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+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · Vadstena Abbey on Lake Vättern, the hero shot

The Shrines of St. Bridget

Oslo, Stockholm, Linköping, Vadstena, Gothenburg, Lund and Malmö

Nine days from Oslo across Sweden by first-class rail, to Vadstena Abbey on Lake Vättern, the motherhouse St. Bridget founded in 1346 and left to her daughter St. Catherine as abbess.

Departures

Current Tours to Scandinavia

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

All current pilgrimages
    The Route

    Eight stops across Norway and Sweden

    Oslo, Stockholm, Linköping, Vadstena, Varnhem, Gothenburg, Lund, Ystad and Malmö.

    Itinerary · EU_NO-SE-9D-01

    The St. Bridget Itinerary

    Our Swedish route, built around the one saint of the north with a following across the whole Church. 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 1–3

    Oslo

    Photograph to come · St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo
    St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo
    Day 1

    Departure

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

    Arrival in Oslo

    Our tour escort meets us on arrival and accompanies us to the hotel. The evening is given to a welcome dinner, where the group gathers for the first time and the pilgrimage properly begins.Welcome dinner and overnight in Oslo.
    Day 3

    Oslo

    We hear the story of Blanche of Namur, who came north in 1374 as consort of King Magnus VII, and of St. Bridget, who served as her Mistress of the Robes before leaving for Rome in 1349; the royal couple gave generously to the Vadstena abbey she was planning. We visit Frogner Park and Akershus Fortress, founded in 1299.Mass is celebrated at St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo. Dinner and overnight in Oslo.
    DAYS 4–5

    Stockholm

    Photograph to come · The Stockholm archipelago
    The Stockholm archipelago
    Day 4

    By rail to Stockholm

    We take the high-speed train east through the lake country of southern Sweden, a little over five hours in first class, and transfer to our hotel on arrival in the Swedish capital.Dinner and overnight in Stockholm.
    Day 5

    Stockholm

    The morning gives us the Gold Room at the City Hall, the cathedral, the old town and the Royal Palace. In the afternoon we sail for three hours through the archipelago that scatters east of the city, with a guide aboard.Mass is celebrated at St. Eugene or St. Eric. Dinner and overnight in Stockholm.
    DAYS 6–7

    Vadstena and Varnhem

    Photograph to come · Vadstena Abbey
    Vadstena Abbey on Lake Vättern
    Day 6

    Linköping and Vadstena

    At Linköping we visit the cathedral, built on a twelfth-century church and three hundred years in the making, and Vreta Abbey, founded early in the twelfth century by King Inge the Elder and Queen Helena at the request of Pope Paschal II, the oldest known abbey in Sweden. We come in the afternoon to Vadstena on the shore of Lake Vättern.Mass is celebrated at Vadstena Abbey. Dinner and overnight in Vadstena.
    Day 7

    Varnhem and Gothenburg

    We drive the northern shore of Lake Vättern to Varnhem Abbey, the oldest Christian site in Sweden, where a Viking-age churchyard bears witness to the conversion of the Norse a thousand years ago. We continue to Gothenburg and its botanic gardens, among the largest in Europe.Mass is celebrated at the Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Gothenburg. Dinner and overnight in Gothenburg.
    DAYS 8–9

    Scania and home

    Photograph to come · Lund Cathedral
    Lund Cathedral and its astronomical clock
    Day 8

    Lund, Ystad and Malmö

    Lund Cathedral was consecrated in 1145 and keeps an astronomical clock of 1424 still in working order, bronze pillars from about 1240 and choir stalls from the fourteenth century. At Ystad we visit the Franciscan monastery founded in 1267, among the best preserved in Sweden, before reaching Malmö.Mass is celebrated at Our Saviour’s Church, Malmö. Farewell dinner and overnight in Malmö.
    Day 9

    Return home

    We cross the Øresund Bridge to the airport for the flight home, carrying the intercession of St. Bridget and the memory of a country that kept her abbey standing through every century since.

    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®
    VadstenaShe founded it in 1346, and her daughter Catherine became its abbess.
    Photograph to come
    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 · St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo
    St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo
    Photograph to come · The Gold Room, Stockholm City Hall
    The Gold Room at Stockholm City Hall
    Photograph to come · Vreta Abbey
    Vreta Abbey, the oldest known in Sweden
    Photograph to come · Vadstena Abbey, the Bridgettine motherhouse
    Vadstena Abbey, the Bridgettine motherhouse
    Photograph to come · Varnhem Abbey and its Viking churchyard
    Varnhem Abbey and its Viking churchyard
    Photograph to come · The 1424 astronomical clock at Lund
    The 1424 astronomical clock at Lund

    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 to Sweden?

    Groups travel from late May through September. June and July bring the long northern daylight and the warmest weather for the archipelago cruise, while late August and September are quieter. Vadstena keeps its fullest calendar through the summer, and St. Bridget’s feast falls on 23 July.

    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.

    Who was St. Bridget, and why does this route belong to her?

    Bridget of Sweden was a noblewoman at the Norwegian court, Mistress of the Robes to Queen Blanche of Namur, who left for Rome in 1349 and never returned home. She founded the Bridgettine order and its motherhouse at Vadstena in 1346, and her daughter Catherine became its abbess. She was canonised in 1391 and named one of the six patron saints of Europe by St. John Paul II in 1999. This route follows her from the Oslo court where she served, through Stockholm, to the abbey she built and never saw finished.

    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 Scandinavia?

    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

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