PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY, MEDJUGORJE, MONTENEGRO, ALBANIA & GREECE

Itinerary

Oct 18 Depart Toronto to Venice.

Oct 19 Morning 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/Venice.

Oct 20 Morning, transfer to Venice Island. 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. Late afternoon, travel to Bologna for Dinner and overnight.

Oct 21 After breakfast, 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.

Oct 22 After breakfast, travel to Rome. Upon arrival, city tour of Rome including Colosseum (picture taking from outside only, no entrance), Spanish Steps. Lunch break in Trevi Fountain area, where we toss the three coins. Afternoon,  transfer to the Vatican to visit the Vatican Museum, continue with St. Peter‘s Basilica. Afternoon, Mass. Dinner & overnight in Rome.

Oct 23 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.

Oct 24 Morning, transfer to airport in Rome for the flight to Split. Upon arrival, short city tour in Spilt, then transfer by 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.

Oct 25 After breakfast, we celebrate Holy Mass and then take a 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 placedrepresenting 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 in Medjugorje.

Oct 26 After breakfast, travel to Kotor, a fortified town on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, in a bay near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovćen. Characterized by winding streets and squares, its medieval old town has several Romanesque churches, including Kotor Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Kotor area.

Oct 27 After breakfast, we travel to Tirana. The main capital city of Tirana has received Mother Teresa (herself an Albanian), Pope John Paul II (1993) and Pope Francis (2014). In fact, the airport is known as Tirana Mother Teresa Airport. Saint Paul’s Cathedral in Tirana bears stained glass windows of each as you enter. After our guided tour in Tirana, we check in our hotel in Tirana for dinner and overnight.

Oct 28 After breakfast, we see mystical Meteora, where we will visit famous Byzantine monasteries perch precariously on top of rock formations of varied and beautiful shapes. Continue to Thessaloniki area for dinner and overnight.

Oct 29 After breakfast, we will travel to to Ancient Corinth where Apostle Paul lived and preached for two years. Visit the Archaeological Museum, the Marketplace, the Bema and the Temples. Continue to Athens for dinner and overnight.

Oct 30 Full day in Athens. We will visit: immortal Acropolis with its classical temples, marvel at the ruins of the Parthenon, Erectheum and the Propylaea. Ascend Mars Hill, where St. Paul delivered his famous “Men of Athens” speech. Mass. In the afternoon some free time and dinner in historical district of Plaka. Overnight in Athens.

Oct 31 After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight home.

TOUR COST CAD$5,290.00 INCLUDES:

– Air transportation – hotel accommodation first class or superior tourist class based on double occupancy
– All taxes and tips
– 2 meals breakfast and dinner daily
– All sightseeing as per itinerary with English speaking guide

NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR:
– Single supplement $800.
– Meals not specified, insurance, documentation
– Drinks at dinners

HOW TO BOOK:
A non refundable deposit of $300.00 per person is required at time of booking. Insurance with premium(if desired) must be purchased at the 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 61 days before departure ………………………….40% of the total cost
Between 60 and 46 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 
Please contact our agents for insurance quote.
Insurance rates subject to change any time.
Once purchased insurance premiums are not refundable.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:
Tel. 905.412.2242; 1.800.565.3619
Email: group@qstours.com