+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · Chartres cathedral, the hero shot

The Grand Marian Pilgrimage of Northern Europe

Paris, Lisieux, Chartres, Amsterdam, Bruges, Beauraing, Cologne, Heidelberg and Einsiedeln

Seventeen days and five countries, the longest route we run: the French Marian shrines, the Flemish cities, both approved Belgian apparitions, the Rhineland cathedrals and the Swiss abbeys, in one pilgrimage.

Departures

Current Tours to the Netherlands & Belgium

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

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Fourteen stops across five countries

Paris, Lisieux, the Normandy landing beaches, Chartres, Amsterdam, Ghent, Bruges, Beauraing, Banneux, Aachen, Cologne, Trier, Heidelberg and Einsiedeln.

Itinerary · EU_FR-NL-BE-DE-CH-17D-01

The Grand Marian Pilgrimage Itinerary

The longest itinerary on the site, for groups with the time to do the whole of it in one journey. 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 1–5

France

Photograph to come · The cathedral at Chartres
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Chartres
Day 1

Departure

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

Arrival in Paris

Our tour escort meets us on arrival and accompanies us by motorcoach to meet our spiritual director and fellow pilgrims before we transfer to the hotel. The evening is given to a welcome dinner.Welcome dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 3

The Sacré-Coeur and Lisieux

We begin at the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur on Montmartre, vowed as an act of national penance and completed in 1914. In the afternoon we travel to Lisieux, where St. Thérèse, whom Pius X called the greatest saint of modern times, is honoured in the basilica raised above the town.Mass is celebrated in the crypt of the Sacré-Coeur. Dinner and overnight in Lisieux.
Day 4

The Normandy landing beaches

We travel to the Normandy beaches, where the Allied landings of 6 June 1944 began the liberation of occupied Europe, and continue to the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer to pray for the men buried there.Mass is celebrated at Lisieux. Dinner and overnight in Lisieux.
Day 5

Chartres and Paris

At Chartres we venerate the Veil of Our Lady, kept behind the high altar, beneath stained glass of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries that UNESCO calls the high point of French Gothic art. We return to Paris in the afternoon.Mass is celebrated at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
DAYS 6–9

Paris and the Netherlands

Photograph to come · The canals of Amsterdam
The canals of Amsterdam
Day 6

Paris

We celebrate Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, where the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Labouré rests and where Our Lady gave the instructions for the medal. We walk to the Church of St. Vincent de Paul and continue to the restored Cathedral of Notre-Dame.Mass is celebrated at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 7

To Amsterdam and Our Lady of All Nations

We fly to Amsterdam and visit the Chapel of Our Lady of All Nations, where Ida Peerdeman reported apparitions between 1945 and 1959. The Holy See has found those reported apparitions not to be of supernatural origin, though the Marian title itself remains a permitted devotion. We then visit the site of the Eucharistic miracle of 1345.Mass is celebrated at the Chapel of Our Lady of All Nations. Dinner and overnight in Amsterdam.
Day 8

Amsterdam and the Zaanse Schans

A walking tour takes in the seventeenth-century canals and squares, the Royal Palace and the Begijnhof. In the afternoon we continue to the Zaanse Schans, where windmills, wooden houses and working craftsmen keep the eighteenth century close at hand along the river Zaan.Mass is celebrated at a local church. Dinner and overnight in Amsterdam.
Day 9

Utrecht, Ghent and Bruges

At Utrecht we visit the Museum Catharijneconvent, which holds the history of Christianity in the Netherlands. We continue to Ghent for the van Eyck brothers’ Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted in 1432, and on to Bruges for the night.Mass is celebrated at St. Bavo Cathedral, Ghent. Dinner and overnight in Bruges.
DAYS 10–13

Flanders and the Rhineland

Photograph to come · The belfry at Bruges
The belfry above the market square at Bruges
Day 10

Bruges

A full day in one city. We begin at the Church of Our Lady, which holds Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child, then continue to the Holy Savior’s Cathedral and the Basilica of the Holy Blood, which keeps a venerated relic of the Precious Blood and a replica of Christ’s tomb.Mass is celebrated at the Church of Our Lady. Dinner and overnight in Bruges.
Day 11

Beauraing, Banneux and Aachen

We travel south through Dinant, set beneath its limestone cliffs, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Beauraing, where the Blessed Mother appeared thirty-three times to a group of children during the Depression and asked them to offer themselves in sacrifice. We continue to Banneux, the Belgian Lourdes, where she came to Mariette Beco as the Virgin of the Poor.Mass is celebrated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Beauraing. Dinner and overnight in Aachen.
Day 12

Aachen and Cologne

Aachen Cathedral is the oldest in Germany and keeps the swaddling clothes of the Christ Child and the cloak of the Blessed Virgin among its relics. We continue to Cologne, a pilgrimage city since 1164, when the relics of the Three Magi were brought here, and tour the Kölner Dom that was raised to hold them.Mass is celebrated at Aachen Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Aachen.
Day 13

Trier and Heidelberg

Trier is the oldest city in Germany, founded before 16 B.C. We see the Porta Nigra and the Roman baths, and at the cathedral venerate the Holy Robe, held by tradition to be the seamless garment worn by Christ at the Crucifixion and shown publicly only at intervals of years or decades.Mass is celebrated at Trier Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Heidelberg.
DAYS 14–17

Germany and the Alps

Photograph to come · Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey in the Swiss foothills
Day 14

Heidelberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber

The morning belongs to Heidelberg’s old town beneath its ruined castle, with the view from the Old Bridge across the Neckar. In the afternoon we walk the intact medieval wall at Rothenburg ob der Tauber, above a town of half-timbered houses nearly a thousand years old.Mass is celebrated at a local church. Dinner and overnight in Heidelberg.
Day 15

The Rhine Falls, Muri and Lucerne

We cross into Switzerland for a boat ride beneath the Rhine Falls, then continue to the Benedictine monastery of Muri, founded in 1027 by Ita of Lorraine and Count Radbot of Habsburg, whose Romanesque crypt, Gothic choir and Baroque octagon record nine centuries of rebuilding.Mass is celebrated at Muri Monastery. Dinner and overnight in Lucerne.
Day 16

Lucerne and Einsiedeln

A guided tour of Lucerne takes in the fourteenth-century Chapel Bridge beneath Pilatus and Rigi. We then drive along the lakes to Einsiedeln Abbey, dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, which traces its origin to about 850 and the hermit monk St. Meinrad.Mass is celebrated at Einsiedeln Abbey. Farewell dinner and overnight in Lucerne.
Day 17

Return home

We transfer to the airport for the flight home, carrying the intercession of Our Lady under the many titles of these seventeen days, from Chartres and Lisieux to Beauraing, Banneux and the Hermits of Einsiedeln.

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®
EinsiedelnSeventeen days end where the hermit began, in about the year 850.
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 · The Basilica of St. Thérèse, Lisieux
The Basilica of St. Thérèse, Lisieux
Photograph to come · The Veil of Our Lady at Chartres
The Veil of Our Lady at Chartres
Photograph to come · The Chapel of Our Lady of All Nations, Amsterdam
The Chapel of Our Lady of All Nations, Amsterdam
Photograph to come · The Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges
The Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges
Photograph to come · The Shrine of Our Lady of Beauraing
The Shrine of Our Lady of Beauraing
Photograph to come · Trier Cathedral and the Holy Robe
Trier Cathedral and the Holy Robe

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 this route?

Groups travel from April through October. May, June and September bring the mildest weather and the longest days, which matters more on a seventeen-day route than a short one. The Swiss stretch at the end is at its best from late spring, once the mountain passes and the lake steamers are fully in season.

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.

Seventeen days is a long pilgrimage. How is it paced?

It is built around eight overnight bases rather than a new hotel every night: two nights in Paris, two in Lisieux, two more in Paris, three in Amsterdam, two in Bruges, two in Aachen, two in Heidelberg and two in Lucerne. There is one internal flight, Paris to Amsterdam on Day 7, which is what keeps the coach days from stacking up. If your group would rather take it in two halves, the eleven-day and thirteen-day routes on this page are exactly that.

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 the Netherlands & Belgium?

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?

    You May Also Be Interested In