A Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Greece & the Greek Isles

May 28, 2027 – Friday
DETROIT / GREECE
Our journey begins as we gather at Detroit Metropolitan Airport for our departing flight to Greece. Meals are served on our transatlantic flight.

May 29, 2027 – Saturday
ATHENS
Today we arrive in Athens and are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour guide. Our pilgrimage of Greece begins with a motor coach tour of classical Athens, where we will see such sites as Constitution Square, the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Temple of Zeus, the Old Olympic Stadium, and the neoclassical buildings of Athens. Following Mass at the Church of St. Joseph, we arrive at our hotel for check-in. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

May 30, 2027 – Sunday
ATHENS / DELPHI
Following Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite (Saint Denis), the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Athens, we drive to Delphi, the center of the ancient world, the “omphalos” (navel) of the earth—whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mount Parnassos, in a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and majesty, lies the archaeological site of Delphi. We visit the Temple of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, and the Archaeological Museum containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.

May 31, 2027 – Monday
DELPHI / METEORA / KALAMBAKA
This morning we drive to the spectacular Meteora with its thousand-year-old Byzantine monasteries perched precariously on huge finger-like rocks, where we enjoy a visit with a wonderful view. Following our time in Meteora, we continue onto Kalambaka, where we celebrate Mass at our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

June 1, 2027 – Tuesday
KALAMBAKA / THESSALONIKI
Following breakfast, we depart for Thessaloniki where Paul preached and sent his first and second letters to the Thessalonians. Here we enjoy a panoramic driving tour of Thessaloniki where we will see the White Tower, the Arch of Galerius & the Rotunda of Galerius on the Egnatian Way. During our tour, we will stop at the Old City walls, offering a panoramic view of Thessaloniki. We will also see the Byzantine Acropolis on our way to visit the Church of Saint Demetrius, followed by a visit and celebration of Mass in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

June 2, 2027 – Wednesday
THESSALONIKI / PHILIPPI / KAVALA
Today we drive to Philippi, where Paul established the first church in Europe. Here we see the ancient forum and jail where Paul & Silas were imprisoned as well as the river where Lydia was baptized. Following Mass at Lydia’s Baptistery, we visit the beautiful port city of Kavala (Neapolis), where Paul landed when he sailed from Troas. We return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.

June 3, 2027 – Thursday
THESSALONIKI / VERIA / ATHENS
This morning we depart Thessaloniki and proceed to Veria, on the terraced foot of Mount Vernon. Here we will visit St. Paul’s Tribune and celebrate Mass at Saint Paul’s Bema, the very spot where Paul preached to the local community. Following our visit, we continue our scenic drive south, where we will arrive in Athens to check into our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

June 4, 2027 – Friday
ATHENS / AEGEAN SEA / MYKONOS
This morning we board our cruise ship. During our sailing to Mykonos, we pause for a celebration of Mass. Late afternoon we enjoy dinner aboard our ship, prior to arriving at our first stop, Mykonos. We see a hilly, rock-ribbed island of 29 square miles dotted with more than 350 tiny chapels built by 19th-century pirates to invoke the protection of their patron saints. We visit a fishing harbor with shops and boutiques selling handmade sweaters, dresses, fabrics, jewelry and more at bargain prices. Dinner and overnight at Sea.

June 5, 2027 – Saturday
KUSADASI / EPHESUS / PATMOS
Today we arrive at the port of Kusadasi to enjoy a tour of Ephesus, the best preserved of the original Seven Churches of Revelation. Ancient tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary lived here with Saint John. The Apostle Paul spent two years in Ephesus and wrote his First Letter to the Corinthians here. We celebrate Mass at the House of the Virgin Mary, where Mary spent the final years of her life. Following Mass, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Ancient Ephesus where we will see among other sites, the Magnesian Gate, the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Prytaneum, Hadrian’s Temple and the Great Theatre. Our tour concludes with a visit to the Covered Bazaar of Kusadasi with free time for shopping. In the afternoon we sail to the Island of Patmos, where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation and where we will visit Saint John’s Monastery and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. We return to our ship for dinner and overnight at Sea.

June 6, 2027 – Sunday
CRETE / SANTORINI
This morning we dock in Heraklion, the capital of Crete. The Apostle Paul ended up in Crete because of severe winds (Acts 27:7). A short ride takes us to the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos, which is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos. At the Archaeological Museum we will see displays of many of the treasures found during the excavation of this ancient city. We re-board our ship and celebrate Mass en route to Santorini, believed by many travelers to be the most breathtaking of all the Greek Isles. Upon our arrival in Santorini, we enjoy a walking tour and see the beautiful whitewashed houses, narrow streets and open-air cafes that cling to steep cliffs that are accessible only by cable car or mule. An interesting fact about Santorini is that in recent Minoan excavations, evidence was discovered that have led scientists and archeologists to believe that Santorini may be the fabled lost continent of Atlantis. We return to our ship for dinner. Overnight at Sea en route to Athens.

June 7, 2027 – Monday
ATHENS / CORINTH
Today our ship returns to the port of Piraeus. Upon disembarking from our ship, we will drive to Ancient Corinth to visit the archaeological site where the Apostle Paul lived and preached. We visit the market place where Paul preached to the Corinthians. We will also visit the sixth century BC Temple of Apollo, the Museum of Corinth, and the Bema Seat of Saint Paul, where we celebrate Mass. From Corinth we will drive to the Nikolaou Family olive mill and bottling factory, where we will learn about olive oil production, followed by a visit to its gift shop. Later in the afternoon, we will arrive at Markou Vineyards, a family run winery, where we will witness the process of producing wine “from vineyard to bottle”. Following our wine tasting, we will return to Athens where we will enjoy this evening’s dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Athens.

June 8, 2027 – Tuesday
ATHENS
Today we step into history as we visit the legendary Acropolis to marvel at the spectacular Parthenon, the Temple of Athena, and its Winged Victory statue. Just a short walk away, we ascend the Areopagus, famously known as Mars Hill. It was on this very rocky outcrop that the Apostle Paul was brought before the high council of Athens. Here, Paul delivered his profound and brilliant “Men of Athens” speech, revealing the identity of the “Unknown God” to the locals and bridging the gap between paganism and Christianity (Acts 17:22-31). Following Mass at the Bema Seat of Saint Paul, we will enjoy free time for shopping and personal exploration on the pedestrian-friendly Ermou Street. Early evening we gather for our “farewell dinner” at Bairaktaris Tavern. Overnight in Athens.

June 9, 2027 – Wednesday
ATHENS / DETROIT
Following Mass this morning, we bid farewell to the ancient New Testament land of Greece and drive to the airport for our connecting flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.