Mozart, Monasteries, and Mountains - A Pilgrimage to Austria & Switzerland with Jeff & Emily Cavins

We depart the USA on an overnight flight to Vienna. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the plane. Quotes for add-on flights from different airports, as well as optional Premium Economy and Business Class upgrades, are available upon request and will be provided starting 120 days before departure. Group air restrictions (for ten passengers traveling together) do not permit specific seating requests on flights. We recommend purchasing your own airline tickets and land-only packages with us if seat confirmation is important to your trip. Should you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact your trip Account Manager, who will be happy to assist you.

We arrive in Vienna and are greeted by our English-speaking tour manager, who will be with us throughout the tour. We are transferred to the city center for a panoramic tour of the Imperial City, followed by a 90-minute walking tour that includes the Imperial Palaces and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Mass will be celebrated. Settle into our hotel for dinner and our first overnight in Vienna. (D)

Following breakfast, which is included each morning, we enjoy a cruise along the Danube River through the Wachau wine region to the picturesque Melk Monastery. We disembark to visit the Monastery and celebrate Mass (TBC). Return to Vienna in the late afternoon. Dinner is at leisure tonight. Overnight in Vienna. (B)

Today we have a full-day excursion to Austria’s main Marian Shrine of Mariazell, where we celebrate Mass. The Shrine is the most important pilgrimage destination in Austria and one of the most visited in Europe, known for the miraculous image of Our Lady, which is dressed in an elaborately designed merciful dress every year. More than 150 dresses can be viewed in the treasury or carefully conserved. Many clothes were donated as offerings of gratitude to Our Lady. The design of a mercy dress is still considered a great honor today. Dinner and overnight in Vienna. (B.D)

Depart Vienna for a visit to the beautiful Shrine of Maria Plain, where we celebrate Mass. We explore Salzburg on a short walking city tour, which includes a visit to the basilica. Overnight in the Salzburg area with dinner at leisure. We recommend visiting the fortress and enjoying dinner in their restaurant with its magnificent views (reservations may be required). (B)

We start our day with a visit to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel, set in the beautiful Alpine hills. Here, we celebrate Mass, explore the monastery, and enjoy the peaceful mountain ambiance. Perhaps take a hike in the mountains or spend time in prayer and reflection. We return to Salzburg to visit St. Peter’s Abbey, where St. Rupert’s tomb and relics are located. St. Rupert is known for bringing Christianity to this region, and it is one of the oldest continuously operating monasteries in the German-speaking world. We have time to explore Salzburg on our own before our special dinner and classical music concert featuring Mozart’s compositions. To listen to Mozart’s music in his hometown is a special treat! Overnight in the Salzburg area. (B.Special dinner and classical music concert)

This morning, we celebrate Mass, visit the local Augustinian Brewery (breakfast and beer-loving like the locals), and then depart for Innsbruck. We visit the Cathedral of St. James, an important pilgrimage stop on the Camino for pilgrims walking to Santiago de Compostela. Overnight in Innsbruck. (B.D)

We depart Innsbruck, crossing the border to Switzerland. Our scenic drive takes us along the shores of Lake Constance to St. Gallen. We will arrive around lunchtime, where we have the opportunity to taste the renowned St. Gallen sausages. We visit the famous Abbey of St. Gall and its incredible library in the afternoon. The entire abbey precinct was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in the area. (B.D)

Today, we travel to the Einsiedeln Marian Shrine. We explore the magnificent Monastery with its elaborately decorated pastel ceilings, marble side altars, and a large high altar. The most important part of the Basilica is the Lady Chapel, which is reminiscent of Christ’s tomb in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Above the chapel’s altar is the Black Madonna, resplendent in rich robes and surrounded by gold clouds. We visit the Monastery and celebrate Mass here. Return to our hotel near Lucerne. Tonight, we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant featuring traditional Swiss cuisine and wine. Overnight in the Lucerne area. (B. Special farewell dinner)

Today we take the Mt. Pilatus Golden Trip, which includes a bus ride from Lucerne to Kriens, where we hop on a cable car to enjoy the spectacular scenery as it carries us up the mountain. Enjoy time to explore Mt. Pilatus, before we take a cogwheel train ride between Mt. Pilatus and Alpnachstad, and then jump on a boat for a scenic boat ride between Alpnachstad and Lucerne. What an incredible experience we enjoy today on our last day of the trip. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Lucerne. (B.D)

After breakfast, we are transferred to Zurich airport for our flight home. (B)