Central Europe Pilgrimage 10 days with Croatia/Bosnia
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Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegowina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroer
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldavia
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Created: 12.11.2013
Day 1 ? DEPART US ? Today, we depart Omaha to connect with our overnight flight bound for Budapest. We will be served complimentary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Day 2 ? BUDAPEST ? depending on arrival time, may do some of tomorrow?s sightseeing today and have free time tomorrow afternoon.? Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Day 3 ? BUDAPEST ? This morning we drive to the Royal castle in Buda, where we will visit Fishermen's Bastion and the beautiful Gothic St. Matthias Church. Afterwards, we continue to the Citadel, where we enjoy the best view over the Danube and the lower city of Pest. Later, we cross the Elizabeth Bridge to the Market Hall and the pedestrian center, where we will have free time for lunch on our own. In the afternoon, drive through the City Park to Hero's Square, then past the Opera and Parliament. We conclude our day with a visit and Mass at St. Stephen's Basilica. This evening, we will enjoy a special dinner at the Gypsy Tavern with folkloric entertainment. Day 4 ? Budapest/Zagreb ? This morning, we depart Budapest and drive southwest into Croatia. Here we explore the Zagorje, a hilly pitoresque region filled with Medieval and Rennaisance fortresses and numerous Baroque castles and travel 500 years back in time.?? Our expert guide will take you first to the most famous of all Zagorje castles, Trakoscan. Trakoscan was built in the 13th C. as a rather small observation fortress for monitoring the road from Ptuj to Bednja Valley.? Marija Bistrica has an old Marian shrine of the Black Madonna which is a place of pilgrimage and visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. On 3 October 1998, Pope John Paul II visited Marija Bistrica and beatified Croatian Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac in front of a crowd of 500,000 Croatians. We will celebrate Mass here. The tour continues to the town of Varazdin which represents the best preserved and richest urban complex in continental Croatia. The Old Town (fortress) is an example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture in Croatia, were added. Before we continue to Zagreb, we enjoy? a sumptuous late lunch made of typical dishes from Zagorje in local tavern. Continue to Zagreb in the early evening for overnight DRIVE TIME 3 HOUR 15 MIN Day 5 ? Zagreb - Private guided walking tour of Zagreb in the afternoon. Founded in the Middle Ages, Zagreb began life as two separate entities, Kaptol and Gradec, which today comprise the historic Gornji Grad (Upper Town). Centered around the city's landmark cathedral, Kaptol was a religious centre, while Gradec was home to craftsmen and merchants. Outsiders collectively referred to the settlements as Zagreb (meaning 'behind the hill'), although they were not officially united as the City of Zagreb until 1850. Boom time followed with the late 19th century characterized by the arrival of the railways and the construction of Donji Grad (Lower Town). Traditional lunch at one of Zagreb?s authentic restaurants will follow. Afternoon at leisure.? Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Mass site to be determined Day 6 - Zagreb ? Zadar -Private transfer to Zadar with optional visit to beautiful Plitvice National Park for light walk around the lakes and waterfalls as this National Park is often voted to be the most beautiful in Europe! According to legend, the Plitvice lakes were created after a long drought. The "Black Queen" took pity on the people and animals that cried for water. Heavy rain began to? fall and continued until they formed the lakes we see today. The natural attributes of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, uniqueness and sensibility of that phenomenon, deserve a full attention of our visitors. The Plitvice lakes, known as "Falling lakes", have enjoyed the status of a national park since 1949 and since? 1979 it has been under the protection of UNESCO.? Walking tour of NP Plitvice included (cc 3-4 hours).? Arrival to Zadar late in the afternoon. Check in Hotel Bastion 4*, located in the very heart of ancient Zadar, on the main city walls. Evening walking tour of Zadar follows. The Pre-Romanesque St. Donatus Church, as well as the Roman Forum, are only a short walk away. The monumental Land Gate can be reached within 3 minutes on foot. The historic centre is full of picturesque caf?s and restaurants serving local specialties and international dishes. Grocery and souvenir shops can also be found at every corner. One of the highlights of many travelers to Croatia is an unique permanent exhibition of religious art "Gold and Silver of Zadar" Dinner and overnight at the hotel.? Visit and Mass at St. Domatus? DRIVE TIME 2 HOURS 15 MIN Day 7 - Zadar? - Split - Departure in the morning towards Split with en route stop in Sibenik. Take a short walk of historic part of Sibenik and then mark your day with exclusive Secret Dalmatia wine pairing at Bibich wine cellar featured even by Anthony Bourdain on his famous No Reservations as one of the top wine pairing experiences in the world. Arrival in Split late in the afternoon. Check in in Hotel Vestibul Palace 4*, one of Dalmatia?s most exciting and fashionable boutique hotels which stands in place of a refurbished factory built almost 100 years ago. Within steps of the ancient city of Split you can now enjoy old world charm and state of the art luxury. Hotel Luxe features comfortable and modern rooms, a cozy wellness area, dining room and lobby bar with a view of the city life of Split. You will feel at home in any of the hotel?s public areas; from the wellness center to the restaurant and lobby bar, you will enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and uniquely designed interiors, contemporary furnishings and extraordinary service. Dinner and overnight at hotel.? Mass at Cathedral? DRIVE TIME 1 HOURS 36 MIN Day 8 ? Split - Join your guide in the hotel lobby after breakfast for private morning walking tour of this historic city. Split is one of the Adriatic's most amazing seaports and Croatia's second-largest city. Not only does this 1700-year-old harbor have its share of historic monuments, museums and galleries but from here you can visit dreamy Adriatic islands, sporting some of the world's best beaches. Diocletian's Palace, as the ancient heart of Split, is one of the best-preserved Roman royal residences on the planet and Split's cathedral is one of the World's oldest cathedrals that used to serve as the mausoleum of emperor Diocletian. Built on the seacoast of Split around 295 AD, the structure features sixteen towers, three temples and an emperor's mausoleum.? Then you're off to Trogir, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. A tiny island treasure, Trogir?s roots are Greek, not Roman like Split, and its crown jewel is the spectacular 13th Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Return to Split with private transfer in early afternoon. Rest of the day at your leisure.? Dinner and overnight? at hotel.? Mass to be determined? Day 8 ? Split - Medjugorje ? After breakfast we drive to the Village of Medjugorje, exiting destination and religious sanctum in neighboring country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Medjugorje is a unique phenomenon in the modern world, a sacred place which gathers a multitude of pilgrims from all over the world coming to face a God with great faith and to find peace in their souls and hearts. Today it is one of the biggest prayer centers in the world. Since 1981, in this small village, the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to be appearing and giving messages to the world. Innumerable witnesses say that, they have found faith and peace at this place. We will arrive in time to join the English language concelebrated Mass.? Afterwards, we will drive to the Hill of the Apparation where many of the apparations have taken place. We will make the easy hike of this hill for some time of prayer.? We return to the Village and enjoy free time before continuing to our modest Pension type accommodations for dinner and overnight. DRIVE TIME 1 HOURS 40 MIN Day 10 ? Dubrovnik ? This morning we will drive to the famous and lovely city of Dubrovnik.? On arrival we start with the pleasant walk through Dubrovnik Old Town including two most beautiful museums and city walls. George Bernard Shaw was enchanted by this beautiful city, about which he said "those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and see Dubrovnik", as well as, famously, describing it as "the pearl of the Adriatic". Dubrovnik truly is a stunning city with its amazing Old Town, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. A magnificent curtain of walls surrounds marble streets and baroque buildings that exude a pearly light in the Adriatic sun. The main pedestrian thoroughfare, Placa, is a melange of caf?s and shops with outstanding monuments at either end. Churches, monasteries and museums ornamented with finely carved stone recall an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition. Return to hotel on your own. Rest of the day will be at your leisure, allowing time to browse, explore, getting to know this magical city and all it has to offer. We will enjoy a farewell dinner here in the Old City tonight if possible.?? Mass at the Church of St. Blaze. DRIVE TIME 2 HOURS 5 MIN Day 11 ? USA - Private transfer to Dubrovnik Airport.
Day 1 ? DEPART US ? Today, we depart Omaha to connect with our overnight flight bound for Budapest. We will be served complimentary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Day 2 ? BUDAPEST ? depending on arrival time, may do some of tomorrow?s sightseeing today and have free time tomorrow afternoon.? Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Day 3 ? BUDAPEST ? This morning we drive to the Royal castle in Buda, where we will visit Fishermen's Bastion and the beautiful Gothic St. Matthias Church. Afterwards, we continue to the Citadel, where we enjoy the best view over the Danube and the lower city of Pest. Later, we cross the Elizabeth Bridge to the Market Hall and the pedestrian center, where we will have free time for lunch on our own. In the afternoon, drive through the City Park to Hero's Square, then past the Opera and Parliament. We conclude our day with a visit and Mass at St. Stephen's Basilica. This evening, we will enjoy a special dinner at the Gypsy Tavern with folkloric entertainment. Day 4 ? Budapest/Zagreb ? This morning, we depart Budapest and drive southwest into Croatia. Here we explore the Zagorje, a hilly pitoresque region filled with Medieval and Rennaisance fortresses and numerous Baroque castles and travel 500 years back in time.?? Our expert guide will take you first to the most famous of all Zagorje castles, Trakoscan. Trakoscan was built in the 13th C. as a rather small observation fortress for monitoring the road from Ptuj to Bednja Valley.? Marija Bistrica has an old Marian shrine of the Black Madonna which is a place of pilgrimage and visited by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. On 3 October 1998, Pope John Paul II visited Marija Bistrica and beatified Croatian Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac in front of a crowd of 500,000 Croatians. We will celebrate Mass here. The tour continues to the town of Varazdin which represents the best preserved and richest urban complex in continental Croatia. The Old Town (fortress) is an example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture in Croatia, were added. Before we continue to Zagreb, we enjoy? a sumptuous late lunch made of typical dishes from Zagorje in local tavern. Continue to Zagreb in the early evening for overnight DRIVE TIME 3 HOUR 15 MIN Day 5 ? Zagreb - Private guided walking tour of Zagreb in the afternoon. Founded in the Middle Ages, Zagreb began life as two separate entities, Kaptol and Gradec, which today comprise the historic Gornji Grad (Upper Town). Centered around the city's landmark cathedral, Kaptol was a religious centre, while Gradec was home to craftsmen and merchants. Outsiders collectively referred to the settlements as Zagreb (meaning 'behind the hill'), although they were not officially united as the City of Zagreb until 1850. Boom time followed with the late 19th century characterized by the arrival of the railways and the construction of Donji Grad (Lower Town). Traditional lunch at one of Zagreb?s authentic restaurants will follow. Afternoon at leisure.? Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Mass site to be determined Day 6 - Zagreb ? Zadar -Private transfer to Zadar with optional visit to beautiful Plitvice National Park for light walk around the lakes and waterfalls as this National Park is often voted to be the most beautiful in Europe! According to legend, the Plitvice lakes were created after a long drought. The "Black Queen" took pity on the people and animals that cried for water. Heavy rain began to? fall and continued until they formed the lakes we see today. The natural attributes of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, uniqueness and sensibility of that phenomenon, deserve a full attention of our visitors. The Plitvice lakes, known as "Falling lakes", have enjoyed the status of a national park since 1949 and since? 1979 it has been under the protection of UNESCO.? Walking tour of NP Plitvice included (cc 3-4 hours).? Arrival to Zadar late in the afternoon. Check in Hotel Bastion 4*, located in the very heart of ancient Zadar, on the main city walls. Evening walking tour of Zadar follows. The Pre-Romanesque St. Donatus Church, as well as the Roman Forum, are only a short walk away. The monumental Land Gate can be reached within 3 minutes on foot. The historic centre is full of picturesque caf?s and restaurants serving local specialties and international dishes. Grocery and souvenir shops can also be found at every corner. One of the highlights of many travelers to Croatia is an unique permanent exhibition of religious art "Gold and Silver of Zadar" Dinner and overnight at the hotel.? Visit and Mass at St. Domatus? DRIVE TIME 2 HOURS 15 MIN Day 7 - Zadar? - Split - Departure in the morning towards Split with en route stop in Sibenik. Take a short walk of historic part of Sibenik and then mark your day with exclusive Secret Dalmatia wine pairing at Bibich wine cellar featured even by Anthony Bourdain on his famous No Reservations as one of the top wine pairing experiences in the world. Arrival in Split late in the afternoon. Check in in Hotel Vestibul Palace 4*, one of Dalmatia?s most exciting and fashionable boutique hotels which stands in place of a refurbished factory built almost 100 years ago. Within steps of the ancient city of Split you can now enjoy old world charm and state of the art luxury. Hotel Luxe features comfortable and modern rooms, a cozy wellness area, dining room and lobby bar with a view of the city life of Split. You will feel at home in any of the hotel?s public areas; from the wellness center to the restaurant and lobby bar, you will enjoy a relaxing atmosphere and uniquely designed interiors, contemporary furnishings and extraordinary service. Dinner and overnight at hotel.? Mass at Cathedral? DRIVE TIME 1 HOURS 36 MIN Day 8 ? Split - Join your guide in the hotel lobby after breakfast for private morning walking tour of this historic city. Split is one of the Adriatic's most amazing seaports and Croatia's second-largest city. Not only does this 1700-year-old harbor have its share of historic monuments, museums and galleries but from here you can visit dreamy Adriatic islands, sporting some of the world's best beaches. Diocletian's Palace, as the ancient heart of Split, is one of the best-preserved Roman royal residences on the planet and Split's cathedral is one of the World's oldest cathedrals that used to serve as the mausoleum of emperor Diocletian. Built on the seacoast of Split around 295 AD, the structure features sixteen towers, three temples and an emperor's mausoleum.? Then you're off to Trogir, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. A tiny island treasure, Trogir?s roots are Greek, not Roman like Split, and its crown jewel is the spectacular 13th Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Return to Split with private transfer in early afternoon. Rest of the day at your leisure.? Dinner and overnight? at hotel.? Mass to be determined? Day 8 ? Split - Medjugorje ? After breakfast we drive to the Village of Medjugorje, exiting destination and religious sanctum in neighboring country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Medjugorje is a unique phenomenon in the modern world, a sacred place which gathers a multitude of pilgrims from all over the world coming to face a God with great faith and to find peace in their souls and hearts. Today it is one of the biggest prayer centers in the world. Since 1981, in this small village, the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to be appearing and giving messages to the world. Innumerable witnesses say that, they have found faith and peace at this place. We will arrive in time to join the English language concelebrated Mass.? Afterwards, we will drive to the Hill of the Apparation where many of the apparations have taken place. We will make the easy hike of this hill for some time of prayer.? We return to the Village and enjoy free time before continuing to our modest Pension type accommodations for dinner and overnight. DRIVE TIME 1 HOURS 40 MIN Day 10 ? Dubrovnik ? This morning we will drive to the famous and lovely city of Dubrovnik.? On arrival we start with the pleasant walk through Dubrovnik Old Town including two most beautiful museums and city walls. George Bernard Shaw was enchanted by this beautiful city, about which he said "those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and see Dubrovnik", as well as, famously, describing it as "the pearl of the Adriatic". Dubrovnik truly is a stunning city with its amazing Old Town, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. A magnificent curtain of walls surrounds marble streets and baroque buildings that exude a pearly light in the Adriatic sun. The main pedestrian thoroughfare, Placa, is a melange of caf?s and shops with outstanding monuments at either end. Churches, monasteries and museums ornamented with finely carved stone recall an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition. Return to hotel on your own. Rest of the day will be at your leisure, allowing time to browse, explore, getting to know this magical city and all it has to offer. We will enjoy a farewell dinner here in the Old City tonight if possible.?? Mass at the Church of St. Blaze. DRIVE TIME 2 HOURS 5 MIN Day 11 ? USA - Private transfer to Dubrovnik Airport.
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