A European Pilgrimage for Saint Meinrad Oblates, July 21 - August 2, 2025

DAY 1: (21 JULY) CHICAGO (ORD)-Zurich (ZRH) -Depart Chicago and flight to Zurich. After boarding, we will be served dinner according to the airline’s schedule.

DAY 2: (22 JULY) ZURICH - After the arrival in Zurich, we are met by our Faith in Travel tour manager. We explore the fascinating city that has Roman origin, especially the churches that stand so majestic and beautiful. We will take a city tour with focus on Catholic heritage. During the 19th century, the number of Catholics in Zurich grew significantly. The urgent need arose for a second Catholic church in addition to the St. Peter and Paul church. We start our day with a mass in the “Liebfrauenkirche”. This impressive church was built in 1894 in the style of an early Christian Basilica. It was built in honor of Mary, the mother of God. The church was based on these Italian models to reflect the ties of the Roman Catholic church in Switzerland with the Pope and Rome. During the religious wars in Europe (especially in England and in the Netherlands) many Protestants took refuge in Geneva or in Zurich, and were strongly influenced by Calvin and Zwingli. Some of these refugees eventually immigrated to the North American continent. Dinner and overnight in Zurich.

DAY 3: (23 JULY) ZURICH – EINSIEDELN - We drive through the alpine landscape to the village of Einsiedeln. Our Saint Meinrad Archabbey was founded in 1854 by monks from Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland. Nestled at the foot of a hill, Einsiedeln stands out as an imposing structure that overlooks the rural landscape and the town of Einsiedeln. Alone the facade in the Baroque style makes a great impression. So, this will be a pilgrimage back to our roots. Dinner and overnight next to the monastery.

DAY 4: (24 JULY) EINSIEDELN - ST. GALL - MUNICH- KUFSTEIN - In the morning, we tour the monastery. We will receive broad insight into the 1,000-year-old culture of the Benedictine abbey. We see the colorful world of baroque architecture and receive unforgettable insight into the history, life and spirituality of the Einsiedeln monks. We continue to the UNESCO world heritage Monastery St. Gall. The Convent is a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery dating from the 8th century to its secularization in 1805, one of the most important in Europe. Its library is one of the richest and oldest in the world and contains precious manuscripts such as the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment. We celebrate a mass in the splendorous collegiate Church of St. Gallus und Otmar which is considered one of the last great sacred structures of the Baroque era. Continue to Kufstein Austria. Dinner and overnight in Kufstein. 

DAY 5: (25 JULY) KUFSTEIN - MUNICH CATHEDRAL - RELIQUARIES - ASAM CHURCH - NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE -   Until secularization at the beginning of the 19th In the century, Munich had the reputation of "German Rome". To this day, numerous Munich churches have significant relics that have a great history and tradition of faith. This in mind we start our day with the visit of the Cathedral of Munich the bishop's church “Frauenkirche”. In the Gospels it is repeatedly said: Jesus called his disciples to himself; he sat down and taught them. Therefore, according to the liturgical regulations, the bishop should also take this old attitude of teaching and preach from his chair sitting down. Like the altar, the cathedra becomes a place of special Christ presence and the oldest and most important symbol of the episcopal pastoral task. The Cathedral contains this symbol and thus becomes a sign of the unity of the faithful in the faith which the bishop proclaims as the shepherd of his flock. After this splendor we make our way to the “Collection of relics” in the Munich Residence. This collection was begun during the Counter-Reformation. In the 16th century Duke Wilhelm V was given the required permission to acquire relics by the pope. Wilhelm's son, Maximilian I, expanded the collection and housed the reliquaries (precious containers made for relics) in the Rich Chapel, his private place of worship. In the 19th century the reliquaries were still regarded as the most valuable treasure in the Residence. Some sixty reliquaries have survived from a period dating from around 1590 to 1640. They include outstanding works by Munich and Augsburg goldsmiths. Before leaving Munich, we stop at Asam Church which is considered to be one of the most important buildings of the southern German Late Baroque. We continue to Neuschwanstein Castle which is the most visited castle in Germany, perched high up on a mountain in the beautiful landscape of the Alps. The shimmering white towers of the castle among the clouds are instantly recognizable to many and are the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. To visit it, is to step inside a fairy tale. Return to Kufstein for dinner and overnight. 

DAY 6: (26 JULY) KUFSTEIN- ERL PASSIONPLAY - We are facing one of the highlights of this pilgrimage. We have the once in a lifetime chance to see the oldest passion play location in the German-speaking area. Historic sources prove, that already in 1613 pilgrims came to see the passion play in Erl. Again in 2025, 600 out of the 1,450 deeply faithful inhabitants from Erl will be on stage to illustrate the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The last award-winning production was in 2019 when Erl celebrated the 400th jubilee of the passion play tradition. The passion play in Erl is famous for the remarkable scenes of the way of the cross. The text is current, modern, and adapted to the present day. The passion music was especially composed for this purpose, and is performed live by a choir and orchestra. The passion play is an excellent example of how a tradition can be preserved in a contemporary and how cultural uniqueness and Christian faith can be expressed in the 21st century. This experience will foster our faith and we return with new impressions from the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. After the play we return to Kufstein. Dinner and overnight. 

DAY 7: (27 JULY) KUFSTEIN - SALZBURG - CATHEDRAL - SOUND OF MUSIC - KUFSTEIN - After breakfast we drive to Salzburg (Austria) the hometown of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and filming location of the film and musical “The Sound of Music”. On a walking tour we see the baroque Mirabell garden and the Salzburg Cathedral. Here we celebrate a mass and see the many precious reliquaries by renowned saints which are kept here. The many treasures of this cathedral include a bronze baptismal font (14th century) with lions at its base (12th century) in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Mohr, the man who wrote thewords for "Silent Night," were both christened. Other highlights include the imposing main organ, the cathedral gates as well as seven bells. The three gates stand for Faith, Love and Hope, with the middle gate (for Love) somewhat larger. The seven bells also have names, ranging from Salvator (the biggest) to Barbara (the smallest). We can also have an inside visit of Mozart’s Birth House where the composer was born 1756. Return to Kufstein.

DAY 8: (28 JULY) MUNICH - MELK ABBEY - The Bus takes us via the Alpine highway, with beautiful photo stops, like the Moonlake, to the Abbey of Melk. As a Baroque World Heritage, the Abbey is one of the biggest and most beautiful European Baroque ensembles. Its splendid architecture is famous worldwide and part of UNESCO’s world heritage. Since 1089, the Benedictine monks have been living and working in Melk Abbey in uninterrupted tradition. We have the opportunity to see the “Melk Cross” which is made of gold and precious stones. The relic is to be a great splinter of that cross, on which Jesus was crucified. Supposedly, this splinter is said to contain visible traces of Christ's blood. It is considered to be the most precious sanctuary of the Melk Abbey. Dinner and overnight in Melk.

DAY 9: (29 JULY) MELK - DURNSTEIN ABBEY - HINTERBRUHL - VIENNA - Departure for Dürnstein Castle in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wachau and the Danube, where the Crusader Richard Lionheart had been imprisoned. After we visited the castle we descent to Dürnstein Abbey which is a baroque jewel. Here Provost Hieronymus Übelbacher (18th century) succeeded brilliantly in translating the spirit and faith of his time into the language of architecture. We drive to Hinterbrühl, where we make a boat ride on the biggest underground lake in Europe. It was here where the Nazi had an underground warplane production. In the evening we reach Vienna, the capital of Austria. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight.

DAY 10: (30 JULY) VIENNA - We tour the most important sights of Vienna like Opera House, Art and Natural History Museum, Parliament, City Hall and National Theatre. After this we enjoy a cake in the Sacher Café, famous for its Sacher Torte chocolate cake. The colorfully decorated Hundertwasser House, the Hofburg and the famous Spanish Riding School are not only architectural high- lights but also interesting for their history. The day ends with a highlight which is the visit of St.Stephan cathedral. It is not only Austria’s most important Gothic building but it is far more than that. A landmark, a symbol of identity and synonymous with the reconstruction of the Republic after the Second World War. The Bell “Pummerin” hangs in the 223 feet tall north tower. It is the second-biggest free swinging chimed church bell in Europe. On the roof of St. Stephen's Cathedral, colorful roof tiles were laid to create the Royal and Imperial double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of the city of Vienna. In addition to valuable altars and side chapels, the impressive cathedral treasure can also be seen, including relics decorated with gold and precious stones, monstrances, liturgical texts and books as well as vestments. After dinner we experience a live classical concert on historic instruments in the St.Anne church. Overnight in Vienna.

DAY 11: (31 JULY) VIENNA - BRATISLAVA (SLOVAKIA) ESZTERGOM - BUDAPEST - We pass the boarder to Slovakia, where our next stop is in the capital Bratislava. We take a look at the famous Castle, on a hill above the old town, which dominates the city. We stroll through the picturesque narrow pedestrian streets. The Bus takes us to Esztergom (Hungary) which was the capital of Hungary from the 10th -13th century. Its cathedral, Esztergom Basilica is the largest church in Hungary and the most monumental construction of Hungarian Classicism. We learn about the Hungarian Treasury and then drive to Budapest, the capital and biggest city of Hungary. After check-in we enjoy a typical Hungarian dinner. Overnight in Budapest.

DAY 12: (1 AUGUST) BUDAPEST - BUDA CASTLE - ST. MATTHEW - CATHEDRAL ST. STEPHEN -  In the morning, we learn why the former Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled the majority of Europe for almost 200 years. We start discovering the city with touring the Buda Castle District, which is packed with historic sites and attractions, interesting museums, crooked streets and cafes. We visit Matthias Church, which is called the Church of our Lady and was built in the 19th century, and Fisherman’s Bastion, which is a lookout tower built in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style in the 19th century. We have a final mass in the Cathedral of St. Stephen’s Basilica. Here we see important relics related to the saint, to whom the Hungarian people have been steadfastly devoted throughout their history. Farewell Dinner and overnight in Budapest.

DAY 13: (2 AUGUST) BUDAPEST - USA

Transfer to Budapest airport for your return flight to the USA with your heart full of memories from spectacular views and unforgettable experiences.

NOTE: Schedule is subject to change due to various factors and the tour guide’s discretion. 

PRICING:

• $5895 per person based on double occupancy. 
  
• Single room supplement - $1495
• $500 per person with registration to secure space.
• 50% of the total amount is due on or before January 21, 2025
• Balance due on or before April 21, 2025

FLIGHT SCHEDULE:

• TK 186   21JUL   ORD-IST  1125 0550 22JUL
• TK1907  22JUL   IST-ZRH   0755 0955 
• TK1036  02AUG  BUD-IST  0855 1215 
• TK   5     02AUG  IST-ORD  1420 1745

* Flight times, flight numbers, equipment, gates, and seats are subject to change. For the most current information check the airline website.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE REGISTERING

PASSPORTS: Passports must be valid with an expiration date of at least six months beyond the return home date of the tour. Participants with non-US passports are responsible for country-specific entry requirements. If you do not have a valid passport or need to renew your passport, enter "RENEWING" or "APPLIED FOR" when completing registration.

CANCELLATION POLICY: The $500 per person deposit is nonrefundable. Other payments exceeding the $500 per person are refundable in full up to ninety days prior to departure. After this date, refunds for unused accommodations and services will be limited to the amount received from and/or credited by all carriers, sightseeing operators, and hotels. All funds, including the deposit, are non-transferable.

AIR: The Standard Tour includes round-trip, economy-class airfare from the departure city listed in the itinerary. All group seating is assigned by the airline and cannot be changed by Signature Tours. Seat changes can only be made during check-in at the airport. Upgrades such as Comfort, Premium, Business, or First Class are not available with the standard tour. Participants who wish to upgrade or purchase a specific seat should choose the Land Only option when registering. Frequent flyer, TSA Precheck, and Global Entry numbers can only be added at check-in.

LAND ONLY: Participants who wish to arrange their own air should choose the Land Only option. $1000pp will be deducted from the standard tour price when selecting this option. Participants arranging their own air should notify Signature Tours at least 6 months prior to the departure date. Land Only Passengers arriving with or before the group are welcome to join the group bus at no additional charge. For those not traveling with the group, Signature Tours can provide contact information to arrange a private transfer.

GROUND/TRANSFERS: The group will be met on arrival by a Signature Tours representative and transferred to the hotel/airport. Land Only participants not traveling with the group are responsible for scheduling ground transfers.

HOTELS: Superior first-class hotels throughout. Priced based on two people per room with a private bath and shower.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: A limited number of single rooms are available at additional supplement prices. Signature Tours and/or the group leader will make every attempt to pair single participants requesting a roommate. However, the single supplement fee will be charged for each person occupying a single room, whether by choice or circumstance.

MEALS: Breakfast and dinner are provided daily. 

SIGHTSEEING: Entrance fees to all places listed in the itinerary are included, as well as an expert English-speaking guide.

LUGGAGE: Space is limited on the tour buses. Participants are allowed one suitcase weighing 50lbs or less and will be transported in storage under the bus. Participants are allowed one backpack/daypack or personal bag to carry on the bus during the tour. These requirements will meet most airline carrier restrictions. See the carrier website for airline-specific baggage restrictions and requirements. Medical devices are not included in these restrictions. 

TIPS, SERVICE CHARGES, AND TAXES: Tips, service charges, and taxes ARE INCLUDED in the selling price. Taxes, as imposed by national and/or local governments, that are not included at the time of booking are the responsibility of the participant.

NOT INCLUDED: Excess baggage fees, passport fees, visa fees, food or drink items not listed on the regular table menu for included meals, and items of a personal nature such as room service, laundry, etc. Any service not indicated in the itinerary and/or the above list of included features.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: This tour requires a substantial amount of walking. Many of the sites are not accessible by wheelchair, and the uneven terrain is not feasible for rollators. Signature Tours reserves the right to refuse individuals who may require special attention beyond what the tour guide and tour host can provide.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel Insurance is not included in the purchase price. For your convenience, we offer travel insurance through Trawick International. Please Click Here for more information or to enroll in the plan. A preexisting medical condition waiver is available if purchased within 21 days of registration.

Signature Tours
PO Box 956817 Duluth, GA 30095
info@signaturetours.com