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Photograph to come · Wide view of the village of Medjugorje from Krizevac

Central Europe and Medjugorje

Prague, Altötting, Salzburg, Mariazell, Vienna, Budapest and Medjugorje

Fourteen days and five countries, the shrines of Catholic Central Europe from the Infant Jesus of Prague to Budapest, and then four nights in Medjugorje.

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

Eight stops in five countries

Prague, Altötting, Salzburg, Mariazell, Melk, Vienna, Budapest and Medjugorje.

Itinerary · EU_CZ-DE-AT-HU-BA-14D-01

The Central Europe and Medjugorje Itinerary

This fourteen-day route runs the shrines of Central Europe from Prague to Budapest and then flies south for four nights in Medjugorje. 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

Prague and Bavaria

The Charles Bridge and the old town bridge tower in Prague
The Charles Bridge and Prague Castle
Day 1

Departure

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

Arrival in Prague

Our driver meets us in the arrivals hall and accompanies us by motorcoach to the hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free, and the group gathers in the evening for a welcome dinner to begin the pilgrimage together.Dinner and overnight in Prague.
Day 3

Prague, the Infant Jesus and the Castle District

The Church of Our Lady Victorious holds the Infant Jesus of Prague, given to the Discalced Carmelites in 1628 and petitioned ever since. In the Castle District, St. Vitus Cathedral keeps the tomb of St. Wenceslas, and the Charles Bridge carries its baroque saints across the river.Mass is celebrated at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. Dinner and overnight in Prague.
Day 4

Prague, Altötting and Salzburg

Altötting is a town whose whole purpose is pilgrimage. Its Chapel of Mercy holds a thirteenth-century Black Madonna surrounded by silver votive offerings, and St. Konrad of Parzham served as porter here for more than forty years. The road then runs south to Salzburg.Mass is celebrated in the Chapel of Mercy at Altötting. Dinner and overnight in Salzburg.
DAYS 5–7

Salzburg and Vienna

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

Salzburg

St. Peter’s Abbey was founded by St. Rupert around 696 and is the oldest monastery still in use in the German-speaking lands. The old town keeps its medieval plan, and Nonnberg above it is the oldest continuously occupied convent north of the Alps.Mass is celebrated at St. Peter’s Abbey. Dinner and overnight in Salzburg.
Day 6

Mariazell, Melk and Vienna

Mariazell is the foremost pilgrimage place in Austria, and the linden-wood Magna Mater Austriae sits in a chapel built over the cell where the monk Magnus settled in 1157. Melk Abbey stands above the Danube, holding the tomb of St. Coloman.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Mariazell. Dinner and overnight in Vienna.
Day 7

Vienna

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the greatest Gothic church in Austria and keeps the icon of Our Lady of Mariapócs. The day also takes in Schönbrunn, the Belvedere and the Karlskirche, raised in thanksgiving for deliverance from plague.Mass is celebrated at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Vienna.
DAYS 8–10

Budapest and the road south

Buda Castle lit above the Danube in Budapest
The Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest
Day 8

Vienna and Budapest

We cross into Hungary and come into Budapest in the afternoon, walking up into the Castle District on the Buda side to the Fisherman’s Bastion, whose terraces look across the Danube to the Parliament and the city beyond.Mass is celebrated at a local church. Dinner and overnight in Budapest.
Day 9

Budapest

Matthias Church crowned the last Hungarian kings, and at St. Stephen’s Basilica the incorrupt right hand of the king who brought the faith to Hungary is venerated as the Holy Right. The Citadel on Gellért Hill is named for the bishop martyred on its slopes.Mass is celebrated at Matthias Church. Dinner and overnight in Budapest.
Day 10

Budapest and Medjugorje

We travel south into Bosnia and Herzegovina and reach Medjugorje in the evening, where we meet our guide and our spiritual director and check in for four nights in the village.Overnight in Medjugorje.
DAYS 11–14

Medjugorje

Photograph to come · St. James Church, Medjugorje
St. James Church, Medjugorje
Day 11

Medjugorje and Apparition Hill

After Mass the priest blesses the religious articles we have brought. We climb Apparition Hill above Podbrdo, praying the Rosary at each decade to the statue marking the first apparition of June 1981, and stop at the Blue Cross as we come down. The evening brings the Rosary, the apparition hour and the Croatian Mass.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 12

Mount Krizevac and the Community of Cenacolo

In 1933 the villagers carried the materials up Krizevac by hand to raise a thirty-foot cross. We climb praying the Way of the Cross at each of the fourteen Stations. Later we visit the Community of Cenacolo, founded by Sister Elvira Petrozzi for those recovering from addiction.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 13

Medjugorje

The last full day is given to prayer at a slower pace, with time set aside for Confession and for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Pilgrims gather before the bronze Risen Christ on the church grounds, and meetings with the visionaries are sometimes possible.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.
Day 14

Return home

We travel by motorcoach to Dubrovnik Airport for the flight home, with the intercession of Our Lady of Medjugorje, the Infant Jesus of Prague and Our Lady of Altötting 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®
MedjugorjeFour nights in the village, the apparition hour and the climb up Krizevac
Photograph to come · Medjugorje
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
Prague Castle and the spires of the old town above the Vltava
Prague Castle above the city
The basilica of Mariazell standing below the Styrian mountains
The basilica at Mariazell
The yellow baroque front of Melk Abbey above the Danube
Melk Abbey above the Danube
Photograph to come · Matthias Church, Budapest
Matthias Church, Budapest
Photograph to come · Apparition Hill above Podbrdo
Apparition Hill above Podbrdo
Photograph to come · The cross on Mount Krizevac
The cross on Mount Krizevac

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 Central Europe and Medjugorje?

Groups travel from May through October. Central Europe is at its best from June to September, and Medjugorje is busiest around the anniversary of the apparitions in late June and the Youth Festival at the start of August. The evening Rosary and Croatian Mass run all 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 this pilgrimage?

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 in any of these countries. The Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Hungary are all in the Schengen area, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is outside it and outside the European Union, so the crossing south is a separate entry.

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.

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