PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY, MEDJUGORJE AND SWITZERLAND

Itinerary

DAY 1: Sep 13 Wednesday Depart Toronto to Venice

DAY 2: Sep 14 Thursday Monday Arrive in Venice, transfer to Padua. Celebrate mass at the Basilica dedicated to St. Anthony. St. Anthony is buried here in the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini, which was incorporated into the present basilica as the Chapel of the Dark Madonna. Dinner and overnight in Padua.

DAY 3: Sep 15 Friday Full day trip to Venice. Upon arrival we are transferred by private boat to the Square of St Mark, where we visit the magnificent Basilica, view Doges Palace, the Bridge of Sighs. Mass. Some free time for shopping. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: Sep 16 Saturday After breakfast, travel to Florence, capital of Tuscany and the cradle of Renaissance. Here we see the Santa Croce Basilica, beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Baptistery’s heavy bronze door “Gate of Paradise” sculpture-studded Signoria Square with the statue of David by Michelangelo and the famous Ponte Vecchio. Mass. Dinner and overnight in Florence.

DAY 5: Sep 17 Sunday Morning, travel to Assisi, the city of St. Francis, saint patron of Italy. The town of Assisi with its winding medieval streets and sacred shrines has been one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations. We visit the Lower Basilica housing the tomb of St Francis and the Upper Basilica with famous Giotto frescoes, illustrating scenes from St Francis life. We also visit the Basilica of Santa Chiara. Mass. Dinner & overnight in Assisi.

DAY 6: Sep 18 Monday Today, travel to Lanciano, visit the Church of St. Francesco in Lanciano, where we will celebrate Mass, a place where many pilgrims come every year. In the 7th century, the Eucharistic miracle happened in the walls of the monastery of St. Longinus (a contemporary church was eventually built in its place) – during the liturgy, bread and wine turned into body and blood in the hands of Basilian monk, who at that time had doubts about religion. Seeing this, the priest fell to his knees and began to pray. And the pilgrims began to come to the temple. Having conducted more than one hundred studies, scientists have not been able to explain this case from a scientific point of view. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 7: Sep 19 Tuesday After breakfast, transfer to Vatican to visit the Vatican Museum, continue with St. Peter‘s Basilica. Afternoon, city tour of Rome including Colosseum (picture taking from outside only, no entrance), Spanish Steps. Tour of Trevi Fountain, where we toss the three coins. Mass. Dinner & overnight in Rome.

DAY 8: Sep 20 Wednesday Morning, transfer to the Vatican, audience with Pope Francis. After lunch, the sightseeing tour of the three major basilicas – St Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary Major, St John in Lateran Basilica, the oldest of the four major basilicas of Rome, home to the relics of Peter and Paul. Crossing the street, we come to the Holy Staircase which is believed to be brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th Century (photo stop only). Mass. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

DAY 9: Sep 21 Thursday Morning, transfer to airport for the flight to Split. Upon arrive, transfer by motor coach to Medjugorje, a simple mountain village. Experience its beauty, spirituality and peace. During our stay, we will share our faith with thousands of people from all over the world. We will have the chance to attend meetings and talks with the visionaries (subject to their availability and health during our trip). Every evening, you can join the villagers at 5:00pm at St. James Church to pray the Rosary, followed by Croatian Mass during which there is the blessing of the religious items. Adoration takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays later in the evening, and veneration of the Holy Cross takes place on Fridays later in the evening. Upon arrival in Medjugorje time to rest, mass, dinner and overnight.

Day 10 Sep 22 Friday After breakfast we celebrate Holy Mass and then take the walk to the Hill of Apparitions where the visionaries first saw Our Blessed Virgin Mary. Pray before the statue that symbolizes the place of the First Apparition. A steep path leads to the top of the mountain, along which bronze reliefs were placed representing the joyful and the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary. We also, visit and pray at “Blue Cross”, a place of healings and graces at the foot of Apparition Hill. Dinner and overnight.

Day 11 Sep 23 Saturday After breakfast and mass we climb on the top of “Krizevac” which means “Mount of the Cross.” It is the highest mountain in the area. In 1933, the parish of St. James erected a large concrete cross to commemorate the 1900th Anniversary of Jesus ‘passion and death on the cross. During construction of the 16 ton cross, the parishioners carried up all of the materials, cement, sand, water, tools, etc., in memory of Christ’s way of the cross. The cross was completed on March 15, 1934. A relic of the True Cross of Jesus was received from Rome from Pope Pius XI and built into this cross. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.

Day 12 Sep 24 Sunday After breakfast and mass we visit the Statue of Risen Christ and pray at the Way of the Cross. In the afternoon we visit the Community Cenacolo Centre. The Community is a Christian association, founded by the Italian nun, Sister Elvira Petrozzi in 1983 to welcome in desperate young people, who are suffering from the strains of life, and may have turned to drug addiction, alcohol or substance abuse. In the Community they are able to rebuild their lives. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje.

Day 13 Sep 25 Monday On the 25th of each month, Our Lady appears to the Medjugorje visionary Marija to give us her message to the world. Official English translations are provided by the Information Center in Medjugorje. Time for individual prayers and reflection. Dinner and overnight in Medjugorje. You can also participate in 24 hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint James Church.

Day 14 Sep 26 Tuesday Early morning, travel to Dubrvonik, short city tour if time permits, then fly to Zurich. Upon arrival, short city tour of Zurich. Continue to Einsiedeln. Dinner and overnight in Einsiedeln.

Day 15 Sep 27 Wednesday Morning, visit the Shrine of Einsiedeln, a Benedictine Monastery established in the 10th century and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Afternoon, excursion to Lucerne, tour the city of Lucerne takes us to Lion Monument, the Cathedral and the Old Bridge. Dinner and overnight in Einsiedeln area.

Day 16 Sep 28 Thursday After breakfast, fly to Toronto.

TOUR COST CAD$5,390.00 INCLUDES:

• air transportation.
• hotel accommodation first class or superior tourist class based on double occupancy.
• 2 meals daily breakfast and dinner.
• all sightseeing as per itinerary with English speaking guide.
• all tips in restaurants and hotels.
• airport tax, tips to bus driver and guides, city taxes

NOT INCLUDED IN THE COST OF TOUR:
– meals not specified, insurance, documentation.
– single supplement $750.00.
– drinks at dinners

HOW TO BOOK:
A non-refundable deposit of $300.00 per person is required at time of booking. Insurance must be purchased at time of booking.

BALANCE OF PAYMENT
Balance due is payable 105 days prior to departure For late bookings /within 105 days/ full payment is due immediately.

CANCELLATION:
If cancellation is necessary, please advise QS Travel & Tours immediately in writing. Cancellation charges are as follows:
105 days before departure …………………………………………. $300.00 per person
Between 105 and 60 days before departure …………………… 40% of the total cost
Between 60 and 45 days before departure ……………………. 60% of the total cost
45 days or less …………………………………………………… 100% of the total cost

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING:
A $25 administration charge will be applied for changes you make to your booking outside the 90 days to departure period. Please note name changes are not allowed and such will be treated as cancellations.

IF QS TRAVEL & TOURS CHANGES YOUR BOOKING:
QS Travel & Tours will advise you of any change we feel significantly alters the holiday which you have purchased from us. Occasionally, changes might occur close to departure time. In such cases, you will be notified as early as possible. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the local tour operator may have to make last minute changes in hotel or schedule. In case the standard of the accommodation is changed, QS Travel & Tours will offer the choice of a full and immediate refund or comparable alternate travel services acceptable to you.

UNUSED SERVICES:
No refund or adjustment can be made for any portion of holiday not used.

GOOD VALUE AND EXPECTATIONS:
The Ministry of Consumer Relations requires that Ontarians traveling abroad be advised that they may encounter different living standards and practices than those at home.

FLIGHT CONNECTIONS:
In the event of a change in our flight times, with or without notice, we cannot accept responsibility for any special connecting fares which you might purchase and which cannot be changed without penalty.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION:
A valid Canadian passport is required for all visits outside of Canada. It is the sole responsibility of the passenger to ensure proper and valid documentation. Failure to provide valid documentation may result in denied boarding of the aircraft and cancellation of your flight arrangements without refund. If you are holding a passport other than Canadian, please contact QS Travel & Tours to determine whether or not a visa is required for entry into the country you will be visiting.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
One piece of luggage of 23kg per person plus a carry-on-bag /weighting not more than 5 kg/

FLIGHT TIMES
All flight times are subject to change with or without prior notice to the passengers or his/her agent. QS Travel & Tours does not accept liability for missed connection or any expenses resulting from an off-schedule, rescheduled or late flight operations.

PRICES
Prices in this brochure are given in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. Prices are correct at the time of going to press. In the event of any change beyond QS Travel & Tours control, including but not limited to increase in the price of fuel, currency fluctuations affecting our costs, or increases in government taxes or levies. QS Travel & Tours reserves the right to surcharge the passenger/s up to 7% of a tour cost.

LIABILITY
QS Travel & Tours Inc. is a tour operator and has made the advertised holiday arrangements with the airline/s/, hotel/s/, cruiseship/s/, other operator/s/ and other. Each of these organizations has its own specific terms and conditions for doing business and you will be bound by them. QS Travel & Tours accepts no responsibility for /A/ the acts or omissions of any party/ies/ other than QS Travel & Tours employees./B/failure by the passenger to be properly documented; /C/ failure by the passenger to comply with departure or joining or baggage requirements;/D/ aircraft delays, government actions, priests change their commitments as spiritual directors, etc, act/s/ of God or any factor beyond our direct control; /E/ cancellation or delay to any tour or holiday or change to the itinerary; /F/ expenses resulting from lost or damaged baggage. QS Travel & Tours accepts no responsibility for additional expenses due to delays or changes in air, rail, road, sea or other service, quarantine, sickness, war, weather or other causes All such expenses will have to be borne by the passengers. QS Travel & Tours reserves the right to refuse any person as a member of these tours at its sole discretion. QS Travel & Tours reserves the right to cancel any or all departure/s/ with or without prior notice and QS Travel & Tours sole responsibility shall be to refund all monies paid for such cancelled departures. The laws and courts which govern this contract are those of the Province of Ontario.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
When you book you QS Travel & Tours, an agreement is made between you and QS Travel & Tours and others who will provide services. Please read carefully the information on this page for it sets out the conditions governing the provision of these holidays.

TRAVEL INSURANCE (tax included)
Age/Type of insurance All inclusive Trip cancellation/Interruption  Covid-19 only

• • Up to age 59          $419.10                       $379.08                             $29.77
  • Age 60-64              $489.51                        $443.88                             $45.37
  • Age 65-69              $578.87                        $500.04                             $45.37
  • Age 70-74              $597.75                        $513.00                             $90.87

Insurance rates subject to change any time.
Once purchased insurance premiums are not refundable.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:
Tel 905.412.2242 or 1-800-565-3619
Email: group@qstours.com