0507LH3 - Central Europe Pilgrimage 11 days from Toronto

Today, we depart our home city to connect with our overnight flight to Warsaw from Toronto Airport. We enjoy complementary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast while aloft.

We arrive around 13:00hrs at Okecie International Airport, Warsaw. Upon arrival we are greeted by our Tour Manager and board our motor coach to begin our orientation sightseeing tour of Warsaw, including drive through the city center, passing the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the former Ghetto area with the Memorial of the Ghetto Heroes, the Memorial of the Warsaw Uprising, the Royal Route, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Afterwards we transfer to our hotel for check in and some relaxed time before we enjoy our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Following breakfast, we attend Mass at St. Jacob’s Church. This is where Jesus said to St. Faustina: “It’s here I called you, and not elsewhere. We visit Old Town, where each historic building has been painstaking and lovingly reconstructed after the destruction during WWII, we visit St. John the Baptist Cathedral, and the Royal Castle, reconstructed after the destruction during WWII, a royal residence that formerly served throughout the centuries as the official home of Polish monarchs. We have break for lunch on our own and then continue the city tour heading to Lazienki Park to view Chopin’s Monument. Dinner is on our own at one of the many great restaurants that populate Warsaw and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast, we board our motor coach for a two-hour ride to Czestochowa, where we will make our way to the monastery complex of Jasna Gora to visit this famous Marian Shrine. Jasna Gora consists of a Gothic/Baroque church, a Baroque monastery and fortress. This is where the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, “The Black Madonna”, has been preserved. We tour this shrine and celebrate Mass here. We break for lunch on our own before continuing with our visit to Auschwitz/Birkenau, site of one of the most infamous death camps, where a million and a half Jews died at the hands of the Nazis during WWII. We continue to Krakow for dinner and overnight.

Today we visit Wawel Hill and its famous Wawel Castle. Built in the 13th century, it is one of the largest remaining castles in all of Poland. As a home to numerous kings, it has been rebuilt many times over the past seven centuries and now houses significant artifacts to Poland’s past as it is now a national museum recognized by UNESCO. We enjoy a walking tour of Old Town, visiting some of the architectural and historic treasures that make up this wonderful old city. We view the Town Hall Tower, erected during the 13th century, Cloth Hall, located on the same site since the 14th century, St. Mary’s Church, where one of the towers serves as a platform for Krakow’s bugle call, the Hejnal, and Jagellonian University, one of Europe’s oldest schools, which has a room devoted to Copernicus. We break for lunch on our own with time for shopping in the Market area. In the afternoon we continue to Kazimierz - the historic Jewish district of the city. We enjoy diner on our own at one of Krakow’s great restaurants and overnight at our hotel.

Today we board our motor coach for Mass at the Convent of the Divine Mercy at Lagiewniki. After, we proceed to Nowa Huta - the site where St. John Paul II opposed communism. The cornerstone of this church is from St. Peter's Basilica! Afterwards, we proceed to Wieliczka, famous for its salt mine, a UNESCO heritage site. After a break for lunch under own arrangements, we visit the upper levels of the mine, where we view chapels with altar pieces and statures all hand carved by the Polish miners. This is an experience you will never forget. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight

After breakfast, we depart for Wadowice the birthplace of Pope St. John Paul II. Here we celebrate Mass at the parish church of the Holy Father. Afterwards, we continue our journey west into the Czech Republic and the beautiful city of Prague, with a stop along the way for lunch on our own. We arrive in beautiful Prague in time for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast, we begin our tour of Prague and view the Basilica of St. George and its adjacent convent, Wladislav Hall, Golden Lane, Loreto Church, with its remarkable treasury and Carillon playing every hour. We visit the famous Infant Jesus of Prague at the Church of Our Lady of Victory, where we celebrate Mass. After lunch on our own, we visit the Old Town with Astronomical clock, Jewish Quarter and Charles Bridge. We conclude our day with dinner on our own at one of Prague’s great restaurants. Overnight at our hotel.

This morning, following Mass, we have a free day to explore Prague, enjoy the beautiful architecture, shopping or simply relax in the beauty that makes Prague such a popular destination. We enjoy lunch on own on and return to our hotel in time for our farewell dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to Toronto and then the U.S. arriving the same day with memories of a lifetime.