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The monastery of Jasna Góra at Częstochowa seen from the air

Poland Pilgrimages

Warsaw, Częstochowa, Wadowice, Kraków and the Shrines of Poland

Nine days from Warsaw to Kraków, in the footsteps of St. John Paul II, St. Faustina and St. Maximilian Kolbe, with the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, the Divine Mercy shrine at Łagiewniki and the ground of Auschwitz.

Departures

Current Tours to Poland

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

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Ten stops across Poland

Warsaw, Niepokalanów, Świnice Warckie, Częstochowa, Wadowice, Kraków, Zakopane, Auschwitz, Łagiewniki and Wieliczka.

Itinerary · EU_PL-9D-02

Our Standard Poland Pilgrimage

Nine days, arriving in Warsaw and departing from Kraków, with three nights in the capital and the north before the pilgrimage settles into Kraków for the rest of the week. 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

Warsaw, and the City Rebuilt

The Old Town of Warsaw seen from above, rebuilt after the war
The Old Town of Warsaw, rebuilt stone by stone after the war.
Day 1

Depart the United States

We depart on our overnight flight to Warsaw. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
Day 2

Arrival in Warsaw

Our tour escort meets us in the arrivals hall at Warsaw Chopin Airport and accompanies us by motorcoach to the hotel. This evening we gather for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.Overnight in Warsaw.
Day 3

Warsaw

We walk the Old Town, rebuilt stone by stone after the war, taking in the Market Square, the fortified Barbican and the memorial to the 1943 Ghetto Uprising, and see Łazienki Park, the Chopin monument and the Royal Castle. In the afternoon we visit St. Stanisław Kostka Church, where Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko, murdered by the communist secret police in 1984, is buried.Mass is celebrated at St. James Church, the Ochota parish where St. Faustina came to pray after arriving in Warsaw. Dinner and overnight in Warsaw.
DAYS 4–5

North to the Black Madonna

The Chapel of the Black Madonna at Jasna Góra, candles burning before the icon
The Chapel of the Black Madonna at Jasna Góra, where the icon is enshrined.
Day 4

Niepokalanów, Świnice Warckie & Częstochowa

We travel to Niepokalanów, the City of the Immaculate founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, and continue to the village of Świnice Warckie and the Church of St. Casimir, where St. Faustina was baptized and made her First Communion. We drive on to Częstochowa.Mass is celebrated at the friary at Niepokalanów. Dinner and overnight in Częstochowa.
Day 5

Jasna Góra, Wadowice & Kraków

At Jasna Góra we venerate the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, Poland’s foremost place of pilgrimage since the fourteenth century, and see the treasury of votive offerings left by pilgrims over the centuries. We continue to Wadowice, the birthplace of Karol Wojtyła, to visit his family home, now a museum, and the Basilica of the Presentation, where he was baptized.Mass is celebrated in the Chapel of the Black Madonna at Jasna Góra. Dinner and overnight in Kraków.
DAYS 6–7

The Tatras and Auschwitz

A wooden church in the Zakopane style among the pines
A wooden church in the Zakopane style, of the kind the young Karol Wojtyła knew.
Day 6

Zakopane and the Tatras

We travel south through the highlands to Zakopane, beneath the peaks of the Tatras, where a cable car carries us to a nearby summit for the wide view over the ranges. We visit the wooden Jaszczurówka Chapel, where the young Karol Wojtyła often prayed, and there is time on Krupówki Street before we return to Kraków.Mass is celebrated at the Jaszczurówka Chapel. Dinner and overnight in Kraków.
Day 7

Wawel Hill and Auschwitz

We walk Kraków’s Market Square, laid out in 1257 and the largest medieval square in Europe, then climb Wawel Hill to the Cathedral, coronation church of the Polish kings, and pray at the shrine of St. Stanislaus. In the afternoon we drive to Auschwitz, walk the grounds in silence, stand before the cell where St. Maximilian Kolbe died in place of a fellow prisoner, and visit the Museum of Martyrdom.Mass is celebrated at Wawel Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Kraków.
DAYS 8–9

Divine Mercy, and Home

St. Faustina Kowalska
St. Faustina, to whom Our Lord entrusted the message of Divine Mercy.
Day 8

Łagiewniki and Wieliczka

At Łagiewniki, the home of the Divine Mercy devotion, we pray before the image of the Merciful Jesus and see the convent chapel, relics and tomb of St. Faustina. We continue to Wieliczka and its royal salt mine, worked since the thirteenth century, where generations of miners carved chapels and altars from the rock salt, among them the great chamber of St. Kinga.Mass is celebrated at the St. John Paul II Sanctuary beside the shrine. Dinner and overnight in Kraków.
Day 9

Return Home

After an early breakfast we transfer to Kraków Airport for our return flight home, with hearts renewed by the intercession of St. John Paul II, St. Faustina and St. Maximilian Kolbe.

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®
St. John Paul II with his arms outstretched before a crowd
St. John Paul IIThe pope who came out of Wadowice, before a crowd of the faithful.
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
Castle Square in Warsaw
Castle Square in Warsaw, at the entrance to the Old Town.
St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Maximilian Kolbe, who founded the friary at Niepokalanów.
The Basilica of the Presentation at Wadowice
The Basilica of the Presentation at Wadowice, where Karol Wojtyła was baptized.
Wawel Cathedral in Kraków
Wawel Cathedral, the coronation church of the Polish kings.
A chapel carved from rock salt in the mine at Wieliczka
The salt mine at Wieliczka, worked since the thirteenth century.
The Market Square at Kraków with the monument to Mickiewicz
The Market Square at Kraków, laid out in 1257 and little changed since.

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 Poland?

Groups travel to Poland from late April through to early October. May, June and September give the mildest weather and the longest days, and are the months most groups choose. High summer is warm and busy, particularly at Jasna Góra and in Kraków’s Old Town. Winter pilgrimages are possible and quieter, but daylight is short and the mountain roads to Zakopane can be difficult.

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 Poland?

A United States passport valid for at least three months beyond your return date is required. No visa is needed for stays under ninety days. Poland is in the Schengen Area, so there are no border checks on the road between Poland and its neighbours once you have entered.

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 Poland?

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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