Group, the flights, bus driver (no other like him👌🏻) and our tour guide (best ever)!!! I can only say it was over and beyond my expectations !  Thank you for making my pilgrimage a Very Special one!!!💕💕🙏🏻. I pray for this war to end and for the ones that live close by.  It’s good to be home !💕

-Shirley

Dear Natasha and Katherine,

May the peace of God be with you!

By the grace of God, we have returned from our wonderful pilgrimage to Turkey. We come back with hearts filled with gratitude, for we felt the profound presence of God and our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, in those sacred places where the Apostle Paul, the Apostle John, the Virgin Mary, and so many others dwelt, passing down their faith to us through the ages.

We are filled with joy, and words fall short to express our thanks for the meticulous planning and tireless efforts you put forth to make this pilgrimage possible. The beautiful experiences and the sacred moments we encountered in Turkey will remain as treasures in our hearts.
We are also deeply grateful for your assistance with the unforeseen challenges we faced. Indeed, God’s plans are perfect, and everything unfolds according to His divine purpose.
We will soon be sending an email with the places we would like to visit in Rome, , as we look forward to your assistance in planning our pilgrimage for October 2025, the Jubilee Year.

Peace be with you always.
With heartfelt gratitude,

Arlyn and Juan Carlos

My husband and together with my relatives had a very inspiring and uplifting experience . Fátima , Lourdes, Medjugorje and St. James Cathedral were the highlights of our pilgrimage. Our tour guides, Quiko and Leo were great. Everything went smoothly. We loved our spiritual leaders , Fr. R. Gribble and Fr. V. Phung. 

Hi Liz,

I’m glad to be home safe and well. It was an amazing  and awesome spiritual journey for me since it’s my first time to go on pilgrimage. 

A heartfelt thank you to Fr. Robert as our spiritual director, to Nena, our main tour guide  and  to the local tour guides who are very knowledgeable to the places specified in the agenda of day and their expertise wanted me to know more about the places visited throughout the duration of the pilgrimage. It felt that the ancient ruins came alive the way Nena explained or described about the ruins, the objects in the museums,  churches, temples and monasteries visited and historical background gained  more knowledge of the places along the way. Also thanks to all the drivers who took us to places and took us back safe at the end of the day to our lodging. 

It’s a pleasure I cherish the rest of my life and to the new friends I met on this pilgrimage. Thank you as well to 206 Tours and staff members for this pilgrimage and experience. 

God bless us all!

Sincerely, 

Myrna Ortiz Lewis 

Hello Liz,

In review of my trip to Greece, I’d like to say that I was very pleased to be accommodated with my specific request for seating in the airplane. As for the excursion to each place we traveled, it was fantastic. The tour guide was so knowledgeable, of course, so much information to pass on, and the bus driver was amazing. The narrow roads we took, and he made it like a champ. My only thing is that it would have been nice to have an afternoon to ourselves to visit the city and do a little shopping without too much rush. I know there is a schedule to keep with all the places to see. I guess I just needed another day.

Thank you,

Sally Carmona

Dear 206 Tours:

I enjoyed my experience as a spiritual director for the Italian Shrines very much. The guide, Frederica, was excellent, as well as the Bus Driver, Amos. They both were good examples of professionalism, courtesy, and kindness. It would be hard to find a better guide or bus driver. Also, the special guides for the churches we visited gave excellent presentations that helped to deepen our appreciation for art and culture in particular, and Western Civilization in general.

Logistically, everything was organized and well coordinated. It was a minor miracle that everything went so smoothly with no major complications. My only recommendation for improvement would be to allow more prayer time for the pilgrims at the churches we visited. On the whole, I would give my experience with 206 Tours an “A+”. May God bless and protect your business and ministry, and give you many blessings and graces.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Matthew

Once again I participated in Tour 2 for Lourdes, which provided me with a good deal of time for personal prayer and reflection.

I found our guide, Slavica, has an excellent sense of humor, an excellent coordinator of my time with other members of the group, and her attentiveness to assuring me of no disruptions on the days that I was on my own.

The young lady who provided us with the walking tour around the history of Lourdes and St. Bernadette was excellent.

Of my many trips to Lourdes with 206 I had never stayed at Grand Hotel Gallia.  I enjoyed all aspects of this facility.  All the wait staff during meals were good.  Once on my own, Angelina, appeared to take good care of me. I was amazed at how pleasant and efficient she was when assisting service when we were a group.  She was most kind when she only had me as a 206 guest.  I give her 5 stars on a 4 star scale.

I always appreciate the private time with Tour 2.  It is my mini retreat that I always benefit from. 

The transport from and to Pau airport was also very professional and prompt. 

Richard J. Terrill

Dear Piernha,

I have recently (September 30th) from my Pilgrimage following the 2nd Pauline Missionary Journey. I cannot say enough how wonderful it was. The combination of land and sea was perfect. Even though there was a lot of walking, almost all of us were able to keep up.

One of the components that made the trip super good was the leadership, knowledge (history, Greek Mythology). Anna’s personality and ability to make all feel that we were heard, and not felt put off since no one in the group captured all her attention. I would very much enjoy another trip with her.

One recommendation would be to allow at least one, if not two, evenings to ourselves to be able eat at local restaurant or shop or just stay in one’s room to rest. Might it be possible to extend the Pilgrimage to 10 days + two travel days.

Best Wishes as you continue to help people travel the world,

Fr. Bob Rochon

Hi Piernha,

Our pilgrimage was absolutely amazing!!  I would highly recommend it to everyone!! Ankica and Jeff Reed, our priest, Father Gregorio and Jorge were top notch; so knowledgeable and faith filled.  I will definitely want to do another pilgrimage or tour with 206 Tours.  All of your tips were so helpful.  I would suggest to future pilgrims to have more euro in order to show proper appreciation to their priest, tour guide and bus driver and be able to donate at all of the beautiful cathedrals.

This trip was such a gift for me!!

Thank you,

Terri Striegel

Liz,

Remember this name, “Nena”.  That’s the name of our Tour Guide.  As of now, she has been the best Tour Guide my wife and I have ever dealt with.  My wife and I have traveled many times, and no one like her.

Bus drivers?  I have no complaints of any kind even if we had different drivers.  We had different drivers throughout our Pilgrimage.

Our Spiritual Director did a very nice job concerning all of his responsibilities.

No problems with any of the transportation – air, ground, sea.

Thank you again, Liz.  We hope we will still be capable to travel soon.  My wife and I are not as young as we look.

I am speaking only for me and Estrella.

Jose

I had a wonderful Pilgrimage! The buses and hotels were nice and clean. The staff in the hotels and bus drivers were all polite and helpful. The guide assigned, Nena,  was incredibly caring,  polite, knowledgeable, professional,  and friendly and watched over all of us. She took good care of those that had disabilities like myself. There were several of us on this trip. This made her job more challenging as she worked diligently to keep the group together and safe while educating us on the history and importance of each site. She worked tirelessly all day to watch each and everyone of us and made sure we all got our monies worth for our pilgrimage by catering to each pilgrim. She physically assisted others who needed help and made sure everyone was hydrated in the heat. She also made sure we ate on time. She is excellent at time management.  I was so impressed with her as an employee, but more as a  person who cared for everyone like a mother hen who loves her chicks.   She is an employee to be treasured. She made me feel safe and I had a great time. My first Pilgrimage in 7 years.  I will recommend 206 Tours to everyone I know because of Nena’s excellence as a Tour guide, her knowledge, and treating everyone equally with respect. I am very grateful to have had a beautiful experience in Greece. I would love to someday return to Greece. 

Sincerely, 

Giovanna

Dear Piernha,

Our Pilgrimage to Medjugorje with Maureen and Slavanka was beyond expectation! 

1. 206 Tours provided timely, informative, and comprehensive information throughout the entire process.  The travel bags, luggage tags and name tags were great!
2. Maureen was very caring, thoughtful, and sensitive to our every need.  She was very friendly and easy to talk with.  She easily became a friend.  She had us covered all the way.  With her experience and long-term connection, she anticipated our every need and anticipated every opportunity to maximize our experience.  She was a pleasure to be with and rounded out the entire beautiful experience for us.  
3. Slavenka was a phenomenal tour guide.  She had the ever-present pulse and spirit of Medjugorje.  She, with a depth of heart and knowledge, explained about her homeland, the events of Medjugorje and the spirit of Medjugorje.  She expertly managed the itinerary and daily schedule.  We experienced things we never expected because of her intimate relationship and connectedness with Medjugorje.
4. The Hotel Pansion Jelka was the best! The staff was friendly, courteous and thoughtful.  The hotel was immaculate. Our rooms were repeatedly cleaned with care and replenished with fresh towels.  The food was excellent!  It was fresh, homemade and bountiful.  We felt generously treated as guests in their home.

With gratitude,

Diane and Ray Bourdeau     

Hello!

My husband and I loved our 206 Tour!     

It was the right combination of religious, spiritual, and historical experiences – with enough free time to shop and explore on our own.

Sabina was the BEST!  She was well organized, knowledgeable, caring, and kept us on track – it was a wonderful experience because of her! 

Best Regards-

Michelle Sluis

Silvia,

We had a wonderful trip to Italy with Father Patrick and people from our diocese. It was a blessed spiritual experience and enjoyable for the scenery and food as well.

The flights could not have gone smoother. I know that you had several flights to arrange from different locations and it all worked out very well.

Our driver, Massio, was very good. I don’t know how he managed that bus in such traffic on narrow roads but it was very impressive. In addition, he was very pleasant to talk to.

Our guide Usama was excellent and also very fun and pleasant and a man of great faith. Being from Jerusalem, he had ways of tying in our history from the time of Christ to what we were experiencing in Italy. I would highly recommend him to anyone who would like a guide to holy places. We will continue to keep in touch with him.

All the hotels were very nice and conveniently located. Our check in and out went very smoothly.

I will highly recommend 206 Tours to my friends and family.

Grace and peace to you,

Nicola

Cara,

I wanted to express that this was by far the best travel experience I have had of the many pilgrimages I have been on. 
The trip guide was informative and always had our health and welfare of her upmost concern.
Hotel accommodations were top of the line. And the food was the best.
Thanks you for working so hard for our group.  Smaller group size was the best!!!

Sandy Mcclurg

Cara,

Sorry for the delay.  What can I say about the last pilgrimage?  Make it simple; it was fabulous and heart touching.  I believe the whole team has no negative feedbacks about the tour guide, drivers, 206 staffs and major issues with the hotel or airlines.  Fr. Chris was very good besides the spiritual side.  He explained very well in Vietnamese for some people who understand better in Vietnamese.  The group has been talking with Father about next 206 tour.

I look forward to book next trip with 206.  This is our 2^nd time with 206.  Our last time was to Rome and Medjugorje and all were great.

God Bless You All,

Loc Hoang

Hello,

I sincerely loved every single moment about my pilgrimage to Italy.  Although I missed my connection from Zurich to Rome, due to delays in Boston, my tour guide Emiliano was incredibly kind, reassuring, patient, and helpful.  Three hours later, a cab driver drove me to our meeting spot in Rome.  I met Emiliano who welcomed me with a hug and escorted me to meet my fellow travelers.  From the moment I spoke with Emiliano from Zurich, to our final goodbye in Venice, I was in the most caring, considerate, kind, helpful, supportive relationship a traveler can hope to experience with her tour guide.  Emiliano answered all questions with respect, patience, and genuine kindness.  His exemplary professionalism is an addition to 206 Tours. I can only hope to have him as a tour guide when, God willing, I take another tour. Emiliano, I hope you get to read this:  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart! May God bless you and your family, always and forever.  

Antonio, our bus driver, was also equally professional in handling a huge bus in some very tight and challenging turns around the hillsides of Italy.  I always felt safe in his competent hands.

Father Joe said daily Mass at various Chapels inside different Basilicas in Rome, Assisi. Florence, and Padua.   Receiving Jesus in Holy Communion and being in His Word through Sacred Scripture, prayers, and The Holy Rosary, was truly a BLESSING from GOD.  Visiting so many Catholic Churches was inspiring as I connected to the countless Catholics throughout history who share a common FAITH. No matter where I go, when I visit a Catholic Church, attend Mass, and receive Jesus in Holy Communion, I am ” One in the Spirit” with countless brothers and sisters throughout Earth because we are truly “One Bread, One Body”.  Moreover, within 24 hours, each day, someone, somewhere is at Mass praying to GOD, reading Sacred Scripture, and most importantly, Receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, praising Father God Almighty for countless blessings and praying for His continued presence in our daily joys and struggles, always acutely aware of His Fatherly Love and Mercy.  Herein lies the purest beauty of our shared Catholic Faith in GOD.  

I sincerely cannot say enough great things about this trip and highly recommend 206 Tours.  I enjoyed not having to think about a single thing in planning a trip.  I was truly able to sit back and relax because everything is taken care of in advance.  The communication with the tour company is perfect; they run an efficient, well-oiled machine.  

May God bless all who take the time to read this review.  Most importantly, may God inspire you to take a pilgrimage, at some point in your lifetime.  

Sandra Correa

Thank you for reaching out!

Poland was a great pilgrimage. Martha was our guide and did a fantastic job keeping the big group of 30 people together. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jason Brilhante

My husband John and I just returned from a pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal (tour 57). It was a wonderful experience. All guides, drivers, and priests were awesome. We liked the variety (cities, small towns, and more remote areas), but most of all enjoyed the peacefulness of Montserrat, Santiago de Compostela, and Fatima. Feel so privileged to have participated in Masses at 2 Eucharistic miracle sites, in the cave of St Ignatius, and at the Fatima apparition chapel. The planning, coordination, and logistical details must have been enormous, but from a pilgrim perspective, everything appeared to happen seamlessly. Communication with 206  was great, and we appreciated knowing the next day itinerary from our guides. Our group size was never more than 25, and, different than other more secular tour experiences, it was easy to connect with others who shared a common faith. We have no suggestions for improvement, but we are highly recommending you and can’t wait for our next pilgrimage!

God bless,

Donna Bauer

Hi Milanka,

What an excellent two-part pilgrimage it was! 

I can easily say that Ivan was my favorite tour director. His wit, his attention to detail, but most of all his deep and personal faith and love for Christ, Our Lady, and The Church shone through his care of our group. I’m hopeful to work with him again; I didn’t expect to gain a person whom I wish to call a friend! He represents 206 as a true ambassador for you and Our Lady. Bravo! 

Also, I have to say that Adriano in Rome was excellent too. He was on time, incredibly knowledgeable, and of deep faith as well. I can tell that his heart is Franciscan! He was very, very attentive to our pilgrims and made sure they were well taken care of. His logistic work was great. He even anticipated my thoughts! Adriano went above and beyond for those who were staying on for a few days to see to it their plans to go to Assisi were solidified. Personally, I think he’s a good fit with what I’m coming to see is a high caliber of tour director at 206.

I’m so grateful for the ability to be simply the spiritual director for the pilgrimage. With other companies, I’ve had to act as the purser for the local guides, drivers, and porters. To not have to deal with this and to simply concern myself with being a priest was deeply helpful for me. I can tell you that since I was free to exercise only priestly ministry, I celebrated the Anointing of the Sick (in Italian and French!) twice because I was able to be available even to the people at large in Lourdes and Rue deBac. What a grace!

The local guides were very good as well. I have to say that the vetting processes is obvious. Most of the guides speak not just from a place of history, but also of faith. I can usually tell when it’s painted on top of the presentation and when it comes from a heart that has considered and chosen a relationship with Jesus. Their openness to me, to invitations to pray, to pause for our pilgrims to pray; across the board, that’s a difficult thing for an extroverted guide to do, especially since it “eats into” their overall presentation time, but again and again they were the ones often reminding me to pray!

As far as recommendations for improvement, I can’t say anything springs to mind. I suppose that the strenuous nature of a full day, many miles travelled, etc. can make it difficult to hit the sweet spot between the “touring” and “retreat” aspects of the pilgrimage. The only things close to “complaint” I received were the tight schedules in some places not allowing for squeezing in shopping (whether for devotional items or “I’m in Europe” items) or soaking in the place. But, having done pilgrimages before with other companies, 206 still punches above its weight here too.

Our drivers, Alex in France, and Amadeo in Rome were excellent too. Alex, like Adriano, is young, but was incredibly helpful, conscientious of safety, and even engaging with our pilgrims. More often than not, he would eat in the evenings with us and not at a separate table, engaged in the conversation (even though his English was minimal). Our pilgrims loved him.

The hotels were very comfortable. I can tell you’ve got a keen eye and a high standard. Thank you!  

The food was also of good quality and even our picky eaters managed to work through it!

So, all that to say, THANK YOU and the rest of your team. I’m so pleased with the outcome. Please feel free to share this with Sylvia and her colleagues. She was excellent too. My pilgrims were very grateful for her careful attention.

Happy feast of St. Francis!

Pax Christi, 

Fr. Chris Decker

This pilgrimage was my fourth and best yet! Our tour guide, Dado, was fantastic in that he was not only knowledgeable, but also personable, sharing his sense of humor, helping us with our luggage, and making sure we were always comfortable (restroom stops, cafe’s when we couldn’t get breakfast in the hotel). I especially appreciated that he was a devout Catholic and participated in all our daily Masses as well as praying the rosary with us as we traveled. He truly became one of us on the journey. 

Our driver was excellent in navigating narrow roads, curves and various traffic conditions. I always felt safe as we traveled many miles in the coach. 

The hotels were excellent and exceeded my expectations. 

There were no issues with the airlines. They were on time, allowing us to make our connecting flights without any problems. 

I will definitely recommend 206 Tours to friends and relatives. 

Joanne Sotiroff

Thank you. 

I’m planning to go again next year with 206 tours God willing . We were talking about it already . I love the hotel choices and the care that’s being given to each and everyone in the group. An incident happened when my luggage got delayed in Split and our tour guide said that someone from 206 tours over there will take care of it . I was amazed that I didn’t have to do anything except wait . I travel at least 2x a year in EU and around the globe and this is my first delayed luggage and first storm encounter but overall everything went well. Thanks for 206 tours drivers and guides for always keeping us safe . And thank you again for always accommodating my aisle seat in the aircraft, that’s such a big deal for me . 

Rosemarie Garcia 

I had the wonderful privilege of being Spiritual Director on a recent pilgrimage to Greece in the Footsteps of St.  Paul.  I didn’t know what to expect, but my wonderful trip began when I arrived to Thessaloniki and was greeted by a kind and gracious 206Tours representative.  On arrival to the hotel I met and got to know a wonderful groups of pilgrims, and our tour guide. 

We had a wonderful group where prayer, fun, and sharing stories unfolded. They were a very kind, easy going group and we all got along.  I have to pay special mention to our tour guide, Kalliope.  She was absolutely fantastic – her knowledge of the places we visited, her kindness to the group, and the ease to which she carried out her responsibilities.  She was very kind a most helpful to me as the Spiritual Director, and she went out of her way to ensure everything was in order.  Our driver was wonderful, he assisted us in everyday he could.  The hotels were very comfortable, very helpful staff. I couldn’t ask for better.  

The highlight of the trip for me was in Athens where I got to recite St Paul’s ‘Men of Athens’ speech. That was very special as that reading resonates with my own ministry.   

This was my second pilgrimage with 206Tours following from my Holy Land trip in 2023.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to go on the pilgrimage.

Fr. Arnold Rosney

Dear Rinda,

I hope you are well.  This message is one week late, but I do want to say thanks for the opportunity to be the spiritual advisor for the recent pilgrimage to Spain.  We had a great group of pilgrims, a wonderful guide in Quico (and driver Miguel) and were blessed with good weather.  I always appreciate the special 206 touch in how you organize and manage the pilgrimages.  I look forward to my next opportunity to serve in this capacity.

God Bless,

Fr. Rick Gribble, CSC

Dear 206 Tours,

I would like to thank you for a seamless arrangement you’ve extended to me and my cousin Imee Taimanao during our Pilgrimage last August 26 to September 4. 

The tour was a very meaningful one to me as I celebrate a milestone in my career, 30 years of loyal service to my company.

The tour was well arranged from the trips, hotels, food as well as the team who assisted us, our driver Thurston and tour guide Patricia.  They both ensure we are taken care of and even went beyond their duties in ensuring that we are all safe.

To Fr. Carlos our spiritual director,  I thanked him for this amazing opportunity, each day of the trip reminded me that we are so blessed.  The Masses and daily prayers were well prepared. Always there to guide us and even assists in looking after the pilgrims.  

The journey was even more meaningful because I’ve met wonderful persons.

Thank you and I will pray that I will be given another chance to join another 206 tours pilgrimage.

Joy Lim

Greetings,

We recently returned from our pilgrimage to Poland ( and a half-day in Prague). What a wonderful and spiritually engaging tour.  From the flight arrangements (thanks Chris) to the lodging, to the meals, everything was outstanding.  Fr. Fritz was a joyful and pious priest, who not only celebrated daily Mass for us, he also led us in Morning Prayer, the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet during our frequent bus rides.  Speaking of bus rides, our drivers, Tim and Martin, negotiated the highways and by-ways expertly, often in difficult weather and traffic conditions.  Many thanks to both of them.

Special thanks and kudos must go to our tour guide, Sabina.  Sabina is a true gift to the 206 Tours team! We had a large group, but Sabina handled the many varied requests and challenges presented with what I considered to be flawless grace, humility, and patience.  In addition, she was very knowledgeable about the many sights we experienced and always added a note of profound spiritual insight.  She is truly a special and holy person. 

We both hope to be on another 206 Tour soon (we already miss our fellow pilgrims)and hope we will be guided by Sabina once again!

Blessings,
Mike and Carol

Everything was just beautiful; Olga and martini were great. The places phenomena’s and everything was a great experience. It is always a pleasure to travel with you and Grace, amen allelulla. Blessings with love always.

-Elodia Gonzalez

Loved every minute of our pilgrimage. It was a holy time for prayer, fellowship, awe and wonder of our God, Jesus Christ and his saintly family.

Our TD Frederica was truly a perfect match for our group. We all connected as spiritual friends and the blessings extend beyond what we signed up for.

We will definitely seek out more once we process this time of spiritual awakening.

Peace of Christ

Eileen “Catherine “ Hall and Fred Hall

Thank you so much for an incredible experience. Fr. Lew was inspirational and a wonderful companion. Easy to talk to. So knowledgeable. 

Chryssanthi is a gem. What a delightful guide. She was so able to read the group and include extra information and picture stops when possible. We all laughed so much and enjoyed her vast knowledge of her subject matter. 

Drivers were professional, friendly and always felt comfortable. 

This was a moving journey. 

Jeanette and John Nichols 

Over the years, I have had the privilege of seeing so many wonderful places due to the kindness of 206 Tours. Please know I’m so very much grateful for the opportunity to experience the breath of God and His Holy Mother across this world. Thank you.

If there is ever an opportunity for another adventure that I can lead as a spiritual director please let me know. There are so many places I’ve never been and would be open to visit if possible.

Blessings and thank you for the trip to the El Camino earlier this month.  Dado was fantastic and the people as always were super.  Blessings.

Fr. Peter Glabik

Hi Rinda,

I wanted to let you know that my clients had the most incredible journey on their pilgrimage! I am so impressed with 206 Tours and we are so grateful! 

Thank you,

Rebecca Berger 

Hello, I‘d like to respond with feedback on our trip to Europe.  This was a fantastic trip of a lifetime that exceeded my expectations by 1000%!  I loved every minute. Here are my thoughts:

The hotels were excellent (except the hotel in Weggis was nice but not air conditioned, and it was uncomfortably hot).

The breakfast buffets were phenomenal. The dinners were good, but not over the top.  I didn’t like any of the desserts.  It would be much better to be able to order off of the menu if possible. Some meals were a bit too late in the evening and/or we had to go straight from the bus to dinner without being able to wash-up after a very hot day, but I know this can’t always be helped.

The tour was organized and punctual. Plenty of bathroom breaks. Whisper sets worked well. Daily schedule was always available the night before. Our guide, Patricia, was really great—informative, available and organized

The bus was comfortable, except the AC did not work well (or the driver liked it hot).  And the water in the cooler needed ice—was always warm…..

At the beginning, I was confused about tips. Please make it clear that the suggested tip envelope is for the guide who is with us the whole trip, and it is not necessary to tip the individual guides at the various sites.

There was little time for shopping, especially in Altotting and Oropa. It would be nice if a little extra time could be built in to the schedule..

It would be nice to have a little time for Adoration if possible.

I would recommend this trip to anyone and would do it again tomorrow! 

Thank you so much for everything.

Marie Hill

I’ll be happy to post a review of my recent Pilgrimage.  This was my first with 206 Tours and hopefully it will not be my last. I was very impressed with the attention to detail taken by the Tour Director, tour guides as well as the drivers for the tour. They clearly made sure every need for every person was attended to. While the trip was very activity filled, it was spaced out evenly so that everyone was able to enjoy both group activities and times for personal meditation.  The highlight of my tour was the opportunity to meet the niece of Francisco and Jacinta in Fatima at her shop in Fatima where I purchased a Rosary. Can you believe I had the chance to take a photo and shake hands with a Saint’s relative!!! I look forward to joining another Pilgrimage soon.

Best,

Tony Lucca

Good morning Cara.

I am so glad to be back with 206 tours. You truly are a step above.

1. We all arrived safely at our destination together.
2. The service has been fantastic. Our tour guide is friendly, knowledgeable and professional.
3. The hotel is amazing. They have taken care of all our needs. It was so nice to have a spa last night.

Have a wonderful day, and thank you for organizing our programs of “Following in the footsteps of Paul.”
Peace in Christ  

Fr. Rob Irwin

Thank you for reaching out.

All I can say is, “It did, and thank you”.  

It was truly an unforgettable journey, and it will stay with me for a lifetime.  It was very well organized, the staff and tour guides were tremendous, and I cannot say enough about their help and professionalism.  

It started with a very responsive and helpful booking travel agent, Rinda. Our tour guide, Leo was especially one of the most considerate and responsive guides I have ever seen. Our driver Juan was a very safe and timely driver.  Our spiritual guide, Father Randy, was always there to help us better understand and strengthen our prayers. 

You have organized and offered a wonderful experience for all those who are looking to reinforce and enhance their faith.

My best to your team and staff,

Sara

Hi,

I would like to tell you about my Medjugorje experience.  Everything went very well.  Chris did an exceptional job at coordinating our trip.  The flights to/from Newark to Dubrovnik and back with United Airlines were excellent.  

The hotel was perfect, as was the food offered by the hotel.  Our server for most of our stay was Marco and he outdid himself.  The rooms were clean and comfortable.

Our tour guide, Andrej, was just the best.  He went out of his way to ensure everything was perfect.  He even got me a wheelchair because I had trouble negotiating all of the different surfaces, and walking for long distances.  He was knowledgeable about everything, pleasant, collegial, and professional.  The spiritual journey was exceptional.  I loved the outside Masses, especially the one at Mother’s Village, and also the Divine Mercy Chapel.  Father Eric did a good job.  He said the 10:00 am Mass one day at St. James Church.

I really enjoyed going to Cenacolo and hearing the testimonies of the men there.  I really enjoyed the Castle at Patrick and Nancy’s.  That was a huge highlight for me, as was the Oasis of Peace, the Divine Mercy Shrine, and the Blue Cross. I chose not to climb either Apparition Hill or Cross Mountain because they were too difficult for me.  That was okay though.  On one day, I prayed at the Blue Cross at the base of Apparition Hill, and the other day, I went to the Oasis of Peace.  It couldn’t have been nicer.  And of course, outdoor Mass, Rosary, and Adoration was just phenomenal. I enjoyed everything and hope to go back again next year.  I hope that I can get Andrej again as a tour guide because he was exceptional in every way.  Thanks for a great pilgrimage.

Kind Regards,

Eileen

Hello,

We recently finished this pilgrimage (8/27 – 9/7).  We wish to shower deserved praise on our tour guide, Dado, and our priest that accompanied us, Father MJ from New Jersey.  Dado was very much a gentleman.  He was very patient and caring of everyone and very knowledgeable and handled all the twists and turns with ease and grace.  I don’t know how we could have done any better than Father MJ.  He was amazing.  Very personable & witty, very pious.  Daily Mass with him was awesome and he inspired us every chance we had in leading us in the Rosary.

It was a little bit of an endurance test at times but the amazing things we saw and experienced was well worth it.  I don’t know what we would change or leave out.

Clifford Ray & Debbie Veach 

It was by far one of the best trips I have taken. The pilgrimage allowed me to see myself in a light I didn’t realize was possible.  I’m sure this will not be my last pilgrimage.  Fr. Tony and Fr. Charles made it very prayerful and fun.

Thank you again, for your assistance throughout this tour.

Sincerely,

Joyce

Dear Rinda,

I just returned this past Monday from Tour 67. Garabandal, Fatima, Lourdes, and Paris. I wanted to drop you a note to express my gratitude for a magnificent pilgrimage. It was a graceful time. Our tour guide Deb was the best. It was so wonderful to meet people who were brought together by their love of the Catholic faith. The celebrations Mass were a highlight especially the Mass in the Chapel of the Apparitions in Fatima. The food was plentiful and universally delicious. The only caution that people should know is that you are in constant motion. Be prepared!!!

Looking forward to my next pilgrimage in 2025 All Italian Shrines.

In Jesus and Mary!!!

Fr. Douglas A. Braun

Dear Rinda,

Thank you so much for your prayers. 

I must express the deepest gratitude for the best tour guide and spiritual director I have ever experienced. 

Chryssanthi Tassiou is absolutely fabulous. She has such extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and spirituality that permeates to each of us. She expresses such care and concern for each and every one of us.  We are only on day five of our tour and I am continuing to be amazed at the depth of her knowledge and sharing it with each one of us. 

Thank you so much for such a generous and thoughtful tour guide. Fr. Lew and Chryssanti are a perfect blend and work so well together. It seems as though they can almost finish each other’s thoughts, and add to each others information from each of their perspectives. 

Blessings to you and thank you again. 

Lydia Abreu

Our 8^th Pilgrimage with 206 Tours is now in the books.  Run by an amazing staff – from the Tour Guides to the Founder/President – 206 Tours never disappoints! Although we visited most of the Holy Sites included in this Pilgrimage three times before, each visit provided a new and different perspective that deepened our Catholic faith.  Being in a group of like-minded people coming from different demographic backgrounds, who shared nurturing perspectives about the Faith, provided a welcome respite from the daily encounter with people who view the world from secular lenses.

God Bless!!!

-Ammie and Jerry Laguilles

We truly had the pilgrimage of a lifetime!!! Our cups runneth over. Thank you 206 Tours for absolutely everything!!!

We are so grateful to 206 Tours for putting together an incredible pilgrimage for Chuck and me. The hotels, the food, the restaurants, the tour guides, the bus drivers, the priests…EVERYTHING far exceeded our expectations.

The one thing I wish we would have been made aware of is needing money to tip the extra tour guides for day trips aside from our regular tour guide. Also pockets on the seats on the bus in France would have been handy.

Thank you for absolutely everything and we are BIG FANS of 206Tours.
Tremendous gratitude and blessings,

Wendy and Chuck 

Thanks once again…after Guadalupe with you last year…this trip has been great..tho we missed our spiritual director Fr. Benedict…we enjoyed the educational tours of Medjugorje led by Andrei. God bless 🙏 

Carmencita Quesada-Fulgado

Thank you for reaching out to me Piernha!

The pilgrimage to Lourdes and Medjugorje was absolutely excellent! All the flights went according to plan, the guides, Leo and Ivana, were amazing, the hotels were great, and the bus transfers were all done very well. I believe all the pilgrims enjoyed themselves and returned with many graces and happy memories from this pilgrimage. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jason Brilhante 

Thank you for reaching out to me Piernha!

The pilgrimage to Lurdes and Medjugore was absolutely excellent! All the flights went according to plan, the guides, Leo and Ivana, were amazing, the hotels were great, and the bus transfers were all done very well. I believe all the pilgrims enjoyed themselves and returned with many graces and happy memories from this pilgrimage. 

Blessings,

Fr. Jason Brilhante 

I would like to commend Quico who did well in coordinating and leading well into the pilgrimage. He is such a nice asset to 206 Tours..I think everyone was endeared to him. We learned a lot from the local guides and that is quite awesome to know the history as we go along the pilgrims way. I believe I have more positive feelings to share about this pilgrimage..I wish to be in the future pilgrimages specially to the Scandinavian region..I have posted all relevant pictures on my FB page. Please feel free to use them for promotional purposes..God bless you all…

Fr. Lito Capeding

Thank you for taking the time organizing and making our pilgrimage so perfect. In Lourdes Leon was such a sweetheart. He was so attentive. Ivana was an amazing knowledgeable spiritual humble soul. The only complaint I have and many others in the group complained to me.  The air conditioning system wasn’t great. it was very hot and it was very uncomfortable to sleep. I had an amazing time..I would love to go back to Lourdes again.

Lucy Simao

Hi Piernha,

I want to tell you that we had a most spiritual and uplifting prayer experience!  Your tour company was professional and extremely helpful throughout our trip. Ivanka is an amazing tour guide. All the travel accommodations were smooth even though departing JFK we had a delay and our connecting flight was arranged through Croatian Air. Everything worked out well. The return flights were perfect. There were no problems at all. I would recommend 206 Tours to anyone who is thinking about traveling or if we plan any future trips. 

Thank you, also for responding to my emails and answering my questions. 

Sincerely,

Lisa and Carl Santoro 

Hi Piernha, 
Everything went smoothly, it was the best trip I’ve had, I loved every moment of the pilgrimage I feel refreshed, renewed and blessed .
The tour guides and bus drivers were very good, I must say a special shout out to Ivan,  wow!! So knowledgeable on the history and stories of all the places we visited, Mirela was sweet.
I’m looking forward to booking another trip in about 3 years to El Camino. Please send me information about said trip.

Thanks and God bless,

Karen Telman

I am completely pleased, from Hotel accommodations, food, luggage handling, skilled bus drivers , knowledgeable tour guides the attention to detail provided by 206 Tour’s staff, especially you Ms. Liz, is unparalleled. Everyone under the 206 Tours banner cares, from pick up to drop off making sure no pilgrim is left behind and have the experience of a lifetime.  The tour guides make sure that talk, prayer and rest is well balanced. This is my fourth pilgrimage with 206 Tours and I have not been disappointed once.

I can confidently say that the professionals that work for 206 Tours deliver quality and quantity!

I am looking forward to many more pilgrimages with 206 Tours.

Mrs. Milanka I pray God keeps inspiring you and your staff to take 206 Tours far into the future.

Thank you,

Ruth Smart-Baez

Dear Liz,

This was my first pilgrimage with 206 Tours, and I am now sure it will only be the first of many to come!  Dr. Scott & Kimberly Hahn’s Poland Pilgrimage, “In the Footsteps of St. John Paul II and St. Faustina,” was absolutely amazing!  St. John Paul II was my Confirmation Saint, and I had recently become more intimately acquainted with the story of Saint Faustina’s life and the revelation of the Divine Mercy, so I was immediately intrigued with this tour.  Having Dr. Scott Hahn and his wife on the trip was the final clincher!

What a fantastic pilgrimage it was!  Poland is such an exquisite country, and the places we visited were absolutely stunning and amazing.  It takes great love and deep devotion to create such beautiful churches and cathedrals, such as the ones we saw.  The artwork and icons were amazing, the number of churches and devotion sites were astounding!  I feel so much closer to my saint, St. John Paul II, since visiting his homeland, touching his reliquaries, walking and praying where he did.  Meeting Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, his Secretary and Aide, was an unexpected bonus.  It was such a worthwhile trip, and one I wouldn’t mind doing again!

It was also quite special that we happened to be in Poland for the Feast Day of Saint Maximilian Kolbe.  Niepokalanow is so lovely and peaceful, and the perpetual adoration chapel is absolutely magnificent.  I have never seen anything like it.  Every site, every chapel, was outstanding in its own way … from the Jasna Gora Monastery with its beautiful Our Lady of Czestochowa icon, to Wawel Royal Castle, to St. Mary’s Basilica, to the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy, and the St. John Paul II Center.  The Salt Mines Cathedral was quite remarkable, as well.  The trip couldn’t be more packed with amazing sites, each one as profound as the one before, and all a feast for the eyes.

Our local tour guide, Sabina, was an absolute angel. I was impressed with her from the very start when she had all our hotel room key cards ready and waiting for us, as we arrived.  She took care of everything, and made sure that everything ran incredibly smoothly.  She was extremely knowledgeable about her country and every site we visited, and was thrown so many random questions by us yet answered each with aplomb.    Herding our group was often like herding cats, but she did it all with grace, patience and sweetness.  She was there for us from the very beginning, and with us until the very last moment.  I felt very fortunate to be on Sabina’s bus.

I also really enjoyed having Fr. Dan Hennessey as our Spiritual Director, leading prayers and rosaries for us, and celebrating mass for us all every day. His upbeat nature and sense of humor made him an absolute joy in our group.  Since returning home, I have really missed those very comforting times of prayer and reflection with him.

Having the privilege to hear Dr. Hahn’s insights and ask him questions, both during the scheduled talks and impromptu on the bus, added immeasurable richness to our pilgrimage.  One of the highlights for me was the unexpected opportunity to have dinner with Scott & Kimberly Hahn at a table with them all to myself!  I was absolutely thrilled!  That was one of the most wonderful things about our trip … even though we had 60 people on 2 buses, we had many opportunities for connection with each other, and it still felt remarkably personal and intimate.

The accommodations and meals were top-notch, the luggage was handled for us at every stop, and the trip was beautifully managed.  The attention to detail was so appreciated!!  And did I mention my fellow pilgrims?  The folks on this tour were all so warm and friendly!  It was a fabulous pilgrimage that I will always remember, and hope to repeat again soon to another meaningful location.  I would not hesitate to recommend 206 Tours to everyone!  Thanks for everything!

— Ada Palles

It was great and was very happy that I booked my trip with 206 tour: over all with no exception everything was beyond perfection: the tour Guide, the driver guide, the hotels (including the waiters, servers, the boss boy, the maintenance of the room and their high class standards and services, the airplane Lufthansa was fantastic (service and the nutritional quality was superb etc.) I was totally satisfied no need of complaints in that domain. Our spiritual fathers were fantastic! Again I was entirely happy that I booked the flight/ trip with 206 tour through St Thomas Aquinas in Flatbush/ Flatland/ Hendrixson just to be specific.

The tour manager (Ms Liz and staff) were absolutely beyond rating I was very happy to have Ms Liz as a correspondent. If I miss to mention something don’t hesitate to bring it to my attention, 

God Bless!

Sincerely,

Marie Menard

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out for feedback about our recent pilgrimage.  We had an absolutely wonderful trip and would highly recommend it to others.  If it’s helpful, I have provided our thoughts:

Excellent Aspects of the Trip:

• Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and incredibly organized, very friendly, and fun.
• Our priest, Fr. Rodriguez was wonderful; his Mass celebrations in a different church each day were inspiring and beautiful and turned out to be my favorite part of the trip.
• The amount of activity was truly amazing – so many tours and planned outings allowed us to see as much as possible in each day.  We felt we received very good value for the price of the trip.

Overall, our pilgrimage was very, very good and we really appreciate the efforts of our guide, our priest, and our bus driver.

Thank you!

Suzanne Antonello

Hi Rinda,

I just wanted to thank you for helping to link me with the pilgrimage. It was a transformative and beautiful experience. Thank you for all of the good work you do, and I pray that God bless you and everyone at 206. 

Thanks again!

Fr. Rodriguez

Good evening Liz and Natasha,

We got home from Poland last week and I wanted to thank all my friends at 206 Tour for a great job!  You are my first point of contact and so you are key in making sure everything is booked correctly – you did a magnificent job.  

Dr. Hahn and his wife Kimberly were so friendly and knowledgeable. One evening they joined our table for dinner and we became quick friends.  Two days later Scott Hahn came to our breakfast table and share how impressed he was with our conversation – Wow! Impressing Scott Hahn!! We didn’t see that coming.

Our Tour Director, Sabrina, she is a gem. For me, this was a very personal trip because it was a return to the land where my grandfather left back in 1897.  That is not a typo, it has been over 127 years since a member of my family returned to the Home Land for the first time.  I love Poland.  I love the People.  I love the culture.  And Margie and I want to express how important Sabina was to this trip.  She was able to tie everything together.  She is so warm and friendly and was able to adjust on the fly.  She is a keeper.  Margie and I felt so connected to her that she is invited to stay in our guest room if she is visiting the NYC/ LI area. 

The hotel selections were excellent.  They were all 5-Stars.  The people were so friendly and eager to serve.  Polonia Palace Hotel was magnificent but the Sheraton raised the bar a notch.  Food, serve and location were all fabulous, for example, to accommodate unpredictable weather, we need to leave the hotel early.  Sabina coordinated with the Sheraton breakfast crew to ensure they opened an hour earlier, thus ensuring we had something in our tummies before leaving for a long day.  Great job by Sabina and the Hotel.

As you are aware, this is my third tour with you in the last 15 months, (I am already eying Malta in 2025), and working with you, Liz and Natasha, has been a pleasure.  Having a tour Director like Sabina made everything perfect.

Oh, one more thing, our anniversary was during this tour.  Fathers Henry and Dan gave us special blessings and Sabina made sure the restaurant staff sang happy anniversary, complete with cake and a present.  Truly unexpected but so appreciated. 

Please share this email with Milanka and let her know I am organizing my 200 photos and will post them.  In the past she has enjoyed looking over my photos and enjoyed reaing about my experiences.  Love you guys.

Thank you all again.

Ed and Margie Bochynski 

Good afternoon, ladies.  Just wanted to send a quick note to say what a wonderful, spiritual trip we had last week.  Not only listening to Scott and Kimberley Hahn, but all the churches, chapels, convents, etc, and the haunting, moving visit to Auschwitz.  Dave and I are closer now more than ever to Sts. Faustina, Kolbe and JPII.  

I let all those who had never been on a 206 tour, that you cover all the bases and we just slide into  home plate.  Dave and I are looking forward to booking our next pilgrimage soon.  

I want to tell you how amazing Sabina was as our guide.  A lot on her plate but she handled everything with grace.  She is a wonderful spirit-filled soul who we all just love!  She’s a keeper!  She made the trip go effortlessly and we all appreciated her efforts.  

Fr. Dan was on the blue bus and he was very personable and joyful.

Again, thank you so much for making this happen. You are all the best!

Therese Klug

Dear Milanka,

Thank you for a beautiful opportunity to serve as spiritual director on the pilgrimage to Poland completed today. It was a wonderful experience filled with many graces—which I will be enjoying for a long time. It was very helpful for me in my vocation as a priest. 

The pilgrimage logistics were done very well and with great attention. The guides and bus drivers did an excellent job for us all. 

Thank you also for arranging to have an audience with His Eminence Cardinal Stanislaw. It was one of the highlights of the pilgrimage. 

I wish to especially point out the excellent work and dedication of our bus guide Sabina. She shared not only facts and information about the places we were to visit, but she did so with great love, faith, patience and spiritual attentiveness. She is a hard worker and showed a true desire to bring the pilgrims closer to Jesus. 

I prayed for you during the pilgrimage that your work will continue to bring glory to God and lead many people to conversion and awareness of the love of God for them. 

Sincerely in Christ,

Father Daniel Hennessey

Dear Alexandra:

The pilgrimage to Northern Spain for the El Camino and Porto, Portugal was my fourth pilgrimage with 206 Tours.  I had a great time as usual.  

Our Spiritual Guide, Fr. Sean Connolly (along with Fr. Liam Quinlan), our Tour Guide, Javier V, and driver, Juan, helped create a spirit of camaraderie amongst the pilgrims.  Love the spiritual and cultural information.  Both Javier and Juan were very responsive to the needs of the pilgrims.

And I have to say that of the four 206 Tours pilgrimages I have been on, the food in Northern Spain was the best!!

Regards,

Barbara Warren

Rinda,

I just wanted to say thank you for everything you all did to make our trip to Medjugorgie such an amazing experience. God bless you all!

Thanks,

Maria Santana

Friends,

It’s been more than a month since we’ve returned from our pilgrimage to Medjugorje, and I just want to say that the pilgrimage was truly amazing. It was and remains a life-changing experience for me. I have honestly been thinking about Medjugorje every day since. Something happened to me on that pilgrimage, and I have been living in a new way. And so, truly, thank you for what you do and for what you gave me, bringing me closer to Our Lady and Our Lord.

Here is a video of my homily from the Mass I celebrated at St. James: https://video.marytv.tv/watch/mqO3m8sgde9 It was a real blessing and honor.

I will find a way back to Medjugorje, no doubt. However, I also wanted to say that if you were ever in need of a priest to help as a spiritual director for a retreat, I would be very happy to do so. Consider me at your service. I have led pilgrimages before, and so I’d be happy to assist.

But, more importantly, I simply wanted to thank you and assure you of my prayers.

Pax,

Fr. Joshua

Dear 206 Tours Team,

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible opportunity to serve as a chaplain on the Marian tour, which included visits to Lisbon, Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, and Paris. This journey was profoundly enriching and spiritually uplifting for me.

Our tour guide, Ivan, was simply amazing. The way he narrated the historical facts of the different places we visited was truly exceptional. His knowledge and passion brought each site to life, making the pilgrimage both educational and inspiring.

Celebrating the Eucharist in the sacred locations we visited was an unforgettable experience. I never imagined I would have the honor of celebrating Mass in such revered places. Additionally, the encounters with various relics were an added bonus that greatly enriched our pilgrimage. Seeing the Eucharistic miracle of Santarem up close and being allowed to take a picture with Fr. Mike to share with the pilgrims and our home parishes was a highlight of the trip.

This tour provided me with a unique opportunity to experience a personal retreat, allowing for deep reflection and spiritual growth. My mother and sister, who accompanied me, also had a profoundly moving and spiritual experience. The staff at 206 Tours went above and beyond in accommodating my mother’s need for a wheelchair, ensuring she could fully enjoy and participate in the pilgrimage.

I must also commend our bus driver, Miguel. His skillful driving and cheerful demeanor added significantly to the overall positive experience. If I ever grow up, I aspire to drive like him!

I am eagerly looking forward to participating in another pilgrimage with 206 Tours, trusting that you will once again make it an effortless and wonderful spiritual experience. Thank you to the entire team at home base, as well as our tour guides, Ivan and Slavinka, and drivers.

Blessings to all,

Fr. Héctor, Mom and Zaide

I loved the tour.  The pace was great. I would recommend it to others.  Hotels were OK, they were clean, staff was nice.  However, I did miss having coffee in the room on the 1st two hotels.  Frederica was wonderful, she went out of her way to assist anyone who had questions, concerns etc. Amos, our driver was very pleasant and his driving got us there safely. As you may know I have asked to be informed whenever Fr Piotr is going to be the spiritual advisor. I have been on 3 pilgrimages with him, he is such a joy.

God bless.

Thank you.

Roxanne D. Lambert

Below is my evaluation of the tour of shrines of France:

1. The information send prior to the trip was both timely and complete.  I was perfect in every way.
2. The tour included the seven most important shrines, and all were made available to our group for a mass.
3. The tour guide, Veronique, was excellent.  She provided valuable information at every shrine and when included lots of interesting information about the various towns and historic sites as we traveled on the bus.  

4. The priest, Father Kirby, gave excellent homilies and was very friendly and accessible.

Linda

Thank you for the opportunity to give feedback on the tour.  Overall, my wife Laurie and I had a wonderful, fulfilling and spiritual experience.  It was especially so for me as my paternal grandparents were from Mexico and my father was born there in 1913.  Since my grandparents left Mexico in 1915 due to the extreme danger of the Mexican revolution, I grew up not hearing of the Cristeros movement in Mexico (1926-1929).  For me, this was a tremendous learning experience.  

We thought the tour guide Roberto was very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and well informed.  He took really good care of us, and I would recommend him highly.  Our bud driver Ricardo was an amazing expert at maneuvering the bus.  He was a highly skilled and a very safe driver.

The following are items that we would have liked to see on our trip:

1.  There were a number of times we were on the bus for extended periods of time.  It would have been very helpful to have had Wi-Fi available on the bus.  We  had that availability on our Fatima, Avila, Lourdes tour and it was very helpful to have.
2. Since we were in Mexico, it would have been nice to have had the opportunity of having more Mexican food.  The food at the hotels was very nice, but it was pretty much American cuisine.
3. The meals that we had always had a high calorie cake like desert at the end of the meal.  It would be nice to have the option of having fruit or ice cream for those of us who watch what we eat and try to avoid high calorie overly sweet deserts.

Blessings,

Joe & Laurie Sigala 

We were very satisfied with our recent tour!! Our Spiritual Director, Fr. Hector is great. Our tour guide Ivan and Slavica were superb. I don’t think we would do any tour other than 206. We’re hooked on 206, how we were taken care of to the end. We’re lucky to belong to a great group of pilgrims as well. There was a small hiccup because of the weather in PA, but that wasn’t something we could control. The rest of the tour made that part insignificant. The tour went beyond our expectation! Thank you 206 Tours!

Nora

Thanks Natasha, Lisa & Patrick – The National Eucharistic Congress was a wonderful, Christ filled event. Thank You All for all your hard work. Let us pray & hope, God willing, that we can all truly bring Jesus to all in our sphere of influence & re-evangelize our culture, top to bottom & bottom to top.  Cheers. Vivat Jesus. Jesus, Mary & Joseph; Pray For Us! ❤️🙏😇🇺🇸  

-Jim Cruickshank

I am very honored to say thank you to 206 Tours for such an amazing Pilgrimage on Tour 60. I have never experienced such an amazing Pilgrimage like this one. It was wonderful and so inspiring to the spirit.

I would also like to add my testimony for those that have never traveled with 206 Tours.

206 Tours is the best way to travel in Europe. They really know how to take care of their Pilgrims abroad.

I have done 2 Pilgrimages with 206 Tours and they both were very safe and great with wonderful company as well. I highly recommend 206 Tours for traveling out of the country. They are the safest.

I hope and pray God will give me another opportunity to travel with 206 Tours in 2 more years. I really love Spain the best it’s in my Soul.

Thank you so very much to all of you at 206 Tours that took the time to help me when planning my Pilgrimage with all the questions I had and great advice. Until the next Pilgrimage, I hope and pray with 206 Tours.

Lydia Rivas

Dear 206 Tours:

This was my third 206 Tour and, like the first two, it was great. I was very pleased with the outstanding customer service of our guide, Ivan Bosnjak. I can’t begin to tell you how much he contributed to our wonderful experience and the ease he injected into all events. He was knowledgeable, accommodating, and perhaps the best guide we have experienced in our ~10 pilgrimage tours with three different companies.

We will definitely be signing up for another 206 Tour next year (the Camino) and very possibly two since Ivan did a magnificent job of convincing us to visit the Marian shrine in Croatia.  We’ll call to see if there is any way we can be scheduled again on one of Ivan’s tours!

Thank you for a wonderful experience!!!!  You’ll see us again.

Steve

My name is Joy Le-mare. I booked 206 Tours for the first time, the tour was for Poland, Prague, Salzburg and Medjugorje. My experienced with this pilgrimage was wonderful. The Priest (Father Paul) was very good. Our tour guide (Sabina) was great she was on top of everything making sure that the pilgrims were safe. I’ve been on tour these past years with different companies, but there is no comparison to what I’ve been experiencing with this tour. From Poland to Salzburg same guide, same Priest and same driver. I can’t ask for more. I was very happy with their job. Anyway, I can say I’m looking forward to my next journey with 206 Tours, God-willing next year. Thank you for asking about my experiences with 206 Tours.

-Joy Le-mare

My husband and I participated in the May 18-June 5, 2024 Pilgrimage.  We highly recommend 206 Tours Company.  We originally had booked a Holy Land Tour which was cancelled due to the Hamas Terrorism and resultant war.  206 Tours offered a full refund/credit/rebooking of our pilgrimage.  We chose to rebook on the Fatima, Spain, Lourdes & Shrines of Italy Tour. 

The booking process, pre-trip and tour information was complete and easy to follow.  The company was very responsive and prompt in addressing all of our questions.  All of the items (luggage tags, lanyards, travel information, etc.) necessary for our pilgrimage arrived a few weeks before travel. 

The professionalism, knowledge, courtesy & helpfulness of the Tour Company, Guides, and Drivers were exceptional.  The hotels were proximal to the pilgrimage sites which allowed us optimal time spent at the sites.  Each hotel was comfortable, modern and had courteous staff.  The Motor Coach was comfortable and clean.  The meals provided were reflective of the cuisine of each country. 

We want to especially acknowledge Vanessa, our Tour Guide in Portugal, Spain & France.  She was exceptional in her knowledge of each country.  She was readily available for any questions and needs.  Every day we were in the Bus she made it clear as to when the next “Rest” stop would be with clean and free restrooms!  This was very much appreciated. Her faith was evident throughout the tour.  It was sad having to say good-bye to her when we departed for the second leg of our Pilgrimage in Italy.  When I recall this part of our journey Vanessa is interwoven in each aspect.  We would love to have her as a future guide! 

Frederica was our Guide in Italy.  She also was an exceptional guide and representative for 206 Tours.  She was knowledgeable and accessible.  My husband became ill during this part of the trip.  Frederica helped us navigate Pharmacies and seeing a Physician.  She was patient, kind and extremely helpful during this “unexpected” experience in a foreign country.  She expertly juggled our needs with the needs of the Tour.  Our gratitude and appreciation are woven into our “Italy Experience”.

Kudos to:

Pedro- our Driver in Portugal, Spain & Lourdes.  He always had a smile and kept our Bus spotless, inside and out (clean windows!!).

Amos- our Driver in Italy.  He excelled with navigation of some very narrow & twisting roads.  He always had a smile. 

Our City Tour Guides were awesome and very informative.

We carry a deep appreciation for our Priests.  Fr. Ed Lamp was with us in Fatima, Spain & Lourdes.  He was very personable.  He made it a point to spend time and visit with each person on the pilgrimage.  His insights regarding our faith was deeply valued.  Fr. Dawid Kwiatkowski was our Priest in Italy.  He, too, shared his deep faith with us daily.  Especially during our time on the Bus.  Having a Priest on the Pilgrimage and celebrating the Mass daily defined our experience.

Another  important and lasting “gift” from this Pilgrimage was the time spent with the other Pilgrims.  Sharing our faith with others who deeply love the Catholic Faith was a wonderful and lasting reward from our Tour.  We highly recommend 206 Tours to others.  We definitely would travel with 206 Tours again.

-Mary & Tony Madrid

Good afternoon Rinda,

Thank you for the opportunity to be the Spiritual leader to the group. 

I had a blessed time with the group. Many of them met me individually or as a couple to speak to me….for confessions or sharing or looking for spiritual directions. The guide did an amazing job. She was very patient, knowledgeable and protective of the group. I also spent a lot of time in the Confessional for the pilgrims daily, except when our group was busy with something or other. I accompanied the group to the Apparition Hill twice…tried to relieve the guide whenever possible. In short, I had a graceful time over there. I am looking forward to being a spiritual leader next year as per your needs….perhaps in the month of July (2025). I am flexible. Please keep in the loop if you are in need of spiritual leaders for any group. 

Thank you again.

Blessings,

Fr. Arularasu Mathias

Thank you for requesting my feedback on my Pilgrimage with 206 Tours.

This was my first pilgrimage, actually my 2^nd in a lifetime trip across the continent!  I have dedicated most of my life to my career and when I retired, I wanted to go somewhere special.  It was originally Israel, but this trip was far beyond my expectations!!! 

The bus and driver were outstanding, if I had to give a 10 rating, it would be that driver!  He kept us safe and knew every inch we traveled.  Excellent!!!

Our Tour leader was the most patient person.  She exemplified a true Christian and treated everyone with love, care and kindness; at the same time keeping us on track!!!  I loved that!

The hotels were excellent.  The one I did not care for was the very last hotel on the list, Mercure Budapest City Center Hotel.  But, it was comfortable, the food wasn’t as good as the other 6 either.

I was so impressed with how organized each day was planned out.  My expectations were exceeded and the information before the trip was accurate with the walking; which I didn’t mind at all!  I loved keeping busy!!  This trip was a good mix of faith driven and enjoying other sites and restaurants along the way.  I loved the daily mass and a spiritual leader on board.

Luckily we had a smooth trip to and back to the states.  Long days, but we understood the plan.

Also, before the trip your assistants answering emails and phone calls were excellent!!!  The planning was very important and Tour 206 had excellent planners and made us feel safe. 

Another pilgrimage? If I do take another one, it will surely be with 206 Tours.

Thank you for your commitment!

-Lynn

Dear Cara,

I want to send a big Thank You to you and 206 Tours for a wonderful and blessed Italy pilgrimage with Chris Stefanick. When I signed up, I did not know what to expect, yet the pilgrimage was more than I could have ever imagined! I certainly did not expect to make lasting friendships in such a short period of time with fellow pilgrims. 

The tour guides, Ana and Vanessa, took very good care of all of us pilgrims.  I had the blessing to be under Ana’s care for the entire 14 days.  She was very knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions that we had. She continually called us Family which is what was formed in these 2 weeks. What impressed me the most is her attention to all of our needs.  For instance, on our last day in Rome we had our walking tour of Rome and by the end I could feel myself getting dehydrated. She helped me and 2 others find a cab so we could get back to the hotel. The following day, she kept checking in on me to make sure I had recovered. Later in the tour, we were at a wine tasting, and when I waved off the pasta as I was not hungry (because I had Gelato earlier) she immediately checked to make sure I was okay. Even at the Venice airport as we were departing to return home, though her job was complete, she still kept her eyes on the group of us that traveled with her. I felt so loved by her.

Antonio, our bus driver, was amazing. He made our rides so smooth.  I wish I could speak more Italian so to converse with him, but he took care of his passengers.  

Overall, the tour was wonderful. The downside was that there was so much to do, but little time to really sit and pray in any one place.  Some people said they would turn down the whisper and sit and pray, but i was always afraid I would get left behind if I did that. On the original schedule on the website, it had one day that we would have free time in Rome, however that did not happen. It was that day I had hoped to visit a few other saints in Rome, but I was able to let that go in the end. Rome was a go, go, go type of feeling.   

I was also impressed with the meals.  Crazy how y’all were able to find restaurants to take on 63 pilgrims.  I appreciated not having to worry about meals.  Having the 3 meals as part of the tour, was one of the factors that helped me to decide to sign up.  We all learned early on to ask how many courses were included in the lunch and dinners so to pace ourselves on eating.  Between the food and the concierge service everywhere we went, I felt spoiled. 

Thank you especially for the beautiful stop at the villa between Sienna and Florence.  To have an afternoon/evening to just rest and bond before the extended tour began was perfect!

Lastly, the local guides used in each city was appreciated.  Had I tried to visit these places on my own, I would have missed out on so much. They were very knowledgeable and friendly.  They kept a good pace where those who may have been slower like myself at times were still able to keep up. 

This was my first 206 Tours pilgrimage and I am sure this will not be my last.  I will highly recommend you to everyone I know.  I hope to save up money as best I can to join in with another Chris Stefanick tour.  Chris was very genuine as he took the time to speak and get to know each person on the tour with him.  If he does do another Italy tour, it would be good to have a plan for where he can do some talks. We didn’t get to hear him as much as hoped, as he shared with me that he had hoped to speak in the chapels after Mass, but we were usually ushered out pretty quickly.  I do know this was his first Italy tour, so these things could not be foreseen.  

I think this covers everything.  If you have any questions let me know.  I will be happy to share more if needed.  Thank you again for all that you did for me.  The only thing I had to do was pay, pack and show up.  Nothing can beat that.  

God bless you and the work that you do.  

Peace and Blessings, 

Sr. Alison Weber, SC

Hello,

206 Tours continues to amaze! The pilgrimage in early June to Greece – following in the footsteps of St. Paul – was not only perfectly orchestrated (with extremely knowledgeable and gracious tour guides) but was also the most inspiring pilgrimage – leaving me with a thirst to know more about St. Paul’s journeys, the Baptism of Lydia at Philippi, Revelations (St. John at Patmos) and the finding of the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus. I can’t stop thinking about the pilgrimage – and the impact this one trip had on me and the impact this pilgrimage may have in the future as I continue to learn – and talk with family members (using the FaceBook photos and videos) – evangelization in action! 

This is my third pilgrimage with 206 Tours and can’t wait to book another!

Tim and Mary Jo Knobloch 

Hi Rinda,

I wish to say a huge THANK YOU for allowing me to be the chaplain on the trip to Poland, Prague, Austria and Budapest.

I was enriched personally by my pilgrimage as well as being able to celebrate Masses in so many Sacred and Beautiful places.

I am amazed at how incredibly well your company is able to choose the best tour guides, hotels, bus drivers and agenda.  It all worked out incredibly well.  Sabina Balos was our tour guide.  She is incredibly helpful and kind.  She was so very easy to work with in terms of making the pilgrimage a deeply spiritual experience.

Many thanks for the incredibly generous stipend you sent to me. You are most generous and kind.

Whenever you need a chaplain please contact be as my suitcase will be packed within the hour!!!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Fr. Paul Cochran

Hi! I just wanted to tell you that we had a wonderful pilgrimage! My husband, 22 year old son and myself all enjoyed ourselves! Quico, Father Richard and Slavica were so nice, warm, fun, knowledgeable and thoughtful. They all conducted themselves as if their name was the name of the tour company and not 206 Tours. They all need a raise! I have been on five other pilgrimages with several different companies and your pilgrimage was outstanding! We also had a wonderful group of pilgrims and it was hard to say goodbye at the end. We will recommend you to our friends and will travel with you again!

-Kim, David and Jackson Deneka

This is just a taste of this amazing pilgrimage!   206 is so well done, Claudia was a blessing she knew and is from Greece and she was down to earth as well! 

You will get so much inspiration and the journey will require a lot of energy and good fitness!  The lunch stops along the way as you journey are unbelievable unique and the food is so good, along with places to shop, so don’t hesitate one bit on choosing 206, they take very good care of things and you!

-Maxine Rodriguez

My experience truly exceeded my expectations. I loved the country and all that it had to offer.

Thank you for making it all possible.

Kathy Zwanziger 

On April 28, 2024, my husband and I took Tour 55 to Portugal, Spain and France. We’d like to express our appreciation for the wonderfully run tour and particularly for the great service provided by our guide Vanessa Texeira who went above and beyond to assist us in anything we needed. We were also fortunate to have our driver Juan who was extremely knowledgeable of the traffic in the countries we visited and who stayed with us the entire trip. Unfortunately Vanessa left our group after Lourdes and the whole group missed her terribly.
We would like to recognize Vanessa and Juan as wonderful representatives of you company.
Tom and Martha Stapleton

Tour # 67 was a great spiritual and faith-history experience for us participants right from 26th May to 7th June. The various arrangements were superb with dedicated staff ready to assist. Our guide Quico demonstrated his versatile knowledge in social, political, and religious matters. He was very resourceful and made us enjoy our pilgrimage very much. It is important to highlight his sense of humour, kind-heartedness and collaborative skills throughout the pilgrimage. He made all of us feel at home regardless of our age difference. The drivers were very professional, well-composed and helpful. 

Liturgical activities and prayer participation were fantastic. Everyone attended mass and other gatherings with enthusiasm and eagerly volunteered for roles. The pilgrims bonded so well as if we all came from the same community. The expression on each person’s face at the departure showed how much we all enjoyed the pilgrimage and our gratitude to all staff. May Our Lady continue to intercede for each pilgrim even beyond the graces we received during this pilgrimage. 

I thank you for the opportunity to lead the Tour #67. It would be my joy if the opportunity comes soon to lead another pilgrimage. I look forward to it whenever you need me.

Thank you.

God bless,

Fr. Richard Baafi

The Pilgrimage was really awesome. Run very well. Priests, Driver, and Nena were awesome. I learned so much History about the Countries. It was really a trip of a Lifetime. Father Calloway is such a Great Priest. So Nice and made it very Special. The Weather was a challenge at times, being very unusually hot. Thanks for the Beautiful Memories and relationships made. 

God Bless,

Linda

I had a fantastic and very spiritual pilgrimage tour. Everyone, Everybody was very helpful on this tour. This includes all your guides, drivers, priests, photographer, restaurants, hotels. 206 went above and beyond planning tours, meals, transportation, Masses etc. The only thing was that it was very hot, making it hard to get around. All the people in Greece & Turkey were very nice to us. Felt very safe. Hope to go on more 206 pilgrimage tours.

God bless you all for your hard work. 

Judy Mares

206 Tours exceed my expectations. Our group is very good and caring. Emily our guide is excellent and our driver Mauricio is the best. Our Spiritual Leader including the Deacon are great. Looking forward to the next Pilgrimage. Thank you to all from 206 who is always there for us to help. Until next time.

God Bless,

Luz

The total experience was absolutely amazing.
Our guide Evie was very knowledgeable and well spoken, the best ever.
The driver we had when on the highways and around the cities was excellent.
Hotel accomodations and cruise ship cabin and all meals were wonderful.
It was a totally enjoyable and faithfully fulfilling experience.

God Bless,

Gloria and Rob Buchanan

Dear Team 206,

Thank You for the Scotland Ireland experience. I’m a little late to send this email as we had other plans to spend some time in France after Tour 217 ended in Ireland. We returned home only 3 days ago and have been recovering from jet lag.

Our Scotland Ireland Tour 217 exceeded our expectations. Some of the sites that were part of this pilgrimage were hidden gems; for example the Carfin Grotto and National Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes

This is our 9th pilgrimage with 206 Tours. Once you are with 206 Tours you are there with them for all your future pilgrimages because 206 Tours is the best for Catholic pilgrimages.

1. Our Scotland Tour guide Ursula was very experienced; we could tell by the clarity with which she explained the history of our Catholic faith, culture, and traditions of Scotland.
2. In Ireland, our tour guide Jeremiah had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital while we were at Rock of Cashel. Thanks to the doctor in our group and Fr. Jason who attended to him while waiting for ambulance service. It was good that we had a local tour guide during this situation; so we didn’t miss anything.
3. The substitute tour guide, Gerry, was a 20-year experienced veteran with a sense of humor; we enjoyed him. But Fr. Jason tricked Gerry when he was explaining the tallest building in Ireland. That was fun!
4. Overall, we had a very good experience despite the cold and rain on some days!  It was special for us – Fr. Jayson blessed us with two other couples in the group during a Mass at our Lady of Knock Shrine.
5. Spiritual Director Fr. Jason was one of the three best Spiritual Directors that we will always remember out of nine pilgrimages we have done with 206 Tours since 2016.
6. We made some new friends who love our Catholic faith & travel.

Thanks,

Nancy & Venkata

Hi Chris,

Thank you so much for all your help in answering all my questions and for helping me and my mom with our booking and arrangements.  We also appreciate Dan for sending us the document that we had requested.  As with our previous experience with 206, everything went well and beyond our expectations.  We love having Vanessa as our tour guide and Pedro as our driver.  Vanessa is very well organized, wonderful and outstanding.  Pedro is very kind and a safe driver.  We are very happy and grateful to have Fr. Edward as our Spiritual Director.  His homilies are very inspiring.  The local guides are great.  We enjoyed very much the company of the other pilgrims in the group and it’s been a great blessing to be with them throughout our journey.  Looking forward to another 206 pilgrimage in the future.

-Wendy

Hello Liz, 

My wife and I had a wonderful time on our trip. Our guide Christina was great and we really appreciated her efforts. We won’t hesitate to use 206 Tours in the future. That was our first pilgrimage and I am confident it won’t be our last. Thank you for reaching out and for a great trip. 

-Chris

ATTENTION TO DETAIL was the best way for me to describe my trip to Ireland. From the flight, to transfers, the hotels and meals and certainly our Spiritual Director, Fr. Jason and when our tour guide Jeremiah became ill and was re-placed with another super guide, Gerry! It was such a great experience. Thank you so much, perfect weather too, only one morning did it rain!!

-Linda

Vacation is an escape from life, but a Pilgrimage is a way to embrace it more and deepen the intention with which you live all of life in a more incredible way. And I love the Psalm that “He has commanded His angels to watch you lest you dash your foot against a stone”. That’s what 206 Tours is for us. I’ve been using them for years for Holy Land Pilgrimages, this is my first time going to Italy. They just carry you along with their staff lest you dash your foot against a stone. It’s an incredible experience with angels in the background planning, carrying you through the whole thing so that you can focus on the most important thing: being a pilgrim. So thank you 206 Tours! 

Chris Stefanick

Hello Rinda, I was recently on tour number 200 in April to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. I loved every day of it. These were cities that I’ve always wanted to visit and I had a great time. My absolute favorite place was Germany. I love seeing the different churches there, the different stores, and getting to see some of the culture. I wanted to comment in particular about the tour guide we had in the city of Trier. She made the experience, fun, entertaining, she was extremely informative, and showed us a lot, and she was particularly attentive to me given my disability. She made the experience accessible for me in ways that I could not have imagined, so that in particular was a memorable experience. This is my second trip with this tour company and in the future there will definitely be many more. Once again, thank you so much.

-Sarah

The pilgrimage was really great. Father Dominic in Poland was fantastic, and Father Carlos in Italy was incredible! Really got to know them well and had some really meaningful conversations involving my discernment and vocation. The tour guides were also fantastic in both Poland and Italy. I hope to go on another 206 pilgrimage on the Camino (Spanish route) with the same guide and spiritual director from Italy on July 7 – 17th 2025 (Fr. Carlos and Cristina).

Hotels were good for the most part. The hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo was not as great, although I did like the fact that it was Catholic in theme and had a chapel. There was mold or mold stains in the shower all along the interior of the walls and the beds were pretty small, although I pushed two together to make a larger one so it ended up working out. The Rome portion of the pilgrimage is great but there is quite a lot packed into the two Rome days at the beginning. It would be a lot better to split that up into three days rather than two.

– John Fowler

Hi there.  My Pilgrimage was amazing!  I met so many wonderful people along the way who were walking the El Camino for a multitude of reasons.  We all have our own journey in life and I am so grateful my journey took me on the El Camiño.

Marta our Tour Guide was excellent.  She was so knowledgeable, kind, and patient that I always felt safe throughout the whole tour.  I’m attaching a picture of me that was taken by a young gal from Russia.  A complete stranger!  Once she caught up to me she asked me if I would like the picture.  It is my favorite picture from my trip.  I think it says everything about the El Camino journey.

-Mary Anne

Dear friends at 206,

Thank you for organizing an amazing Camino experience for us! Our trip had a “part one” with Magdalena Fikipczyk as the guide for me and Shannon Kinzey. We loved her – she was wonderful!

“Part two” was led by Marta Peregrin who was also an excellent guide! We loved her as well, and Fr. Michael Powell as spiritual director. We were very happy with the restaurants for both lunch and dinner. Our favorite hotel by far was Pazo de Bieite, but all the the hotels were fine. Both part one and two were wonderful experiences. Marta and Magdalena both went ABOVE and BEYOND to help us and accommodate our special requests. We had similar expenses with Joseph in Jerusalem in March 2023. The GUIDES are truly the magic of 206 Tours! Thank you for choosing the very best people to lead your tours. We look forward to our NEXT 206 Tours!

Kristen

We had a wonderful pilgrimage to Fatima. Spain, Lourdes & Shrines of Italy. 

The hotels were clean and the food was delicious. We were able to get our laundry done in Rome. 

Fr Ed and Fr. Dawid were excellent Spiritual Directors who facilitated the members to bond.    

Vanessa and Fredrica were wonderful tour guides. They were very knowledgeable and patient with the group.. They kept us on our toes! 

Air France flight from Atl to Paris the seats were too tight and we should have upgraded them.( our fault)

-Fran

We are SO THANKFUL for the 206 Tours team…and they are a great team!  They gave us an incredible, positive, faith infused and first-class experience from beginning to end!  Everything from pre-planning, communication, travel, food, lodging, fellowship, on-the-ground and on-the-ocean transportation, as well as the fantastic Tour Guides exceeded our expectations! Don’t think twice about booking a life-changing experience with 206 Tours!  Thank you, 206 Tours Team!

Steve Hayes

Thank you so much 206 Tours! My husband and I are satisfied, happy and exceeded our expectations. 

Good morning Rinda:
I hope you are well. I returned from the Mexico pilgrimage yesterday. It was great and everything was excellent. Many thanks for this wonderful opportunity to minister to God’s holy people. This was my first experience and it’s a memorable one. Mr. Roberto Oliva is an excellent guide and a great person. I request to be included as spiritual director for the future. The good Lord bless you.
Fr. Ray

Dear Series Departures Team,

I had the most amazing time with the tour. Thank you for organizing such a wonderful tour. The sites were more beautiful than I could have imagined.

Father Chris was such a blessing. His masses and sermons were so moving and spiritual especially his sermon at Corinth for the married couples. Father Novak was also wonderful. Sharing the tour with the blue group (the other 206 tour) was also lovely. They were our extended 206 family.

Maria our tour guide took such good care of us. Maria was so well organized, and she told us what we needed to know at that time. She did not overwhelm us with too much info. We were also blessed with Nena the blue group tour guide. Again, it was so nice to see our fellow blue 206 pilgrims at the sites/hotels/cruise ship, at meal times, and at mass.

The hotels were nice, staff was friendly, and the rooms were comfortable. Some feedback on the cruise ship. There was no shampoo or hair conditioner in the cabin. The shower gel and liquid hand soap were the only toiletries provided. This was a small inconvenience but something I need to mention. I thought it was odd for the hotels to have the toiletries and not the cruise ship. I have been on cruise ships before where they had ample of toiletries for the guests,

I had a connecting flight from Athens to Thessaloniki. After going through customs at Athens, I needed to collect my luggage and recheck it for the flight to Thessaloniki. This should be mentioned in the “know before you go” section for travelers with connecting flights with nonpartner airline carriers.

For visiting St. Stephen monastery at Meteora, we females needed to wear a shawl on top of our long pants to enter the church. We were astonished that our long pants were not suffice in covering our knees. Fortunate for us, one of our female pilgrims had several shawls that she loaned to us. 

Thank you again for organizing such a wonderful tour. I had the most amazing experience and met such lovely people on this tour.

God bless you and the work you do for us pilgrims,

Rita

Thanks to all at 206 Tours for making our pilgrimage so special. We had a most memorable experience every stop we made.

The sites selected, the tour guides, (particularly Federica) the hotels, bus drivers, local guides, were all outstanding. We definitely understand that we were on a Pilgrimage, not a vacation. It was a life changing experience.

I would recommend you to other Pilgrims for sure.

God Bless you all.

Mark and Kathy Lyons

To the 206 Team,

We feel blessed and spiritually enriched from our “All Italian Shrines” pilgrimage to Italy.  Our tour guide Federica was caring , kind and made sure we got the most from every place we visited. We felt like her family and we all became family to each other during this pilgrimage!  Amos our bus driver safely traveled the hills, tunnels, curvy roads and traffic getting us to the many shrines throughout Italy.  Fr. Marcel Sang is a joy!  His knowledge and teaching of our Catholic faith inspired us all.  He taught us some beautiful prayers, how to sing the morning prayers, led us in the rosary and gave inspiring homilies.  All of the people on our pilgrimage were so inspiring themselves, and each of us got to share our lives together for a very special time. The views from our hotels in Assisi and Florence were incredible. It is a once in a lifetime pilgrimage which will continue to touch our lives as we remember the many Saints and holy sites we were able to visit!

Marie

Hello all,

We had a very homogeneous group. The tour guide, Leo, the local guides and drivers were all excellent.

Hotels and meals were great, except for the last evening meal in a restaurant in Paris on Sat 18. Service was very slow, and we were cramped at the table. The waitress announced from the onset just one glass of wine per person.  

We were fortunate with great weather early May was beautiful in Europe. We had a bit of a drizzly morning in Loyola and one evening in Lourdes, but otherwise, perfect.

It was a bit of tour de force (an effort) to have 7 hotels in 12 nights, but I at least slept well at night after all of the activity, unpacking and the like. No one complained, nor did I, but having 3 days in Lourdes was a sigh of relief as I heard from the folks.

All in all, out of 100 points, it was a good 99.9, except for the meal on the last evening. Am very grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to April 21, 2025, Classic Italy for the Holy Year pilgrimage.

Thank you very much and I hope that you have heard from the pilgrims with positive comments regarding my service to them during the pilgrimage.

Respectfully submitted,

Fr. Matt Mauriello

Hi Milanka,

Whenever you give me an opportunity to go on a pilgrimage, I work for you and your company and I do my best. I have years of experience working with your company. Sarah the tour guide was great. We worked well together, like hand in glove, so much so that some of the pilgrims thought that we knew each other from past pilgrimages. Thank you as always for giving me this opportunity to serve.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

God’s choicest blessings.

Fr. Carlos Rodrigues

Landed in Montreal [ me and three others].  Thank you for the privilege of nourishing the souls of the pilgrims.

Father Ed

Great choice of pilgrimage with an awesome group of fellow travelers. If offered the opportunity I would travel again with Sara our tour guide and Fr Carlos our spiritual director.

Sara was non-stop seeing that our tours went on without a hitch from beginning to end. Her recommendations along the way always were well received and right on target.

Thank you and till we meet again.

Magda Nuñez

Hi, Cara!

We wanted to send a note of thanks for the incredible faith-filled pilgrimage to France with 206 and Franciscan University.

Experiencing the holy sights was simply amazing and, I think we three believe, life-changing. Each of us had different highlights but one thing that was consistent in our experience was the incredibly kind, capable, and exceptional care by Cristina, the skillful driving of Alvaro (so?), the welcoming hospitality and unique character of each of our lodgings. Franciscan rocks in our opinion. Kate’s joyful accompaniment helped put pilgrims at ease, the inclusion of the Khyms was a true blessing, and Father Nathan is a living saint.

An extra note, Cristina was incredibly helpful with our vegetarian options!

Thank you for helping to coordinate this amazing spiritual experience.

By the way….having now done 4 pilgrimages with 206 in the last 10 years or so (3 in just the last 13 months) we are big fans of the one bus. It just allows for smoother travel and more intimate faith and community building among the pilgrims.

Again, thank you so much for all 206 Tours does to help make each pilgrimage so meaningful!! 

God bless you and I hope we get to journey with you again sometime (I’m hoping Franciscan will do a Camino tour one of these days!)

Sue

Dear 206 Tours / Cara,

I am answering your request for a review of our recent trip to Greece and Medugorje with 206 Tours.  I had a wonderful time on the trip and feel like we had the best of the best when it came to our Tour Guides.  Throughout Greece, Chrysanthi was our Guide. Her knowledge of the history of Greece and Greek culture was amazing.  And, her archaeology knowledge was invaluable in learning about the ancient ruins.  She was so friendly and went out of her way to meet each of us and to help us to all meet each other.  She even organized bus games to keep us laughing.  Our group included different age groups and differing levels of mobility but she kept that in mind at all times leading us to elevators, ramps, and even rest breaks, when they were needed.  She is the reason we all bonded as friends and had such a memorable time.  You truly have a gem in her as a Guide.

Slavenka was our Medugorje Guide.  She was so perfect for our group.  She knew so much about the beginnings of Medugorje and even though I had been there before, I learned many things.  She is the only guide I have ever had on a Catholic Pilgrimage that actually prayed with us and that meant so much to me.  It was obvious she wanted us to not only understand the place, but also the message of Medugorje.  She is a true jewel in the 206 crown and you are blessed to have her.

Our drivers (sorry, I have no names) were all exceptional.  I absolutely felt totally safe at all times with them driving.  

As for the trip in general, I only wish we had been able to see less ruins in Greece (after 7 days they all look the same) and maybe explore an Olive Grove, or see where/how olive oil is processed, maybe even explore some more of the Greek Orthodox shrines (monasteries, convents, cathedrals).  More shopping time in the religious icon shops in Greece would be a good addition too.  The Celestial Cruise around the Greek Isles was beautiful and so much fun.  It was such a different experience from the land tour of Greece, I actually felt like I went on three separate vacations.  

Many thanks to 206 Tours and to all those that put our trip together.  We actually asked for adjoining rooms in hotels so friends could be closer together and you even made that happen.  I was very impressed with your tour service and all the employees associated with you.

God Bless….until my next trip,

Marian Byrd

Dear Rinda, et al,

The recent pilgrimage to Santiago de Castella was excellent. I was particularly impressed by the group of pilgrims who were all faithful Catholics. Out of the many pilgrimages I have done over the years for 206 Tours, our group of pilgrims came together as one, assisting each other needs in loving care.

Blessings,

Fr. Greg

I am back after the 10-day pilgrimage (10-20 May) following the footsteps and sea routs of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey.

It was an excellent experience for all pilgrims. We had great tour guides, bus drivers, hotel stays. 

Everything had been well organized. 

I did not hear any negative  comments but only the best positive spirit from the participants. 

God was with us and guiding us throughout the travel (air, land and sea). We had a great weather.  

We had a great collocation with Red and Blue group. 

I personally had great spiritual experience guiding the group and celebrating Mass with them, praying morning and evening prayers, praying the Rosary, prayer before meals and other special prayers. I shared with the group the theological and biblical commentary, background of St.Paul’s Journeys and the context of the early Christian Church. I also gave a presentation on the difference between Eastern Orthodox Church, Latin Catholic Church and reasons for Schisms upon the request of the group. 

I sincerely thank you for having given me this great, memorable and golden opportunity to me. It also helped me personally in my spiritual journey.

Thanks again for helping thousands of pilgrims to get this spiritual, Biblical and theological, sacramental and catechetical experience and opportunity. I can see lot of conversation, transforming and renewal among the families and couples as I asked the group 

• to renew their Baptismal promises at the Lydia’s Church where had Mass on the water creek. 
• I also asked the group to renew their Marriage promises at Corinth as many chose for their wedding mass St.Paul’s letter to Corinthians on the theme of Love. 
• We also renewal the Sacramental Graces of Confirmation on the Solemnity of Pentecost last Sunday. It was very meaningful. 

Thanks again 

Best regards,

Fr. Chris

Dear Rinda, 

Greetings in Christ Jesus and may the Holy Spirit come and take control of all aspects of your life through the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

We are done with our pilgrimage and thanks be to God, all went well. We were blessed with good weather all through. It was a wonderful experience indeed. The people were lovely  and all took active part in the Liturgy,  praying of the psalms and leading of the rosary. I am always convinced that in the plan of God, nothing happens by chance; All is Divine Providence which brought us together as a family,  a believing community, supporting and encouraging one another by sharing our faith experiences. 

As Spiritual Director, l say long live 206 Tours and congratulations to the Administration for a wonderful organization of comprehensive Tours: spiritually enriching, historically enlightening, a real opportunity to appreciate the richness of art and culture. I am happy to be part of 206 Tours and would happily grab any opportunity which presents itself to be Spiritual Director. 

Thank you and remain blessed. 

Fr. Marcel Kofon SANG

My wife and I recently returned from our pilgrimage to Poland and Prague and we have to say it was one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken.  First of all, we would like for you to recognize our tour leader, Sabina Balos.  She is an amazing person and a great asset to your organization.  She is an incredibly sweet, caring, and very knowledgeable person.  She kept the tour going with great efficiency and provided a great amount of information about the tour process.  Her knowledge and the historical information she provided was absolutely amazing and allowed us to enjoy our trip even more.  The places we visited during our tour, as well as the hotel accommodations, were amazing and we feel were perfect for a pilgrimage. We greatly enjoyed the meals, especially the dinner and show at the Restaurace U Marcanu in Prague.  We had very few issues during the entire trip.  The only suggestion that we would make is to include soft drinks with meals for people who do not drink alcohol. Other than that, we had a great time and have been raving to our friends about 206 Tours.  We look forward to being able to take another pilgrimage in the near future, if it is God’s will.

Michael and Tanya Umbarila

Feedback from our 4/27-5/7 Camino Trip:

Our guide Daniel Lindh was exceptional.  He was experienced, personable, diligent and helpful.  His fluency in both Spanish and English was excellent.  He truly went the extra mile for his clients.

The tour guides for both Madrid and Santiago were both very good and I would recommend you hold on to them.

Meals were generally very good and we understand how you could gain weight on this trip. We could have used a little more diversity in the side dishes:  Less French fries and more rice, vegetables, etc.  For us, the supper time of 8PM was a little late, especially on the heavy walking days. The tapas lunch on the last walking day was a highlight.

Accommodations were very nice, with the Pazo de Brandeso being fantastic.  We can see why there were three nights there.  

Overall we were very satisfied with the trip and felt that it represented a good value for the price.  The information presented prior to the trip was comprehensive, timely and accurate.

-Stephen Stanko

Piernha,

The tour was excellent. I really don’t have any comments to change anything. I thought we were very lucky to have been able to experience what we did. Maria, our tour guide, was excellent with much knowledge and very personable. Our food at the hotel was fantastic. 

I would highly recommend this tour to others. 

Thanks again,

Jim

Greetings!

Our tour was excellent! All accommodations were well-received and we had great tour guides! Visited sites are significant to warrant another trip!

Please take note that we did not anticipate multiple guides so tips were made, but were unexpected. I also recommend making notes about restrictions on tipping at restaurants and hotel services, not to mention unexpected services such as the grotto (water caves).

Our leader did an excellent job preparing the group as well!

Thank you again!

James

Piernha,

The tour was excellent. I really don’t have any comments to change anything. I thought we were very lucky to have been able to experience what we did. Maria, our tour guide, was excellent with much knowledge and very personable. Our food at the hotel was fantastic. 

I would highly recommend this tour to others. 

Thanks again,

Jim

The pilgrimage from Poland to Budapest is over.
I hope that all participants are back home safely. It looks like they all appreciated their pilgrimage. Some are already planning the next one I would like to assure all the 206 Tours people that their work is appreciated Thanks to Sabina our guide. Her concern for everyone was appreciated. The bus driver did a very good job. May God bless the work of all 206 Tours organization.

Thank you,

Fr. Pierre Deglaire

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our Rome, Sorrento and Assisi April/May 2024 pilgrimage. Rinda and Jon and all the others at the home office who helped us plan and advise us on the trip were fantastic. I couldn’t believe we would receive email replies back at all hours. We got off the airplane, couldn’t locate driver, called the number you provided us and pronto we were on our way. Meeting Frederico as we entered the hotel lobby was a joy just by her friendly personality. We arrived at the last minute and joined our group for dinner and a late Mass. From then on it was a joy to be on the tour. All attendees were extremely nice and Frederico was attentive to every detail and always in good spirits. Javey our tour guide to Sorrento was also great, friendly and experienced. We can’t say enough about Father Jack. Would like to go on one of his tours in 2024.

Thank you very much everyone at 206. I left a Google review and hope I didn’t undersell the experience.

A true pleasure

Martin and Ann Zimmer

Greetings,

We want to thank you for a spiritually and enjoyable pilgrimage (Tour 60).  Of all the many reasons we enjoyed it (206 planning, accomodations, sights….), our guide, Leo Jiminez is the number one reason.  Not only is Leo professional, organized, and patient, but his historical knowledge and ability to tell-the-story makes him exceptional.

Thank you again and God Bless you,

Mark and Virginia Malham

I had fun with this tour.  I made a last minute decision to join this group.  They were all awesome.  Our tour guide, Ana, was very nice, organized, friendly and accommodating. 206 Tours, from my experiences, always have good tour guides who are always ready to help. I cannot complain with your drivers either.  They are very friendly and helpful as well.  I thought Federico helped me the most, especially going up the bus and going down.  He was always there for me.  Thanks a lot. If my body cooperates, I can go on tour every year. Even your staff are always very helpful.  I have joined your tour for the 3rd time already.  Thank you, Cat.

Jocelyn M. Minier

This tour was wonderful. it was very inspiriting and educational. Our tour director, Elenis, was great. She is very knowledgeable, friendly and thoughtful. I would highly recommend her.

One suggestion would be to offer a recording of her commentary. This way we could review and comprehend the information she gave. It was a privilege to be the spiritual director of this tour and please consider me for other pilgrimages.

Peace and prayers,

Fr. Desmond

I would like to give my impression of 206 Tours, recently my husband and I went on the Shrines of Italy Pilgrimage with 206 Tours, led by Father Jack Ho and tour guide Federica.  Curtis and I were not new to pilgrimages, and we knew having traveled with 206 Tours previously, that it was going to be great given the fact that the year before we went to Greece and walked the Steps of Paul in July, which was also wonderful and included the Greek Island Cruise.   I am not sure that I had specific expectations of this experience to the Shines of Italy, however I will tell you that this pilgrimage exceeded any possible expectations that my husband and I could have possibly had, it was just amazing, and the glory of God was evident in simply every moment of this pilgrimage, every single minute.   I will say that Father Jack Ho was one incredible Shepard/Priest, religious leader of this pilgrimage.  He led us every step of the way in prayer, holy mass, we had time to discuss the experiences as a group and really felt held and united in the holy spirit as we traveled together with people from all over the USA.  He brought music, song books helped us to get involved in serving at the masses, allowed us to step up and lead decades of the Rosary on the bus, it was so awesome.   Federica, our Tour Guide was equally amazing, she was so incredibly kind, you almost felt like she was family watching out for you.  Everything she did was a labor of love for our group, she would get up at 3 AM to help everyone get to the airport on time, she checked every bag to make sure it got on the bus from place to place and even bought the group cookies and foods that were important to the specific places we visited. Added to that she added little details in about her own life and the significance that the sites had for her and her family.   Everything on the pilgrimage was lovely, the hotels were clean and outstanding, the food delicious and huge amounts, the transportation was wonderful and the bus so comfortable, the local guides were amazing, the private masses in the holiest of places almost made you feel like you were in heaven, we even had time to have a bit of a party at a local vineyard one day and ate a very special lunch at a wine tasting.  I felt held by the holy spirit the entire time and so didn’t my husband Curtis. We are so grateful to God for this ministry of 206 Tours.  We would never travel with another group  given how the attention to detail in this pilgrimage really made it a life changing experience.  My advice to you out there who have not been on a pilgrimage is to be sure to go with 206 Tours, take the Shrines of Italy, you will be so happy, it’s the pilgrimage of all pilgrimages, perhaps you have already made a pilgrimage, I tell you our pilgrimage to Medjugorje prepared us for this pilgrimage to Italy, that is how I feel, I highly recommend this pilgrimage, 5 stars plus to 206 Tours and Father Jack Ho!  Thank you Everyone!  Just one last tip, starting walking go to the gym work out you walk a lot everyday and you deserve to be in good shape to make a trip like this, I am so glad I was fit for the pilgrimage.

-Gianna and Curtis Johnston

Hello – I am writing in regard to my recent tour of Krakow and Rome.  The entire tour was a wonderful experience and I appreciate all of the efforts of your team in organizing the tour. 

This was my first trip to Krakow and the experience overall was very moving and inspirational.  Our tour guide, Sabina, was so helpful, thoughtful, and generous with her time and attention to our tour group.  She ensured that the group’s needs were taken care of at all points during the tour. Also, I very much appreciated the change in the tour schedule that allowed our group to visit the Divine Mercy Shrine and the St. John Paul II Shrine on Divine Mercy Sunday.  Our group had a meaningful afternoon with the tours of both shrines, the opportunity to have confession, reciting the Divine Mercy Chaplet with all in attendance, and the private Mass in the Divine Mercy Shrine.  We were so blessed to have these opportunities.  The hotel that we stayed at was in a perfect location and the staff was very thoughtful in helping with any needs.  The meals were overall great, although I would suggest that the schedule be reviewed to see if there could be a little more time provided for lunch or perhaps box lunches for the very packed days.

Rome was magical as always.  Cristina was a terrific tour guide — very thoughtful and helpful in taking care of our group, and a terrific sense of humor, which made our days brighter.  The local guide was amazing as well.  She was so informative and a very happy demeanor.  I appreciated the help with the trip to Monte Cassino, the transfer from there back to Rome, and the extra days in Rome.  The hotel and the food were great as always.

I appreciate all of the good work with the travel arrangements – no issues with getting to the tour, travel within Europe, and returning home.

This is my sixth tour with 206 Tours and I just want to say “thank you” for all that you do to organize these tours and support pilgrims throughout their journeys.  When I travel with your tour group, I know that all of the arrangements will be taken care of so that I can relax and enjoy the experience. 

Thank you,

Jacquelyne

206 Tours is simply Fabulous. We will definitely use 206 for our next Tour and if your reading this, you should use 206 Tours too!

My husband and I are picky travelers, we were so pleasantly surprised with our 206 Tour! There was absolutely nothing to complain about! Everything was Excellent!

All our accommodations were excellent. All meals were excellent with great and efficient service and lots of wine! Our Camino guide, Jorge, was spectacular. Jorge was kind, compassionate and he knows the Camino like the back of his hand. He is just a wealth of information. Our Coach bus was very comfortable, our driver, Santiago was with us every day and terrific. Our bus always had bottled water available, and was always attended by Santiago. The bus was accessible twice a day as we progressed along the Camino, which is great because it cuts down on what you need to carry on your back. With 206 Tours you want for nothing, they do a WONDERFUL job. 206 Tours covers absolutely everything. The tour was so well organized. Our experience was amazing.

Lynne Denker

Thank you so much for a great experience on our first Pilgrimage. It was great from the driver picking us up, to the driver taking us in the airport they are great. The driver for our motor couch ( Miguel ) he is the best. We couldn’t ask for better than him, we all love him.
      The hotels and foods are great. I don’t expect how nice they would be and it was really good food.
For our tour guide in Santiago Compostela he is wonderful, he really cared about us. He is great at his job. Our tour guide in Medjugorje ( Andre ) he is great we love him. He was so kind and very patient to us and vey caring. He did extra miles to help us and explain places. And to our Priest Father Henry Sebastian he is great.
Again thank you so much for a great pilgrimage experience we had. We will used 206 Tours again when we go for another pilgrimage.

Thank you so much,
Laura D. Sowers

This was my first pilgrimage and overseas trip. Everything went smoothly and as planned from start to finish.

It was amazing to stay in Ivan’s home for pilgrims.  He was most gracious and attentive to us throughout the stay. Praying the rosary every day in his chapel and being witness while he had visits by Blessed Mother Mary was an experience I had not envisioned. While I personally cannot say that I felt her presence, knowing that She was there at the same time I was is remarkable to reflect on.

Because of this experience, I am more devoted to the Rosary reciting it twice a day and aiming for three times a day. Also, doing a fasting day once a week.

Ivanka, our tour guide, was equally gracious, attentive and of course, very knowledgeable on Medjugorje’s history.

We had delicious and filling meals every day. We were picked up at the airport and returned in a very timely manner. I would give it a 5 star rating for sure. Thank you for all the arrangements!

Blessings,

Janice Arriola

Dear 206 Tours,

We recently completed our Tour #98 “Classic Italy” a couple of weeks ago. Our tour guide was Cristina Calvo & our bus driver Claudio.  Here are some highlights:  

1. Cristina Calvo – Excellent!!!  We can’t say enough positive things about Cristina.  She called us her family and she was definitely our mother for this trip!  Very warm, friendly, kind, thoughtful yet very professional – she knew what to expect and ensured that we did not have to face the unexpected.  Christina would frequently go ahead to the next venue in the city to ensure our tickets were ready and the venue was open.  She was very thoughtful with bathroom stops and even knew how much each one cost (if there was a cost).  Also gave us insight into the bar/coffee/pastry/gelati shops and going to the bathroom there.  The sights were amazing and Cristina would share history and information about the surrounding countryside as we drove through it.  When we had energy for more adventures in the evening, Cristina recommended additional walks, shops, sites, etc.

2. Claudio – Very good humored, great driver.  Claudio kept the bus stocked with water which was critical.  Frequent stops for restroom breaks even provided lemon candies from Sorrento for everyone on the bus. 

3. Father Roberts – Very good humored and friendly.  Fr Robert had spent a few years in Italy studying so he had some great suggestions on additional church trips, food/wine, etc.  His homilies each day were excellent.  He also kindly spent a significant amount of time with each person doing confessions as well as spiritual direction.

4. Tour itself was excellent.  Just the right amount of everything and pace was very good.  We arrived a day earlier in Rome to do the Colosseum. You may want to add this in but that’s it.  The local guides were very good as well.

5. Accommodations – very good, loved the hotels and locations.  We were surprised by the extensive breakfasts in each of the hotels (thank you).  Having dinner in the hotels most nights was appreciated to get to bed at a decent time. Food was mostly good but we would have appreciated more vegetables or salad. Many nights it was pasta, a main course of meat and potatoes, then dessert.  

Overall, we were very moved by our pilgrimage. In fact, we already booked a pilgrimage to Poland for 2025. 

Best Regards,

David & Susan Lydzinski

Hi Jacob,

My wife and I enjoyed our Medjugorje Pilgrimage with Fr. Don Calloway. Our tour guide, Slavia, was awesome and very well-organised.

The meals, bus rides, special visits to the different chapels, Ivan’s talk and visitation, Fr Calloway’s talk and the various Masses he conducted were exceptional.

We are considering going on the 206 Tour’s pilgrimages to either Italy or Poland next year.

Thank you for a great experience,

Lorne

I am so blessed & have immense appreciation & gratitude for 206 Tours & All Staff & Guides to have been able to go back to Medjugorje after many years & be amongst the beautiful pilgrim souls in our groups. Our 3 Marian Priests, Fr. Don, Fr. Tim, & Fr. Mike served us well & went out of their way to accommodate all on our journey together. It was genuienly refreshing to see that the prayerful & peaceful environment of Medjugorje has not changed, but increased with millions of pilgrims continuing to respect the gentle & loving generosity of the Croatian people. The continuing growth of infrastructure  & accommodations has positively reinforced the simplicity & value of a true pilgrimage. 

The Holy Family & Holy Spirit reigns in the hearts of the many prayerful & humble  pilgrims from around the globe in Medjugorje. 

Thanks Be To God, & Our Lady Queen of Peace & St. Joseph & Our Guardian Angels.

Love, & MIR 

LaChita Calloway 

Good Morning 206 Tours,

I want to thank you for an incredible pilgrimage to Medjugorje in April.  I had a very special and holy time.  This was my second trip to Medjugorje, both scheduled through your agency.  Both trips were amazing and each a little different, which made it all the more special.

I would like to thank Chris for working so hard to get me a direct flight from St. Louis to Frankfurt.  I really can’t handle the Chicago airport anymore, and Chris went out of his way to keep me out of that airport.  I am grateful.  My trip started off with a wonderful young man named Andrew, escorting us from the Split airport into Medjugorje.  He was so kind, professional and knowledgeable.  I could have listened to his stories all day!  I am amazed at all the languages your guides speak.  They are so talented and intelligent.  

I stayed at Hotel Grace, which was wonderful.  My guide, Ivana, was so beautiful, kind and professional but the thing I loved most about her was her obvious love for The Blessed Mother and our Catholic Faith.  It’s very special to be around someone who lives her faith so beautifully.  I’m sure many pilgrims look to her as a role model for how we should be living our faith.  I found myself wanting to soak up as much time with her as possible!  I probably drove her crazy with all the questions I asked, but I wanted to learn as much as I could from her.  I will always treasure the time I spent with her, and I’m grateful for her patience she had with me and all the pilgrims in our group.  I’m sure at times we could be very challenging,but she never stopped being a total professional.  I’m also sure The Blessed Mother is proud of her and the work she does to spread the messages to everyone who travels to her village.  

Because of Ivana, our group had the wonderful opportunity to be present for an apparition with Marija.  That was probably the most special moment of my life and I will always remember that day.  

I will quickly mention all the drivers, servers and everyone involved in making my trip so perfect.  I don’t know their names, but am grateful to all of them.  I hope to go back to Medjugorje again someday, and I will be calling 206 tours to organize my trip.  

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Suzanne Burkett Boes

Dear 206 Tours,

      This is only my 2nd Pilgrimage with 206 Tours… and like the First one, I love it!!!❤️ Everything was great…from lodging to food and of course, the Catholic aspect of the trip. I appreciate having Daily Masses, Confessions, Eucharistic Adorations, Stations of the Cross, Rosaries and inspirational talks from our Spiritual Director par excellence, Fr. Donald Calloway. You gave us the best, very knowledgeable and accommodating local guides especially Slavica!!!❤️❤️❤️ A special added bonus was having Fr Calloway’s beautiful and charming Mom mingling with all of us.
         Another facet of this Medjugorje Pilgrimage was getting all the other special perks like visiting and praying the Rosary with one of the Visionaries, Ivan in his private Chapel and being present for Our Lady’s Apparition and Blessing!!!💝 I can not think of anything more awe-inspiring!!!😇⭐️😇 We also were treated to an audience with one of the many recipients of Medjugorje miracles.
         Needless to say, I am a very happy Pilgrim while in Medjugorje and continue to be inspired by what I have experienced. My heart is forever grateful to 206 Tours for a truly exceptional Medjugorje Pilgrimage!!!❤️😇❤️

Sincerely Yours,
Elenita Harpen

My recent pilgrimage trip to Italy was absolutely amazing. From the moment the reservation was made the 206 Tours staff was accesible and very helpful. They answered any questions prior to the trip. I appreciate all of their arrangements with the airline, hotels, and tours in Italy, and the meals. They took care of every detail. The tour guide in Italy, Federica, was such a lovely person, caring, and she also made sure everything went smoothly everywhere we went. The hotels selection was great. They were clean, comfortable, and in a nice location. The drivers were also very good. The whole experience was wonderful. It was my first time in Italy and I enjoyed every moment there. Visiting the Basilicas, being able to see the Pope, all the art and history of Rome and the Vatican, as well as the traditional touristic places in Rome, it was all incredibly special. In Orvieto and Assisi, the scenery and the spirituality touched me deeply. I will certainly keep all those memories in my heart. Sharing those experiences with my local church group and our wonderful priests is definitely a blessing.

Thanks for putting this trip together and for all your work.

Sincerely,
Vivian Perez

Dear 206 Tours,

My husband and I just completed our first (but not last) tour with 206 Tours. We completed the Walking in St. Paul’s Footsteps Tour (without the cruise option) through Greece. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, learned so much, and want to especially commend our wonderful tour guide, Chryssanthi. She was excellent! She was incredibly knowledgeable about Greek history, culture, and politics. She spoke excellent English, and was a fun and sparkling personality on our long journey through Greece. Plus she was so patient and considerate with our large diverse group. We had a family with young adult children, but also elderly folks in our group with serious mobility issues, and Chryssanthi did a wonderful job of getting us all from point A to point B without breaking up the group cohesion.

In fact, one of the ladies with mobility issues dropped her wallet in the street yesterday causing the tour to leave late. Several of us, Chryssanthi included, worked to help this woman recover her wallet (which contained her passport), and thankfully we were successful. Chryssanthi dealt with this emergency with a level head, sensitivity, and was creative in helping us catch up with the tour and plans for the day. 

Chryssanthi also did a great job of making the best of opportunities as they arose. For example, yesterday it turned out that the Metropolitan of Corinth was visiting at the same time we were and was conducting a tour was well. She politely arranged an introduction for us, and did a nice job translating for our American priest and Greek Orthodox bishops as they discussed theology, and ultimately, the bishop gave our group a blessing. What a wonderful gift!

Thank you for a wonderful first tour.  If you continue to have terrific leaders like Chryssanthi, I know we will certainly choose to tour again with 206. 

God bless,

Diane & Garrett Smith

I’ve been joining Pilgrimage tours since 2005 with 206 Tours and I find their services to be extremely excellent all the time from the beginning of booking the tour, flights, etc…They are so detailed that they will give/send you instructions before and after the tour. The owner Milanka Lachman, staff, tour guides are simply amazing — like Ms. Eleni in Greece. She is very professional, very detailed in her explanations in every site we go to, very timely so we could be ahead of the huge crowds in every site we went to…So far I’ve joined 4/5 pilgrimages with 206 Tours already and they haven’t disappointed me. Excellent services, accommodations in 5-star hotels, new tour buses, etc. They simply give me peace of mind and amazing experiences all the time! To me they are simply the BEST!!! Thank you so much 206 Tours.

Ninfa Noval

Cat,

I want to thank you for working with me and all the pilgrims to Shrines of Italy. It was a very moving and filled with the Holy Spirit time. All pilgrims were touched and changed forever. The mission that 206 Tours started continues to bring so many close to Our Lord and Our Lady. I cannot tell you the many ways we were all moved. To journey with Deacon Scott and Fr. Israel by the special places handpicked by Jesus and delivered by 206 Tours. May you continue to do his mission here on earth and until our next pilgrimage!

Very grateful and with so much to unpack for the next few weeks. Feeling very blessed!

Thank you team!

In Christ,

Sandra Koceja

Dear Cara,

I could not wait to write to you about how wonderful our Pilgrimage went having a lot to do with your organization 206!  We were all so impressed with our guides and the planning that went into everything before we arrived. We waited in very few lines and wasted little time for things to happen.

Our Spiritual Directors were wonderful having been to these places before and were able to spiritually guide us through this amazing trip. I have had friends who have made pilgrimages but not with your agency and I will strongly suggest they consider using your group without hesitation.

I have written to Our Bishop also explaining what a wonderful organization you have and how many other groups we met along our way using 206 that were pleased.

Please extend to everyone there that helped organize our trip how much we appreciated everything done for us. May God Bless you in your daily work to bring others closer to God.

My Best,
Rosemary York

Dear Milanka and Cara,

We’ve just returned from our pilgrimage to Italy and Medjugorje. I wanted to let you know how absolutely wonderful it went. The Lord truly blessed us and our Mother was very much taking care of us throughout it. I want to thank you and 206 Tours for providing such a top notch experience every step of the way. Our hotels were excellent, our tour guides knowledgeable and attentive, and the itinerary was well planned. I was especially appreciative of how helpful our guides were in adjusting to the little changes and requests along the way. Federica and Dado were amazing. Slavenka was very helpful and did a wonderful job. I cannot say enough positive things about them. Medjugorje was the spiritual highlight of our trip and many of our pilgrims had powerful experiences that deepened their faith. I personally experienced a renewal of my own love for the Eucharist and our Mother Mary. We have come home incredibly grateful for this experience.

I cannot thank you enough! It has made me want to continue to make pilgrimages to Medjugorje in the years to come and I hope to continue to do so with 206. Our people were all very impressed with the quality of care that we received.

May God bless you for providing such spiritually rich experiences for His people! Please know of my prayers for this important ministry you provide.

In Christ,

Fr. Eric

My wife and I would give the trip a thumbs up. We also would like to compliment our tour guide Sabina Balos.  She was excellent.

Thank you and God Bless,

Dan Strukel

Good morning Rinda,

I am always happy to help you. You are well organized. Thank you for rearranging the program for Divine Mercy Sunday. It was really a blessing for all of us. Almost all the pilgrims received the sacrament of Penance. Thank you once again for everything. 

Fr. Robert Ambalathingal

I am just returning from the El Camino and Fatima pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was an an amazing blessing to me! An experience I will take with me always!! I cannot express my feelings of gratitude for the experience!! Herman and Pedro were so wonderful!!!!

God Bless,

Shari

Hi Team,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead the pilgrimage from Poland to Budapest. It was good experience. I think everything went well. We had a very good guide Sabina and a very good driver Martin. Thank you and God bless you!

Fr. Robert Ambalathingal 

Liz and Natasha,

Thank you SO much for making this pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi and then to Florence and Venice possible for us!  We had a rough start with flights and then a rough return home with a rebooked flight!  I considered it part of our Pilgrimage.  Thanks, Natasha for arranging our outgoing flights at a time I didn’t think we were going to make it to Rome at all!!!

I am still processing all that we experienced and will for a long time.  The blue bus driver, Alessandro, and Quico (sp?) went above and beyond in assisting William in his pilgrimage. This pilgrimage has enhanced my spirituality!  I was enriched also with cultural and culinary delights!

Live, Love, Lake,

Jerry Ann Hayes

Alexandra,

I just wanted to let you know my clients are back from Rome and we have heard all about it! He said they had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute.  My client said the tours you set up were the best he’s ever been on.  The tour guide was amazing.  They both enjoyed the taste testing dinner you set up and my client said he really enjoyed the French pastry shop which was close to their hotel, he said he enjoyed it too much.  My client also said the Hotel was amazing.

I just want to say thank you so much for everything you did and for your patience with me.  I appreciate you more than you will ever know.  

Thank you so much again.

Karen Smith

Dear Liz,

Thank you and you’re welcome.  Father Richard was great.  I really enjoyed this trip.  All of the people on the pilgrimage made it special.  It was unfortunate that our flight was canceled, but with international travel you always have to be prepared for the unexpected.  It did not diminish my experience.  I’m just glad it happened on the way home instead of when we started our journey.  

Thanks again,

Maria

Thank you SO much, Liz!  It was certainly a very rewarding experience that will remain in our hearts and souls for the rest of our earthly lives.  Everything was done so professionally by 206 Tours, our guides, our drivers, our spiritual advisor, and of course the entire Hahn family!  Thank you for such an amazing and class act tour.

Lupe Valencia

Hi Liz,

I just wanted to let you and 206 Tours know what a wonderful experience I had on my Rome Pilgrimage a few weeks ago.  In particular, I want to thank you for your diligence and care in addressing my needs at the last minute.  I would not hesitate to recommend 206 Tours or to schedule another trip myself.

Thank you for a very memorable experience,

Bill Richards

We had a wonderful time in Mexico. All of the arrangements went according to plans. The email with all the essential info before the trip was excellent.  The hotel Sheraton María Isabel was so nice and the food and service were excellent. Our tour guide was well informed and friendly. Our bus driver drove very safely. Our priest and tour director did a wonderful job keeping our group engaged. Our coordinator Cat applied our frequent flier numbers after reservations were made and was very responsive to my last minute requests. The backpack was great. We will definitely travel with 206 Tours again.

Thank you for a wonderful trip.

Mary and Keith Karst

The pilgrimage was well organized and all inclusive. I felt very safe and informed. Roberto was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and tended to our every need .  Antonio was a very skilled driver and very helpful.  I would definitely recommend 206 Tours for the magnificent religious experience and ease of travel.

Respectfully,

JoAnne Keller

St. Lawrence Group Pilgrimage

Good evening,

I want to thank you with all my heart for this wonderful experience I had on this pilgrimage. I could feel the presence of our Lord and our Mother through everyone around me. We were a very large group for sure, however that sense of togetherness was palpable to me; it did not matter you were on the red, the blue or the yellow group, we were one, we were pilgrims praying  together, sharing a meal, and being there for each other. It is so easy for a pilgrimage to become a sightseeing trip; as Fr. Calloway told us on the first night to remember mostly that we were on a pilgrimage; whatever church we visited we were given time for personal prayer, I appreciated that a lot. Since we spent most of our day traveling, prayer was very important, and our priests made sure it happened.

Talking about the priests, they were wonderful, a shout out to them, real shepherds. I thank the Lord for them and pray for them. Thank you Fr. Calloway, Fr. Tim and Fr. Angelo, thank you.

A big thank you to our guide Roberto, our driver, I apologize, I think Marco, and Liz, I have no words, their availability was unbelievable. 

Everything was great at the hotel, the restaurant personnel was wonderful, welcoming, and the food was good.

Thank you 206 Tours, I had the most wonderful experience as I said before.

God Bless

Nicole Victor

Thank you for making my recent trip to our Lady of Guadalupe a very blessed and memorable experience. My co-pilgrims are so loving, friendly and we bonded almost instantly. Roberto/Guide and Ricardo/Driver were equally wonderful; hotel accommodation is the best. Overall, 206 Tours continue the good services you do.

-Maria Gracia Juarez

Dear 206 Tours,

Thank you so much for allowing me to provide positive feedback on our recent Medjugorje Pilgrimage with Father Dawson and Father Miles through 206 Tours.  Most importantly, everything was so spiritual and amazing!  We are looking forward to another pilgrimage back there or to the Vatican or Holy Land with 206 Tours.

206 Tours did an excellent job from our first email encounter all the way to this final feedback email.  The communications from Cara, the gift 206 shoulder bag and the help with our travel arrangements on our way there due to weather delays, etc showed that 206 Tours really valued our business.  With the group of 47 of us making the pilgrimage, the red/blue 206 shoulder bags were so helpful in identifying our fellow passengers through the busy airports and ensuring that we did not leave anyone behind. 

The flights, transportation to/from the airports and through the Security Checkpoints in each Country went well with no complaints.  Our wonderful Tour Guide (Dragan Zovko) was so knowledgeable and always seemed to be one step ahead of us in all our daily activities to ensure minimal disruptions and maximum exposure to our daily schedules.  He was well versed on everything and his personality was perfect for this group of Pilgrims from Louisiana.  He quickly bonded with all of us and was so enjoyable to be around.  I do want to also make note that his strong Catholic faith really added to our overall spiritual experience of this trip.

The Hotel Grace was excellent and I am glad we stayed there.  The Hotel Grace Staff were professional and welcoming to us and ensured that our stay with them was topnotch.  The daily breakfasts and dinners were delicious and we left the table full each morning and night.  The wine selection was excellent too!  The Hotel Grace accommodations were very good.  From our rooms to the daily room service, food, drinks, etc, there were no complaints and when we make a return trip, I know where I want to stay.  Hotel Grace was next to St. James Church and the Chapel, which made it so easy to walk to whenever I wanted.  Even the distance from Apparition Hill from the Hotel was an easy walk.

206 Tours also did an excellent job with ensuring we had bus service to take us around to other areas that we wanted to experience such as Cross Mountain, Divine Chaplet Chapel, and Dubrovnik.  I felt complete safety in the hands of our bus driver.

Overall, a most wonderful pilgrimage and thanks to 206 Tours for everything you have done to make it such a memorable experience.  I have recommended 206 Tours to some friends of mine who are looking to book a pilgrimage soon (I gave them Cara’s email).

Thank you again and may God continue to bless 206 Tours.

With kindest regards,
Jason and Nancy Amato

It was a wonderful pilgrimage, everything about it was perfect.  It was my first trip with 206 Tours, and I hope to travel with you again.

Many thanks to all involved,

Marlene Riley

Peace and All Things Good!

Our recent pilgrimage to Lourdes, Fatima and Spain was a grace-filled experience. Leo was a kind, knowledgeable and hospitable tour guide, and the group was spirit-filled and striving to deepen their faith through the pilgrimage. We got along well and everyone was punctual and amiable. I give thanks to the Lord for the wonderful experience of being a chaplain to this group.

With warm regards and best wishes, I remain, In Our Lord and Lady,

Rev Wilfredo (Freddie) Decal

Dear Rinda,

I hope you are well. Please pardon my delay in offering my gratitude to you and 206 Tours for allowing me to be chaplain to the pilgrimage to Mexico City and its environs, January 25-30. We had a wonderful group, some 22 pilgrims and myself. We bonded well and I believe all had a very good experience. The driver of the bus, Marco, was incredible to say the least. Negotiating through the unbelievable traffic of Mexico City, where the infrastructure simply is not sufficient for the population, was something to behold. Our guide, Roberto, was also a very good fit for the group. He was helpful in every avenue and very respectful of me and the pilgrims. In short, it was a very good experience.

I do, however, once again want to thank you for allowing me to serve in the capacity as spiritual director. I have enjoyed each and every opportunity that you have given me and I look forward to future possibilities, including my trip to Spain in September.

Thank you again and God bless you.

Father Rick Gribble, CSC

All I can say is amazing!!! I wish there was a survey!! Everything was perfect!!

Our tour guide was absolutely awesome!! Without Dragen, I know our experience would not have been the same! Hotel Grace was wonderful! The staff, food, accommodations was helpful and professional with that warm friendly touch!!

206 Tours scores a 10 out of 10!!

JoNell Doucet

Hi Cara,

I have to tell you that my pilgrimages with Father Murphy to Medjugorje refresh my soul. He gives us projects to do that help us to examine our lives and become closer to our God. He takes us to places that fill us with the beauty of the Lord. 

The whole 206 tour experience has been a blessing for me. Hotel Grace is very comfortable and clean and all the people who work there are friendly and make us feel right at home. If we have a problem they are right on it. 

It all starts with a text to my friend Cara…

Pauline Pratt 

Thanks to you and your team, we truly had a memorable trip to the Home of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Jesus, our guide was GREAT with his knowledge of the area and his expertise in handling our group and helping the driver navigate the traffic and crowds. He was certainly befriended by our group and we got to know him and his family history 🙂 Our pastor, Fr Wilhelm, was made for the Mexican people, as everywhere we went he was approached for a blessing of some sort by young and old alike – they could sense his devotion to Mary!

The bus and driver were wonderful and the accommodations and food were top notch – we actually bumped into one of our past Bishops, who now is an Archbishop in Denver, and was on a pilgrimage there also. 🙂

Once again, Thank You, for a great experience – I am already skimming the 206 Tours Pilgrimage master list looking for our next adventure for the Mary Makers!

Take Care and God Bless,

Dean Bittner

Hi, Cat:

I know this is late in coming, but I wanted to let you know that the pilgrimage to Lourdes, Fatima, Spain and Paris was wonderful.  Our spiritual directors, Fr. Sean Connolly and Fr. Liam Quinlan, were excellent.  They, along with our 206 Tour Guide, Javier, were knowledgeable about all our destinations, both culturally and spiritually, and helped to create an upbeat atmosphere of camaraderie among the pilgrims.  This was my third pilgrimage with Fr. Connolly and 206 Tours and I can’t say enough good things about Father and 206 Tours.

Our bus drivers were excellent drivers and were very accommodating regarding handling our luggage.  Our driver for most of the pilgrimage was Juan and, I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch the name of our driver in Paris (it might have been Philippe).

Regards,

Barbara Warren

Happy New Year! 🙂

I posted my gratefulness to all the organizers of this wonderful pilgrimage on Facebook “last year”! 🙂 

What a wonderful experience! It was a blessing to be part of the Purple Bus!

This was my 4th pilgrimage with 206 Tours, and I hope it won’t be the last!

May God bless you, your family, and all at 206 Tours! You guys are so wonderful 🙂

Dear Patrick,

The pilgrimage was superb!  The tour guide, Luis, was knowledgeable with history, culture, and the faith.  He had great humor and we always felt well cared for.  The Sheraton was clean, gave great service, and the food was delicious.  I would highly recommend 206 Tours to anyone who wants an authentic Catholic pilgrimage.

Thank you to Johnnette who was so warm and approachable.

I extend my sincere appreciation to all the people behind the scenes to make this trip unforgettable.

Hi Jason, 

Maria was hands down one of the best (if not the best) tour guide I’ve ever encountered. She was engaged, funny, caring, organized and very knowledgeable. She made the trip absolutely stand out and the experience was certainly magical and blessed. We had a hiccup with my luggage in one of the hotels and she jumped on it quickly, kept calm and resolved the issue seamlessly. I’ve seen other travel coordinators get flustered in situations like that. But not Maria, she was a true professional! I would absolutely recommend that she be the tour guide for all Greece trips!  Equally so, Father Michael was the best spiritual director! He made us all feel like family and truly connected to Jesus. He is just such a special and caring shepherd of God. I feel very blessed to have gone on such a wonderful trip made extra special by both Maria and Father Michael! 

God bless and Merry Christmas! 

Lucia 

Hi Patrick,

Francesca and the Tour Guides were great. Everything good comes by way of the Cross, and we were abundantly blessed throughout. Thank you for working so diligently with us, and to make this such a Special moment for Women of Grace – and for all of our pilgrims, too. The attention to detail, and the lovely extras, truly made this a unique and Holy moment for all of us.

It was lovely to work with your team in Mexico. The Women of Grace Team felt a special bond with your Team there. I look forward to another pilgrimage soon … possibly in 2024. I have some ideas…..

Blessings, joy, and peace in this Holy season!

Johnnette Benkovic-Williams

Thanks so much!

Hello! 

Easiest review ever! Javier is a gem. He is so special and really made the trip what it was. I felt safe with him. He took care of everything so we could focus on being pilgrims. I had a life changing experience and I know Javier was a big part of that. Jesus was also a fantastic driver. We were in the best hands! Thank you all so much. 

Sincerely,

Danielle Heeran

The pilgrimage was very successful and rich in graces for the pilgrims.  First time I heard so many confessions.

Roberto is a great guide!  Now I’ve got two guide buddies, Roberto and Javier.

The hotel as well as all accommodations were excellent.  The pilgrims all appreciated everything that was done.

In spite of a wee setback we all had a prayerful experience.

Father Ed

God bless 206

Happy to provide some feedback.

Our guide, Javier, was fantastic. Very knowledgeable, personable, helpful and adaptable. His ability to solve issues quickly was not only impressive but almost unnoticeable due to how seamlessly he was able to improvise solutions. As a person that works in a Health and Safety conscious industry, I was impressed with his attention to health and safety hazards and proactiveness with reminders about trip hazards and vehicle hazards while walking about the city.

I’m not sure I have a most memorable part, but the ones that stuck with me and moved me were (not in any particular order) the Chapel of the Holy Rosary, the viewing of the original organ in one of the cathedrals, the vision of Fr. Pro’s remains and tour of the small museum, all of our beautiful masses at the various churches and crypts, and of course getting to view the Tilma. The last church we visited where the healing water was located was a real treat due to the street festival!

I can’t think of a challenging part, maybe not having as much time to view the Tilma as I’d like but being that it was during such a high volume week with celebration that was to be expected. Javier did the best anyone could to provide us with the best opportunity to view considering the circumstances.

I was surprised (happily) by a few things. All the meals were fantastic and the places we ate at were great! The hotel was way better than expected (almost too nice) and the bus driver and his bus were top notch!

Gary Markiewicz

Greetings from California,

A month ago I was in Italy with the SHRINES OF ITALY pilgrimage. Everything went well.
The group was small, everything went smoothly. The 206 Tours guide was very good and very attentive to the needs of the people, the guide for Rome was excellent.
My stay in France went very well. I bought there a book by a French author: Didier van Cauwelaert, “L’insolence des miracles”. A book published in October 2023 He speaks a lot about the miracles of Padre Pio, and others: Carlo Acutis, the miracles of the Eucharist, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Juan Diego….. how the church quite a few times has difficulties in recognizing these miracles. Unfortunately the book is only in French.
Thanks for organizing this collection for the guides, I hope that the guide from Jordan is also included.
Many times during these two months I thought of 206 Tours and these guides affected by the events of October, this time of advent and Christmas are a time of prayer for peace.
I still feel very good and would like to participate in a pilgrimage next year between mid April and mid June.
Let me know if you have something…
Merry Christmas to you and all the people of 206 Tours. Peace on earth to people of good will.

Father Pierre Deglaire C.S.Sp

Dear Sir/Madam,

Our tour to Lisbon, Spain and France (#40) was a beautiful, inclusive, and well-organized tour.

Everything we did and visited was outstanding. It was as pleasure and a privilege to travel with a priest who provided friendly guidance, the daily Mass Service, prayers, etc. The whole trip was a success spiritually and sightseeing as well. 

This is my first trip with 206 Tours but I am extremely pleased to have joined it and being part of it. Thank you to all the staff who helped worked out the ins and outs of the trip and the staff who were our tour guides and the drivers. All of them were of excellent character, knowledgeable and their work was first class. 

I also want to praise the individual tour guides who for a few hours would be taking us around to explain and show certain special places during the different stages of our trip

It was a pleasure to be part of 206 Tours for Lisbon Spain and France (#40) . THANK YOU again.  All went well. 

Carmen Alfaro-Morawski

Our tour was life changing and a wonderful and unforgettable spiritual experience. We saw so much and had such great pilgrims to share our journey with. Leo was so knowledgeable and shared with us so much to enrich our tour. He kept us going through many challenges. He really did an amazing job!

Hi Kevin, 

How are you?  The tour could not have been better.  Praise God. Ivan our tour guide was absolutely amazing.  The greatest thanks to him for being open to the Holy Spirit and for sharing so much knowledge and love of our faith.

Also, I am so thankful to Fr. Patrick Keane. I cannot say enough good about him.  My daughter accompanied me on the tour.  I felt the grace of God every moment.  Truly a miracle. Thank you for a blessed tour.

Sincerely,
Angela Gatenby

Dear Friends at 206 Tours,

Thank you for all your wonderful help.

The pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, Lourdes, and France (October 29 to November 11, 2023) was a big success. 

The pilgrims were highly satisfied. 

Thanks for all the meticulous arrangements and well-organized plans you and your teams had made. 

Warm regards,

Father Charles Puthota

This was my 4th 206 Tours Pilgrimage and can’t wait till my 5th! 

-Susie Howard

Dear Rinda and Dan,

Warm greetings from Germany. I wanted to thank you for organizing the pilgrimage to Guadalupe. It was fantastic! The group was very nice and quickly became “one body in Christ.” Everything went very well.

I might reach out again for a tour to Compostela (Camino) in the future to see whether you need a priest.

Best wishes and blessings,

Fr. Marco

Hello!

We were on the tour to Italy in September. We had Luigi as our Tour Guide and Fr. Guido Gockel as our Spiritual Director. I honestly can’t remember the name of the driver. All of them were OUTSTANDING!  Luigi was entertaining and extremely knowledgeable. He was funny yet we had a deeply spiritual pilgrimage. We listened to music, watched religious films on the bus, and prayed. Fr. Guido made sure that we did Morning Prayer, Rosary, and Evening Prayer. He did sermons on the bus as well as a making sure we had daily mass. The driver did some fantastic driving and navigated some tricky curves and parking with such ease. 

We also want to do a shout out to your staff because we had a later flight but instead of putting us with the 4am bus, we went on the 7am bus. We really needed the extra sleep and spend less time at the airport. Just the way you all planned the trip and provided wine, etc was so wonderful and thoughtful!! We are never going to tour with any other company but 206 Tours!! Just for an aside, the people that we traveled with said the same thing too!!

God Bless,

Gene and Theresa Blahato

Everything went very well on the pilgrimage! It was a wonderful time for everyone!

I’m very happy with the work of 206 Tours! You run an amazing company!

Thank you for all you do!

In Christ,

Fr. Jeffrey Kirby

Dear Jason,

Wanted to thank you and 206 Tours.  Our trip to Fatima, Spain and Lourdes was simply FANTASTIC!!  Everything was perfectly planned…206 Tours perfectly planned the itinerary, air travel and tours.  Leo, our guide, was wonderful, organized and fun….he made each day unfold seamlessly.  Father John was a fun, energetic person and a great priest/spiritual advisor.  The group of fellow pilgrims from California were wonderful travel companions and welcomed us ‘Floridians’ so warmly 😊.  

The trip was very spiritual for us.  Cannot put more of that into words.  These are beautiful countries with so much religious history that I never knew or even cared about.  We feel very blessed to have visited Fatima and Lourdes.  It was very powerful.  I am so glad that Salamanca, Avila, Burgos and Loyola were also included;  I have become interested in the lives of St. Teresa and St. Ignatius and am reading their books to learn more about them.  

Thank you again for all that you and the rest of the 206 Tours team do.  Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas!!

Sincerely,

Julie and Antonio Hernandez

Hello Series Tour Team,

This was our first time to visit Italy and we were very excited to visit all the Italian shrines. Any time we can gain knowledge and continue our education about our Catholic religion and history we welcome it with open arms. It was all we expected and more. We gained valuable information about our saints and history. Kudos to all our tour guides for sharing a wealth of knowledge with us. If we would have traveled on our own we would have missed many points of interest and in some cases not even know what we were looking at. 

Thank you to our priests, tour guides, and bus drivers who transported us safely to every location.

Thank you 206 Tours and looking forward to our next Pilgrimage.

Patrick & Bonni Esquibel

Hello 206 Tours,

I am thankful for the opportunity to have been among the Pilgrims of Tour 98 Classic Italy. I met wonderful people from all over, Australia, New Zealand and many different areas in the United States. I learned so much about the history, culture, art and beauty of Italy through the guides that were brought in for each place. Alessandro our guide was well organized, attentive, and professional.  Claudio our bus driver navigated the roads with ease, keeping us safe. 

We had Mass every day in the most beautiful churches in the world.  Our spiritual guide/ priest, Fr Edmund Luciano through his homilies brought the scriptures alive by applying it to modern day events.  He spent time with each one of us and I enjoyed his company.

It was an unforgettable experience to be able to follow in the footsteps of so many saints, Popes, and blessed people.  Thank you 206 Tours to everyone who made this trip possible.

God Bless,

Sandra Hill

My husband and I had a wonderful time as we toured France with Cristina and Fr. Tuan.  We learned so much, we saw so much and we are so appreciative! 
We chose 206 Tours, again, as our first tour with them throughout Spain was exceptional. We loved our guide for Spain, Javier and we loved our guide for France, Cristina.  Truly they worked so hard to provide for us a seamless experience. Traveling with like minded, faith filled,  people is such a gift. Thank you for all the work you do behind the scenes to make such a pilgrimage available. God bless you!

Katy McGovern

Our group seemed very happy and satisfied with our trip.  Good comments on the guides, and the sights and experiences.  Also, good comments on the hotels and food.

I was glad about all the arrangements.

Thanks to 206 Tours for a memorable trip!

Fr. Mark Osterhaus

Hi Jason,

My name is Mike DeLooze. My daughter Ashley and I went on tour #37 Oct.15th- Oct.24th. Our tour guide was Miguel, and I wanted to let you know how impressed we were with him. He was very personable, knowledgeable, and attentive to any and all of the needs of the whole group. He definitely represented 206 Tours in fine fashion. We enjoyed our whole experience. It was far more than what we ever expected and have told several members of our church that we highly recommend this tour. Thank you for a wonderful once in a life time trip that I got to take with my daughter!

Blessings to you,
Mike DeLooze

Dear Jason and co,

Greetings in Christ Jesus and may his peace reign with you.

I am grateful to God and to you for the opportunity l had to be the Spiritual Director of Tour #96 All Italian Shrines.  The group of people l met together with the Tour Leader Javier was wonderful. The time spent together was quite enriching. Every pilgrimage is an opportunity to encounter the Lord, to walk in his footsteps by walking in the footsteps of his saints who lived in this world like us and encountered joys and sorrows like us. As such, we walked, we invoked the Lord and we give him thanks for the blessings received. It was an opportunity for us to encourage one another as the Scriptures tell us: ” Every day as long as this today lasts, keep encouraging one another” (Heb 3:13).

I would say, it was well organized and that all went well. I was later informed that some members of the group were infected with covid.That was unfortunate, but thank God they are all fine. It was a wonderful experience for me as it was my first time leading as a Spiritual Director.  I look forward to other Tours with 206 Tours.

Peace and blessings. 

Fr. Marcel Kofon SANG. 

Thank you Cat & Alexandra! 

The pilgrimage definitely exceeded my expectations.  All was just beautiful – the tour guides, the bus drivers, the Mass locations, the accommodations (some more amazing than others of course, understanding we got the best of what was available on the Camino 😃)  I know giving feedback on improvements, no matter how small, are always helpful, but I honestly don’t have any.  I will search 206 Tours on social media and be certain to give a review.  Did you happen to hear about the birth of the calf from Marta or Quico!  Michael and I were incredibly blessed to be witnesses.  So awesome!  The Camino does truly replicate life in so many ways.

Thank you for the personal touch of the photos below.  By the way, that’s my son Michael in the photo below who was blessed to serve with Fr G at all the Masses!!  He was so humbled when Fr G asked.  So many blessings!  😊 😊 😊 Still processing all the memories, and suspect I will for years to come.

With much appreciation, and continued prayers for you, your family, and all the team and their families at 206 Tours.

In Christ,

Natalie

Dear Jason,

We arrived home in Australia and it took some time to readjust to southern hemisphere time.  However, we were very happy to have joined the tour and will promote 206 Tours with our friends. We weren’t quite sure what to expect when our original tour (100) was cancelled and we found ourselves with a different tour group – but our email communication was always effective due to 206 getting back to us promptly and organising everything for our change of tour.  When our backpacks arrived, we felt secure in the knowledge that everything would go to plan. We read all the information that was sent to us and it equipped us very well.

Every transfer that was arranged (beyond that of the tour schedule) to accommodate our needs went precisely as planned.  At no stage were we left wondering what was happening.  When we arrived in Italy, 2 days ahead of the rest of the group and saw the person holding to 206 sign, we were very relieved and our confidence in our plans with 206 was validated.

The days on the tour were unforgettable.  We were with a wonderful group of Americans and will remain in touch with many of them.  Our tour guide, Alessandro, was knowledgable and efficient.  He was very professional. Our bus driver, Caludio, was and expert at negotiating the Italian way of driving and kept us safe at all times.  Safety protocols were followed very well.  Each day was mapped out for us the previous evening, so that the next day was clear.  Every day was jam -packed, but the presence of expert guides for the days meant that we had access to wonderful information, excellent seats and no waiting in queues.

For us, the journey into the roots of our faith was significant. Daily Mass and spiritual experiences will stay with us for some time and have had a profound impact on our Catholic identity and its meaning for us in the world both within our small sphere of influence and more broadly.

We are very grateful to have been made aware of 206 by our priest and may choose to travel with you again in future.  We learned both the advantages and disadvantages of being part of a group tour (something we had not done before) and the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages.

Thank you for your efficient communication, organisation and overall coordination of our experience in Italy.  

Kindest regards,

Martina Millard and Gavin Butcher

The Mexico Pilgrimage was never simply a journey through physical space to a holy place. Because the true purpose of every church and  pilgrimage destination is a journey of inner transformation. I believe that this experience will help deepen my faith and love for our Lord Jesus and Mother Mary. 

The managers and staff at 206 Tours are all exceptional. As well as the local guides (Roberto and Arturo) are not only experts, but also important links to  the peoples and cultures of Mexico. 

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a spiritual leader of this pilgrimage. Thanks to 206 Tours. Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!

Rev. Fr. Lester Evangelista

Good afternoon, Cat

I just want to tell you that our trip to Greece was a blast. It was probably the best pilgrimage I have been on which is saying something. Nena our tour guide was exceptional as well. She took great care of us. The food was quite good as well which is not always the case on these kind of trips as I am sure you know. The group plans on getting together later this year for a reunion and I will let you know how that goes as well.

Thank you for everything and God bless you.

Fr. Jim Marshall

This was my third trip to Israel but under 206 Tours this time and I’m very satisfied with the service … from the accommodation, to the tour guide, Yousef, who was very knowledgeable about his part and I learned a lot from him, very informative including the Bible as we visit each site. He was very patient with us, the driver kept us safe in all the travels. I have no complaint about your company. Father Eugene, our spiritual guide is excellent and preferred to have your company. I highly recommend 206 Tours.

Esprellas

We cannot thank enough Fr. Joseph, Fr. Piotr along with our wonderful guide Miguel for an amazing pilgrimage to Spain and Fatima. Monserrat, Toledo and Fatima were among our favorites but to be able to walk along the Camino if only for a few miles and attend Mass at the Cathedral of St. James was in itself a gift.  You can never visit Fatima just once so this was a bonus added on to Shrines of Spain.  This was not a pilgrimage on our list until Fr. Piotr and Leo (our guide) recommended while on a previous pilgrimage with them and so glad they did! It is a pilgrimage we recommend.

Thank you to the entire 206 family who know how to plan and organize pilgrimages so the only thing pilgrims need to do is pack and arrive at the airport!

Al and Anita Karle

Thank you so much for the wonderful experience!  I really appreciate all the information you sent ahead of time, letting us know what to expect and how to prepare for our trip in terms of currency, clothing, etc.  I felt that I had everything I needed. 

I knew Fr. Kirby from the Morning Offering, which is one of the main reasons I signed up for the tour.  (The destinations Fatima and Lourdes were another ) 

Our tour guide, Christina, was fantastic!  I hope that, if I take another 206 tour, she will be the tour guide again.  She was always cheerful and helpful.

Tahira Haroon

Dear Olivia:

Thank you for your welcome!  Our experience was amazing and beyond what I could ever have imagined.  I am so grateful for your company that organizes these tours as there is no doubt you are leading pilgrims to our Lord.  

Our Spiritual Leader, Father Kirby, was wonderful and welcoming.  Our tour guide, Cristina, went above and beyond to make our trip the best possible.  

The most memorable part of my trip would have to be the nightly lit processions with so many other Christians singing praises to Mary and all in different languages. 

I can’t think of anything that was too difficult.  Maybe our connecting flight back home where we only had 40 minutes to get to our next flight and we had customs to get thru, but we did make it.  The stewardess was very accommodating in that they let us move up front once everyone was seated.

I was surprised by how much we were able to pack in in such a short time.  My main purpose was to go to Lourdes, so experiencing Fatima and all the other amazing places just added to the experience.  I was so inspired by the people who have gone before us that have built these beautiful Basilicas and left us the legacy that they have.

My only suggestion would be that you do not need $50 in ones as most of the candles in the churches required Euro coins.  I came home with almost all of my ones and fives and they were bulky.

I received blessings beyond measure on this trip.  To be able to bring home Holy Water from Lourdes and place all the intentions that people sent me with to both the apparitions, meant so much and has meant so much to the people that I have shared with.  I can’t thank you enough. God bless you all and your work!

Peace be with you,

Michelle Schick

Hello dear Sandra ,

We cannot give you praise enough for the 206 tour to Medjugorge. First we met Ivanka when we were so travel weary and her warmth and spirit soon brought us to anticipate what we were to enjoy. Ivan and his wonderful kitchen crew revived us with such fresh and delicious food that we were to enjoy our whole visit . I have to also thank them for so graciously making veggie soup and alternative meals for us. We cannot thank Ivan & Ivanka enough for making the Medjugorge experience alive for us. They are living history and their spiritual inspiration is unmatched. Also thank you for your help in extending our trip for a few days in Split. The Hotel Luxe was excellent and the city intriguing and fun. Many thanks for everything!

Anita and Glenn

Cat and Alexandra,

Thank you and all of the 206 Team for a very memorable, physical, spiritual and emotional pilgrimage.  Martha and Quico were wonderful as were our drivers Juan Louis and Raul.  Everything was planned out with near military precision. 

The 3 night stay at Pazo De Bieite was so wonderful. The staff there were amazingly concerned with our comfort and wellbeing, everyone from the man and woman running it to the servers and other staff.  Beautiful location. Wish it were not raining so much so that I could explore more.

Thank you all again.

Semper Fi and Vivat Jesus,

Bill Strebel

Liz,

I cannot say enough good things about Vanessa as our guide!  She took care of everything and had us on the move.  She was wonderful 10 out of 10 for sure!  Antonio our bus driver also was great!   Really enjoyed the trip it was perfect.   

-The Baker’s

Hi Danielle, 

It was a wonderful experience. Tour was organized and very good drivers and tour guides. Most especially our tour coordinator Leslie was great! Very friendly, courteous and professional. Thank you so much. 

Virgilio and Yolanda Ong

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your email. Our pilgrimage to Poland (Tour 168) was highly successful. It was a great spiritual experience. The pilgrims were full of enthusiasm and actively participated in all religious and social activities with joy. 

Our tour guide, Sabina Balos, was very articulate and meticulous. Her contributions positively impacted the overall success of our pilgrimage. In my estimation, this pilgrimage renewed the pilgrims’ faith and hope. Similarly, the pilgrimage offered participants the opportunity to increase in historical, social and religious experiences. Indeed, our Poland pilgrimage was extraordinarily memorable and unique. 

I thank you for the opportunity to share the gift of my priesthood. It is my prayer to have such future opportunities as a spiritual director. 

Thank you. God bless.

Best regards,

Fr. Richard Baafi

My wife and I recently took a 206 Tours pilgrimage in Poland. We were in a small group of pilgrims but everyone was friendly, enthusiastic and reverent.

Our Spiritual Leader was Fr. Richard. His homilies were fresh and relevant. He was enthusiastic about his priesthood and was friendly and approachable.

Our Tour Guide was Sabina Balos. She was very knowledgeable and expressed that knowledge in a conversational manner rather than a lecture. She was willing to do whatever it took to make each day a successful experience. Her deep faith came through in her words and her actions. She contributed a great deal to making this tour a rewarding and unforgettable experience.

Chuck Phelps

Few experiences in life have an impact that dramatically changes your life on all levels of living- physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.  The footsteps of St. Paul pilgrimage is one of those rare life-changing experiences for me.

The opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist in so many sacred places- Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus, Crete, and Thessalonika where St. Paul preached was breathtaking and soul enriching.  When I read his letters, I now have an entirely different perspective.

Eleni Maousidou was outstanding to collaborate with on the pilgrimage.  She was a veteran and I was a rookie.  She was highly informative, very friendly, possessed a wonderful sense of humor, and knew how to avoid tourist traps and crowds in order to make our visits educational and enjoyable.

The hired tour guides were also excellent.  The pilgrims were kind and friendly.  I had three deacons assist me at the altar. Several pilgrims (12) sought spiritual guidance, the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (16), and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate this pilgrimage a rip-roaring 10.

I hope that I will have the chance to work with 206 Tours in the near future.  Kindly let me know if that is a possibility.  Many pilgrims (10) asked me to let them know when I will be leading another tour.

Thank you for this spiritually enriching experience. I am grateful to 206 Tours for this wonderful opportunity.

Fr. Tom Heron

Hi Piernha, 

We hope and pray that all is well with you. 

We had an enjoyable, faith filled pilgrimage. Thank you for all the help you gave us to make it happen. 

Some of our fellow pilgrims already expressed their desire to join us on our next pilgrimage without even knowing where we are planning to go. Thank you. 

God bless. 

Chiqui and Carmelita

God bless you all! This was the most inspiring and fulfilling trip I have ever taken!

I’m also very grateful to all of you for all the assistance before the trip! Best Tour agency I have ever used! 

Thank you so much!! 

Maria Gabriela Acurio

Hello Liz,

I just wanted to send my heartfelt gratitude for your assistance and patience in facilitating our trip.  The pilgrimage was amazing and very uplifting. I am greatly blessed for the opportunity to visit the holy places of Our Lord, Our Virgin Mother Mother and our beloved Saints.

I enjoyed our group and absolutely loved Vanessa and Raul. Of course, we appreciated Fr. Samuel’s spiritual guidance, Masses, daily Rosaries and Stations of the Cross.

Thanks again and best regards,

Marnie

Dear Sandra,

The pilgrimage to Medjugorje was filled with graces and beautiful experiences.  What an unforgettable gift to stay with Ivan!  

It is difficult to name just one meaningful experience, but the first that comes to mind is being able to be present during Ivan’s apparitions, and to see and hear him explain about our heavenly Mother with such humility.  It was such a grace to witness his mission in life, and how he is responding with such generosity.  To see him share his home and his gift of service (all the meals and all his time with us)….was a true gift to me.

My favorite experiences revolved around time for silence and prayer–all the wonderful opportunities and places for that.  Since I love nature and the outdoors, to hike up Apparition Hill and Cross mountain in prayer, was a memory I will not forget.

Last of all, I would just tell other pilgrims to Medjugorje to be open to whatever our Lord and our Lady wish to do in their hearts while they are there.  To just be carried by them and by the will of God.  To take the opportunities to pray…to see each encounter with individuals as His gift, and to rejoice in the universal Church which is “on display” there–with all nations and tongues praising God.

Our tour guide Ivanka was an inspiration–guiding us both physically and practically as well as spiritually and from her heart.

Thank you for all that was provided through 206 Tours.  I felt well taken care of, and informed.  

Sincerely,

Cindy Costello

Hello- the trip was everything I had imagined plus more. It was so nice to be around so many God loving people both young and old.  I can’t wait to go again!

Linda Whitner

Thank you so much for all the assistance for our pilgrimage. We had our follow up meeting and it was amazing. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip! There were no negatives. The guides were outstanding and the hotels were reported to be wonderful.

We are planning another pilgrimage and to the person all want to use 206 Tours. That speaks volumes about your wonderful handling of the trips. Natasha and Liz have a wonderful day and God Bless you both.

Thanks,

Tom

Thank you, Jason. My wife, Michelle, and I enjoyed a wonderful experience made possible by 206 Tours. Our Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage (September 30 to October 9, 2023) was everything we expected and more. We especially appreciated the spiritual dimension, which was made possible by Monsignor Kee. His Masses, homilies, and blessings gave our pilgrimage the guidance and meaning that we found so helpful. The logistics provided on the Camino by 206 was superb – the meals, lodging, and transportation were superb. The Tour Guide, Alex, was an excellent leader and teacher; and or Driver, Pedro, was both very skilled and friendly. We found our group to be delightful – very easy to get along with. We highly recommend 206 Tours to people interested in pilgrimages.

The only glitch that we experienced concerned the change in flights and airlines in our departure from home. The original British Airline flight was cancelled one day before departure. We were not alerted of the change in airlines to American and Iberia. We noticed it in an Email with a new flight schedule, but the changes were easy to miss. Fortunately, we were paying attention and called British Airway to resolve the issue.

With gratitude,

Valentin and Michelle Varela

This pilgrimage was fantastic.  There were a lot of us, 53, but we were all one very happy family.  Already so many have asked me to put them on the list for next year!   We had many old friends, but many new friends do as well.  Jelka’s House is my favorite, and I think all agree.  She and Drazen were as hospitable as ever, and how they produce such great meals in that small kitchen is amazing.  Slavenka was her usual excellent self, such a dear friend over all these years and a perfect guide.  Our priests, Fr. Ed Riley and Fr. Tom Reilly, were always there for us and we are most grateful for the wonderful blessings we received through them.  And we were blessed with a third priest, Fr. Bill O’Donnell, who came as a pilgrim for the first time! 

All was very smooth, great flights, great accommodations, great priests, great guide, great pilgrims. 206 Tours is still the best after all these years!  

Love to you all at 206! 

Maureen

Dear Rinda,

I hope you are doing well. I am fine by divine grace.

Our pilgrimage to Poland was highly successful. The pilgrims were full of enthusiasm and participated actively in the activities. Our tour guide, Sabina Balos, was wonderful and very efficient. Her deep knowledge, faith, and detailed attention to every participant’s needs made the pilgrimage extremely memorable and unique. 

I thank you for the opportunity to share the gift of my priesthood with the people of God. I pray for future opportunities. Thank you. God bless.

Best regards,

Fr. Richard

To the One, Eternal and Immortal Trinity be glory and praise both now and forever.

Permit me to use this opportunity to thank the entire 206 Tours family for the privilege to undertake this pilgrimage being the second occasion. My heartfelt gratitude goes also to the pilgrims with whom I journeyed. This year’s pilgrimage exceeded my expectations. I have been in Italy for four years now and never dreamt of having the opportunity of visiting the places that this tour afforded me. Most fascinating of all is the privilege of celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass in those most sacred and revered churches and sanctuaries we visited. It is an experience I will live to remember and treasure. For me the whole moment was a period of a divine encounter. It was indeed a wonderful, spirit-filled and refreshing moment. The voiced testimony of many of the pilgrims made me realized that it was indeed a remarkable time. I would also like to commend the optimum cooperation I enjoyed from all the pilgrims and the tour guide, we were like a family throughout the whole time. Overall, it was an amazing trip and an enriching one at that. Thank you once again 206 Tours for this great privilege, looking forward to more of this in the years ahead. God bless you and all yours. May God continue to use your good platform to enliven and strengthen the true faith in the hearts of His people, amen.               

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Emmanuel Edi

I want to thank all at 206 Tours, who were involved in addressing the change in plans when the conflict broke out affecting Tour 158.  Your prompt reaction and the handling of the impacts were greatly appreciated. Thank you.

The day trip to Baptismal site in Jordan, probably exceeded what we would have experienced on the Israel side. In addition to seeing the site of the first chapel there, our tour guide, Omar, was able to get permission for Father Jim to say Mass at the river. Having your representatives Jadoun and Laith meet with us in person was most helpful.

FYI, I found the Landmark hotel better than Crowne Plaza, but glad you were able to find us lodgings. Room was more spacious at Landmark and it had wider selection on the buffets.

I am sharing your great response with friends and family.

Thank you.

Bill

Dear Cat and Alex,

Our pilgrimage absolutely exceeded our expectations!  We had a wonderful time!  The weather was perfect. The hotel and its staff were great!  More than anything, our guide, Mirela, was fabulous!  She shared from her heart and was so knowledgeable about the events of Medjugorje.  We couldn’t have asked for more!  We truly love her!  She is a very beautiful child of God!

We can’t thank our Blessed Mother enough for the blessings that flowed through Her hands!  They truly kept flowing and flowing!   She and our dear Lord are so good and so generous!

We had a fun time in Dubrovnik too on our last day!  Those who wanted to “walked the walls”.  Others sat and enjoyed the atmosphere, conversation and wine!  Our hotel was lovely and the food was so much better than I remembered it.  (I may have remembered it wrong, because it was so good!)

I thank 206 Tours for giving us a fantastic and deeply spiritual pilgrimage!  

Love,

Julie

Hi Sandra,

Thank you for all your assistance. It was a wonderful pilgrimage. And the tour guide was the Best! We appreciated her immensely. Of course staying with Ivan and the whole prayer experience is beyond words. We are grateful and hope to go back next year.

Thank you again.

God bless,

Gabriella Malara

Good Morning Piernha,

In the uncertain times of COVID-19, I prayed and asked God for an end to the pandemic and the possibility of finding another partner who could facilitate my mission of taking people all over the globe to encounter Christ.  On a whim, in my rigorous online research, I randomly stopped scrolling when I reached 206 Tours in the search results and began a conversation with Natasha, and the rest is history.  I returned on October 4^th from a wonderful Spirit Journey crafted by your team of pilgrimage experts, and my pilgrims are already asking ‘where next’ and ‘how soon’.

I am writing to thank you for your rigorous work with me and your patience in discerning my needs.  Everything that we did was different: the method of communication between our two entities, the process of customer engagement…everything.  Your steady, upbeat, calm demeanor and assistance were a lifeline for me as I navigated the days towards take-off.

I thank you for the beautiful experience that your hard work crafted by sharing with you feedback from my parish priest as I returned to Mass last Sunday.  He said, “ Diane, welcome back!  I can see the Holiness you received on your trip on you.’

Thank you, Piernha, Natasha and 206 Tours.  I will continue to pray for all of you always.

Salve Regina!

Diane

We just returned from a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Paris and Lisieux and are very satisfied. The pilgrimage was spiritually powerful indeed.

The Chaplin Fr. Piotr Paciorek was fantastic. He allowed me to assist at all Masses which was an incredible grace. It was through Fr. Piotr’s guidance that I was selected to repose the Blessed Sacrament at the main (25,000 people) Basilica Eucharist Procession. I will never forget that experience and have Fr. Piotr to thank.

The tour guide Miguel Martin was very helpful and attentive. He made sure we were where we were supposed to be and did it with grace and a smile. Nice man.

The individual tour guide specialists at each location were wonderful. Their insights helped us all have a more powerful spiritual experience.

All in all, a great pilgrimage and will recommend 206 tours to my friends and family.

God bless,

Deacon Mike

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Sept 11 – 20, 2023)

Dear Patrick,

My wife and I had a wonderful pilgrimage to Israel!   I want to acknowledge particularly our Guide, Usama.  He demonstrated near encyclopedic knowledge, and we gained a perspective of many historical, archeological, religious, social, and contemporary features of the Land.  We learned about the life of the people in the Holy Land, throughout the last 4000 years! We learned so much. Usama was extraordinarily genial and kind, and throughout our tour, he had our best interests at heart. Usama was most impressive, and he is a great asset to your company. Even when our friend had a slight medical issue, he displayed poise and was a calming influence for the entire group of pilgrims. He deserves the highest accolades.

Beyond that, we really appreciated how he and Said handled logistics throughout our Tour.  We felt safe, and confident. And we had many blessings on our journey. Our pilgrimage was a joy, and I wanted to write and provide you and your team at 206 with this feedback.

We pray that all your personnel in the Holy Land are kept safe. May God end these recent actions swiftly, as it hurts the heart, and it hurts our Brothers and Sisters in the Holy Land. We are much more attuned to that in these days.  

God bless you, God keep you, and all the 206 Family.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas & Christine Lopez

Dear 206 Tours friends,

Once again, I had the pleasure of traveling with 206, this time to the Holy Land. Like always everything was well and professionally organized. Help in the airport after arrival in Tel Aviv to go through immigration was very appreciated.

It was a pleasure to listen to George’s comments on every holy place we visited. Very professional. We always felt safe in the bus thanks to our driver.

Hotel, service and dinners were excellent. And something to admire to watch Jews celebrating New Year with whole families.

Thank you for the opportunity to visit and offer Masses in all the holy places so precious to every Catholic.

Wishing you God’s blessings in your future work,

Fr. Eugene Grytner

Good morning ladies,

I had to take a quick moment at my first opportunity to thank you for that memorable tour you structured for us pilgrims from Saint Joseph Marello parish. You outdid yourselves! Everything about the tour was perfect! There have been so many happy reports from all of our Pilgrims, Father Phil and Deacon Jeff as well as the other 22 of us. We are all very, very, very, very pleased.

Jorge Martin, our tour guide, was remarkable.  We loved him from the first day!  Likewise, your scheduling of our walking days. Although we initially were worried that the days would start too late for us, you were right, your plan worked perfectly. We soon adjusted to Spain’s schedule and the late dining!

Thank you, thank you for putting together this remarkable tour! We will be looking at other pilgrimages for the future through 206!

Best regards and God‘s blessing on you both,

Jann Nicholls

206 Tours Team,

Lisa and I loved this Holy Land experience! We cannot thank you enough for all the great work you did planning and coordinating this amazing spiritual adventure. Our Tour Guide (Yorgos) and Spiritual Advisor (Fr. Eugene) were incredible. We learned so much, and feel that the daily schedule with time for prayer and Mass (in addition to the important sites) made this trip one we will talk about for the rest of our lives.

The hotel (Inbal) was awesome, with great good and accommodations and the size of our tour group (13) was perfect. We will recommend this Holy Land tour to all our friends as we look for another 206 Tours to take.

Don’t hesitate to have any of your future guests call us. We would be happy to provide more detail.

Andy & Lisa Hiles

Best trip I have ever been on. Life changing. Could not have been better. So grateful, and what a blessing your company is. 

In Christ, 

Dawn McManus

Dear Jason,

The trip was amazing, enlightening, and exhausting.  Our tour guide, Tony, was terrific and on top of every detail.  Our driver Antonio kept us safe despite some very winding roads.  One of the best parts was hearing what other pilgrims had to say about other 206 tours they’d taken.  We are making a wish list.

Thanks so much,

Jeanine & Scott

Dear Jason, Chris and Team,

I sincerely thank you for the professional and outstanding organization of my pilgrimage to ensure I had a spiritually rewarding tour!!! Everything was seamless. My travel experience to the shrines of Italy and Medjugorje from August 14 to 28 left an indelible mark on my heart, never to be forgotten.

Although you provided contacts at every stage, I never used them, not even once, because everyone was on time and in place when I needed them.

The choice of accommodation was marvelous. Le Meridien Visconti Hotel, Rome, Centro Spiritualita Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo, Hotel Giotto, Assisi, and Villa Grace, Medjugorje, were welcoming and the hospitality was unparalleled.

Your choice of Spiritual Director (Fr George Dunne) and guides, including Federica and Andrej, must be acknowledged. They spiced everything and made the experience wonderful.

I am already planning another pilgrimage in the coming year. I have also encouraged family members and friends to use your agency anytime they want to travel.

Thank you again for your help and care.

Remain in His Grace,

Christine Kamwendo

206 Tours Comments:

Overall, tour was outstanding and well run. Hotel, transportation, food (all meals) and schedule were great. Could not have asked for more and definitely received my money’s worth! I would un-hesitantly recommend 206 Tours to anyone and will consider booking another pilgrimage with you in the future.

Our tour guide, Yorgos Chermantas, was truly outstanding and continuously went well beyond the norm to make this pilgrimage special in every way. He is personable,  knowledgeable and able to quickly react to a changing situation. His understanding of the religious, political, historic and cultural climate of the era when Jesus was alive added tremendously to our experience. He did not hesitate to share this and described every event, person and place visited with understanding and insight beyond what is written in the Bible or Sacred Books. 

Brian Maher

Good Morning.  A note of appreciation for all your help.  It was a wonderful tour. Our guide, Vanessa, was the best.  Everything was spectacular from tours, food and sites.  We had a few hiccups with the plane but all worked out. 

Thank you again for making all this happen and especially working with me to get Uriel in the group

God Bless,

Catherine

Dear 206 Tours,

My friend and I planned and prepared for months to get ready for the Camino.
When we arrived, we had nothing to worry about but walking and packing our bags each day! Everything else was taken care of by 206 Tours outstanding staff.

Father Matt was our spiritual director and took that role seriously with daily mass, offering confessions and any advice or guidance we needed. We love him!

Jorge, our guide was outstanding in every way! He took care of each pilgrim and was extremely attentive to every need. I can’t imagine anyone exhibiting such a spirit of caring and charity! He had excellent relationships with each restaurant and hotel staff resulting in outstanding service! We love him!

Our bus driver was also amazing! By the time our pilgrimage we were sad to depart our fellow pilgrims who had become like family! Thanks to all for an amazing experience which will be memorable for many years!

Warmest regards,
Nancy

We had an incredible blessed pilgrimage with 206 Tours!  Viola, our guide, was fabulous!  Still getting over jet lag but will certainly review our pilgrimage soon on Facebook and Instagram for 206 Tours!

Fondly,

Carolyn

I had a wonderful time during the pilgrimage to Italy.  It was very enriching both spiritually and culturally.  Our tour guide, Tony Giuliani, did a great job helping to make the tour very enjoyable by connecting us with the culture of Italy as well as ensuring that we experienced all the spiritual sites on the tour.  Father Carlos helped us also to connect deeper to our faith with our daily masses at the beautiful churches we visited.  We also felt safe with our bus driver, Antonio, driving us many miles through Italy.  This was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life.  I feel very blessed to have gone.  Thanks also to 206 Tours for all the organizing that went into making it a memorable trip.

God bless,

Diane Lambert 

206 Tours have outdone themselves again in organising another fantastic pilgrimage tour. The hotels were very comfortable and so were the breakfast and dinners. We paid for our lunches which was okay however the tour guide (Eleni Maoussidou) should have given us the opportunity to select the lunch venues maybe a food court where we could select whatever we want instead of taking us to one restaurant with restricted selection of food.

Our Spiritual Director: Fr Lito Capeding was wonderful. Very friendly and approachable and tried to get as much time to meet our spiritual needs. I would definitely like to sign up for the next pilgrimage if he is on it.

The Greek Isles Cruise was a bit rushed but that was expected. The best part of the tour was the visit to Kusadasi – Ephesus (Mary’s House). A very big thank you to 206 tours for organising us to celebrate mass at Ephesus, that was amazing!

Kind regards

Denis

Hello,

I’d like to take this opportunity to give some feedback regarding the above referenced Camino which took place September 5 through 15, 2023.

This was my first Camino and I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt a deep sense of physical and spiritual accomplishment. 

I’d like to highly commend our Tour Guide, Cristina Calvo. She was well organized, personable, and flexible. She ensured that we were all well taken care of. On the last day of our hike, she was flexible enough to allow us pilgrims to hike the entire way into Santiago de Compostela rather than take the bus for the last couple of miles as originally scheduled. For this, I am extremely grateful because part of the sense of accomplishment (both physically and spiritually) was seeing the spires of the Cathedral in the distance as we hiked to the top of our last hill.

Sincerely,

Marianne Sham

Hi Jason and team,

Thank God for the blessing of a wonderful Camino.

Jorge and Pedro were excellent as well as the pilgrims and the weather. Looking forward to serving as a spiritual director in 2024, the Lord willing. Thanks for the opportunity. As mentioned, was a blessing for me.

God bless, 

Fr. Matt Mauriello

The trip was great. Cristina went above and beyond to make adjustments on the fly-particularly the last walking day where Mass was scheduled late morning in one location which would have made the walk during hotter weather and much later.  Instead she found an alternative by having Mass in the early evening and allowing the walk to begin earlier in the morning.  Made all the difference for a lot of us. That was just one example of her leadership.

Overall this trip was another A+ trip with 206.

Jim Stam

Dear Milanka,

I write to thank you and your organization for an incredible Holy Land Luxury tour. My husband and I are telling everyone we know to take this pilgrimage.  It touched us on so many levels and far exceeded the high expectations we had. From start to finish, we were impressed and delighted. Let me highlight a few areas: 

Upon receiving our flight information, it became obvious that it made more sense to just fly directly out of Newark versus leaving from Philadelphia and taking chances on connecting flights.  Chris Wright resolved this for me during a simple, eight-minute phone call.  A live person answered the phone, listened to my concern and resolved it!  I am very grateful and surprised by this uncommon customer service.  I was the one who elected to originally fly out of Phila, not knowing a direct flight was available in Newark by easily driving 30 minutes further. 

Having guides meet weary travelers at the airport and then return them to the airport to guide them through the unfamiliar steps was very much appreciated. 

The pilgrimage itself exceeded our expectations!  Every stop pulled back a veil.  Attending Mass in our Lord’s tomb was the most emotional spiritual experience.  Renewing our wedding vows at Cana touched me deeply. I could go and on about how powerful the packed pilgrimage was. 

Our tour guide George (Yorgos Chermantas) was fabulous.  He has a gift of being able to relate to a group of various ages and backgrounds and blend a group of strangers into a family by mid-week.  He is extremely articulate, knowledgeable and responsible.  George took the pilgrimage to another level with his charismatic gifts.  He assisted fellow travelers all week with whatever issue arose (heat, missing luggage, travel advice, where can I buy this? Delayed flights…) with a genuine kindness. You have an excellent tour guide in George.  It was a privilege to be on his tour.  I would be remiss in not complementing our driver who was excellent and kept us safe the entire week.  Between George and our driver, I felt completely safe on our tour and that had been my main concern prior to the trip.  I cannot understate the gratitude I feel for both our tour guide and driver. 

Finally, kudos to the Hotel Inbal!  Hopefully we will make this pilgrimage again and we will insist on the Hotel Inbal. The food was fantastic!  So fresh, so delicious and so much variety.  I would get to breakfast the moment it opened so I could enjoy it until we had to get on the shuttle.  I miss the breakfast and dinner buffet tremendously.

Thank you, Milanka, for all the extra effort your company puts into its pilgrimages.  Your company is definitely five stars to us.  We hope to enjoy many more pilgrimages with 206 and only regret not starting sooner. 

Sincerely, 

Kelly and John Hullihan 

Hello,

I want to give the highest accolades to our tour guide for the Michael Brown Shrines of Italy tour, Frederika. I cannot possibly say enough good things about Frederika!  She was extremely intelligent, organized, knowledgeable, and kind.  She worked non-stop on our behalves, never wavering or complaining.  What a privilege it was to be on a tour with her, Michael Brown, and Fr. Trujillo, an absolutely amazing team.  

Please pass this on to whomever it should go and everyone in authority.  Bravo, and keep up the great work!

In the love of Our Lord Jesus and Holy Mother Mary,

Katie Saunders

Hello,

My husband, mother and myself was so WOW’d by our trip with your company! In the beginning, Greg Terrebonne was very engaging and his excitement was infectious, so with our interest we were quickly pulled in. He followed up with everyone and ensured our every question was answered. Our one reluctance early on, was the prospect of having three legs to our flight. We were later blessed that alternative flights were provided which eliminated one leg leaving two easy stops both coming and going and are appreciative for the accommodation.

Looking back, the most vital piece, in my opinion, was our tour guide, Madj. The wealth of his knowledge, paired with his easy delivery was extremely profound. Another noticeable piece that added a flavor, was his local connection to people and shops. Without that, I’m not certain we’d have been able to do things such as having Mass INSIDE Jesus’ tomb. Madj provided a tour of his home country, the places we were eager to see, plus so much more. He had what we thought were reliable solid answers to every question we had and never grew impatient in answering the many our group threw at him. He catered to us way more than I ever expected! He carried a messenger bag that I jokingly claimed was magic in the variety of things he could produce from cough drops to whisper components.

The one tiny things that could’ve enhanced our experience was if an American type food option could be offered occasionally. Not being a huge fan of Mediterranean fare made it a bit monotonous. However, for those who liked it, it was pretty and plentiful.

The three of us agree, that while cradle Catholics this trip has tremendously intensified our faith and we’ll be telling our family and friends what a remarkable journey 206 provided.

Heaping many blessings onto 206!

Angie Chiasson

Cat and Alex,

Yes, the trip went very well and your help was greatly appreciated. It was such a relief not to worry about logistics and then trying to figure out how to get the best knowledge from the area. David, our guide, did a nice job on that as well.

Thank you again for your help.

Kevin

Dear Rinda,

I hope you and your colleagues at 206 are doing well. I write to give you a brief summary of my recent pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and France. First, I want to again thank you for the opportunity to serve as a spiritual director. The places that we visited, the churches where Mass was celebrated, and the wonderful pilgrims who populated the tour were all terrific. In every respect, the pilgrimage was wonderful. I want to complement our guide, Javier, who was excellent. His expertise, knowledge, and friendliness were appreciated by all. Everything went very smoothly, largely because of his guidance.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve 206 and the pilgrims. For me these opportunities are very special and I treasure the time I have with the men and women with whom I travel, and certainly appreciate the beautiful and sacred spaces we visit.

Sincerely in Christ,

Father Rick Gribble, CSC

Milanka,

I guess the most journalistically accurate way of describing our 206 Pilgrimage, at least from our vantage point, and the feedback we’ve gotten, is: “enormously successful.”

Once more you and 206 showed why you have the reputation you do, and why you have succeeded for so many years — decades! — in a great ministry.

It was expertly done, and as you promised, Federica was totally excellent (so humble). Thank you again for putting together a most fruitful trip — and a great side trip to Sicily.

I prayed for you and 206 at our stops.

 God’s peace to you, your wonderful staff, and also to Judith for her assistance.

As always,

Michael and Lisa Brown

Thank you for reaching out to ask about the pilgrimage to Medjugorje! It was fantastic! Slavenka was our tour guide and Lucy Simao our group leader. They both did an outstanding job looking after all the pilgrims in the group. 

Hotel accommodations at Grace were great and the food delicious. On Friday, one of the pilgrims celebrated their birthday and Slavenka ordered a cake to celebrate with everyone. That was very thoughtful of her and 206 Tours. 

Thank you and everyone at 206 Tours for an excellent pilgrimage to Medjugorje! 

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Jason Brilhante 

It was great!

-David Sawyer

Hi Danielle,

I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and thoughtful preparations of the trip. I’m writing to let you know that we are all back home safe. 

Overall, it was wonderful pilgrimage, everyone had a great spiritual experience. Hats up to 206, yourself, and Leo Jimnes for you made this pilgrimage a huge success. Churches, hotels and places we visited all of them had been very fruitful and inspiring. Thank you for all your help and support. Looking forward to having few more pilgrimages in the near future.

Blessings 

Fr. John Peter Pragasam 

Hi Piernha, just wanted to let you know Marianne and I had a wonderful time. Father Tony, and Father Charles, of course, were the best spiritual leaders we could’ve had. Quico was amazing. He went above and beyond. So blessed to have been provided this opportunity to become closer to God thanks again for answering all my unlimited questions.

Gi

We had a wonderful experience on our recent pilgrimage and we are looking forward to our next trip with 206 Tours.

This was our first pilgrimage and it went over and above our expectations.

The tour guide, Leo was very knowledgeable.  Our bus driver, Jose, was very friendly and kept us safe during our bus rides.  Our spiritual leader, Fr. Leo was wonderful.  

Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Regards,

Manuel and Marili Dimatulac

Hello,

I wanted to write to express what a fantastic experience we had on our first 206 Tour in August. My mom and I went to Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, and Rome. The whole thing was well organized and informative. Our guides and spiritual director were amazing. We loved it!

Thank you again for everything.

Helen Mann

We are back home.

The pilgrimage was powerful; we look forward to another one in the future.

We want to thank 206 Tours and especially Piernha Marc and Sandra Lippold for the care that they took to smooth out our trip. We were especially impressed that Ms. Marc telephoned me in Rome to ask if there were any problems because our return flight to JFK had changed. I assured her that it was at our request since my wife was not feeling well.

Quico, the tour guide, was superb; he is an asset to the company. The bus driver was very cooperative too. Fathers Charles and Tony were excellent spiritual directors.

Respectfully,

Carmine and Estrella Crudele

My name is Jo Heller Orr and I was on the tour to Portugal, Spain and France during July 2-15. Father Jay Harrington was our Spiritual director and Leo Jimenez was our guide. The trip was amazing. Every facet of the tour was perfect from hotels, transportation, and meals. Leo was exceptional. His knowledge was outstanding. His presentations were personable as well as informative. What impressed me most was Leo’s ability to meet the individual needs of such a large group. He not only coordinated people coming in and leaving the group but was aware of the individual needs of each person. Leo made the tour!!! I selected the trip because of Fr. Jay. He served as a temporary pastor at my parish in 2021 and talked about his experiences with 206 Tours. Everyone in our group fell in love with him immediately. Fr. Jay and Leo made a perfect combination as leaders.
I loved being on a tour that was Catholic oriented. Attending Mass daily in the various cathedrals was the highlight of each day. The experiences I had on the trip have enhanced my worship now that I am home. Thank you. I am blessed to have been a part of this incredible tour.

Jo Heller Orr

I would like to extend my appreciation for the exceptional efforts put forth by Olga and the driver. Their dedication and creativity were instrumental in navigating the challenges posed by varying road conditions. Their adaptability and steadfast commitment to the journey ensured that we overcame any obstacles with grace and continued on our path. Olga’s remarkable organizational skills and her unwavering support for the group made her an outstanding guide, and I am grateful for her contributions.

The camaraderie among the pilgrims was heartwarming. Their harmonious interactions and cooperative spirit made this pilgrimage a truly blessed one. I was particularly delighted by the presence of Bishop William Medley from the Owensboro Diocese in Kentucky.

As a priest, I am consistently inspired by the profound faith and kindness exhibited by the pilgrims. Their unwavering devotion and compassion towards one another remind me of the goodness that exists within our Catholic faith community.

I wish to extend my thanks to 206 Tours for entrusting me with the role of Spiritual Director for this pilgrimage. It was a privilege and an honor to accompany this group on their spiritual journey. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to serve in this capacity once more in the future.

May God’s blessings continue to shine upon us all.

With warm regards and heartfelt prayers,

Fr. Joe, C.P.

Thank you Milanka and staff of 206 Tours!  My pilgrimage (Tour #37CM081323) with Fr Charles Mangano and Fr Tony Stanganelli was just what I needed!  Our Tour guide Quico was outstanding! He was calm and patient with the over 48 anxious excited and at times demanding pilgrims! He joined in all our rosaries and chaplets as well as morning and evening prayer. He was most reverent at the churches we celebrated mass in…. The local guides, Mafalda (in Lisbon) were proud of their cities and eager to share the history of the locales.

Having known Fr Charles and Fr Tony for many years, I was eager to be with them on pilgrimage! Their holiness and zeal for Our Lord and Lady mixed with love for the Jesus in us all as well as their humor and patience helped all the pilgrims find the peace and graces necessary in our individual journeys. 

206 Tours is the only pilgrimage company I will ever travel with! Communication from your company (From your booking agent- Pierhna to Sandra) was always clear and should we have questions they were answered promptly and with the detail necessary to allay our traveling fears!  

God Bless and May Our Lady continue to bestow her graces upon 206 Tours!

Mary Ellen Fosso 

Thank you so much 206 tours. Medjugorje pilgrimage was wonderful, blessed, awesome, and enjoyable and I can keep on and on and on. I did not expect much since was my first time and did not know what I was going to face but definitely, it was more than anyone could imagine. The wonderful tour guide (Andrej) is very communicative, informative, friendly, and understandable. , magnificent hotel service and the employees were amazing. Everything was 10 plus from beginning to end. For my son and I, this was a wonderful experience and so much Blessing. Definitely will book again.

Thank you so much,

Aura Guerra & Marley DeLaRosa

Hello – I recently returned from Tour 103 – All Italian Shrines. It was AWESOME! Fredricka was our tour guide and she was fabulous! She even stayed with us for two hours at the airport in Venice as we struggled with Air Canada to get us on our flight.

Our daily agenda was clearly communicated. We were given ample free time to explore on our own. The hotels were good (although not air conditioned like we are used to in the States); but hey; that’s part of experiencing a different culture….right?? I traveled with my son; his wife and their 3 teenage children. I prayed for a great spiritual director who would relate well with the teenagers. Fr. Basil was our man!! While we did struggle to understand his English; especially during his homilies when we tended to be in rooms that echoed and he tended to speak faster; he was wonderful in relating to and including the kids. I only have one suggestion for improving our experience. There is one place in your What to know area under Bring Small Bills: It recommends US dollars for bathroom stops. I found that most bathroom stops we made required Euro coins……so I do recommend that change.

I’m not sure I have a favorite stop as each city and it’s story were amazing. The Eucharistic Miracle and Michaelagelo’s David were spectacular. We did do a side trip to the Colosseum which the kids loved so I recommend trying to include that in future itineraries. It was very educational to hear the history of Rome and see the ruins. I think it is important to have a well balanced itinerary between culture, history and spirituality.

I hope to travel again next year with another son and his family. We will definitely consider 206 Tours. Do you offer any deals for repeat customers? Thanks again for an amazing experience and hopefully the spiritual seeds that were planted in the teenagers will continue to be watered by their parents 😊

Blessings!

Linda Kuenning