Depart today on board our overnight transatlantic flights to Prague, arriving the following day. Enjoy a full meal service as well as in-flight entertainment.

Upon arrival in Prague, we will meet our pilgrimage escort and driver at the airport exit where they will escort us to our deluxe, air-conditioned motorcoach. We will then transfer to our hotel for check-in. There will be time to rest and unpack. The first activity as a group will be our Mass and after that we will have our festive group welcome dinner, served with local dishes, at our hotel. Overnight in Prague. (D)

After breakfast at our hotel we will set out for our first full day of sightseeing, exploring all the best that Prague has to offer. Highlights will include Hradcany Castle, the mighty St. Vitus Cathedral (where we will have Mass), the Royal Castle, St. George’s Basilica, and the well-known church of Our Lady Victorious, better known as the location of the famous Infant of Prague, a miraculous statue that draws countless pilgrims from every corner of the globe. Our visit will include a stop in the gift shop. After lunch on our own, we will cross the historic Charles Bridge, exploring the Old Town and Market Square. Our walking tour will take us to see the ”Astronomical Clock,” Wenceslas Square, and the old Jewish Quarter known as Josefov. Last but not least, we will take a tour of the popular Czech Beer Museum. Group dinner at our hotel and overnight in Prague. (B, D)

Following breakfast at our hotel we will check out and depart for the picturesque drive to Vienna. On the way we will stop in the enchanting Czech town of Brno, the old Moravian capital. Here we will enjoy a quiet lunch on our own and a short break for sightseeing with time to admire the famous mix of architecture. We will take a stroll past the Old Town Hall to see the “dragon” and the Tugendhat Villa, built in the 1920s, a pioneering prototype of modern architecture. Along the way we will have Mass. Next we continue to Vienna where we will check-in to our hotel and enjoy a heavenly Austrian dinner. Be sure to try the local beer. Overnight in Vienna. (B, D)

Beginning the day with breakfast we will set out for a full day of sightseeing in the royal city of Vienna. Our morning will include a panoramic tour of the famous ring, a street that forms a half circle around the oldest and most beautiful part of the city. We will take a leisurely stroll through Old Town, walking past the prestigious old University and Opera House. We will pass the city’s major monuments, including the Donner Fountain and the gardens of the Belvedere Palace. We will also see from the exterior some of the finest buildings of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, including the Hofburg Palace (former home of the Habsburg dynasty), the Albertina, the Spanish Riding School, and of course the famous Cathedral of St. Stephen, completed in 1578 (here we will have Mass). We will also visit the Kaisergruft, the Imperial tombs of the Habsburgs at the Capuchins’ Crypt, where we will see the tomb of the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, the Servant of God Zita. After lunch on our own, we will tour the world-renowned Schonbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburg Emperors. The tour will include the exquisite gardens. Also included today will be the church of Mariahilf to pray before its famous icon. We will end our day with a special group dinner in a typical heuriger wine tavern, served with local wine and traditional music. Overnight in Vienna. (B, D)

Breakfast at our hotel and check-out will be followed by a scenic bus ride through the majestic Alps to Salzburg, a musical capital of the world, the birthplace of Mozart, best remembered by many as the backdrop for the Sound of Music. On the way we will visit Melk Abbey, founded in 1089 and still thriving today. The Abbey stands on a rocky hill overlooking the Danube River, a Baroque masterpiece that is a must see. Here we will have Mass. Lunch (included). We will continue our drive to Salzburg, checking into our hotel and enjoying a pleasant dinner together. Overnight in Salzburg. (B, L, D)

After breakfast at our hotel we will enjoy a relaxed walking tour of Salzburg, one of our most favorite Catholic cities in the world. Our walk will include the Mirabell Gardens. Crossing the Salzach River, we will enjoy a gondola ride to Hohensalzburg Fortress for an incredible panoramic view of the city. We will also visit the famous Salzburg Cathedral, renowned for its choral music and organs. Here we will have Mass. In addition, we will pass by Mozart’s house, the Festpielhaus (the opera house and home of the Salzburg Festival every summer) and Residenzplatz, a particularly splendid plaza in the heart of the historic district of Salzburg. We will also see Residenzbrunnen, a Baroque piazza with the largest Baroque fountain in Central Europe. Lunch on our own in this enchanting neighborhood with time for shopping. Afternoon guided tour and beer tasting at the Stiegl Brewpub. Stiegl is one of Austria’s largest privately owned breweries and has been brewing for over 530 years. Dinner at our hotel and overnight in Salzburg. (B, D)

Following breakfast and hotel check-out, we depart through the mountains to the renowned Marian sanctuary known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting. Nestled in the Bavarian countryside, this place of miracles was very close to the heart of Pope Benedict XVI, who was a native of this region. Here pilgrims and tourists alike flock to see the Gnadenkapelle (or the Chapel of Grace), a small chapel, octagonal in shape, that houses the miraculous statue of Our Lady that has been revered here by generations of Bavarians. We will have Mass in one of the chapels with time to shop. Lunch on our own. Next we will continue our drive to nearby Marktl am Inn, to see the birthplace of Pope Benedict XIV (pending permission) where he was born in 1927. Afterwards, we continue our drive to Munich, the Bavarian capital. Upon our arrival we will check into our hotel and rest before our gathering for our relaxed group dinner, serving Bavarian dishes. Overnight in Munich. (B, D)

Following our traditional Bavarian breakfast, we will set out on a walking tour of the grand city of Munich. All the best highlights will be covered, including the Marienplatz, with the world famous “Glockenspiel” and the Gothic Renaissance gem known as Frauenkirche Cathedral, the most familiar landmark of Munich, where Joseph Ratzinger was Archbishop from 1977-1982. Here we will have our Mass. We will continue our leisurely stroll atop the winding, cobbled streets to see the Town Hall and the Asamkirche, one of the most important examples of Late Baroque architecture, built from 1733-1746. Our stroll will include the Feldherrnhalle, a charming loggia in Florentine style, and the beautiful street known as the Ludwigstrasse, one of the city’s four royal avenues. We will admire the great Siegestor, a triumphal arch and peace memorial. Next we will see the Residenz, the largest city palace in Germany, once home to the Kings of Bavaria. Finally, we will visit the Hofgarten, an enchanted court garden popular with locals as well as tourists. Lunch on our own. The afternoon is free for sightseeing, exploring, and shopping. We will regroup for a relaxed dinner at our hotel. Overnight in Munich. (B, D)

Following breakfast we will drive through the mountains, enjoying exquisite views of the countryside. We will visit the village of Schwangau and the fairytale castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria known as Neuschwanstein. This is one of the most enchanting castles in the world where countless tourists visit every year. Our visit will include a guided tour of the inside of the castle, catching a rare glimpse of how royalty lived in the nineteenth century. Lunch on our own. Return to Munich for our Mass, followed by free time for packing. We will gather in the evening for our final farewell dinner at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. Enjoy this wonderful experience, including world-renowned beer, food, and music. Overnight in Munich. (B, D)

Following breakfast, with fresh memories of our time together, we check-out of our hotel, board our motorcoach, and transfer to the airport for our return flights home. (B)