12 Days in Ireland and Switzerland Fully Escorted Pilgrimage
Sample Itinerary
Ireland Program
Today we depart on transcontinental flight to Dublin Ireland. Meals served on board of the plane. Arrival to Ireland is on the next day.
Arrive in Dublin airport and meet our guide and coach. As part of our arrival to this historical city, that dates back to 988AD our coach will take us on a panoramic city sightseeing tour of the highlights of Dublin’s fair City – O’Connell Street, Trinity College, Georgian Squares, Government Buildings, Dublin Castle, Christchurch & St Patrick’s Cathedrals, Guinness’ Brewery, Phoenix Park, and Kilmainham Jail – After our gentle introduction we will visit the Shrine of St Valentine for Mass. Check into hotel for 1 night, Afternoon free to rest, or for personal visits to places of interest.
(Day 3) - Country Wicklow - Wexford
Morning drive through Co. Wicklow – the Garden of Ireland – to Glendalough, the “Glen of the two Lakes” where we visit the 6th century monastery of St Kevin. Continue to Wexford (Lunch break) and on to Our Lady’s Island for Rosary, and walk in the waters. Drive via New Ross to the ruins of Jerpoint Cistercian Abbey dating from the 12th century. Continue to Kilkenny for overnight, dinner and overnight.
Morning visit to Kilkenny Castle. Drive to Holycross Abbey founded in 1169 – so named because it held a Relic of the True Cross. Lunch break. Continue to the famous Rock of Cashel and visit the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St Patrick in the 5th century. Cross the Vee Gap to Mount Melleray for Mass in the Monastery chapel. Continue via Lismore Castle to Cobh, for dinner and overnight.
(Day 5) - Cobh - Blarney - Ballyvourney
Visit the Cobh Heritage Centre – it was from here that over 6 million Irish Famine Exiles departed for the USA and Canada. Drive to Blarney to receive the gift of eloquence as we kiss the famous stone. Visit Blarney Woolen Mills. Continue to Ballyvourney and visit the Holy Well of St Gobnait en route to Killarney. Dinner and overnight.
(Day 6) - Mass in Killarney Cathedral
Drive via the picturesque village of Adare to Limerick city, where we see King Johns Castle, and the Treaty Stone. Lunch break at “Durty Nellies” famous pub. Afternoon visit to Craggaunowen – a recreation of pre-historic Irish homesteads, followed by visit to Quin Abbey. Check into hotel. Evening dinner with traditional entertainment at the famous Bunratty Castle
(Day 7) - Depart for the Cliffs of Moher
towering 600 feet above sea level. Continue to Galway, see the Spanish Arch, and visit the Cathedral. Lunch break. Afternoon drive to Knock and check into hotel. Visit Ireland’s major Catholic Shrine at Knock, where, on 21st August 1879, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, along with St Joseph & St John, and Jesus in the form of the Lamb of God. Mass. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
(Day 8) - Depart for Ballintubber Abbey
founded in 1216, for Mass. Drive to Croagh Patrick, a popular pilgrimage mountain, where St Patrick fasted for 40 days, in the 5th century, and banished all the snakes from Ireland. Lunch break in Westport. Drive to Attymass, and visit home of Fr Peyton, the Rosary priest. Continue via Sligo Abbey and Yeat’s grave at Drumcliffe, to our hotel in Bundoran for 1 night, dinner and overnight.
After our final breakfast in Ireland, transfer to Dublin airport for your flight to Switzerland.
Swiss Program
in the late morning/early afternoon, meeting with the guide and driver and visit of the city, situated on the side of the Lemano Lake and carcterized by wonderful parks and commercial avenues. We will visit the international organization quarter and the old city ( the “Vielle Ville”) and the St. pierre Cathedral. Transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Breakfast in Hotel and departure to Berna. Stop in Montreaux on the other side of the Lemano Lake, guided tour of the city with the hurch of st Vincent and of the Chillon Castle, one of the most important of the whole Switzerland, montreaux i salso famous for it’s international Jazz festival Arrival in Berna, administrative capital city of switzerland, and world heritage Unesco site. Guided visit with the clock tower (Zytglogge), the Cathedral, the 100 fountains, the Barocco’s buildings, the Bärengraben and the 6 kilometres of arcades. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
Breakfast in hotel and departure to Basel, meeting with the guide and visit of this important center for arts with its 40 museum, music and architecture. We will visit the Market square, the gothic/romanic Cathedral and the Open Church. We will continue to the Eisiedeln to visit the benedectine Monastry with is Klostetrkirke and the Black Virgin. Arrival in Zurich where we will have a guided tour to the
Hauptbahnoff, the big train station of the years ‘800 and the Bahnoffstrasse. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
Breakfast in hotel, time at disposal for shopping and transfer to the airport for the departure flight.