Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is the 9th most populous capital city in the European Union.

Completely destroyed by the Nazis during World War II, the city managed to lift itself from the ashes. In 2012, Warsaw was ranked as the 32nd most liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit. It was also ranked as one of the most liveable cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, Warsaw is considered an Alpha-global city, a major international tourist destination and a significant cultural, political and economic hub. Unusually for a European city, Warsaw has a prominent skyline with many skyscrapers and high-rise buildings in the city center. Warsaw is one of only a few cities in the European Union that have such a skyline, together with Frankfurt, London and Paris.

Niepokalanow monastery (so called City of the Immaculate Mother of God) is a Roman Catholic religious community in Teresin (42 km to the west of Warsaw), Poland founded in 1927 by Friar Maximilian Kolbe, who was later canonized as a saint-martyr.

Niepokalanow became an important focus for pilgrimages, thanks to an event that occurred during the war – Maximilian Kolbe was arrested by the Nazis and died in Auschwitz, giving his life for the life of another prisoner.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II visited the church and the monastery of Niepokalanow bringing worldwide attention to the place. Pope John Paul II called the monastery a “heroic place where St. Maximilian lived and the environment of the Immaculate.”

Czestochowa is a city in southern Poland. The city is known for the famous Pauline monastery of Jasna Gora, the holiest place in Poland and one of the world’s most important pilgrimage destinations.

The Jasna Gora Monastery is home to the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The faithful has believed for ages that St. Luke the Evangelist himself painted the divine icon on a tabletop from the Holy Family’s house. Over the last half-millennium a great number of them have had their prayers heard. The monastery is also the national shrine of Poland and the center of Polish Catholicism.

Krakow is not only an historic and visual gem, it is Poland’s second largest city. It is one of the most culturally and politically significant cities in Poland. It was the central site of the Nazi General Government during WWII.

Krakow, the old royal capital, is acclaimed for its many precious architectural monuments and a unique friendly atmosphere. Its historic center, which includes the Old Town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle, was included in the first of its kind on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978.

Krakow is home to several universities, including the world famous Jagiellonian University founded in 1364. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe. Krakow’s Main Market Square, or Rynek, is the largest medieval market square in Europe.

Another claim to fame for Krakow is its former archbishop, Karol Wojtyla, who went to become the late St. John Paul II.

The Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Kraków, Poland is a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion, as the resting place of Saint Faustina Kowalska, canonized on April 30, 2000.

The new basilica was built between 1999–2002, and is located in the District of Łagiewniki at św. Faustyny street. Two Popes have visited the shrine and millions of pilgrims from around the world continue to visit it every year.

Wadowice, small city of about 20,000 some 30 miles southwest of Krakow, has got international recognition as the birthplace of Pope John Paul II.

Born in 1920 as Karol Wojtyla, the future Pontiff lived in Wadowice till 1938 when he moved to Krakow to study at its ancient Jagiellonian University. Yet to his last days the late Holy Father remembered fondly his Wadowice youth and places associated with it, the schoolmates, his teachers, and other local folks he had used to know. Also, he tried to include the town, when possible, in his visits to Poland.

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is one of the largest cities of Central Europe.

The magical city of bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, has been mirrored in the surface of the swan filled Vltava River for more than ten centuries. Almost undamaged by WWII, Prague’s medieval center remains a wonderful mixture of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, cathedrals and countless church spires in the shadow of her majestic 9th century castle that looks eastward as the sun sets behind her. Prague is also a modern and vibrant city full of energy, music, cultural art, and fine dining.

Regarded by many as one of Europe’s most charming and beautiful cities, Prague has become the most popular travel destination in Central Europe along with Vienna and Krakow. Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Regensburg is the best preserved medieval city in Germany.

It is one of Germany’s oldest towns, founded by the Romans in 179 AD. It’s in the German federal state of Bavaria, at the northernmost point of the river Danube.

Almost 1,000 monuments are located closely together in the city centre, forming a bridge through time. You can take a walk from the past to the present exploring important periods of history. Step through the northern gate Porta Praetoria, erected 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Cross the Danube over the stone bridge, regarded as an engineering sensation when it was built 850 years ago. Together with St Peter’s Gothic Cathedral, it became the emblem of the city.

Since 2006 the historic city center of Regensburg and Stadtamhof has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. Because of its narrow alleys Regensburg is often called the northernmost city of Italy.

South of Munich lies the small Bavarian town of Oberammergau. This town owes its world-famous reputation to the famous Passion Play that has been performed every 10 years (with only a couple of exceptions) in the town since 1634.

The play has its origins in the middle ages when the Bubonic Plague, or Black Death, ravaged all of Europe and by some estimates decimated almost half of the entire population.

The local inhabitants had quarantined the village of Oberammergau to keep the plague from entering, but one night a local farmer who had been working elsewhere sneaked back in to the village and brought the disease with him. Soon 20% of the villagers were dead. The villagers met in the Parish church and vowed to perform Passion Plays every 10 years if only God would spare them any future deaths. From that time forward no one died and the villagers have kept their promise.

The play tells of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The next scheduled performance is in 2020. Performances are given 5 times weekly from May through October. The actors are all local villagers and they begin growing beards and preparing for their parts about a year ahead of time. Roles are often handed down from generation to generation. Only people who were either born in Oberammergau or have been living there for 20 years can take part.

Attendance at this play can be a very unforgettable and moving experience.

Salzburg is the capital city of the State of Salzburg and the 4th largest city in Austria.

Its historic center is renowned for its Baroque architecture and is one of the best preserved city centers north of the Alps, with 27 churches. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

The city has three universities and a large population of students. Tourists also visit Salzburg to tour the historic center and the scenic Alpine surroundings. Salzburg was the birthplace of the 18th century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the mid-20th century, the city was the setting for the musical play and film The Sound of Music.

The name Salzburg literally means “Salt Fortress”, and derives its name from the barges carrying salt on the Salzach river, which were subject to a toll in the 8th century.

Vienna is the capital of Austria, and one of the nine states of Austria. It is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic and political center.

Vienna is regarded as the “City of Music” because of its musical legacy from the great age of Viennese Classicism. Many notable musicians were born in Vienna, including: Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Falco, Franz Schubert, Gerhard Potuznik, Louie Austen, Arnold Schönberg, and Fritz Kreisler.

The Historic center of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th-century Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Esztergom, the seat of the Hungarian Catholic Church, is one of the oldest towns in Hungary.

The Basilica of Esztergom, a masterpiece of Classicism, is the third largest church in Europe. Established around 972 AD, Esztergom has always played an important role in Hungary’s history. It was the birth and coronation place of the first Hungarian King, St. Stephen, as well as the capital of Hungary until the 13th century.

Esztergom is often nicknamed as the “City of St. Stephen” and the “Hungarian Rome.”

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary.

It is one of Europe’s most delightful and enjoyable cities. Due to its scenic setting and its architecture, it is nicknamed “Paris of the East.” The river Danube splits the city approximately in half, with the west side called Buda and the east called Pest. Most of Budapest’s highlights are within easy walking distance of each other and the city center.

In 1987, Budapest was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for the cultural and architectural significance of the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and the Andrassy Avenue.