Depart today on our overnight flight to Zürich. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

After arrival in Zürich, we will meet our tour manager and then board our motor coach and take a scenic drive to the Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Switzerland (and Europe). Enjoy some free time in this beautiful natural setting before returning to Zurich for our overnight.

This morning, depart Zurich and drive to Einsiedeln, the most famous pilgrimage destination in Switzerland. Visit the Benedictine Monastery of Einsiedeln whose name derives from the German word Einsiedler, or hermits. Among these was the famous Meinrad who, in the early 9th century, retired to the forest with a little statue of the Madonna which was given to him by a local abbess. Since the early 10th century, Einsiedeln has remained a place of fervent pilgrimage and the famous Black Madonna statue is found in the Mercy Chapel. We will celebrate Mass at the Monastery, which is situated amidst green pastures and dense forests. Then cross the Swiss/Austrian border and drive to Innsbruck, one of the most attractive cities of Alpine Europe located in a lovely spot at the foot of the Karwendel Alps.

Today will be the highlight of our tour as we depart for the village of Oberammergau to witness the Passion Play performed by the local villagers. The story of Oberammergau is one of faith and began with a miracle. In the 1600’s the “Black Plague” swept through Europe, striking down one in every three people and leaving in its wake, misery, panic, and death. The people of Oberammergau prayed to the Lord, vowing they would present a play depicting the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ every ten years if their village was spared. True to their word, they first performed the Passion Play in 1634 and have kept their pledge for nearly 400 years since.

This morning we will depart Oberammergau and drive to visit the Wieskirche (Church of the Meadow) which is considered to be the most beautiful Rococo church in Europe. We will then see Neuschwanstein which is one of the fairytale castles built by King Ludwig II. Lastly, drive to the Dachau Concentration Camp, the first of the Nazi concentration camps opened in Germany, intended to hold political prisoners. Then drive on to Munich, our home for the next two nights.

This morning drive to Erding, site of the famous Eucharistic miracle from 1417, dedicated to the Most Precious Blood. Return to Munich where we will visit the historic Glockenspiel on the Marienplatz, and the revered twin-towered Frauenkirche, the most familiar landmark of old Munich, the Burgersaal Church, and the Michaelskirche.

Early this morning, we depart Munich, crossing the German/Austrian border into Salzburg. Stroll through the heart of old Salzburg and visit Mozart's birthplace, the famous Horse Fountain, the Hohen Salzburg Fortress and the modern Festival Hall. Visit the religious heritage of this town including the 17th century Cathedral, Nonnberg Convent, founded by St. Rupert in the 8th Century, and the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter, also founded by St. Rupert.

Today we travel north to Prague, visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting along the way. Also known as the Chapel of Grace, this is the oldest Marian shrine in Germany. It became a popular pilgrim destination in 1489 after a young boy who had drowned had a miraculous recovery when his mother laid his body before the image and prayed to the Blessed Mother. Continue to Prague for check-in at our hotel, our home for the next 3 nights.

Today we will enjoy a full day tour of Prague, starting with a visit to Loreto Shrine, one of the most important pilgrimage shrines in the Czech Republic. Then visit Prague Castle where we will visit St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, the picturesque Golden Lane, the Royal Palace and St. George’s Convent. Then proceed to Mala Strana, “the Little Quarter”, with its beautiful architectural buildings. Here we will visit the Church of St. Nicholas and then the Church of Our Lady Victorious where we will see the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague and celebrate Mass.

This morning we will cross the Charles Bridge to visit the Old Town, which is considered to be one of the best historical city centers in Europe. Visit the Old Town Square, the Town Hall with its famous Astronomical Clock which comes alive when the hour strikes and the twelve disciples appear to bless the crowd, the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, and the Church of St. Nicholas. The remainder of the day is free for personal activities, until our farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

This morning transfer to airport to catch our return flight home.

Depart today on our overnight flight to Prague. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

Arrive in the Czech capital of Prague, one of Europe’s most attractive cities. We will meet our tour manager and then board our motor coach and drive to our hotel, our home for the next 3 nights. The rest of the day is free to discover this fascinating city on our own.

Today we enjoy a full day tour of Prague, starting with a visit to Loreto Shrine, a replica of the Holy House of Loreto, and one of the most important pilgrimage shrines in the Czech Republic. Then visit Prague Castle where we will visit St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, the picturesque Golden Lane, the Royal Palace, and St. George’s Convent. We proceed to Mala Strana, “the Little Quarter,” with its beautiful architectural buildings. Here we will visit the Church of St. Nicholas and then the Church of Our Lady Victorious where we venerate the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague and celebrate Mass. The evening will be free to find dinner on your own at one of the many delicious restaurants in the area and spend some free time exploring more of this charming city.

This morning we will cross the Charles Bridge to visit the Old Town, considered to be one of the best historical city centers in Europe. Visit the Old Town Square, the Town Hall with its famous Astronomical Clock which comes alive when the hour strikes, and the Twelve Apostles appear to bless the crowd. We will see the Church of Our Lady before Tyn and visit the Church of St. Nicholas. The remainder of the day is free for personal activities. Tonight, we will enjoy a “Farewell to Prague” dinner together.

This morning we depart Prague and drive across the border into Germany, through the scenic countryside to Altotting. We visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, also known as the Chapel of Grace, the oldest Marian shrine in Germany. This church became a popular pilgrim destination in 1489 after a young boy who had drowned had a miraculous recovery when his mother laid his body before the image and prayed to the Blessed Mother for a miracle. After Mass in Altotting, we will drive to Munich, our home for the next two nights.

Today we will spend the entire day in Munich, including visits to the historic Glockenspiel on the Marienplatz, the revered twin-towered Frauenkirche, the most familiar landmark of old Munich, the Burgersaal Church, and the Michaelskirche. We will enjoy lunch at the renowned Hofbrauhaus to learn about the techniques used to make a Bavarian brew at the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum. The rest of the day will be free to explore this fascinating city on our own.

This morning we will depart Munich and drive to visit the Wieskirche (Church of the Meadow), considered to be the most beautiful Rococo church in Europe. We then drive to the village of Oberammergau, home to the world-famous Passion Play. Today will be the highlight of our pilgrimage as we witness the Passion Play performed by the local people of Oberammergau. The story of Oberammergau is one of faith and began with a miracle. In the 1600’s the “Black Plague” swept through Europe, striking down one in every three people and leaving in its wake, misery, panic, and death. The people of Oberammergau prayed to be spared, vowing that they would present a play depicting the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ every ten years. True to their word, the villagers performed their Passion Play in 1634 and have kept their pledge, the routine of plays only having been interrupted by two World Wars. Our overnight tonight is in the nearby Bavarian town of Bad Kohlgrub.

We begin our last morning in Germany with a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle one of the most famous of the fairytale castles built by King Ludwig II, and where Walt Disney found his inspiration for Cinderella’s castle. Proceed to delightful Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Encircled by the majestic Alps, the picturesque town delivers a stunning panorama in every direction. With its distinctive Bavarian architecture and mellow pace, life in the valley feels like another world. From here we will view the peak of Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain. Cross the border into Austria and continue to Innsbruck, one of the most attractive cities of Alpine Europe and the capital of Tyrol set in a lovely spot at the foot of the Karwendel Alps. An orientation tour of Innsbruck shows us the 14th-century houses of the old town, the impressive Imperial Palace, and the delightful Golden Roof – the emblem of the old town, which was completed in 1500, the roof was decorated with 2,738 fire-gilded copper tiles. Overnight in Innsbruck.

Today we travel across the border into Switzerland and drive to Einsiedeln, a beautiful alpine town, and the most famous pilgrimage destination in Switzerland. Visit the Benedictine Monastery of Einsiedeln whose name derives from the German word Einsiedler, or hermits. Among these was the famous Meinrad who, in the early 9th century, retired to the forest with a little statue of the Madonna which was given to him by a local abbess. Meinrad was killed by robbers who were then eventually brought to justice for their crime. Since the early 10th century, Einsiedeln has remained a place of fervent pilgrimage, and the famous Black Madonna statue is found in the Mercy Chapel. Celebrate Mass at the Monastery, which is situated amidst green pastures and dense forests with some of the country’s most beautiful scenery before continuing to Lucerne, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

Our last full day of pilgrimage is spent entirely in the quaint city of Lucerne. This morning we’ll enjoy a tour of the medieval city center with its historical and picturesque old houses, churches, world-famous wooden bridges, towers, fountains, and narrow streets. We’ll view the twin-towered Jesuit Church, one of the most handsome baroque buildings in Switzerland, the Hofkirche built in the Renaissance style, and the Franciscan Church which was built in the high Gothic style. We will also view the famous Lion Monument which Mark Twain called the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world. Carved out of a sheer sandstone cliff, it depicts a dying lion with its chin sagging on its shield. Finally, we will enjoy a pleasant boat cruise on Lake Lucerne while passing picturesque villages and stately villas.

This morning transfer to Zurich airport for our return flight home, taking all our memories of this once-in-a-decade pilgrimage opportunity with us.

Our pilgrimage begins today as we depart on our flight to Germany. Meals and drinks served aloft.

After arrival in Frankfurt, we will meet our tour manager and then board our motor coach and drive to Rudesheim for overnight. The balance of the day will be free.

This morning take a cruise on the Rhine River. Visit Rheinfels Castle, the largest, and one of the most magnificent castles ruins on the Rhine. Also, see the Basilica of St. Martin, the main Catholic church in the city of Bingen. Afterward, we’ll tour the Benedictine Abbey at Eibingen. Here we learn about Saint Hildegaard of Bingen, also a composer and poet. But it’s only recently that her songs, writings, and remarkable life and visions have been rediscovered. After Mass, return to our hotel in Rudesheim.

This morning we drive to Heidelberg where we will stroll through the historic city center’s Gothic streets. We’ll see Heidelberg Castle, the symbolic heart of the city; Alte Brucke, a beautiful 18th-century bridge; The Altstadt (Old Town), Church of the Holy Ghost and the Jesuitenkirche. Then drive to Augsburg for our overnight stay.

This morning we will depart for the village of Oberammergau, home to the world-famous Passion Play. Today will be the highlight of our tour as we witness the Passion Play performed by the local people of Oberammergau. The story of Oberammergau is one of faith and began with a miracle. In the 1600’s the “Black Plague” swept through Europe, striking down one in every three people and leaving in its wake, misery, panic, and death. The people of Oberammergau prayed to be spared, vowing that they would present a play depicting the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ every ten years. True to their word, the villagers performed their Passion Play in 1634 and have kept their pledge, the routine of plays only having been interrupted by two World Wars.

This morning we will depart Oberammergau and drive to visit the Wieskirche (Church of the Meadow) which is considered to be the most beautiful Rococo church in Europe. We will then see Neuschwanstein which is one of the fairytale castles built by King Ludwig II. Lastly, drive to the Dachau Concentration Camp, the first of the Nazi concentration camps opened in Germany, intended to hold political prisoners. Then drive near Munich, our home for the next three nights.

Today we will celebrate Mass and then have the balance of the day free to explore the famous Oktoberfest festivities. Visit one of the festive beer tents and celebrate the closing of the celebration or walk around the Old Town. Dinner will be on your own at one of the many Old Town restaurants.

This morning drive to Erding, site of the famous Eucharistic miracle from 1417, dedicated to the Most Precious Blood. Return to Munich where we will visit the historic Glockenspiel on the Marienplatz, and the revered twin-towered Frauenkirche, the most familiar landmark of old Munich, the Burgersaal Church, and the Michaelskirche.

Depart Munich and drive to the Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, also known as the Chapel of Grace, which is the oldest Marian shrine in Germany. The shrine became a popular pilgrim destination in 1489 after a young boy who had drowned had a miraculous recovery after his mother laid his body before the image and prayed to the Blessed Mother for a miracle. After Mass in Altotting, we will continue across the German-Czech border and continue our scenic drive through the countryside to the Czech capital of Prague, one of Europe’s most attractive cities.

Today we will enjoy a full day tour of Prague, starting with a visit to Loreto Shrine, one of the most important pilgrimage shrines in the Czech Republic. Then visit Prague Castle where we will visit St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, the picturesque Golden Lane, the Royal Palace, and St. George’s Convent. Then proceed to Mala Strana, “the Little Quarter,” with its beautiful architectural buildings. Here we will visit the Church of St. Nicholas and then the Church of Our Lady Victorious where we will see the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague and celebrate Mass.

This morning we will cross the Charles Bridge to visit the Old Town, which is considered to be one of the best historic city centers in Europe. Visit the Old Town Square, the Town Hall with its famous Astronomical Clock which comes alive when the hour strikes and the twelve disciples appear to bless the crowd, and the Church of Our Lady before Tyn. The remainder of the day is free for personal activities.

This morning transfer to the airport to catch our return flight home.