pilgrimage to belgium, germany, switzerland, oberammergau

Departure from Canada,

Morning  departure from Calgary via Toronto to Brussels.   

Brussels - Ghent - Brugge

Morning arrival in Brussels. Transfer by our bus to Bruges. En route we stop in Ghent, once considered the second largest city north of the Alps, after Paris. Continue to Bruges, some time for rest, dinner and overnight.

Brugge

Full day in Brugge where we visit beautifully preserved old town with its Cathedral, old canals and bridges, Market Square, City Hall, the church of Our Lady and the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Some free time for leisure, dinner and overnight.

Brussels - Beauraing

After breakfast we visit Brussels, capital of Belgium. Our tour takes us to the Grand Place, the city’s main square, the Hotel de Ville and the Palace of Justice. Continue to Beauraing, site of Marian apparitions in 1932 and 1933. Dinner and overnight.

Banneux-Notre-Dame - Aachen -

Today we travel to Cologne in Germany. En route we stop at the Shrine of Virgin of Poor in Banneux-Notre-Dame. Continue to Aachen, where we visit Cathedral founded around 800 AD, burial site of Charlemagne. Dinner and overnight in Cologne.

Cologne

Full day in Cologne. We visit the magnificent Cathedral in Cologne, the masterpiece of Gothic architecture where we celebrate Mass. Afternoon free time for leisure, dinner and overnight.

Rhine Rvier crusie - Heidelber

After breakfast we travel to Heidelberg. En route we embark on a cruise down the scenic River Rhine past medieval castles and terraced vineyards from Rudesheim to Mainz. Continue to Heidelberg for dinner and overnight.

Heidelberg - Rothenburg - Augs

This morning our tour of Heidelberg, a picturesque Baroque town with the oldest university in Germany will take us to the old town, the castle, old stone bridge and Karl’s gate. Continue to Rothenburg, a town on famous German Romantic Road. Some free time to explore this walled medieval town, one of the only ones left in Germany. Continue to Augsburg for dinner and overnight.

Augsburg - Munich

Today we travel to Munich. Our tour of the city will take us to the Altstadt, central Marienplatz and Neues Rathaus with a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century. Return to Augsburg to revel in the beauty of its center: medieval guild houses, the 11th-century St. Mary's cathedral and the onion-domed Sankt Ulrich und Afra abbey. Dinner and overnight.

Oberammergau Passion Play

This morning we travel to Oberammergau to participate in the Passion Play performed every 10 years in this small town. This wonderful spectacle of pageantry takes place indoors and outdoors where the sky and mountains are the backdrop. It’s world renown for the costumes and music presentation, performed by more than 2,000 citizens. Dinner and overnight in special accommodation in Oberammergau or its surroundings.

Neuschwannstein - Einsiedeln

Today we visit Neuschwanstein to see the fairy-tale castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Continue to Einsiedeln in Switzerland for dinner and overnight.

Einsiedeln - Lucerne

This morning we visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Hermits in Einsiedeln. Continue to Lucerne where our sightseeing tour takes us to Lion Monument by B. Thorvaldsen, the Cathedral of St. Leodegar and the Kapellbrucke, old bridge originally built in 1333. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Departure to Canada

After breakfast we are transferred to the airport in Zurich for a flight back to Calgary via Toronto. Evening arrival.