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Central European Pilgrimage Tour

CENTRAL EUROPEAN PILGRIMAGE TOUR ( 10 days / 9 nights )

VIENNA (2) – BUDAPEST (2) – ZAKOPANE (2) – KRAKOW (3)

Day 1 – VIENNA – Schoenbrunn – VIENNA ( D)

Day 2 –VIENNA – Melk – VIENNA ( B, D )

Half day tour of Vienna including Opera House, City Hall, the Ring, houses designed by Viennese artist Hundertwasser, entrance to Stephen’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace.
In the afternoon excursion to Melk ( 90 km ), visit Melk Abbey – aworld-famous Benedictine abbey in Austria, located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley
Return to Vienna, dinner at local restaurant
Evening optional : visit and relax at Prater or Johann Strauss Concert at Kursalon

Day 3 – VIENNA – Vienna Woods – BUDAPEST ( B, D )

After breakfast visit to Vienna Woods with Seegrotte , Mayerling hunting lodge and Cistercian Abbey of Holy Cross ( Heiligenkreuz )
Departure for Budapest ( 250 km )
Arrival Budapest, check in
Gulash party dinner at the local restaurant

Day 4 – BUDAPEST ( B, D)

Half day tour of Budapest including Houses of Parliament, Fisherman’s Bastions, Old Town and Royal Palace in Buda, panorama of the city from Gellert Hill, Heroes Square. Walking along famous Vaci Utca. Entrance to Mathias Church and St. Stephen’s Cathedral
In the afternoon river cruise on the Danube with glass of wine
Dinner and overnight in Budapest

Day 5 – BUDAPEST – Esztergom – ZAKOPANE ( B, D)

Departure for Esztergom ( 50 km ) – visit 11^th century Castle and Cathedral
Continue to Zakopane ( 360 km )
Dinner at a local restaurant-highlanders’ inn with local cuisine specialities and folklore show

Day 6 – ZAKOPANE ( B, D)

After breakfast sightseeing of Zakopane – the winter capital of Poland and Tatra mountains and John Paul II favourite place for trekking and hiking during summer and skiing in winter.
Visit Our Lady of Fatima church – a votive church ( thanksgiving for surviving the Ali Agca’s attempt on his life ), walk along famous Krupowki Street and old part of the town with wooden houses in Zakopane’s architecture style, funicular train ride to Gubalowka Hill to admire the panorama of Tatras, visit Wooden Church with Old Cemetery etc
In the afternoon walk to Hala Kalatowki with en-route visit to hermitage of Holy Albert Chmielowski and Albertine convent
Dinner and overnight in Zakopane

Day 7 – ZAKOPANE – Wadowice – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – KRAKOW ( B, D)

After breakfast departure for Wadowice – the town where pope John Paul II was born and baptized. Visit the Holy Father’s family home which is now a museum dedicated to his life and activity and a parish church where he was baptized
Continue to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – a pilgrimage sanctuary 17^th century complex with Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels and 41 chapels and stations of the cross on the hill recreating the Jerusalem from the times of Christ. As a young boy John Paul II went on many pilgrimages to the sanctuary. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is listed on UNESCO list from 1999.
Transfer to Krakow,
Evening free
Dinner and overnight in Krakow

Day 8 – KRAKOW – Lagiewniki – KRAKOW ( B, D )

After breakfast half day tour of Krakow including places connected to John Paul II. Apart from standard city attractions the route includes St. Florian Church – the first church in Krakow where Karol Wojtyla was a curate, St. Mary’s Church with a memorial plague commemorating the White March that took place in 1981, Collegium Novum of Jagiellonian University where Karol Wojtyla lectured in theology after WWII, the Archbishop’s Palace on Franciszkanska 3 where he lived for a number of years with famous “papa’s window” and Archdiocese Museum.
In the afternoon visit to the Sanctuary of St. Faustina in Lagiewniki ( Shrine of Divine Mercy ) in the suburbs of Krakow. The church consecrated by John Paul II during his last pilgrimage to Poland in 2002 is one of the largest pilgrimages centres. Participating in the Holy Mass
Dinner at the local restaurant, overnight in Krakow

Day 9 – KRAKOW – Czestochowa – Auschwitz – KRAKOW ( B , D )

After breakfast transfer to Czestochowa, guided visit at the Jasna Gora Monastery – the destination of numerous pilgrimages of Poles and Roman Catholics of other nationalities to admire Miraculous Painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Black Madonna ).
Optional : Holly Mass in Black Madonna Chapel
In the afternoon drive to Auschwitz-Birkenau museum of martyrdom, the largest Nazi concentration camp during WWII where 1,2 million prisoners died.
Farewell dinner at local restaurant in Krakow with folklore show, overnight in Krakow

Day 10 – KRAKOW ( B )