+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · Melk Abbey above the Danube at dusk

Danube River Cruise

Munich, Altötting, Passau, Regensburg, Salzburg, Melk, Vienna, Bratislava, Esztergom and Budapest

Ten days and four countries, one night in Munich and seven aboard a river ship, from the Chapel of Mercy at Altötting down the Danube to the basilica at Esztergom and the Castle District of Budapest.

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

Ten stops along the Danube

Munich, Altötting, Passau, Regensburg, Salzburg, Melk, Vienna, Bratislava, Esztergom and Budapest.

Itinerary · EU_DE-AT-SK-HU-CRUISE-10D-01

The Danube River Cruise Itinerary

This ten-day route is the only one of ours that sails, seven nights aboard a river ship between Passau and Budapest, with Mass ashore each day. 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

Munich, Altötting and embarkation

Photograph to come · The Chapel of Mercy at Altötting
Photograph to come · The Chapel of Mercy at Altötting
Day 1

Depart for Germany

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Munich. Dinner and breakfast are served during the flight, and the group travels together from the first evening.
Day 2

Arrival in Munich

Our tour manager meets the group at the airport and travels with us to our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free to rest and settle in before we gather for dinner.Dinner and overnight in Munich.
Day 3

Altötting and embarkation at Passau

We drive to Altötting, a town whose whole purpose is pilgrimage, and celebrate Mass in the Chapel of Mercy before its thirteenth-century statue of the Virgin. There is time for the Basilica, the Panorama of the Crucifixion and St. Konrad’s Monastery before we continue to Passau and board the ship.Welcome dinner and overnight onboard.
DAYS 4–6

Regensburg, Salzburg and Melk

Photograph to come · Melk Abbey above the Danube
Photograph to come · Melk Abbey above the Danube
Day 4

Walhalla and Regensburg

We visit the Walhalla Memorial on its hilltop above the Danube, then continue to Regensburg for St. Peter’s Cathedral, among the finest Gothic churches in Germany. We celebrate Mass at the Alte Kapelle, the ancient Marian shrine in the heart of the city.Dinner and overnight onboard.
Day 5

Salzburg and Maria Plain

A full day ashore takes us to Salzburg for the Old Town, the fortress above it and the Mirabell Gardens. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Maria Plain, built around a painting of the Virgin and Child that came through a fire unharmed, and rejoin the ship through the Salzkammergut.Dinner and overnight onboard.
Day 6

Melk Abbey and the Wachau

We tour Melk Abbey, a Baroque house on a bluff above the river holding paintings and sculpture from the ninth century onward, and celebrate Mass there. The ship sails the Wachau in the afternoon, with Dürnstein to visit independently, and continues towards Vienna.Dinner and overnight onboard.
DAYS 7–8

Vienna and Bratislava

Photograph to come · The Votivkirche in Vienna
Photograph to come · The Votivkirche in Vienna
Day 7

Vienna

A panoramic tour runs from the University to the Opera House, past the Hofburg, the Belvedere gardens and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We celebrate Mass at the Votivkirche. The afternoon takes us to Schönbrunn, the Habsburg summer palace where Mozart played at six years old.Dinner and overnight onboard.
Day 8

Bratislava

We walk the Old Town of Bratislava, past Michael’s Gate, the Primatial Palace and the castle on its hill, and celebrate Mass at St. Martin’s Cathedral. The afternoon goes to Červený Kameň Castle for a guided tour and a wine tasting.Dinner and overnight onboard.
DAYS 9–10

The Danube Bend and Budapest

Photograph to come · The Basilica of Esztergom on the Danube Bend
Photograph to come · The Basilica of Esztergom on the Danube Bend
Day 9

Esztergom, Szentendre and Budapest

At Esztergom we celebrate Mass in the basilica above the Danube Bend, the largest church in Hungary and the seat of its Church. We stop at the artists’ town of Szentendre, then tour Buda for the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church.Dinner, a folklore evening and overnight onboard.
Day 10

Disembarkation

With hearts renewed by the grace of this journey along the Danube and the intercession of Our Lady of Altötting and Our Lady of Maria Plain, we disembark and transfer to Budapest Airport for our flight home.

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®
Altötting, BavariaA whole town given over to one small chapel, and the thirteenth-century statue of the Virgin inside it to which numerous miraculous cures are credited.
Photograph to come · The Chapel of Mercy at Altötting
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 statue of the Virgin in the Chapel of Mercy, Altötting
The Black Madonna in the Chapel of Mercy, Altötting
Photograph to come · The Alte Kapelle at Regensburg
The Alte Kapelle at Regensburg
Photograph to come · The Basilica of Maria Plain above Salzburg
The Basilica of Maria Plain above Salzburg
Photograph to come · The abbey library at Melk
Melk Abbey above the Wachau
Photograph to come · St. Martin’s Cathedral, Bratislava
St. Martin’s Cathedral, Bratislava
Photograph to come · Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest
Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest

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?

River ships sail from spring through autumn, so groups travel from May through October. June and September bring the longest days and the mildest weather, and July and August are the warmest and busiest. The shrines ashore receive pilgrims year round.

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, Slovakia and Hungary?

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 four countries are in the Schengen area, so the border crossings on this route have no controls and the whole journey counts as a single 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.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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