PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY, SAN MARINO, TURKEY, MEDJUGORJE AND GREECE
– Featuring 6-night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise

Itinerary

Day 1 Sep 29 Depart Toronto for Rome.

Day 2 Sep 30 Upon arrival in Rome, we enjoy panoramic tour of the city including Forum Romanum and Colosseum (photo stop only from outside, no entrance). Dinner and overnight in Rome.

DAY 3 Oct 01 In the morning, we visit St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. 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). Also, we have a guided tour of Vatican Museum, continue with a visit to St Peter’ Basilica. Dinner & overnight in Rome.

DAY 4 Oct 02 After breakfast, transfer to Vatican for audience with Pope Francis. Photo stop at Spanish Steps. Some free time by famous Trevi fountain. Afternoon, we visit St. Paul Outside the Walls. Mass. Dinner & overnight in Rome.

DAY 5 Oct 03 Morning, travel to Assisi. Upon arrival, tour 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. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

Day 6 Oct 04 After breakfast, then transfer to San Marino. The Republic of San Marino brags it’s the world’s oldest and smallest republic. It’s remained sovereign and independent from Italy through almost all its 1,700-year history. Located in the rugged Apennine Mountains, San Marino takes you back to the age of city-states, an era of pageantry, pride, and fierce independence. Dinner and overnight.

Day 7 Oct 05 Morning, tour the city of Ravenna, known for its well-preserved late Roman and Byzantine architecture, with eight buildings comprising the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna”. We will visit Basilica of St. Apollinare Nuovo and St. Vitale Church. After mass celebration, we embark on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship “Explorer of the Seas”.

Day 8 Oct 06 Morning we arrive in Split, Croatia, we transfer to Medjugorje. Upon arrival, we will 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 healing and graces at the foot of Apparition Hill. Return to cruise ship for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 Oct 07 Full day cruising at sea.

Day 10 Oct 08 Morning we arrive in Mykonos, we visit Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Then photo stop at the windmills of Mykonos and little Venice. Some free time in the afternoon, dinner and overnight on the cruise.

Day 11 Oct 09 Morning we arrive in Kusadasi in Turkey and visit Ephesus. We visit the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the thermal baths of Scolastica and the Great Theater of Antiquity. We also visit the house of Mary. Mass. Return to our ship for dinner and overnight.

Day 12 Oct 10 Morning we arrive in Santorini. We visit the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, located in Fira, as well as Church of the Dormition, the Three Bells of Fira. Celebrate Mass. Dinner and overnight on the cruise.

Day 13 Oct 11 Morning the cruise arrives in Athens, we disembark the cruiseship and transfer to the ancient city of Corinth, where St. Paul spent almost two years evangelizing and working with the tent makers Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18). Disheartened by the state of the Gentile Church in Corinth, St. Paul was prompted to write four letters while here. We will visit the Bema of St. Paul Roman Forum Museum and see where St. Paul was put on trial by Gallio. After lunch, we return to Athens, visit the immortal Acropolis, with its classical temples. Marvel at the ruins of the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and Propylaea. Then we ascend Mars Hill, where St. Paul stood and delivered his famous “Men of Athens” speech. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 14 Oct 12 After breakfast, transfer to airport for our return flight back home.

TOUR COST CAD$5,490.00 INCLUDES:

– air transportation – hotel accommodation first class or superior tourist class based on double occupancy
– Tips to driver, guide and cruise
– 2 meals breakfast and dinner daily
– Includes lunches on cruise
– all sightseeing as per itinerary with English speaking guide

NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR:
– single supplement $1,500.00
– Lunches not on cruise, insurance, documentation

HOW TO BOOK:
A non refundable deposit of $500.00 per person is required at time of booking. Insurance with premium(if desired) must be purchased at the time of booking.
Pay the second non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 per person before April 3, 2024.

BALANCE OF PAYMENT
Balance due is payable 105 days prior to departure. Please register before May 24th, 2024.

CANCELLATION:
If cancellation is necessary, please advise QS Travel & Tours immediately in writing. Cancellation charges are as follows:
105 days before departure ……………………………………….$1,500.00 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