Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

Tours

To make the most of your day, the recommended pick-up time is around 9:00 am. Spend around 2 hours in Wadowice, 1 hour in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and 1 hour in the Divine Mercy Sanctuary and John Paul II center in Krakow - Lagiewniki. Finally you will be dropped off at your hotel or apartment in central Krakow. The first stop of your tour is in Wadowice Town of John Paul II, situated in southern Poland, where John Paul II was born. Explore the John Paul II museum, established in the Pope's family home, with an interactive exhibition about his life from a toddler, through his studies, the Second World War, his period as a priest and the attempt against his life. On the journey back to Krakow, stop at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Sancturay, the second most frequently visited pilgrimage sanctuary in Poland, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over a million visitors come to this holy place every year. Travel to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy and John Paul II center in Łagiewniki. Pay tribute to the relics of the Pope and St. Faustyna Kowalska, who was canonized by John Paul II and admire the impressive basilica consecrated by the Pope in 2002.

Get picked up in the morning and head to Wadowice, the city where John Paul II was born and raised. Visit the location where, in the place of his former residence, a museum was opened in his memory. His timeless message has been delivered to people around the world and exhibits his incredible wisdom and understanding of contemporary problems, which makes this place a popular destination for many Catholics. Of course, also while in Wadowice, don't miss the famous papal fondant. The next stop is Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Sanctuary and Park, which can be found on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. It is regarded as the Polish Calvary Hill. The final stop is in Krakow at Divine Mercy Sanctuary, a location near and dear to the Pope’s heart, as the remains of Saint Faustina Kowalska rest there. After the tour, get dropped off at your hotel in Krakow in the afternoon.

Follow the footsteps of Pope John Paul II and visit the nearest places to his heart in Krakow and its surroundings. The excursion contains three main points: • The Family House of Karol Wojtyła in Wadowice Visit the first home of future Pope, the place where everything began. See where he was born and spent his childhood on a audio-guided tour with a professional guide. Explore the museum, which is about 1,200 square meters on four floors and see sights such as animations, multimedia shows, and authentic things belonging to Karol Wojtyla and his family. After visiting the museum, spend some free time on the Market Square in Wadowice. Try tasting the fondant - the Pope's favorite sweet snack in his favorite confectionery. • Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, basilica, and monastery on the John Paul II trail. See the now UNESCO World Heritage sight which was particularly close to the heart of John Paul II, combining the cult of Jesus Christ Suffering and Our Lady.  • Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, Kraków Visit the sacred complex associated with the life and activity of the Sister Faustyna Kowalska. A place of pilgrimage connected with the presence of the image of Merciful Jesus and the grave of Sister Faustyna Kowalska.  

Wadowice is a small city situated 50 kilometers from Krakow. Here Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II was born. The tour includes a visit to the Family Home of John Paul II, now a museum which provides exhibits of the future Pope's domestic life. The next place you will visit is the Basilica of the Offering of the Blessed Virgin Mary- an ornate Church where Karol Wojtyła was baptized and confirmed.  Finally head to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a pilgrimage town founded in 1601 and best known for the Bernardine (Grey Friar) Monastery and its complex of 42 Chapels and Churches. Oficially called the Cultural & Landscape Complex of Monastery and Pilgrimage Park of the Bernardine Fathers, this amazing place was added to the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. Be sure to visit the 17th century Baroque Church famous for its miraculous painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Kalwaria (Polish for Calvary).

Your tour begins with a visit to Łagiewniki, which is connected with the cult of the Divine Mercy, the grave of St. Faustina Kowalska and St. John Paul II. Here you can find the Divine Mercy Sanctuary and the “Have No Fear!” John Paul II Center, a center in Kraków dedicated to the life and work of Pope John Paul II, which also houses his relic, a glass capsule of his blood. On the way to Wadowice, "the place where it all began", you will visit the Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999. In Wadowice, the pope's hometown, you will see the places dearest to Karol Wojtyła during his childhood and adolescence, including the parish church where he was baptized and the house where he was born, which is now a museum. Finally, visit the Archbishop's Palace which was Wojtyła's last residence before leaving for the Vatican in 1978. There one can see the famous "papal window", where John Paul II used to show up to chat and chant with the youth of Kraków during all his visits and where thousands of people lit candles and prayed during his last days.

Wadowice is a small city situated 50 km from Krakow. Here Karol Wojtyła, the future Pope John Paul II was born. The tour includes a visit to the Family Home of John Paul II, now a museum which provides exhibits of the future Pope's domestic life. The next place is Basilica of the Offering of the Blessed Virgin Mary- an ornate Church where Karol Wojtyła was baptized and confirmed.  Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, this pilgrimage town founded in 1601, is best known for the Bernardine (Grey Friar) Monastery and its complex of 42 Chapels and Churches. Oficially called the Cultural & Landscape Complex of Monastery and Pilgrimage Park of the Bernardine Fathers, this amazing place was added to the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. Be sure to visit the 17th century Baroque Church famous for its miraculous painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Kalwaria (Polish for Calvary). Visit the basilica and monastery located in the city of Jasna Góra and discover the holy relic of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. Częstochowa is one of the most important centers of religious worship in Poland, it is regarded by many as Poland's spiritual capital and for hundreds of years, it has been a site of pilgrimage for Poles. High on the mountain top, the monastery holds the most famous shrine to the Virgin Mary in Poland and it is home to the Black Madonna painting - rumored to have been painted by St. Luke on a tabletop built by Jesus. The Black Madonna, depicting the Mother of God with the Christ Child, is believed to have miraculous powers by those who visit her.

Immerse yourself in the history of Catholicism on this full-day tour of Poland's most important religious sites. Meet your guide at your hotel in Krakow and hop in the car that will take you straight to the city of Wadowice. Here, visit the family home of Pope John Paul II, which has now been converted into a museum, and learn about the early life of the Polish Pope. Next, head to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a pilgrimage town where you can visit the Bernardine Monastery and its complex of 42 chapels and churches. Follow in the footsteps of important figures like John Paul II, the Austrian Emperor, and member of the Royal Family, who have all visited this site over the years. On the way back to Krakow, stop at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki. Pay your respects to the holy relics of Saint Faustyna Kowalska, and admire the architecture of the modern basilica.

Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from Kraków. Drive to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, which is the resting place of Saint Faustina Kowalska and site of pilgrimage. In 1997 Pope John Paul II visited the church to pray at the tomb of Saint Faustina. Continue to the small town of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Visit the sanctuary where Pope John Paul II made several Pilgrimages. Travel to the Wadowice province and visit the home John Paul II where he was born and raised. Learn more about his life during a guided tour. After the tour, you’ll have time to explore the area and stop at a local cafe for papal creams cakes and coffee. Afterward, your driver will escort you back to Kraków.

Depart from Krakow on a tour of the life of Pope John Paul II. Walk in the Pope’s footsteps as you stop by significant locations from his childhood. View the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Sanktuarium Pasyjno-Maryjne and the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. Visit Wadowice, the hometown of Pope John Paul II. See places that were important to him during his childhood, like the house where he was born and the parish church where he was baptized. Stop at the Sanktuarium Pasyjno-Maryjne, visited by the Pope when he was younger. Admire the park and rows of trees that surround the religious site. Upon arrival back in Krakow, make a visit to the Łagiewniki district to see the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. After soaking up the serenity of the sanctuary, enter into the John Paul II Center, where you will find several relics of the Pope, including a vial of his blood.

Enjoy a 7 to 8-hour pilgrimage tour from Krakow and visit many religious sights in Poland on this approximately 100 kilometer round trip from Krakow.  You will first visit the Lagiewniki district of Krakow, made famous by Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska who lies in the 19th century Church of St. Joseph. The church has become a pilgrimage destination where people from all over Europe come to pray and visit the St Faustina’s tomb. You will also see Sister Faustina’s Sanctuary, the Shrine of Divine Mercy and the John Paul II Center where his relic lies. You will also visit the UNESCO site of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a popular destination for tourists and pilgrims where you can see some of the famous Way of the Cross with 42 chapels illustrating the passion of the Christ. You will also visit other noteworthy historical sites including the church and monastery of the Friars Observants, dating back to the 17th century and the reportedly miraculous picture of the Mother of God of Kalwaria which has been there since 1641. Every year on Good Friday there is a cross road with live characters. Finally you will arrive in the town of Wadowice, where Karol Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II) was born. Here you will visit his family house with modern multimedia museum next to the parish church dating back to the 15th century where he was baptized. The order of the tour may change.