Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Central Europe

July 25, 2022 – Monday
NEW YORK / MILAN
Today we gather for our departing flight from JFK International Airport, arriving in Milan the following day. Meals are served on board our transatlantic flight.

July 26, 2022 – Tuesday
MILAN / LAKE COMO
This morning we arrive in Milan and are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We depart the airport and drive to the beautiful lake district of northern Italy. In the afternoon we arrive at Lake Como and enjoy free time for lunch and shopping before arriving at our hotel for check-in. Dinner and overnight on Lake Como in Lecco.

July 27, 2022 – Wednesday
LAKE COMO / MILAN
Today we enjoy a day-trip to Milan. In Milan we will see the Castello Sforzesco and La Scala Theater, the most renowned opera house in the world. We walk through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and enter the piazza where we will see Milan’s beautiful Cathedral, or “Duomo”, where Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine. Following Mass at the Duomo, we will visit the Basilica of St. Ambrose, where the saint’s relics can be found. Our afternoon is free for lunch, shopping and personal exploration of Milan. Following dinner in Milan, we return to Lake Como for overnight.

July 28, 2022 – Thursday
LAKE COMO / BELLAGIO
This morning we begin a full day visiting interesting villages around and in Bellagio. We begin with a visit to Tremezzo and Villa Carlotta, where we admire spectacular mountains, lakeside views and impeccably manicured gardens. Villa Carlotta is a place of rare beauty, where masterpieces of nature and art live together in perfect harmony with over 700,000 square feet of gardens and its museum, offering an elegant Neoclassical interior with its works of art and sculpture gallery. In the afternoon we continue on to Lenno for a visit to Villa del Balbianello, located at the tip of a peninsula protruding into Lake Como, known for its picturesque gardens in a location so beautiful it has been used in several feature films. Our day concludes with a visit to Bellagio, known as the “Pearl of Lake Como”, where we will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of San Giacomo. This evening dinner will be on our own. Overnight on Lake Como.

July 29, 2022 – Friday
LAKE COMO / VARENNA / ST. MORITZ (ENGADINE VALLEY)
Today we bid farewell to Lake Como and proceed to Varenna, an enchanting fishing village with its medieval center and main square. Here we will visit the Church of St. John the Baptist and celebrate Mass in the Church of San Giorgio. Following Mass, we drive north to the Maloja Pass and the Engadine Valley, popular for its sunny climate, beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. We arrive at the spectacular Swiss Alps resort town of St. Moritz, location of the 1928 & 1948 Winter Olympics. Here we will visit St. Moritz’s lively town center as well as the lovely Lake St. Moritz. While here we may observe townspeople wearing traditional black and red Engadine dress and their horses decorated with plumage and trimmings, including bells. High snow-capped peaks, stunning lakes and steep rock formations surround us for an unforgettable day. Dinner and overnight in St. Moritz.

July 30, 2022 – Saturday
ST. MORITZ / INNSBRUCK
This morning we drive to Innsbruck, host to the 1964 & 1976 Winter Olympics. Upon our arrival, we enjoy a walking tour of Innsbruck, culminating with our arrival at the beautiful high domed baroque style Cathedral of St. James, for a visit and celebration of Mass. The remainder of our day is free for personal exploration of Innsbruck, where we will find numerous cafes and shops. Following dinner on our own, we arrive at our hotel. Overnight in Innsbruck.

July 31, 2022 – Sunday
INNSBRUCK / OBERAMMERGAU
Today we depart Innsbruck and enjoy our drive to the Bavaria region of Germany and the picturesque village of Oberammergau, the place of the highly celebrated Passion Play. Performed faithfully every 10 years since the early 17th century, (this being the 42nd performance), The Passion Play with its more than 2,000 actors, singers and instrumentalists, is truly a once in a lifetime experience, and an elaborate and beautiful display of Christ’s Passion. Soon after the most recent performances in 2010, the villagers again began in their preparation for this year’s performances. The Passion Play will be broken into two halves, the first half in the afternoon, with the second half performed in the evening. In between these two halves of the performance, we will enjoy our group’s Bavarian dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in Oberammergau.

August 1, 2022 – Monday
OBERAMMERGAU / BAVARIA / MUNICH
This morning we travel through the Bavarian countryside and arrive in the town of Steingaden for a visit and celebration of Mass at Wies Church, a Rococo masterpiece and a place of hope for prayers being answered. Also known as the Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged Saviour, Weis Church welcomes more than one million visitors each year. Finally, we arrive in Munich to visit its historic center, where we will see the iconic Church of Our Lady, the towering twin-onion domed steeple church. This evening we enjoy dinner on our own. Overnight in Munich.

August 2, 2022 – Tuesday
MUNICH / REGENSBURG / WELTENBURG ABBEY
Today we enjoy a day exploring Bavaria, starring with our arrival in the 2,000-year-old city of Regensburg along the Danube River. Here we visit and celebrate Mass in perhaps Germany’s most impressive gothic Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Peter. Following Mass, we enjoy a motor coach tour of Regensburg where we will see the University of Regensburg, where Pope Benedict XVI taught theology. We will also see the Old Town Hall as well as Thurn and Taxis Palace, comprised of former Benedictine monastery buildings. From Regensburg we drive south to Kelheim for a scenic cruise featuring limestone crags and majestic forests alongside the Danube River. We arrive at the impressive Weltenburg Abbey, a Benedictine monastery with its amazing architecture, considered to be the oldest monastery in Bavaria, founded by monks in the 7th century. Here we will have the opportunity to taste a sample of the abbey’s beer which they brew. This evening’s dinner will be on our own. Overnight in Munich.

August 3, 2022 – Wednesday
MUNICH / ALTÖTTING
This morning we drive to Altötting, one of Germany’s most celebrated shrines and a village whose purpose is pilgrimage. In the center of the pilgrimage complex we find the Chapel of Mercy. The chapel houses a 13th century statue of the Blessed Virgin to which numerous miraculous cures are credited. Following Mass at the Chapel of Mercy, we enjoy free time for personal exploration of Altötting, where you can visit the Church of Saint Magdalene, Saint Anne’s Basilica, the Church of Saints Philip and James, Saint Conrad’s Church, as well as the Panorama of the Crucifixion and the Pilgrim Museum. In the afternoon we return to Munich and enjoy free time for personal exploration in the always festive Marienplatz. This evening we gather for our “farewell dinner”. Overnight in Munich.

August 4, 2022 – Thursday
MUNICH / NEW YORK
Following breakfast, we transfer to 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.