1027BA5 - Pilgrimage to Northern Europe, Germany & Switzerland 11 days from Seattle

We depart Seattle to connect with our overnight flight with dinner arriving in Amsterdam the next day. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.

This morning, we arrive in Amsterdam, where we are met by our tour manager. We enjoy a guided walking orientation tour of the Old City and the Jewish Community area including an interior visit to the home of Anne Frank. We continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning is devoted to activities at the shrine of Our Lady of All Nations. Our Lady appeared to Ida Peerdermen on March 25, 1945. There were 56 apparitions until May 31, 1959. On May 31, 1996, His Excellency Hendrik Bomers, Bishop of Haarlem, gave his nihil obstat in approving devotion to Our Lady of All Nations. Less than three weeks later, on June 17, 1996, Ida Peerdermen went home to the Lord. She was in her nineties. This afternoon, we enjoy a tour of the city, which includes a visit to the Rijksmuseum with its collection of Rembrandt’s and Dutch Masters. We visit the Royal Palace. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning, following breakfast, we depart Amsterdam and drive south into Belgium and visit Bruge, a city that still looks just as it did in the Middle Ages. We tour this lovely city. Of special interest will be The Basilica of the Holy Blood, where the relic of the Holy Blood believed to be that from Calvery has been kept since 1149. We will celebrate Mass here. This afternoon, we continue to Brussels, the Capital of Belgium for dinner and overnight.

Brussels is a heart-shaped city of contrasts. On one side are tall shiny modern buildings and the other side is "Old Brussels" with its brick shops and houses decorated with ornamental ironwork. Our tour of the city this morning, includes the main points of interest of the lower and upper part, such as the Gothic Town Hall and the famous Guild Houses in the Grand Place, the unusual Manneken Pis fountain, Petit Sablon Square, and we pass by the Royal Palace and Parliament House. Later, we continue to Beauraning. It was here that in 1932, that the Blessed Mother appeared to four children over a period of months with tens of thousands of pilgrims in attendance. Visited by His Holiness John Paul II in 1985, these apparitions received the approval of the Church in 1949. We celebrate Mass here at the shrine. Afterwards, we continue to Banneux, the site of recognized apparitions of Our Lady of the Poor who appeared to 11-year-old Mariette Beco eight times in 1933. We celebrate Mass at one of the many chapels here at the shrine and visit the spring which the Blessed Mother declared “reserved for all nations, for the sick.” Dinner and overnight at our hotel here.

Early this morning we celebrate Mass here in one of the chapels at the site of recognized apparitions of Our Lady of the Poor who appeared to 11-year-old Mariette Beco eight times in 1933. We also visit the spring which the Blessed Mother declared “reserved for all nations, for the sick.” After our visit we drive south to Munich. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, following Mass at the parish church, we make our way across the Alps into the Swiss countryside to Lucerne. We tour the delightful city along the banks of beautiful Lake Lucerne. We see the Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument, Glacier Garden, Hofkirche, the Musegg Towers and Weinmarket Fountain. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, following Mass at our hotel, we drive to the foot of the spectacular Mt. Rigi. Here one of Switzerland’s famous cog trains will slowly meander us to the summit where we can truly sit amongst the Swiss Alps. This afternoon, we return to Lucerne, where will be free for shopping, personal adventure or rest. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, we depart Lucerne. Our first stop will be at Einsiedeln, the site of Black Madonna. Afterwards, we see the Bernese Oberland, skirt Lake Brienz with mountain scenery, on the way to Interlaken, nestled at the foot of the majestic Jungfrau. We continue to Grindelwald, a beautiful village high in the Alpine ski country. We continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we celebrate Mass near the hotel. Afterwards we are free for personal adventure including an optional rail trip up to the Jungfrau, a sky-high saddle in the Swiss Alps and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers jaw-dropping views of the Bernese Oberland’s massive glaciers and snowy peaks. Travel by narrow cog railway. After lunch on our own, we continue our scenic drive to Zurich. The business & financial Capital of the Swiss, Zurich straddles the River Limmat at the end of Lake Zurich. We will see the residential sections as well as we enjoy a walk through the old city to see the painted Guild houses. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, we transfer to the airport for our journey home to the States today remembering the good times we had and happy for the new friends we made.