Itinerary

1. Day1

   Overnight flight to Warsaw departure from Toronto at 6.30 pm. 

    

   
   
2. Day2

   Early morning arrival in Warsaw. Meet your escort at the Warsaw Airport.Start city tour of Warsaw including visit to St. Stanislaw Kostka Church and the special exhibition devoted to Father Jerzy Popieluszko, one of the greatest church personalities in Poland murdered by the communists. * Holy Mass at St. Kostka Church. Lunch on your own and late afternoon free at leisure. Welcome Dinner at the local restaurant in Warsaw. Overnight in Warsaw

   
   
3. Day3

   Morning departure for Krakow with leisurely stop in Czestochowa.Visit to Jasna Gora Monastery. See the Black Madonna Shrine and the Treasury Room where you will see an impressive collection of many precious gifts received by the monastery throughout the ages. Walk along the fortification walls of the Pauline Monastery and the Way of the Cross.* Holy Mass at one of the chapels on Jasna Gora MonasteryLunch on own and you will depart for Krakow. Dinner at the local restaurant in Krakow. Overnight in Krakow.

   
   
4. Day4

   Morning half day city tour of Krakow including visits to: Wawel Royal Cathedral – the scene of coronations and the eternal resting place of the kings of Poland, St. Mary’s Church – famous for its wooden altar by Wit Stwosz. Admire as well the Franciscan Church to see the most interesting Art-Nouveau stained-glass windows and famous “Pope’s Window” on Franciszkanska Street.  Lunch at the local restaurant in KrakowAfternoon you will drive to Lagiewniki for visiting the Blessed Sister Faustina Convent. Sister Faustina was the person whom Jesus appeared in 1931 bringing the wonderful message of Mercy for all of mankind. * Holy Mass at Sister Faustina ConventDinner on own and overnight in Krakow.

   
   
5. Day5

   Morning depart for Oswiecim and visit the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau – the biggest factory of death in the history of humanity and the silent witness of human tragedy. Transfer for Wadowice for the lunch at the local restaurant.Following lunch, visit Wadowice – a small village where our Pope Karol Wojtyla – John Paul II was born on May 18, 1920. Visit the house, now a museum, where He was born and see the Wadowice Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, where He was baptized.   * Holy Mass at Wadowice Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary. Dinner on own and overnight in Krakow.

   
   
6. Day6

   Morning transfer to Wieliczka to visit the oldest salt mine in Europe (operated since 13th century) and impressive underground world of salt lakes, chambers, galleries and unique Salt Works created by many generations of Polish miners.  Tourists are visiting 3 levels of the mine, to the depth of 136 meters – the part which have been worked in the 17th – 19th centuries. TheWieliczka Salt Mine belongs to the UNESCO Treasures.* Holy Mass at one of the chapel down in the Salt MineLunch on your own and transfer to Ludzmierz to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ludzmierz known as the Shepherdess of Podhale or in Polish “Gaździna Podhala”. The cult of Our Lady of Ludzmierz is strongly identified with Poland Highlander’s (Górale) who live in the surrounding Tatra Mountains.Continue your journey to Zakopane. Evening special dinner at the local Highlanders’ Inn including Highlanders’ Folklore Show.  Overnight in Zakopane

   
   
7. Day7

   In the morning, you will have a sightseeing tour of Zakopane, whose wooden architecture blends with the natural landscapes and it is copied in other parts of Poland; known as Zakopianski Style.  You will visit the Jaszczurowka Chapel and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at Krzeptowki, which was built by the people of Zakopane to thank the Lady of Fatima for saving the Pope after an attempt on His life. * Holy Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at KrzeptowkiLunch on own and afternoon is free for own exploring Zakopane and shopping.Dinner at a local Highlanders’ Inn. Overnight in Zakopane

   
   
8. Day8

   In the morning transfer to Wroclaw. Lunch on your own en route.After arrival in Wroclaw check in at your hotel and short city tour of Wroclaw the historic capital of Silesia, a large Slav settlement by the 10th century, growing through many years. Visit the Old Town of the city dominated by the building of the gothic Town Hall dated 14th – 15th centuries. * Holy Mass at the local church in Wroclaw. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Wroclaw

   
   
9. Day9

   Morning we visit Ostrow Tumski – the residence of bishops and princes in the early Middle Ages. The main feature is the enormous gothic cathedral of St John the Baptist dating back to 13th – 14th centuries.  * Holy Mass at the local church in Wroclaw    Lunch on own and transfer to Ksiaz Castle.Visiting Ksiaz – Poland's third largest castle, built in 1288-1292 under Bolko I the Strict. The gothic structure was originally made for fortification but when the Hochberg family, one of the richest families in Prussia, got possession of the castle in the 17th century, it was converted into a luxurious palace. It is often called 'The Lower Silesian Versailles' because of its 400 chambers and over 200 fireplaces.After visiting transfer back for Wroclaw for dinner. Overnight in Wroclaw. 

    

   
   
10. Day10

    Morning transfer to Trzebnica and visit of the Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica – convent for Cistercian nuns founded in 1203. After a few decades of abandonment in the 19th century, it is an abbey of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Borromeo since 1889.   * Holy Mass at Sanctuary of St. JadwigaContinue to Lichen where we visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Lichen – a Roman Catholic Church designed by Barbara Bielecka and built between 1994 and 2004. The construction was funded by pilgrims' donations. With the nave 120 meters long and 77 meters wide, with a central dome 98 meters high, and with a tower 141.5 meters tall, it is Poland's largest church and one of the largest churches in the world. Lunch on ownTransfer on to Torun for dinner at the hotel and overnight.

    
    
11. Day11

    This morning you will start with a short city tour of Torun – the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, who made a crucial discovery that the Earth is not the centre of universe. You may admire the Monument to Nicholas Copernicus as well as the House where he was born.Lunch on own and transfer to Gdansk – the city that was first mentioned in 997 as a stronghold of the Dukes of Pomerania with the fishing and merchant port. You will visit the marvellous Old Town and its main street - Dlugi Targ - Long Market with Town Hall, 15th century Artus Court and the most famous Gdansk symbol – the Neptune’s Fountain dating from 17th & 18th centuries.   * Holy Mass at the local church in GdanskDinner at the local restaurant in Gdansk.  Overnight in Gdansk

     

    
    
12. Day12

    Today we will have a  full day in the Kaszuby Region.Visiting the Kashubian Regional Museum in Kartuzy will introduce you to some of the intricacies of Kashubian domestic, cultural and religious traditions. Following the visit lunch will be on your own and then we drive to Wiele and Lipusz villages. Admire the Wielewska Calvary whose founders were Fr. Joseph Szydzik and the local host Durajewski who gave land for the construction of Calvary. * Holy Mass at St. Nicholas Church in Wiele.Following visits transfer back to Gdansk for Farewell Dinner at the local restaurant.  Overnight in Gdansk  

    
    
13. Day13

    Transfer to Gdansk Airport for flight home (Gdansk – Warsaw – Toronto).