Germany, Austria and Prague
Departure from the U.S for our overnight flight to Munich. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
We arrive in Munich and are met and assisted by our personnel who will remain with us until the end of the tour. We embark on a scenic motor coach tour of Munich. The remainder of the day is free. Dinner and overnight in Munich.
This morning we take a trip to some of the most loved places in southern Germany. First, we go to Oberammergau, home of the centuries old Passion Play. We’ll see the Passionspeilhaus, the theater of the Passion Play. Usually it is possible to watch and visit the craftsmen and artists who are preparing for the next performance. We’ll also take a tour of the quaint old city of Oberammergau. Next, we’re off to the city of Fussen to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle, built at beginning of the 20th century by an incredibly lavish German king names Ludwig II. Neuschwanstein, perched atop the mountains is a scene out of a fairy tale. Everything inside the castle is so over-the-top, there may be no décor in all of Europe to compare with it. We drive to the West to Bavaria’s famous Ottobeuren Abbey to join in the monastic Liturgy of the Hours. We’ll tour the majestic basilica and visit the Chapel of St. Benedict and the Abbey Museum. We return to Munich for dinner and overnight.
We head off on a day trip in Bavaria to the 2,000 year old city of Regensburg along the Danube River. Amidst a medieval landscape founded by Marcus Aurelius we visit the home of Germany’s most impressive gothic Cathedral and celebrate Mass there. We will have time to explore the ancient with its many eras and flavors along narrow walkways and stone bridges. In the afternoon we depart for Munich were we visit the Asamkirche, one of the most richly decorated rococo churches in the world. A relatively small church, it is named for its two builders, the brothers Cosmas & Egid Asam. The skeleton of the saint for which the church is formally named, St. Johannus Nepomuk, is enshrined there in a glass case. We continue on to Altotting, one of Germany’s most celebrated shrines and a city whose purpose is pilgrimage. Upon arrival we’ll celebrate Mass at the center of the pilgrimage complex, the Chapel of Mercy. The chapel houses a 13th century statue of the Blessed Virgin to which numerous miraculous cures are credited. While there, we have the opportunity to visit the Basilica, the Panorama of the Crucifixion, the Pilgrim Museum, St. Konrand’s Monastery and more. Dinner and overnight in Munich.
After breakfast we depart via plane or motor to Vienna, Austria’s capital. We will celebrate Mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, an imposing structure dating to the 13th century. We’ll have time for Viennese pastry and coffee before seeing the State Opera House, home to the Vienna Boys’ Choir, and Schonbrunn Palace. This sprawling, royal ‘summer house’ has 1,441 rooms including a Hall of Mirrors where Mozart performed at the age of six before a young Marie Antoinette. Dinner and over night.
After breakfast we visit Prince Eugene’s Belvedere Palace and the seemingly endless HofburgPalace. Later we’ll get a different look at Vienna, from the sear in the Prater’s enormous Ferris wheel. Dinner and overnight.
After breakfast we motor west through Austria, but, just before, we’ll make a cure via Mariazell – the most important pilgrimage palace in Austria. We will stop and see the miraculous statue, which is housed in the Lady Chapel or Chapel of Miracles, build directly over the place where Magnus established his monastic cell in 1157. Next drive to the lovely birthplace of Mozart, Salzburg the city of great houses, mansions, Festival Hall, and the Mirabelle Gardens. Hear the bells of the great Glockenspiel Tower, performed to a melody of Mozart’s. Dinner rand overnight in Salzburg.
After breakfast, our full day tour begins with Mass at St. Peter’s Churchyard. Salzburg is compact and best explored on foot. Narrow, winding lanes and secluded passageways are evidence of its medieval roots. The heritage of the Catholic Church is evident in the Archbishop’s Residence and the decoration of the State Rooms, available for viewing. Visit the mighty Romanesque Cathedral, the Nonnberg Convent of Benedictine nuns, and the Fortress Hohensalzburg. We stop at Hellbrunn Palace to enjoy its gardens and hidden trick fountains. Dinner and overnight.
After breakfast we depart for our scenic motorcoach ride to the enchanting city of Prague, a city of domed rooftops, soaring steeples, and countless spires. Dinner and overnight.
After breakfast, we begin our tour of beautiful Prague. We will celebrate Mass at the Church of Our Lady Victorious and see there the renowned statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. We visit Old Town by way of Golden Lane and then go to the Lesser Town to see the medieval Charles Bridge that is adorned with many baroque statues. We will also see St. Nicholas Church, the Astronomic Clock, and the Prague Castle district where we tour St. Vitus Cathedral, St George Basilica, Loreto Church, Strahov Monastery, and Wenceslas Square. Dinner and overnight.
We depart from Prague Airport for our return flight to the U.S.
THIS PROGRAM MAY BE ALTERED TO FIT THE NEEDS OF YOUR GROUP
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