Programme

Day 1: Arrival

Arrival in Warsaw, a city with a lot of historical monuments, old churches, and Poland’s fast-growing capital. Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 2: Warsaw and St Stanislau Kostka Church

After breakfast, a city sightseeing tour of Warsaw. The program includes a sightseeing tour of the Old Town with the Royal Castle (on UNESCO’s World Heritage list), the Royal Route, the Łazienki Park with Frederick Chopin’s monument. Next, a visit to St Stanislaus Kostka Church, with the grave of priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, murdered by SB Security Service in 1984. Until today, nearly 15 million people have prayed over his grave, including many presidents, prime ministers, as well as John Paul II and Benedict XVI (then as cardinal Ratzinger). We can organize your dinner in a local restaurant in the Old Town. Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 3: Sanctuary of Immaculate Virgin Mary and St Maximilian Kolbe

You leave Warsaw and drive to Niepokalanów to visit the Sanctuary of Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Franciscan monastery founded by St Maximilian Kolbe and the museum of the Saint. Next, drive to the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Lichen, with the biggest church in Poland and one of the biggest in the world. In 1999 the sanctuary was consecrated by John Paul II and every year it is visited by over 1.5 million pilgrims. Overnight in Licheń Stary.

Day 4: Sanctuary of Our Lady, Poland’s biggest church and first capital

In the morning, a visit to the sanctuary including the holy image of Our Lady of Licheń from the 18^th century, Golgotha and the Basilica, which can comfortably house 17,000 faithful. Drive to Gniezno, Poland’s first capital and the seat of the primate. Visiting Gniezno gothic Cathedral with the relics of St Adalbert. The most precious possession of the church is a pair of Romanesque bronze doors, presenting scenes from the life and death of St. Adalbert. Return to Licheń Stary and overnight.

Day 5: Mountain of Light and Black Madonna

After breakfast, you leave Licheń and drive to Częstochowa, the religious capital of Poland. Visiting Jasna Góra (Mountain of Light) Pauline monastery, famous for its holy image of Virgin Mary with the Christ child. In the afternoon, travel to Cracow. We recommend dinner in a local restaurant in the Old Town. Overnight in Cracow.

Day 6: Divine Mercy Sanctuary and St Faustina

During today’s city sightseeing tour of Cracow you will see the historic buildings in the Old Town, registered on the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage in 1978. The centre of the Old Town is Europe’s largest medieval Market Square with the famous Cloth Halls and gothic St Mary’s Church. On the Wawel Hill, the Royal Castle and Cathedral with exhibits of a history of more than a thousand years, is also worth a visit. On the way back to the Old Town you pass the Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364 and one of the oldest in Europe. In the afternoon, a visit to the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Łagiewniki. It is here that on October 5^th 1938 St Faustina died and here she was buried. Overnight in Cracow.

Day 7: Bernardine monastery, Pope’s birth house and Papal cream cakes

After breakfast, a trip in the steps of John Paul II. Visiting the Bernardine monastery and so-called Calvary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The baroque church from 17^th century contains the famous miraculous picture of our Lady of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Drive to Wadowic and visit to the Pope’s John Paul II birth house, which has been turned into a museum and Wadowice’s basilica, in which the Pope was baptized. Visit to a café to try the famous “papal cream cakes”. Overnight in Cracow.

Day 8: Departure

Breakfast and departure.