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Detailed Itinerary
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Day 1 |
JFK - Vienna - Prague |
Depart on Austrian Airlines from JFK at 6:30 pm for Prague. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board; audio and video entertainment is complimentary.
Arrive in Vienna at 9:15 am and connect to the flight to Prague, departing at 10:10 am and arriving in Prague at 11:00 am. After luggage claim and customs you will be met by your knowledgeable tour director who will be with you throughout the whole trip. She will guide you to the motorcoach for the transfer to your hotel. After check-in you will have plenty of time to relax and recover from the trip. In the late afternoon, a private mass will be held at St. Vitus Cathedral, followed by dinner in a local restaurant.
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This morning discover more of Prague with the local guide. See the National Museum, the State Opera and Vysherad Fortress, just to mention a few of the magnificent sights of Prague. Visit Prague Castle and the Church of Our Lady Victorious, housing the Spanish wax effigy of the Infant Jesus of Prague, which was brought to Prague by the Spanish at the end of the 16th century. A private mass will be celebrated either at the Church of our Lady Victorious. In the afternoon enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town with the Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock, the Prague Ghetto with the Old-New Synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery, and Charles Bridge. Dinner tonight will be served at the restaurant of the hotel.
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This morning, after celebrating Sunday High Mass at St. Nicholas Church, we take you to Strahov Monastery, one of the most important architectural monuments in Bohemia. Despite numerous transformations in style, it has retained its basic Romanesque layout. King Vladislav I founded the former monastery in 1140, on the instigation of the Bishop of Olomouc. It became a center of culture with a library and a school, where the leading personages of the country were educated. Following lunch in a local restaurant, the rest of the day is at your leisure and dinner tonight is on your own. A list of all scheduled cultural events will be provided and we can obtain tickets for you in advance.
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Day 5 |
Prague - Cesky Krumlov - St Florian - Salzburg
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Depart Prague after breakfast and travel south to Cesky Krumlov in southern Bohemia, a jewel in the crown of Baroque and Renaissance architecture, unspoiled by the onslaught of modern times. Enjoy a guided tour and lunch in Cesky Krumlov. Cross the border into Austria and continue on to St. Florian, close to Linz. Its famous Augustinian Abbey, a splendid example of Baroque architecture, dominates St. Florian. The original monastery was built over the grave of St. Florian, a high official in the Roman province of Noricum who became a Christian and was martyred by drowning in the River Enns. He is evoked all over Austria for protection against fire and flood. In the crypt of the church, under the main organ, is the tomb of composer Anton Bruckner, who was organist here. After the guided visit of St. Florian a private mass will be celebrated here. Continue on to Salzburg, your final destination. Dinner will be served at the restaurant of the hotel.
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In the morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Salzburg, also called "Rome of the North" with its many palaces, squares and churches. See Mirabell Gardens and Palace, the Residence (the former palace of the Archbishops of Salzburg), Kapitelplatz, the Cathedral, St. Peter's Cemetery and the Catacombs (the catacombs hewn out of the rock of the Moenchsberg are of early Christian origin), and Mozart's Birthplace. A private mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral. Lunch will be served in a traditional restaurant in the old town of Salzburg, the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure and dinner tonight is on your own. A list of all scheduled cultural events will be provided and we can obtain tickets for you in advance.
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Day 7 |
Salzburg, Lake District |
Enjoy a leisurely morning in Salzburg. After lunch on your own we meet at the hotel for an excursion to the beautiful Salzkammergut, the lake district. Stop in St. Gilgen at Lake Wolfgang, the village where Mozart's mother was born. Board a steamer that will take you across the lake to St. Wolfgang. See the Parish church with the famous Michael Pacher Altar, before returning to Salzburg. A private mass will be celebrated at the Franciscan Church, followed by dinner at the hotel.
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Day 8 |
Salzburg - Maria Taferl - Melk - Vienna |
After breakfast depart Salzburg and head east to Vienna. The first stop will be at Maria Taferl, situated high above the Danube. Maria Taferl is known for its early Baroque pilgrimage church. The church is said to have been built on the site of an oak tree, on which was an image of the Virgin. Continue on to Melk, where lunch will be served at the Abbey Restaurant. Enjoy a guided tour of the Abbey of Melk, a masterpiece of Baroque Architecture, with its impressive library. The church stands high on a bluff overlooking the Danube Valley. You will have a private mass at the Abbey following the guided visit. Travel past vineyards, ruins and rolling hills, through the most beautiful stretch of the Danube Valley, the Wachau, by boat. The bus will pick you up again in Spitz from where you continue on to Vienna. After a late check-in, the rest of the evening is at your leisure and dinner is on your own tonight.
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This morning your tour escort will take you to St. Stephen's Cathedral, the landmark of Vienna. A private mass will be offered at Austria's most important building in Gothic style. Built in the 12th c. and completed in 1433, the church was virtually gutted by fire at the end of WWII. The cathedral was reconstructed and reopened in 1948. After mass you will see the various masterpieces during a guided tour. Continue your tour of the inner city of Vienna, which will also include the Imperial Palace Complex (Hofburg) with the Spanish Riding School and the Imperial Chapel. Have lunch on your own in one of the many restaurants in the inner city, before your tour continues with a visit to Schoenbrunn Palace. See the State Apartments during a private guided tour. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure. Dinner will be served at the restaurant of the hotel.
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After mass in one of the neighborhood churches, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Your tour escort will be more than happy to help you plan this day and we will provide you with sufficient material and information. Tonight we take you to one of the wine-growing villages surrounding Vienna for a typical Heurigen (= the young wine) dinner. Enjoy local food and wines while being entertained by strolling musicians.
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After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Depart Vienna at 11:30 am and arrive back at JFK Airport at 2:40 pm. Lunch and a Snack will be served during the flight.
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