As St. Virgil Parish celebrates its 150th anniversary, join Fr. Francis Duffy on a trip to Oberammergau for the Passion Play. First performed in 1634, this remarkable event takes place only once every 10 years. The 2010 Passionsspiele will involve over 2100 actors, singers and musicians - all residents of Oberammergau. In addition you will visit Salzburg, where St. Virgil was Bishop, and stay 4 nights in Rome. Your tour will include a visit to the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and an audience with the Pope. Don’t miss out on this wonderful trip.

Airfare is additional. Price will be confirmed late Sept. 2009. Estimated cost is $1260.00.

Included features:

· 8 nights accommodation in 4 star hotels 
· 2 nights in Oberammergau 
· 10 breakfast buffets, 1 lunch and 7 dinners 
· English speaking professional European tour director throughout
· Private luxury coach 
· Luggage handling at hotels of one suitcase per person
· Local guides for half day tours in Vienna, Salzburg, Rome
· Entrance fees: Schonbrun palace, Hundertwasser Kunsthaus, Melk abbey (guided tour), Mozart house, Pope’s birthplace, Vatican Museum and Sistine chapel, and the Coliseum.
· Passion Play ticket with seat in Category 1

Hotels

Vienna              Hotel am Konzerthaus            2 nights

Salzburg             NH Carlton Hotel                2 nights

Oberammergau   Hotel Wittelsbach                  2 nights

Rome               Hotel Michelangelo                4 nights

Itinerary

August 30

A bus will depart from St. Virgil’s parking lot for Newark Airport and your overnight flight to Vienna.

August 31 Vienna           

After clearing immigration & customs you will be greeted by the tour director and transferred to the hotel.  The afternoon is at leisure to become acclimated to a new time zone.  Tonight there is a Welcome to Austria dinner in the Grinzing Wine Village located in the nearby Vienna Woods.

Overnight:            Hotel Koncerthouse

September 1            Schonbrunn Palace

There will be a morning city tour plus a visit to the Schonbrunn Palace.  After lunch on own visit the Kunsthaus, home for the work of Hundertwasser, a famous local artist-architect.  We then visit the St. Stephen’s Church and celebrate Mass.   Enjoy the center of Vienna with its magnificent architecture.  Dinner on your own tonight.

Overnight:            Hotel Koncerthouse

September 2            Melk Abbey & Salzburg

This morning following breakfast we depart Vienna for Melk.  There will be a tour of the Melk Abbey museum and library.  Lunch at the Abbey is reserved for our group but paid individually.  Following lunch we depart for Salzburg, famous for the Sound of Music movie and its musical heritage.  Just before we reach Salzburg we stop for a coffee break at the lake where Captain Von Trapp and Maria married.  Our hotel is within walking distance to the Old Town.  Dinner together this evening.

Overnight:            NH Carlton Hotel

September 3            Salzburg

St. Virgil was the Bishop of Salzburg and Father Francis has made arrangements to celebrate Mass this morning for our group.  Following Mass there will be a walking tour of Salzburg including Mozart’s house and museum.  The rest of the day is at leisure.  Dinner on your own tonight.

Overnight:            NH Carlton House

September 4            Oberammergau

This morning we cross into Bavaria to the main Marian Shrine of Altoetting.  We will have a walking tour of the city including the famous Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of the Miraculous image), the Cathedral and St. Conrad’s Monastery.  We then drive a short distance to Marktl am Inn, Pope Benedict’s birthplace, and on to Oberammergau.  Settle into the hotel located directly in the center of Oberammergau where we have a restful night and dinner.

Overnight:            Hotel Wittelsbach

September 5            Passion Play

Father Francis will celebrate Mass this morning.  Following lunch we take our seats in the Passion Play Theatre and enjoy the Passion Play, the highlight of this trip.  The play starts at 2:30 pm with a two hour dinner break and ends at 10:30 pm.

Overnight:            Hotel Wittelsbach

September 6            Rome

This morning we’re up early as we travel to Munich airport for the flight to Rome.  Upon arrival we are met by our Italian guide and transferred to the hotel.  Dinner will be at the hotel tonight.  As our hotel is located right around the corner from the Holy See you may wish to walk over to the Vatican for a beautiful view of St. Peter’s at night.

Overnight:  Michaelangelo Hotel

September 7            Vatican

Today we have a full day guided tour including a visit to St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, the Holy Stairs and Holy Cross in Jerusalem.  In the afternoon we drive back to the Vatican for a visit to the Vatican Museum including the incomparable Sistine chapel.  Dinner is at the hotel this evening.

Overnight:  Michaelangelo Hotel

September 8            Papal Audience

This morning we walk over to the Vatican and take our seats for the Papal Audience.  Then we tour St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, visit the Coliseum and see other Roman treasures on the Ancient Rome tour.  Dinner will be on your own tonight.

Overnight:  Michaelangelo Hotel

September 9            Day at Leisure

Today is a completely free day.  There will be an optional tour to Pompeii and Sorrento offered.  Tonight we have a farewell dinner in a local restaurant with wine.

Overnight:  Michaelangelo Hotel

September 10   Rome – Newark

Arrivederci Rome!  After breakfast there will be a transfer to the airport for the flight back to Newark.  The bus will be waiting to take you back to St. Virgil’s.

Conditions

A deposit of $1000.00 ($1349.00 with insurance) per person is due along with the completed application. 

Please make your check payable to Long’s Travel or complete the credit card information on the application. 

A second deposit of $1000.00 is due by September 15, 2009 and final payment is due May 25, 2010.

Price is based on the exchange rate of $1.30 to the Euro and is subject to change at time of final payment if the rate fluctuates more than 2%. 

-Select International Tours is the operator of this trip and they do not take credit card payments.

Cancellation Penalties

If you cancel before September 15, 2009, a $500.00 per person administrative fee will apply.

If you cancel between September 15, 2009 and May 25, 2010, the penalty is $2000.00 per person.

There will be no refunds for cancellations after May 25, 2010.

Cancellation Insurance

Cancellation/trip protection is recommended and should be purchased at time of booking.  The cost is $349.00 per person and covers the land and air portions of your trip. Cancellation penalties listed above are waived if you have to cancel for a covered reason.  Once purchased, the premium is non-refundable.

Responsibilities

Long’s Travel Service, St. Virgil Parish and Fr. Francis Duffy act as agents only and cannot be held responsible for any loss, delay, property damage, personal injury you may suffer or incur on any component of this tour.