A Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Mexico

July 16, 2024 – Tuesday
BALTIMORE / MEXICO CITY
Tour members gather at BWI International Airport for our connectingflightto Mexico. Upon our arrival in Mexico, we are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour guide who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We celebrate Mass at the Church of San Bernardo before arriving at our hotelfor check-in. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

July 17, 2024 – Wednesday
MEXICO CITY / OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE / TEPEYAC HILL
This morningwe will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Following Mass, we tour the grounds and visit the museum that houses a collection of paintings and colonial religious art by pilgrims in gratitude and thanks for miracles. We ascend Tepeyac Hill to visit the Capilla del Cerrito, the place of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the poor and humble Juan Diego (Cuauhtlatoatzin) in 1531. In the afternoon we will visit Tepeyac Garden and see its statues symbolizing the union of the Aztec people and the Spanish Christian mission. A stop at the Chapel of the Indians completes the tour. Later in the afternoon we drive to Chapultepec Park to visit the National Museum of Anthropology. We will also see other historical sites during the driving portion of our tour. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

July 18, 2024 – Thursday
MEXICO CITY / ZOCALO PLAZA
Today we visit the historical archaeological center of Mexico to celebrate Mass at Santo Domingo Church, which houses two shrines, Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Cavadonga. Following Mass, we drive past the National Palace and arrive at Zocalo Plaza where we visit the largest cathedral in Latin America, the Metropolitan Cathedral, where Juan Diego’s bishop, Juan Zumarraga is buried. We continue our walking tour passing by the site of the Palace of the Archbishop where Juan Diego unfurled his tilma and flowers fell to the ground and the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary appeared on the cloth. Our day concludes with a visit to Garibaldi Square, where we will enjoy the Mariachi Bands. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

July 19, 2024 – Friday
MEXICO CITY / TLAXCALA / OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN / PUEBLA
Today we will enjoy visits outside of Mexico City, first arrivingin Tlaxcala, for a visit and celebration of Mass at the Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro, site of apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel and the spring of curative waters blessed by St. Michael. We will also visitthe Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Ocotlan, where in 1541 another Juan Diego (Bernardino) witnessed a burning pine tree, which was not consumed by the fire. He then discovered inside the pine tree a statue of the Virgin Mary. In the afternoon we drive to Mexico’s most beautiful city Puebla, situated at an elevation of 7,000 feet near Mexico’s snow-capped peaks. Puebla is well known for its beautiful churches and its colorful hand-painted Talavera tiles. While in Puebla, we visit Santo Domingo Church, where we see its beautiful Chapel of the Rosary, followed by a visit to Puebla Cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. We enjoy free time for shopping the many merchants and shops in Puebla. Following dinner at a local restaurant, we return to Mexico City for overnight.

July 20, 2024 – Saturday
MEXICO CITY / CUERNAVACA / TAXCO
This morning we drive to the town of Cuernavaca or “City of Eternal Spring” due to its perfect climate. Here we visit and celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption, a former Franciscan monastery. In the afternoon, we drive to Taxco, known as the “city in the clouds”. Taxco is famous for its rich source of silver and is a pearl of colonial Mexican art. Following a visit at the Church of Santa Prisca, we enjoy an afternoon of leisure in Taxco, shopping for silver treasures and dealing or ‘bartering” with the local shop owners. Late afternoon we return to Mexico City for dinner and overnight.

July 21, 2024 – Sunday
MEXICO CITY / TEOTIHUACAN / TULPETLAC / SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE
Today we drive to Teotihuacan where we will visit the incredible ruins of the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon. From here we drive to Tulpetlac for a visit to the Shrine of the Fifth Apparition, where Juan Diego’s uncle experienced his own apparition of the Virgin Mother and was cured of his terminal illness. Next, we make our way to the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende where we will visit the Parish of San Miguel Arcangel, an immense neo gothic church made of pink stone. Following our visit to the Parish of San Miguel Arcangel, we will visit the church of the Immaculate Conception followed by free time to explore the city’s historic center. Dinner and overnight in San Miguel de Allende.

July 22, 2024 – Monday
SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE / DOLORES HIDALGO / ATOTONILCO
Today we depart San Miguel de Allende for a visit to the city of Dolores Hidalgo, the birthplace of Mexican Independence in the 1800s. While in Dolores Hidalgo, we visit the church where Fr. Miguel Hidalgo gave his famous speech “Cry of Dolores”, calling for not only revolt against the Spanish, but racial equality and redistribution of land. Following our visit, we get a chance to enjoy Dolores Hidalgo’s famous ice cream. In the afternoon we drive to Atotonilco to visit and celebrate Mass at the fortifiedSanctuary of Atotonilco. Following Mass, we will return to San Miguel de Allende fordinner and overnight.

July 23, 2024 – Tuesday
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE / QUERETARO/ MEXICO CITY
This morning we enjoy free time in San Miguel de Allende, prior to departing for the well-preserved Spanish city of Queretaro, known for its baroque buildings and its famous pink stone aqueduct.Following a visit and celebration of Mass at the Santa Rosa de Viterbo Church, we return to Mexico City for this evening’s “Fiesta Mexicana Folklorico Show” at El Lugar de Mariachi Restaurant. Overnight in Mexico City.

July 24, 2024 – Wednesday
MEXICO CITY/ XOCHIMILCO
Today we enjoy another visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Following Mass, we enjoy free time for shopping at the Ciudadela Market, specializing in handcrafts & folk art. where we celebrate Mass. In the afternoon, we drive to peaceful Xochimilco and visit its floating gardens. We enjoy a relaxing ride aboard one of its flat bottom boats, or “Trajineras”, that run along its canals. Late afternoon we return to Mexico City for dinner and overnight.

July 25, 2024 – Thursday
MEXICO CITY / BALTIMORE
Following breakfast this morning, we bid farewell to the land of Our Lady of Guadalupe and arrive at the airport for our return 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.