Munich is the capital and the most populous city of Bavaria, Germany.

It is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg, as well as the 12^th largest city in the European Union.

Munich is famous for its beautiful architecture, fine culture, and the annual Oktoberfest beer celebration.  Munich’s cultural scene is second to none in Germany, with the museums even considered by some to outrank Berlin in quality. Many travelers to Munich are absolutely stunned by the quality of the architecture. Although it was heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II, many of its historic buildings have been rebuilt and the city center appears mostly as it did in the late 1800s including its largest church, the Frauenkirche, and the famous city hall (Neues Rathaus).

The Benedictine priory and erstwhile abbey of Andechs is a place of pilgrimage on a hill east of the Ammersee in Upper Bavaria in Germany.

Andechs Abbey is world famous for its flamboyant Baroque church and its brewery Klosterbraueri Andechs.

Seen from miles around atop Holy Mountain above the eastern bank of Ammer Lake, Andechs Monastery is the oldest pilgrimage church in Bavaria and since 1850, an asset of the Benedictine monastery, St. Boniface, in Munich. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the church und hold retreats for body and soul.

Steingaden is a town and municipality in the Weilheim-Schongau district of Upper Bavaria, Germany.

It is the site of the 12^th century Steingaden Abbey (Kloster Steingaden) and the Weis Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The community lies in the Alpine foothills, on the border between Upper Bavaria and the Allgau.

Bad Kohlgrub is in the Garmish-Partenkirchen district of Upper Bravaria.

It is a small skiing resort and spa on the Ammergau railway between Murnau and Oberammergau. The town’s “home mountain” is the Hornle mountain, accessible by chairlift.

Bad Kohlgrub was Bavaria’s frist “WellVital town,” a Garden of Eden for health and wellness in all its facets.

Unterammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany.

It is the site of the 11^th century Chapel of St. Leonhard, patron saint of horses, which is the terminus of the annual Leonhardritt and Blessing of the Animals.

Ettal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the village of Ettal close to Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany.

With a community (as of 2005) of more than 50 monks, with another five at Wechselburg, the Abbey is one of the largest Benedictine houses and is a major attraction for visitors.

Ettal Abbey was founded on 28 April 1330 by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian in the Graswang valley. The foundation legend is that Ludwig’s horse genuflected three times on the site of the original church building, where a marble statuette of the Madonna and Child now stands. The statue was brought by Ludwig from Pisa as a gift for his new foundation. It soon became an object of pilgrimage. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.

Since the 17^th century, the monk’s distillery has been producing the legendary and world famous Ettal Abbey liqueurs from more than 50 carefully selected herbs. This centuries-old recipe is still distilled at the monastery by the monks.

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.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, also known as the Chapel of Grace, is the national shrine of Bavaria dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is known for the many healings which are said to have taken place there, and is commonly called “the Lourdes of Germany.”

The octagonal chapel which houses the image of Our Lady dates to about AD660, and is the oldest Marian shrine in Germany. The image of Mary venerated there is a Black Madonna of great antiquity (possibly about 1330), carved from lindenwood.

The shrine became a popular pilgrim destination when it became known for the miraculous recovery in 1489 of a young boy who had been drowned, after his mother laid his body before the image and prayed to the Blessed Mother for a miracle.

Burghausen is the largest town in the Altotting district of Upper Bavaria in Germany

It is situated on the Salzach river, near the border with Austria.

Burghausen castle rests along a ridgeline, and is the longest castle in the world.

The city is thus aptly named as “Burg” is the German name for castle.

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.

Villach is the the 7th largest city in Austria and the second-largest city of Carinthia. It is a railway gateway to most parts of Austria as well as the Italian border.

It represents an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region.

Its carnival is famously broadcast on public television throughout Austria. It’s quite old, with roots back in Roman times (when the city was called Santicum). The city was heavily bombed in World War II, destroying many parts of the city.

Bled is Slovenia’s most popular resort.

Sheltered by the picturesque mountains of the Julian Alps, Bled sits in the middle of an emerald-green lake with a picture-postcard church on the islet, and a medieval castle clinging to a rocky cliff. Bled is a sight that stays in your memory. The town has long been a destination for those seeking relaxation, through its sunny alpine air and thermal spring.

Bled is known for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle.
Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all across the world. Today it is an important convention center and tourist resort.

Zagreb is the capital and largest city of Croatia.
It is a vibrant city that boasts a charming medieval “old city”with architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Vienna, Budapest, Prague and other Central- European capitals.

Zagreb got its start as two medieval fortress towns atop hills overlooking the Sava River, and was reborn in the Baroque period as the center of business, perfectly located on routes connecting Central Europe to the Adriatic Sea. These days, Zagreb is the heart of contemporary Croatia’s culture, art, sports, and academics, but its history is not forgotten.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia.

It is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia, at the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1970, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The beauty of Plitvice National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, interconnected by a series of waterfalls, and set in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species. The National Park covers a total area of 300 square kilometres, whilst the lakes join together over a distance of eight kilometres. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.

the national park area is home to many endemic species. Those species that prevailed at the lakes before the arrival of man still exist.

Rastoke is the historic center of the Croatian municipality of Slunj known for its well-preserved mills and little waterfalls along the Slunjcica river.

In its formation, Rastoke serves as an introduction to the Plitvice Lakes and therefore often been referred to as “the Small Lakes of Plitvice”. In contrast to the Lakes Rastoke features a three hundred-year old village with houses and watermills.

Rastoke is a place of native ecologic and ethnographic significance due to its symbiosis of natural and civilizational features. Due to its rich heritage in 1969 Rastoke was registered as an immovable cultural monument in the Regional Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments in Zagreb.

Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia.

Gorgeous Trogir (called Trau by the Venetians) is set within medieval walls on a tiny island, linked by bridges to both the mainland and to the far larger Čiovo Island. The old town has retained many intact and beautiful buildings from its age of glory between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Since 1997, the historic center of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites for its Venetian architecture.

Split is the second largest city in Croatia.

The city was originally built around the Diocletian palace (a palace and fort built for the retired Roman emperor, Diocletian) where the locals sought refuge centuries ago. Split has a unique setting. Its dramatic coastal mountains act as the perfect backdrop to the turquoise waters of the Adriatic.

In 1979, the historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Split is said to be one of the centers of Croatian culture. Its literary tradition can be traced to medieval times.

Medjugorje is a town located in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The name Medjugorje literally means “between mountains.” It has a mild Mediterranean climate.

On June 25, 1981, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to six children in the mountain village of Medjugorje. To this day, the Blessed Virgin Mary is coming and giving messages to the world through these 6 people (known as visionaries): Ivanka,Mirjana, Vicka, Maria, Ivan and Jacov. She tells us that God has sent Her to our world, and these years she is spending with us are a time of Grace granted by God. The Blessed Virgin Mary comes with a mission of peace and love and urges us to return to God with all our hearts.

The place is now a popular site of religious pilgrimages.

Dubrovnik is a stunningly intact walled city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia.

It is the proudest feather in Croatia’s tourist cap, an elite destination and one of the most beautiful towns in the Mediterranean. Dubbed as the Pearl of the Adriatic, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.

Home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars, Dubrovnik was one of the centers of the development of the Croatian language and literature.