Trip Store

Day 1: Fly to Frankfurt or Cologne Germany

Day 2: Upon arrival we meet our tour guide and driver who will accompany our group throughout. We board our private deluxe motor coach and drive to Cologne. We start our journey with a walking tour through the Old Town and the visit the vast, towered Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter & Mary. The Cathedral is a World Heritage Site, described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius." Construction of the Cathedral began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over six hundred years. This unique church houses the golden Shrine of the Three Magi the priceless treasure is exhibited in the historic vaulted chamber dating back to the 13th century. We will celebrate Mass, then check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Cologne.

Day 3: Following breakfast, we board the coach for a short drive to Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), nearby the Dutch border, and visit the city where Roman emperors were crowned in from 813 to 1531. We visit the world-renowned Cathedral of Aachen – a "must see" for everyone visiting Germany. The Cathedral is home to many sacred objects and it welcomes millions of pilgrims and visitors each year. Visit Charlemagne's tomb and the relics he received from the patriarch of Jerusalem in 799. "The Great Aachen Relics" are in the Charlemagne Shrine, wrapped in silk cloths, opened to public every seven years. We also see the Cathedral Treasury, Shrine of Our Lady, Shrine of Charlemagne and his Throne. We board the coach and ride to the German-Belgium border and continue on to Banneux. Here, the family Beco used to live under very poor circumstances. It is recorded that between January and March 1933, the Blessed Mother Maria appeared eight times to the 12 year old daughter Mariette. We visit the Holy sites and celebrate the Holy Mass. We return to Germany and travel through the romantic valley of Moselle river to reach the oldest German town for dinner and overnight in Trier.

Day 4: After breakfast, we have a city tour. Trier was founded by the Romans 16 BC. We see the Porta Nigra, the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps and UNESCO World Heritage site, the ruins of the Roman Imperial palace and the roman thermae. We visit the Cathedral of Trier, the oldest church in Germany and home of the bishop for more than 1700 years. We celebrate the Holy Mass. We continue to one the most beautiful German wine destinations - the Southern Wine Road and enjoy in the evening a wine tasting with a sample of the best German wines. Overnight in Deidesheim.

Day 5: This morning, we drive to nearby Worms and visit St. Peter's Cathedral, one of the most exquisite examples of Romanesque architecture. It is closely related to the name of Bishop Burchard of Worms and to the city's heyday in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Cathedral was the scene of several milestones of European history. In 1048, Bruno of Egisheim-Dagsburg was elected Pope Leo IX here; in 1122, the Concordate of Worms ended the Investiture Contest, the struggle for supremacy between the emperor and the Church; and in 1521, Martin Luther was summoned by emperor Charles V to recant his teachings before the Diet of Worms, a historic assembly that was to change the history of Christianity. We also visit Europe's oldest Jewish cemetery, the Holy Sands before continuing on to Mainz. We visit the birthplace of printing, the Gutenberg Museum. The evolution of printing is documented, and Gutenberg's first Bible is on display, also the world's tiniest Bible. Jon Gooseflesh, better known as Johannes Gutenberg is considered to be the most important individual contributor of the Second Millennium. Then we tour St. Martin's Cathedral, built in the 8th century and towering in all its might and grandeur over the city. Seven king's coronations took place in the course of the centuries in the Mainz cathedral. If time is still available visit St. Stephen's Church, famous for its marvelous Chagall. We celebrate the Holy Mass. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Deidesheim.

Day 6: This morning, we drive south along Southern Wine Road and enter France to visit Strasbourg. The city is home of the European Parliament and capital of the region Alsace. We tour the Cathedral of Strasbourg with the Astronomical clock and celebrate the Holy Mass, the city center as well as the historic “La Petite France” quarter. Time at leisure to explore the city, have a coffee break in one of the lovely cafes or try the splendid French cuisine. Dinner and overnight in Strasbourg area.

Day 7: Today, we enjoy the scenic and magic landscapes of South Germany. We travel back through the story-book magical Black Forest which is famous for its Black Forest maids, Black Forest farms, Black Forest gateau, Bollenhut hats, and cuckoo clocks. Stop in Triberg where we will have time for lunch and some shopping. In the afternoon we continue on to Constance area, situated on the shore of Germany's largest lake, the Lake of Constance. This picturesque lake includes countless parks, gardens and is the natural habitat of rare animals and plants. We drive across a dam that connects the mainland directly into paradise - and on to the Peninsula of Reichenau. The monastic island is an outstanding testament to the religious and cultural role of a great Benedictine monastery in the Middle Ages. The Benedictine Abbey had been a spiritual and cultural center of the Holy Roman Empire over 3 centuries. We visit St. George Church with its outstanding meticulously restored Romanesque wall paintings. We also celebrate the Holy Mass. Dinner and overnight in the Constance area.

Day 8: This morning, we visit nearby St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex within the city. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. We tour the library, one of the richest medieval libraries in the world, the abbey church and celebrate the Holy Mass. Lunch on our own in the Alp principality of Liechtenstein. Then on to Bavaria for dinner and overnight in the Füssen area.

Day 9: Today, we tour the elaborate Neuwschwanstein Castle, one of Mad King Ludwig's fantasy castles and surely the crown jewel of Bavaria Castles. Then on to visit the Wieskirche (Church in the Meadows) where rococo art reached a unique perfection. This masterpiece, created by the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann of Wessobrunn, was given international recognition as a cultural site on the World Heritage List. We celebrate the Holy Mass. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in the Füssen area.

Day 10: This morning, we celebrate the Holy Mass at Ettal Abbey. We continue on to Oberammergau area for our check-in to the hotel. In the afternoon, we take part in the extravagant Oberammergau Passion Play, performed only once every ten years and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Beginning in the afternoon and involving almost all residents of the village, the play has a running time of approximately five hours with a three-hour intermission. Explore this quaint Bavarian village on your own. Most of the buildings have beautifully detailed murals on them, mostly of Biblically significant tableaux. Dinner and overnight in Oberammergau.

Day 11: Following breakfast, we board our coach and drive to Munich, the capital of Bavaria. Our tour guide will lead us to the major and most beautiful sights of Munich, such as King's Square with its three temple buildings in the classical Greek style, the Pinakotheken Art Museums, the Hall of Generals, the Angel of Peace monument, Maximilianeum (Bavarian state parliament), the Royal Palace, the traditional Viktualienmarkt, an open air food market with colorful outdoor stalls, Karl Square (called "Stachus") and the medieval city gates, Palace of Nymphenburg - former summer residence of the Bavarian kings, the Rathaus and its famous Glockenspiel. Time on our own to stroll the Marienplatz, with its numerous shops, visit the fresh produce and flower markets and the world-famous Hofbräuhaus Restaurant complete with authentic Bavaria food, music and entertainment. Farewell dinner and overnight in Munich.

Day 12: We are transferred to the airport for our flight home to the USA.