DAY 1: DEPART TO EDINBURGH

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight from MCI to Edinburgh.

DAY 2: WELCOME TO EDINBURGH

Arrival at EDI

English speaking assistant at Edinburgh airport for transfer to the Hotel

Porterage in / out in hotel in Edinburgh included

Bed & breakfast in hotel in Edinburgh type Novotel Edinburgh Centre

DAY 3: EDINBURGH

Meet with private coach at disposal for 02 days in Scotland

Full day Edinburgh guided tour with English speaking guide

Visit Dunfermile Abbey, Edinburgh Castle, The Great Hall, David's Tower, Scottish National War Museum, The Queen

Anne Building, St. Margaret's Chapel, Palace of Holyrood House, Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center, woolen and crystal

shops (75km)

Entrance Fee to Dunfermline Abbey ***Entry is free but donations to the upkeep of the building are welcome

Entrance fees to the Castle in Edinburgh

Entrance fees to Holyrood palace in Edinburgh

Whisky visit and tasting in Edinburgh *** Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center *** The Golden Tour

Bed & breakfast in hotel in Edinburgh type Novotel Edinburgh Centre

DAY 4: EDINBURGH

Visit St. Andrews and Mass at St. James Church (175km return)

Full day Edinburgh guided tour with English speaking guide

Entrance fees to St Andrews Cathedral

Mass at St. James Church

End of the LDC Services at Edinburgh hotel

Bed & breakfast in hotel in Edinburgh type Novotel Edinburgh Centre

DAY 5: EDINBURGH YORK LONDON

Transfer by private coach in Edinburgh from hotel to Railway Station

English speaking assistant at Edinburgh hotel for transfer to the railway station

Train ticket Edinburgh York ***2nd class

half day guided tour of York with English speaking local guide ***pick up / drop off station ***walking tour *** no coach

Train York London ***2nd class

English speaking assistant at disposal for transfer in London railway station / hotel

Transfer by private coach from Railway Station to hotel in London

DAY 6: LONDON

St. Thomas More was greatly admired by the Anglican writer, Jonathan Swift, who wrote that More was “a person of the greatest virtue this kingdom ever produced.” Upon arrival in London, we will be greeted by your Christian Tour Manager for an orientation tour of the city which includes views of Kensington and Knight’s bridge, London’s West End, the Marble Arch, Hyde Park including its Speakers Corner, Pass Whitehall and Trafalgar Square with Nelson’s Column, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Buckingham Palace. Time at leisure to take in a museum, enjoy a shopping excursion, or simply sit quietly at an outdoor venue to absorb the energy and atmosphere of this “flower or all cities,” as described by William Dunbar. Dinner and overnight will be at the hotel in the London area.

Arrive at London Hotel

Continue to your hotel and check in

*May not be possible before 15h00.

Celebrate Mass in a London church with the group if we arrive on time by train.

Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 7: ST THOMAS MORE’S LONDON

He may come to be counted the greatest Englishman, or at least the greatest historical character in English history (The English Roman Catholic writer, G.K. Chesterton, regarding St. Thomas More). We begin the day with a tour of London including St. Paul’s Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren (its enormous dome is among the highest in the world second only to St. Peter’s in Rome). We’ll also visit Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Hall, St. Thomas More’s home and estate along the Thames. Also Upper Cheyne Row to visit the Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St. Thomas More. We’ll also see St. Thomas More’s birthplace and the school where he studied law. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and another overnight stay in the London area.

This morning visit St Paul’s Cathedral

*Group visits not possible on Sundays.

Then visit Westminster Cathedral

Enjoy a Thomas More Tour of London, including the exterior of Thomas More House in Chelsea and Milk Street where he was born and the interior of Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer and St. Thomas More

EXTRA VISIT: Visit Chelsea Old Church which St Thomas More would attend and which houses two important works of art relating to him

*A supplement of GBP 3.00 per person applies for this option.

This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 8: THOMAS MORE’S LONDON CONTINUED

In 2000, Pope John Paul declared More the “heavenly patron of statesmen and politicians… ”Today we’ll first visit Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. We’ll also take in the Tower of London where famous figures including Thomas More, Anne Boleyn, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Elizabeth I were all held within its walls and some, including Thomas More and Anne Boleyn, were executed. After a full day and much to consider, we’ll gather for dinner and once again enjoy another overnight in the London area.

This morning, we visit the Tower of London

EXTRA VISIT: Visit All Hallows by the Tower Church where Thomas More would visit the Marian Shrines

*A supplement of GBP 6.00 per person applies for this option.

This afternoon visit Lambeth Palace

EXTRA VISIT: Visit the National Portrait Gallery where a number of paintings of St Thomas More appear

*This attraction is free of charge.

Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 9: OXFORD

Plato by a goodly similitude declareth, why wise men refrain to meddle in the commonwealth. For when they see the people swarm into the streets, and daily wet to the skin, and yet cannot persuade them to go out of the rain, they do keep themselves within their houses, seeing they cannot remedy the folly of the people (Utopia: Concerning the Best State of a Commonwealth, Thomas More)

Today we take a full-day excursion to ancient Oxford, the beautiful “City of Dreaming Spires. We’ll visit Christ Church Cathedral, the smallest cathedral in England and the seat of the Bishop of Oxford. Originally St. Frideswide’s Priory, this cathedral played an interesting part in the series of events which would surround the life and death of Thomas More who was arrested for treason and executed for publicly refusing to uphold Henry’s annulment from Catherine of Aragon.After a full day in Oxford, we’ll return to London for dinner and another overnight stay.

On arrival, we will enjoy a walking tour of Oxford

Visit Christ Church College and Cathedral

Return to London.

Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 10: WINDSOR & HAMPTON COURT

For men use, if they have an evil turn, to write it in marble: and whoso doth us a good turn, we write it in dust (Richard II and His Miserable End, Thomas More). Today we’ll find ourselves in Windsor Castle, a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the county of Berkshire. The Castle also includes the 15th century St. George’s Chapel. King John used the castle as his base during the negotiations before the signing of the Magna Carta. From Windsor Castle we’ll head to Hampton Court, a royal palace located 11 miles southwest of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London the River Thames. Tonight we’ll enjoy another dinner and overnight in London.

This morning, we will visit Windsor Castle

Then visit Hampton Court Palace

Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 11: CANTERBURY

Today’s destination is Canterbury, thought by many as the spiritual capital of England. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 598 and is considered the “Apostle to the English.  Experience the majestic architecture and rich history of Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. See the stained-glass windows depicting the Miracles of St. Thomas Becket. St. Thomas Becket, another Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered in the cathedral in 1170 at the hands of the king’s knights. Miracles were reported around his tomb almost immediately and it soon became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe. Time permitting, we’ll also tour St. Dunstan’s Church, and Anglican parish church in Canterbury and the final resting place of the head of St. Thomas More. After our guided tour of the Canterbury Cathedral and St. Dunstan’s Church, we’ll have some free time to explore Canterbury before returning to London for a farewell dinner and our last overnight stay at the hotel.

Today, we enjoy a daytrip to Canterbury.

On arrival, we will visit St Dunstan’s Church

Then visit Canterbury Cathedral

Enjoy some free time before returning to London.

Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in London or area

DAY 12: FAREWELL

This morning transfer to London Heathrow Airport for your onward flight.