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Photograph to come · Wide view of Einsiedeln Abbey and its square

Marian Shrines and Saints of the Alps

Munich, Altötting, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Einsiedeln, Turin, Oropa and Milan

Twelve days and five countries, from the Chapel of Mercy at Altötting across the Alps to the Shroud of Turin, the Black Madonna of Oropa and the tomb of St. Gianna at Mesero.

Departures

Current Tours to Austria & Germany

Upcoming departures to Austria & Germany. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Nine stops from Bavaria to Lombardy

Munich, Dachau, Altötting, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Einsiedeln, Lucerne, Orselina, Turin, Oropa, Milan and Mesero.

Itinerary · EU_DE-AT-LI-CH-IT-12D-01

The Alps and Northern Italy Itinerary

This twelve-day route crosses the Alps from Bavaria into Piedmont and Lombardy, and it carries three incorrupt or recently canonised saints as well as the Shroud. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–4

Munich and Altötting

The old town of Munich with the twin domes of the Frauenkirche
The Frauenkirche, Munich
Day 1

Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Munich. Dinner and breakfast are served during the crossing, and there is time to rest before the first morning in Bavaria.
Day 2

Arrival in Munich

Our guide and driver meet us in the arrivals hall and accompany us by motorcoach into Munich, the capital of Bavaria. The group gathers in the evening for a welcome dinner to begin the pilgrimage together.Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 3

Munich, Marienplatz and the Frauenkirche

The Marienplatz is the centre of the city, and the Frauenkirche beside it is the cathedral of the archdiocese and the most recognisable thing on the skyline. The afternoon is free for lunch and for the markets around the square.Mass is celebrated at the Frauenkirche. Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 4

Dachau, Altötting and Salzburg

At Dachau a solemn quiet takes hold, and we pause over the memory of those who died and the value of every human life. Altötting is the other pole of the day: the Chapel of Mercy, the Panorama of the Crucifixion, and St. Konrad’s monastery.Mass is celebrated in the Chapel of Mercy at Altötting. Dinner and overnight in Salzburg.
DAYS 5–6

Across the Alps

The Chapel of Mercy on the central square at Altotting in Bavaria
The Chapel of Mercy, Altötting
Day 5

Salzburg, the Silent Night Chapel and Innsbruck

Nonnberg Abbey is the convent behind the Maria von Trapp story, and the Maria Plain basilica stands on its hill above the city. In the afternoon we visit the Silent Night Chapel at Oberndorf before the drive to Innsbruck.Mass is celebrated at the Maria Plain Pilgrimage Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Innsbruck.
Day 6

Liechtenstein, Einsiedeln and Lucerne

The road runs through Liechtenstein into Switzerland to Einsiedeln, one of the great Marian shrines of the world. Above the altar of the Lady Chapel stands the Black Madonna, Our Lady of the Hermitage, venerated since at least the ninth century.Mass is celebrated at the shrine of Einsiedeln. Dinner and overnight in Lucerne.
DAYS 7–9

Turin and the Shroud

Photograph to come · The abbey church at Einsiedeln
The abbey church at Einsiedeln
Day 7

Orselina and Turin

We cross the Alps to Orselina and the Santuario della Madonna del Sasso, where tradition holds Our Lady appeared to the hermit Bartolomeo on the Assumption in 1480 and told him this should be a place of prayer. The chapels below trace the life of Christ and his Mother down the mountain.Mass is celebrated at the Madonna del Sasso. Dinner and overnight in Turin.
Day 8

Turin, the Shroud and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati

The Shroud is kept at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and the incorrupt body of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati lies there too, the young layman who loved the mountains and the poor in equal measure. Maria Ausiliatrice holds St. John Bosco, and Corpus Domini marks a Eucharistic miracle of 1453.Mass is celebrated at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Dinner and overnight in Turin.
Day 9

Biella, Oropa and Milan

Oropa is among the oldest Marian shrines in the world, founded by St. Eusebius of Vercelli in the fourth century, and the town still makes an annual pilgrimage of thanksgiving for deliverance from plague. Frassati prayed here and climbed the mountain above it.Mass is celebrated before the Black Madonna at Oropa. Dinner and overnight in Milan.
DAYS 10–12

Milan and Mesero

Photograph to come · Milan Cathedral from the piazza
Milan Cathedral from the piazza
Day 10

Milan

Leonardo’s Last Supper is in the refectory at Santa Maria delle Grazie, availability permitting. The Duomo is the largest cathedral in Italy and holds the tomb of St. Charles Borromeo and a nail said to come from the Passion, still lowered once a year for veneration.Mass is celebrated at Milan Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Milan.
Day 11

Mesero, Magenta and Lake Como

At Mesero we come to the tomb of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, the physician and mother who chose her unborn daughter’s life over her own. In Magenta we see the house where she was born and the basilica where she was baptised, and the afternoon ends on the shore of Lake Como.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica di San Martino, Magenta. Dinner and overnight in Milan.
Day 12

Return home

We transfer to Milan for the flight home, with the intercession of Our Lady of Altötting, Our Lady of Einsiedeln and St. Gianna behind us.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
EinsiedelnThe Benedictine abbey and the Black Madonna, a devotion kept since the ninth century
Photograph to come · Einsiedeln
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln
The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln
Photograph to come · The Madonna del Sasso above Locarno
The Madonna del Sasso above Locarno
The face on the Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin
Photograph to come · The shrine of Oropa in the Piedmont hills
The shrine of Oropa in the Piedmont hills
Photograph to come · The tomb of St. Gianna Beretta Molla at Mesero
The tomb of St. Gianna Beretta Molla at Mesero
Photograph to come · Lake Como from the western shore
Lake Como from the western shore

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel across the Alps?

Groups travel from May through October. June and September bring the clearest mountain weather and the passes are reliably open, July and August are warmest and busiest. The Shroud of Turin is not normally on display, so the cathedral visit does not depend on an exposition year.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Italy?

United States citizens need a passport valid for at least three months beyond the return date and do not need a visa for a short stay. All five countries are in the Schengen area, so there is no border control between them, though Switzerland and Liechtenstein are outside the European Union and keep their own customs rules.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Austria & Germany?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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