Central Europe Pilgrimage 12 Days

Spiritual Director:

Rev. Raju D. Thottankara

St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Church

Your journey begins as you depart from Houston on your international

flight to Europe. Settle in comfortably, enjoy your

in-flight meals, and rest while you travel across the Atlantic

toward Berlin, the first destination of your pilgrimage.

Upon arrival at Berlin’s Airport, you will meet your tour leader

and transfer to your hotel. After check-in, take time to relax and

refresh following your long flight. The remainder of the afternoon

is free at leisure. Dinner will be served at the hotel.

After breakfast, your exploration of Berlin begins. This panoramic

tour introduces you to important landmarks such as the

Reichstag, the historic building now home to Germany’s parliament,

and Schloss Charlottenburg, the grand baroque palace

built for Queen Sophie Charlotte. You will also see Bellevue

Castle, the official residence of the German president, along with

the iconic Brandenburg Gate, an enduring symbol of German

unity. Continue to Gendarmenmarkt, one of Europe’s most beautiful

squares, then to Alexanderplatz, a major cultural and historical

hub. The tour concludes with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial

Church, preserved as a reminder of World War II destruction.

Enjoy free time afterward to explore Berlin at your own pace.

Dinner will be served in the hotel or in a local restaurant.

After breakfast, travel to Dresden, known as “The Florence on

the Elbe.” Your guided visit includes the Zwinger Palace with its

impressive art collection, the reconstructed Cathedral of Our

Lady, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the Semper Opera, and

the Brühl Terraces along the Elbe River. Free time follows before

continuing toward Prague. On arrival, check in at the hotel and

enjoy dinner.

After breakfast, begin a full day exploring Prague. Visit the Prague

Castle complex, including St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal

Palace, St. George’s Basilica, and Golden Lane. Continue to the

Charles Bridge and see the Loreto Shrine from the outside. Visit the

Church of Our Lady of Victory, home of the Infant Jesus of Prague,

and pass many historic theaters and opera houses. After lunch,

continue the second part of your visit. In the afternoon, attend Holy

Mass, enjoy free time, and have dinner either in the hotel or in a

restaurant.

After breakfast and check-out, drive to Cesky Krumlov for a guided

tour of its UNESCO-listed medieval town, colorful houses, and

castle area. After free time for lunch and shopping, continue to

Vienna. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and enjoy dinner.

After breakfast, tour Vienna. Your guided visit includes the exterior

of the Town Hall, the State Opera House, and the Belvedere Palace,

followed by an interior visit of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Continue

with the exterior of the Hofburg Palace and the complete interior

visit of Schönbrunn Palace, learning about the life of the Habsburg

dynasty. Conclude with an exterior visit of St. Charles Church.

After lunch, continue the program before enjoying free time and

dinner.

After breakfast and check-out, travel to Velehrad, an important

pilgrimage site dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius. Visit the

Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saints Cyril and

Methodius from the outside, with the option to enter individually.

After lunch, continue to Cracow. Upon arrival, check in and enjoy

dinner.

After breakfast, visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage

Site known for its underground chapels and sculptures carved from salt.

Celebrate Holy Mass inside the mine. After lunch, continue to Wadowice to

visit the birthplace of Saint John Paul II. Then visit Kalwaria Zebrzydowska,

a UNESCO-listed sanctuary with a baroque basilica, a miraculous Marian

icon, and devotional paths. Return to Cracow for free time and dinner.

After breakfast, enjoy a guided visit of Cracow’s Old Town, including

Wawel Castle, St. Stanislaus Cathedral, Kanonicza Street, the Market

Square, the Cloth Hall, St. Mary’s Basilica, Jagiellonian University, Florian’s

Gate, and the Barbican. After lunch, continue to Łagiewniki to visit the

Divine Mercy Sanctuary, the tomb of St. Faustina, and the original Divine

Mercy image. Then visit the Saint John Paul II Shrine and attend Holy Mass.

Return to the city center for free time and dinner.

After breakfast and check-out, travel to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum,

the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp. Explore both parts of

the complex, learning about its history and the stories of those imprisoned

there. After lunch, continue to Czestochowa to visit the Jasna Góra Monastery

and the revered Black Madonna icon. Later, travel to Warsaw. Upon

arrival, check in and enjoy dinner.

A take-away breakfast will be prepared for you. After check-out, transfer to

Warsaw Airport for your flight back home, concluding your enriching

pilgrimage through Central and Eastern Europe.