Grab the opportunity to visit six of Europe’s most beautiful countries and explore rare combination of Eastern Europe’s most intriguing cities: Budapest, Krakow, Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Munich, and more. Be blessed by the powerful graces of the great Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki and the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. Join a 15-day Spiritual Journey to Encountering God in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Germany) with a Fr. Kali Llamado on July 5-19, 2026.
Your pilgrimage begins in Warsaw, Poland. Rising from the ashes of its tumultuous past, Warsaw is a fascinating collection of neighborhoods and landmarks. Visit the Church of the Holy Cross, which treasures the urn containing the heart of Fryderyk Chopin, Poland’s most beloved composer. On to the Old Town with its Old Market Square; the Cathedral of St. John; and St. Martin’s Church.
Proceed with your pilgrimage to Częstochowa to see the revered miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa at the Jasna Góra Monastery. Numerous miracles and answered prayers have been attributed to her intercession.
Travel to Wadowice, St. John Paul II’s hometown. Enjoy a guided tour of the Pope’s Family Home, now a museum. See the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary where Karol Wojtyla was baptized and served as an altar boy in his youth. Depart for Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp, which took the lives of about 1.1 million people. The camp was liberated in January 1945. After the war, the Polish government restored it and turned it into a museum to honor the victims. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Make your way to the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki. St. Faustina’s grave and the miraculous image of the Merciful Jesus stand at the heart of the shrine. Continue to Krakow and walk up the short and narrow Kanonicza Street to access the famous Wawel Hill crowned by the Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral. Explore the postcard-perfect Old Town, which boasts Europe’s largest medieval market square and a fairytale castle overlooking the river. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary and the Old Market Square with the Renaissance Cloth Hall.
Leave Poland for the Czech Republic and spend two nights in Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Celebrate Mass at the Church of Our Lady of Victorious, which houses the original image of the Sto. Nino del Praga. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the famous Charles Bridge and into the Old Town with the iconic astronomical clock at the Town Hall.
Continue your pilgrimage with a sightseeing tour of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. View a number of significant sites such as Primates Square, Bratislava’s main square; the Renaissance fountain and a 15th century Old Town Hall. Celebrate mass at St. Martin’s Cathedral, the city’s largest 14th-century church and the traditional site of coronations.
Leave Slovakia for Hungary and drive to Budapest, the capital and most populous city of Hungary. Often described as the “Little Paris of Middle Europe,” Budapest is famous for its monuments reflecting its 1,000-year-old culture. The capital has two sides, Buda and Pest, stretching along the banks of the Danube, and offering two distinct characters. Enjoy an enchanting cruise on the River Danube.
Depart Budapest for the city of Esztergom, believed to be the birthplace of Hungary’s first king and saint, Stephen I. Visit the Esztergom Basilica—also known as the Primatial Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert—the mother church of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest and the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary.
Austria’s capital city, Vienna, offers a unique blend of imperial traditions, music, and endearing charm. This fascinating city is a collage of green, rolling vineyards and magnificent imperial buildings. Not to be missed is a drive along Vienna’s Ringstrasse, one of the most beautiful boulevards in the world and home to many of the city’s most famous landmarks. Celebrate mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the symbol of Vienna and also the very center of the city.
Head for Melk, a Danube River town, known for its marvelous Benedictine Abbey perched on a steep hill overlooking the town. Continue your pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Maria Plain, a beloved place of prayer and a pilgrimage site visited by Pope John Paul II. Proceed to the historic center of Salzburg for a sightseeing tour. Admire the exquisite Mirabell Gardens; the Great Festival Hall; Alter Markt (Old Market); and the monumental Domplatz.
Wind down your pilgrimage with a sightseeing tour of Munich in Germany.
Join a 15-day Spiritual Journey to Encountering God in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Germany) with Fr. Kali Llamado on July 5-19, 2026. This remarkable journey promises a meaningful encounter with history, culture, and prayer in some of Eastern Europe’s most significant places. May this pilgrimage be a refuge that offers each pilgrim spiritual consolation and a renewed vigor for life with God.
