INTERNATIONAL TOURS
PHILIPPINE ISLAND TOURS
DAY 1:
DEPART MANILA Depart
Manila via your favorite airline and enjoy superb in-flight services.
DAY 2: ARRIVE
PRAGUE Afternoon
arrival into the golden city of Prague famous for its Gothic and Baroque
architecture and ranked as one of the most beautifully preserved cities in
Europe. Remainder of the day at leisure. Prague overnight (D)
DAY
3: PRAGUE This morning we firstly visit St Vitus Cathedral, the city’s most distinctive landmark which
houses the crown jewels and the tomb of ‘Good King’ Wenceslas. Visit Hradcany area and the Prague Castle. We continue our
pilgrimage with the celebration of Mass at the Church of Our Lady Victorious
and where we come face to face with the Holy Infant of Prague. This
wax figure has an impressive record of miracle cures and is one of the most
revered images in the Catholic world.
We later cross the historical Charles
Bridge built in 1400 and continue onto the Old Town area including Wenceslas
Square, Celetna Lane, Old Town Square (with its random network of streets dating
back to the 13th century), the Town
Hall with the astronomical clock and Tyn
Cathedral. Prague overnight (BD)
DAY 4: PRAGUE TO
CZESTACHOWA Depart Prague this morning as we journey east into Poland
and on to the Shrine of Our Lady of Wambierzyce in the foothills of the Table
Mountains. This is one of the oldest Polish places of Christian pilgrimage
featuring a Jerusalem-like setting and home to the miniature miraculous image
of the Virgin Mary. The Shrine’s grounds and surrounding hills are dotted with
numerous chapels, grottos and stations depicting important events in the life
of Jesus and Mary. While here we visit the Szopka with its hundreds of tiny
mechanized figures carved from limewood reliving the Gospel stories. Continue
east this afternoon to Czestachowa and the fortress monastery of the Pauline
monks of Jasna Gora (meaning Bright Hill). Czestachowa
overnight (B, D)
DAY 5: CZESTACHOWA
PILGRIMAGE Czestachowa is home to the cherished miraculous icon of Our
Lady with the Child Jesus, an object of veneration for centuries (also known as
the Black Madonna). Attracting more
than five million pilgrims every year, Our Lady of Czestachowa is recognized as
one of the most visited places of Christian pilgrimage in the world. This
morning we will celebrate a private Mass before the image here in the ancient
chapel. Later we will tour the
Basilica, Treasury, Museum and Knights Hall before a group procession along the
Way of the Cross. Optional later visit to Jura Krakowsko, part of the Polish
Jurassic Rock Upland. We then visit the
Gothic Castle of Olstyn before having the rest of the day set aside to wander
and reflect at our own pace. Czestochowa overnight (BD)
DAY 6:
AUSCHWITZ AND WADOWICE Departing
Czestachowa this morning we enter on a prayerful encounter to Auschwitz where we mourn the four
million people who were put to death in this, the biggest concentration camp of
Hitler’s Nazism. Pope John Paul II has termed this place the Golgotha of the modern world. We pray in
the martyrdom bunker of St Maximillian
Kolbe and view his cell while reflecting upon his selfless courage.
Continue to Wadowice, the birthplace
of Karol Wojtyla (The late Pope John
Paul II) where we enter his family house and the grounds where he used to play
Football! The central point of the town
is the market square with its Parish
Church, and the famous Baptismal
basin where Karol was baptized.
Next to the church we find the Pope’s birthplace and the nearby Museum
encompassing the former home of the Wojtyla family. On route to Krakow we visit
the celebrated Marian site of Kalwaria
Zebrzydowska, which remains the favourite boyhood shrine of Pope John Paul
II. Krakow overnight (BD)
DAY 7:
KRAKOW Here in
Krakow we bask in the two-fold grace of Divine Mercy and Pope John Paul the Great
who served as the city’s Archbishop. Enter the Wawel Cathedral where in the crypt below Fr Karol was ordained in
1946 and celebrated his first Mass. View St.
Florians Church where, as a
young priest, he developed a flourishing underground youth ministry at great risk.
Travel on to St Mary’s Church,
University and Market Square to
experience one of the most beautiful medieval city centres in Europe. Krakow
overnight (BD)
DAY
8: KRAKOW Our morning will feature an enthralling tour of the
famous Wieliczka Saltmines, the
oldest operational mines in Europe and dating back to the 13th
Century. This afternoon we come to the inspired Shrine of Divine Mercy where,
between 1931 – 1938 Our Lord appeared to Sr
Faustina Kowalska (a Polish Sister of Mercy) entrusting with her the
mission of spreading His message of merciful love for humanity. During our
visit we will celebrate Mass at the shrine, and witness the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus
before venerating the tomb of St Faustina (special prayers at 3.00 pm, the Hour
of Mercy). Krakow overnight (BD)
DAY 9: KRAKOW TO
BUDAPEST Depart south this morning to the resort village of Zakopane
to celebrate Mass in the Church of Our Lady of Fatima (built in thanksgiving of
John Paul II’s narrow escape from assassination on May 13, 1981). Enjoy the
surrounding scenery of the Tatras Mountains with its many trails once walked by
Fr Karol and his companions. Later cross into the Slovak Republic and through
magnificent alpine landscape into Hungary and en route to Budapest on the River
Danube. Before our arrival we will take the opportunity to visit the hilltop
Cathedral of Esztergom serving as the spiritual centre of Hungarian
Catholicism. Budapest overnight (BD)
DAY 10: BUDAPEST Situated
on the opposite banks of the Danube, the former cities of Buda and Pest are
linked by a series of graceful bridges. Our tour today begins with a visit and
Mass at the Basilica of St Stephen which holds the mummified hand of King Saint
Stephen. Continue on to view the decorative Parliament building, Heroes Square,
the 118 foot high Corinthian column dedicated to the Roman Catholic Church, the
13th Century Church of St Matthias and the Fisherman’s Bastion.
Finish our tour with a panoramic view of the city from Gellert Hill. Budapest overnight (BD)
DAY 11: BUDAPEST TO
VIENNA After breakfast departure
with your private coach to Bratislava, Central Europe’s newest and smallest
capital city (population around 452,000) is situated on the Danube River about
35 miles from Vienna. It became the capital of Slovakia as a result of
the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, yet the city is steeped in over 2,000
years of history and culture. It was the home of aristocracy, and the
coronation site for Hungarian Kings, and one Queen, during its place of prominence
in the Hungarian and Austrian Empires. A visit to the old centre of
Bratislava is like getting a rare glimpse of an undiscovered jewel, a
relatively undisturbed reminder of medieval times with gothic and baroque
influences. Vienna overnight (BD)
DAY 12: VIENNA After breakfast, a local guide waits to show you the sights of this
exquisite city with a drive on the Ring Strasse to view great buildings such as
the Opera House, the Maria Theresa
Monument, museum buildings,
the Parliament and the City Hall and the former Imperial palace Hofburg, a
complex of buildings from the 13th century and home of the famous
Spanish Riding School. Stroll the Stadtpark where you can see the famous gold
statue of Strauss, the Kaertnerstrasse, the pedestrian shopping street in the
heart of the city that leads to St. Stephen’s Cathedral with a fine altarpiece
of the 15th century, various busts of Saints, including the one of
St. Stephen and much more. Vienna overnight (BD)
DAY 13: VIENNA it’s time to fly home. Transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B)
DAY 14: Arrival Manila. HOME SWEET HOME!
TOUR INCLUSIONS:
Hotel accommodation
Roundtrip economy airfare
Roundtrip airport transfers
Continental buffet breakfast
daily, 11 dinners
English speaking local guide
as per itinerary: 1 FD Prague, 1 HD Czestochowa, 1 FD Auschwitz and Wadowice, 1
HD + 1 FD Krakow, 1 FD Budapest, 1 HD Bratislava, 1 FD Vienna
Entrance fees as per
itinerary: St Vitus Cathedral, Castle in Prague, Sanctuary in Czestochowa,
Auschwitz and Karol Wojtyla house in Wadowice,
Wawel Cathedral, Wieliczzka Saltmines, Church of St Matthias and
Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, St Stephen Cathedral in Vienna
Porter age at hotels of 1
large suitcase per person
Deluxe fully equipped
motor-coach as per program
Daily Masses
Services of Pilgrimage
chaplain and tour escort
Travel kit and pre-departure
briefing
PAYMENT AND
CANCELLATION
A non-refundable deposit of USD$500/ person upon reservation
including visa fees & documents to be submitted
2 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE DATE
Fifty percent deposit due upon release of visa
Balance of full payment due upon ticketing or 1 month prior
departure
Cancellation charge of fifty percent (50%) of tour cost will
be imposed if cancellation is done two (2) weeks before departure date.
Full tour cost will be forfeited if cancellation is done
within two (2) weeks before departure date.
Unused portion of the tour is non-refundable.
CONDITIONS
AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
PRICES/TOUR COST DO NOT INCLUDE Philippine
travel tax (PHP1620.00), taxes on air tickets, airport and departure taxes,
Schengen visa fee and assistance , travel insurance, medical and
hospitalization expenses, tours and transportation expenses during free
periods, porterage of extra luggages, drinks and meals not specified in the
itinerary, tips for drivers and tour guides (USD8/day/pax) and such other
personal nature like telephone calls, fax, laundry, room services and expenses
not mentioned in the itinerary terms and conditions.
EPHESUS
TRAVEL has arranged for the various tour services to be
performed under the responsibility of various operators. Our company or its
subagents therefore only acts as agents for the operators providing the various
services described in this tour and assume no responsibility or liability that
may occur out of or in connection with losses or unexpected expenses due to
delays, overbooking, and defaults. The
tour itineraries and prices are subject to change without prior notice. Our
company reserves the right to cancel, reschedule and increase the tour cost
should we fall short of the required number of passengers (20pax).
The payment for a reservation fee on the tour shall constitute acceptance and
consent to all provisions in the tour conditions/responsibility published in
this tour.
TOUR COST: minimum 20 full paying pilgrims
USD$ 3290.00- based on twin sharing
USD$ 269.00 -approximate taxes on ticket
(subject to change until final ticket issuance)
USD$ 120.00 - Schengen visa with assistance
(subject to change)
USD$ 96.00- mandatory tips
for drivers and tour guides
For details and reservations, please
contact:
Ephesus
Travel and Tours
Unit 203
Puso ng Maynila Bldg.
1046 A.
Mabini St. Ermita Manila
Tel:
+632-5265211, 5271251, 4689857
TeleFax:
+632-3140301
Mobile:
+63-9175761739
Email: inquire@ephesustravelmanila.com
Graces of Eastern Europe
Pilgrimage Departure:
Sept. 12-25, 2010