Make your way to your local airport where you will board your overnight flight(s) to Munich. Your meals will be served on board.

Upon arrival at Munich Airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the Arrivals Hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver and be driven to Salzburg. Enjoy free time before meet and greet followed by Mass. Dinner and overnight stay in Salzburg.

Our day in Salzburg starts with a nourishing breakfast, after which we attend Mass at the ancient St. Peter’s Abbey, a spiritual center that has served the faithful for over a millennium. Following Mass, we immerse ourselves in the city’s history with a walking tour of the heart of Salzburg. Narrow streets and secluded passageways whisper tales of its medieval roots, while the grandeur of the Archbishop’s Residence at DomPlatz speaks to the Catholic Church’s enduring influence. The gardens of Mirabell Palace, a setting made famous by “The Sound of Music,” offer a tranquil space for prayer and reflection. The grandeur of the Romanesque Cathedral and the serenity of the Nonnberg Convent of Benedictine nuns further inspire our faith. Mozart’s birthplace beckons us with its cultural significance, and the gardens and hidden trick fountains of Hellbrunn Palace provide a delightfully unexpected close to our day. As we gather for dinner, we share our experiences, impressions, and the ways in which our journey is touching our hearts.

Following breakfast we will visit the Silent Night Chapel, commemorating the brief Christmas Day peace that took place during World War I. The chapel was built on the site of the former Nikolauskirche, where the Christmas carol was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818. The Nikolauskirche was damaged by floods in the 1890s and was eventually demolished in 1913. The Silent Night Chapel was built on the site in 1937. Return to Salzburg for a free afternoon to explore the magical Christmas markets: Salzburg Christkindlmarkt & Hellbrunner Adventzauber. Dinner and overnight and dinner.

As we depart from Salzburg after breakfast, we traverse the Austrian mountains towards Mariazell, a revered pilgrimage site. We visit the Mariazell Basilica, also known as the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, housing the miraculous statue associated with the foundation of a monastic cell in 1157. We continue to Melk, known for the imposing baroque Melk Abbey. Overlooking the Danube River, the Abbey is the final resting place of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and members of the House of Babenberg, Austria’s first ruling dynasty. After exploring and reflecting in Melk, we journey to Vienna, the capital of Austria, where we share a meal and prepare for the next leg of our journey.

Our day begins with breakfast and a tour of Vienna, home to great composers like Johann Strauss and Mozart. Our visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a symbol of Vienna and a significant Gothic structure, allows us to witness the miraculous image of Our Lady of Mariapoch. We tour the cathedral, with (time permitting) the brave among us climbing the 343 steps to the top of the spire. Our journey continues to the Schonbrunn Royal Palace, a summer residence with a Hall of Mirrors where a young Mozart performed. The palace’s inclusion in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites further confirms its significance. Our day concludes with a visit to the Belvedere Palace, Karlsplatz and its Church of St. Charles Borromeo, and Otto Wagner’s Stadtbahn pavilions. Amidst our explorations, we pause for a coffee break to savor famous Viennese pastries like the Sacher cake. We share dinner and reflect on the day’s experiences as we return to our hotel.

Following Breakfast we will enjoy ½ day sightseeing involving Christmas Festivity. You will get to experience a beautiful Sleigh ride . We will end today with a Special Farewell dinner.

Following breakfast at your hotel, your group will transfer to the Vienna airport and board your short flight to Rome. Upon arrival at the Rome airport, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and continue to the arrival’s hall where you will be greeted by your tour escort and/or driver. You will make your way to the bus and transfer to your hotel. Following check-in, you will have free time to relax or explore Rome on your own. Your tour escort may suggest places to visit. Later in the afternoon, your group will meet in the hotel lobby for a “meet and greet” with your fellow pilgrims and depart for Mass. After Mass, you will attend a welcome dinner following which you will have the optional opportunity to walk to St. Peter’s Square as a group for the Rosary.

After a nice breakfast at your hotel, your first sightseeing day in Rome starts! The tour begins with the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square! The Audience is celebrated each Wednesday by His Holiness, Pope Leo (pending the papal schedule). Following the Audience, there will be free time for lunch, shopping, or to mail a postcard from the Vatican Post Office. This afternoon, you will visit the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome, and the home to the relics of Peter and Paul, the Basilica of St. John the Lateran. This Basilica is where Pope Leo was installed as Bishop of Rome, and where he officiates as the Bishop of Rome. Next, we will cross the street to visit the Holy Staircase. Tradition states that this staircase is from Pontius Pilate’s palace of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. It is also said that this Staircase was brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. If time permits, you may climb the steps on your knees, in memory of Christ’s agonizing Passion. To conclude your day, we will proceed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This Basilica contains a relic from the Manger of the Infant Jesus. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

*Visit Scala Santa. The closure happened in 2018 and reopened April of 2019 (4 years ago)

This morning you will enjoy an early breakfast before making your way to the largest Christendom Church, St. Peter’s Basilica. This Basilica was built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred. Also, it was Our Holy Father, Pope Leo who was the first Pontiff to visit the necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago. It is here that you will view Michelangelo’s Pieta. This stunning marble sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding Christ after His crucifixion, death, and removal from the cross before being placed in the tomb. Continue to proceed to the Vatican Museum. At the world-renowned museum, you will see the most impressive of edifices, galleries, and awe-inspiring relics. Additionally, you will observe the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, and Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, the restored mural of the Last Judgment. The final stop on your Vatican tour is at the tomb of Saint John Paul II. After, you will be transferred to the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), where you may enjoy some free time on your own for lunch. Continue on your short journey down the Appian Way, the earliest road of Ancient Rome. This road leads to the Domino Quo Vadis Chapel, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Drusus, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, and the catacombs of St. Callixtus. The day concludes with a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, this Basilica is the burial place of Saint Paul the Apostle. We will make our way to a local restaurant for dinner. Following dinner, feel free to explore the streets of Rome, or return to the hotel for overnight.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to the Rome Fiumicino airport for return flights home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.