0825OS5 - Central Europe Pilgrimage 9 days from Chicago

Today, we depart our home cities to connect with our overnight flight bound for Vienna. We will enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.

This morning, we arrive in Vienna where we will be met and board our motorcoach. Depending on arrival time we enjoy an orientation tour of Vienna's Ringstrasse we'll pass by City Hall, the Burg Theater, Houses of Parliament, two State Museums, the Opera, after visiting the Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral. We proceed to our hotel for a group dinner and overnight.

Leaving the city and foothills of the Alps, travel through the Burgenland onto the sweeping Hungarian plain. A stop will be made at Györ, where the Irish Madonna attracts many Pilgrims. We will celebrate Mass here. We travel to the famous Danube Bend for a short time of shopping and exploration of the village of Szentendre along the Danube Valley, well known for its artists and artisans. This evening, we enjoy a boat ride on the Danube. The commentary will include the history of the city’s most important buildings situated along the river. We enjoy a group dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning we drive to the Royal castle in Buda, where we will visit Fishermen's Bastion and the beautiful Gothic St. Matthias Church. Afterwards, we continue to the Citadel, where we enjoy the best view over the Danube and the lower city of Pest. Later, we cross the Elizabeth Bridge to the Market Hall and the pedestrian center, where we will have free time for lunch on our own. In the afternoon, drive through the City Park to Hero's Square, then past the Opera and Parliament. We conclude our day with a visit and Mass at St. Stephen's Basilica. This evening, we will enjoy a special dinner at the Gypsy Tavern with folkloric entertainment. Overnight at our hotel

Today, following Mass near our hotel we head north out of Budapest and soon cross the border into Slovakia. By way of Banska Bystrica and crossing the Lower Tatra Mountains, we'll reach the border and enter the industrious southern region of Poland to arrive at Krakow for a group dinner and overnight.

This morning we will celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Florian, where Saint John Paul II served as a curate, and where he lived while university chaplain. Afterwards, we meet our guide and begin our sightseeing tour. Our first stop is the courtyard of 16th century Royal Castle, and Wawel Cathedral, where generations of Polish Kings are buried. We then take a walking tour of Old Town, visiting some of the treasures of this wonderful old city. We will view the Town Hall Tower and the Cloth Hall, located on the same site since the 15th century Collegium Maius in the oldest university area and St. Mary's Church. Here we enjoy the ancient tradition of the "Hejnal" or bugle call from the Tower, which warned residents of the coming of an enemy. After some free time for lunch, we depart Krakow and travel to the infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp with its Martyrdom Museum. Saint John Paul II visited the cell of St. Maximillian Kolbe at Auschwitz in June 1979 on his first visit to Poland after becoming Pope. Finally, on return, we visit the newly built Basilica of the Divine Mercy, the home of St. Sister Faustina. We will see the convent and visit with the Sisters there. This evening we’ll have a group dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast we depart Krakow and check out of our hotel we travel to Wadowice, the birthplace of Saint John Paul II. En route we pass by the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Benedictine Monastery where the Holy Father often prayed and walked the Stations of the Cross. In Wadowice, we celebrate Mass in the parish church where the Holy Father was baptized and afterwards, we visit the museum in his small family home. We continue to Prague and our hotel for a group dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we begin our tour of Prague at Castle Hill and visit St. Vitus Cathedral, Wladislav Hall and Golden Lane. We will visit the famous Infant Jesus of Prague at the Church of Our Lady of Victory, where we will celebrate Mass. Our afternoon tour of Prague will include the Old Town with Astronomical clock, Jewish Quarter and Charles Bridge. Return to our hotel for a group dinner and overnight.

This morning we transfer to the airport in Prague to board our flight to the USA arriving later today with memories of a lifetime.