POLAND, The Divine Mercy & Krakow Christmas Market

Fly from London Stansted on our direct flight to Krakow. Provisional departure time is 10:45, arriving into Krakow at 14:15 local time (flight times subject to change). Upon arrival, our professional, English-speaking local guide will meet you in the Arrivals Terminal. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. After check-in, we will walk towards the Market Square (St Mary’s Square) for our first Mass of the pilgrimage (in a local church), followed by evening dinner in a local restaurant. A walk through the Old Town at night is recommended to take in the medieval architecture decorated with the magnificent display of festive lights at this time of the year. Return to the hotel and overnight here for the next 7 nights.

After breakfast, we will meet our local tour guide and walk to Wawel Cathedral. We will have a sightseeing tour of this magnificent cathedral including the chapel where St John Paul II celebrated his first Mass. We also visit Sigismund Chapel, a masterpiece of Renaissance art and architecture. The tombs of many of Poland’s kings and queens and their greatest national heroes are located here. Afterwards, we walk to St Mary’s Square (Market Square) one of the largest and oldest squares in Europe where we will have a guided tour of St Mary’s Basilica - one of the finest Gothic structures in the country. Note: if you wish to take pictures inside the basilica there is a charge of about 5 euros. We will have free time for lunch in the square; there are many cafes and restaurants to choose from. After lunch, we will travel by coach to the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. Mass here followed by a talk with one of the nuns about St Faustina. Return to your hotel and evening dinner in a local restaurant.

We have breakfast and travel by coach with our local guide to Auschwitz Birkenau, visiting the former concentration camp which was the scene of terrible human suffering during the Second World War. We see the cell of St Maximillian Kolbe where he died giving up his life to save another (Auschwitz is not suitable for visitors under 15 years of age). Mass at a local church followed by lunch. Travel back to our hotel and free time followed by evening dinner at a local restaurant.

We have breakfast and then journey by coach to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine (a UNESCO world heritage site). There we will travel underground for approximately 2km to the oldest part of the mine and visit its subterranean museum. This mine has been worked for 700 years until the present day. We return to the hotel. Mass at a local church before dinner in a local restaurant. Return to the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Today, we will have a day of leisure. We recommend taking a short walk to the Market Square; the Christmas market in Krakow takes place every year on the city’s huge central square, also known as "Rynek Glowny." They sell a wide range of varied Christmas decorations, gifts, toys, sweets and other foods, cards, jewllery, bags etc. Look out for the beautiful old-fashioned hand-painted colourful glass baubles, a Polish specialty. Besides shopping, you can enjoy the hot dishes alfresco and/or mulled wine. Some foods available to take home include seasonal sweets, from multi-coloured candies to spiced nuts, and the local gingerbreads, often heart-shaped and traditionally decorated with coloured frosting. Dinner is not included tonight to allow pilgrims free time to sample other food types and the culinary delights at the Christmas market. Return to the hotel.

After breakfast we travel by coach to Czestochowa - Home of the Miraculous Icon of Our Lady, known as the Black Madonna, the Queen of Poland. This is considered the holiest place in Poland and is the third largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world. The sanctuary is in the Pauline Monastery in Jasna Go ra, which has been a major destination of pilgrimages for centuries. Mass here. Travel back to the hotel and free time in the evening. You may wish to take a walk into the town and visit the Christmas Markets again for dinner. Return to the hotel.

After breakfast we drive to Wadowice, the home town of St John Paul II. We visit the Holy Father’s House, now a museum, and the parish church where he was baptised. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Poland. Mass here followed by a guided tour of this historic site. We stop at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - Poland’s first Calvary sanctuary, established in 1600. St John Paul II visited here with his father as a boy and often during his priestly life. On his first pilgrimage to Poland in 1979, he said, “I would like you to pray for me here, both during my life and after it." We return to our hotel and and in the evening we have our farewell dinner together in a local restaurant. Return to the hotel for our last night of the pilgrimage.

Breakfast in the hotel followed by check-out. Our final Mass of the pilgrimage in a local church if time permits. Transfer to Krakow airport for our flight back to London. Provisional local departure time is 14:40, arriving in London Stansted at 16:10 (flight times are subject to change).