10 Days Pilgrimage to London and Ireland

Upon arrival in London, you will be greeted by your tour guide and driver at the airport. We enjoy a short panoramic tour on our way to the hotel. We take a moment to unpack and settle in before dinner. Enjoy the rest of your night in London with your fellow pilgrims.

Today we will explore the magnificent city of London by enjoying a full day sightseeing tour. Your tour will begin at one of the world’s great churches. Inspired by Gothic architecture, the Westminster Abbey contains numerous paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and artefacts. The tour will continue to Buckingham Palace, bought by George III in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte, but did not receive a sovereign resident until Queen Victoria in 1837. Today, it is the official residence and administrative headquarters of the British Monarch. See the numerous chapels and monuments constructed in memory of the notable of England. The last component of your tour will include Piccadilly Square, Regent Street, and Trafalgar Square. Piccadilly Square is considered the “Times Square” of London, where tons of locals and tourists congregate to enjoy all of the shopping and entertainment that London has to offer. It is a roundabout that centers the five major streets in the city of London, one of which is Regent Street.

Today we will visit Cambridge and Walsingham. In Cambridge, you will visit Kings College, founded by King Henry VI in 1441. The college chapel is noteworthy for being the greatest example of Gothic architecture, and their chapel’s choir is world renown. At Walsingham, you will see the Roman Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham which was established in 1061. According to the text of the Pynson Ballad, after much prayer, Our Lady led Richeldis de Faverches to Nazareth and saw the house where the Annunciation occurred. Faverches felt Our Lady’s call to replicate the house in the town of Walsingham. Following the arrival at Walsingham, your group will attend private Mass at the Slipper Chapel (on premises of the shrine). The Slipper Chapel is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, patron saint of pilgrims to the Holy Land. This chapel is of importance to the Catholic faith because it was used as a poor house after the Reformation.

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your tour guide and driver. Enjoy a short panoramic city tour in route to your hotel. Enjoy a relaxing evening and dinner with your fellow pilgrims in Dublin.

We are now visiting the "Rock of Cashel," which is a prominent feature in the center of "Golden Vale." These 12th-century religious structures make up Ireland's most impressive medieval complex. The significance of this location, which was once the seat of the High Kings of Munster, is attested to by the Cathedral, the Round Tower, and Cormac Chapel the first Irish Romanesque structure. Thus, we have another instance of two customs and civilizations coming together, and this time the tale of St. Patrick's Cross will provide more insight. We keep moving in the direction of Kerry for dinner and the night.

Proceed this morning in the direction of the Dingle Peninsula, which is the northernmost peninsula in Kerry. We proceed along the Eagle Mount and the cliffs of Slea Head from the town of Inch, where David Lean filmed the film "Ryan's Daughter," and the final region in the nation where Gaelic is spoken. Monks in early Christian Ireland searched for remote locations like Gallarus Oratory. It is quite well maintained and dates to the ninth century. Monks used to gather in the oratory to worship. Our next destination is the 12th-century Kilmalkedar Church, which was formerly a part of a complex of Romanesque-styled ecclesiastical structures. Kerry for dinner and the night.

We will travel north through Lis towel and aboard the ferry at Killimer to cross the Shannon estuary after enjoying a hearty Irish breakfast. We will travel to County Clare, which boasts a stunning scenery and a Victorian beach resort, as well as the Cliffs of Moher. The coastal road that faces the naturally rocky terrain on one side and Galway's vividly blue water on the other. From here, we travel to Galway, a city whose vibrant streets and traditional pubs still retain its medieval charm. Overnight and dinner in Galway.

We are going to Knock, one of the most important Marian shrines in the world, which is located in the plains of East Mayo. Fifteen men, women, and children saw Mary appear on August 21, 1879. We're going to the biggest church in Ireland, the Basilica. Knock is a well-liked pilgrimage site; Saint John Paul II paid this sacred location a visit in 1979. We will have time for individual prayer at the shrine after Mass, and then if time permitting, we'll be free to go shopping and/or eat lunch. Afterward, we will make our way to Lough Derg, a well-known pilgrimage site with an island called Station Island. The island is home to St. Patrick's Purgatory, a site associated with a cave where St. Patrick had a vision.

This morning, we will transfer to Airport for our return flight home. This concludes our services, thank you for traveling with Holy Travel. See you on the next one!