Krakow: Black Madonna of Częstochowa & Home of John Paul II

Begin your tour with pickup at your hotel in Kraków, then travel in an air-conditioned van for approximately 1 hour to Wadowice, the hometown of Pope John Paul II. Upon arrival, have a short break before going to the parish church on Main Market Square where the future pope was baptized. Marvel at numerous chapels, holy paintings, and the famous baptismal font as you learn about the humble beginnings of one of the greatest Poles in history.  Then, make your way inside the Family Home of John Paul II and take a tour with an audio guide available in various languages. Spend at least 1 hour and 20 minutes in the museum. Later, visit the secondary school that Karol Wojtyła, as the pope was then known, attended. Take a nice picture of the monument of the young pope. On the second half of the tour, head to the Jasna Góra Monastery in the town of Częstochowa, about 130 kilometers (around 80 miles) away from Kraków in southern Poland. Once there, explore a famous Polish shrine to Our Lady of Częstochowa, which constitutes one of Poland’s most visited pilgrimage sites.  Take a guided tour of the monastery with one of the Pauline monks who will show you the treasury filled with priceless gifts and accompany you to the chapel in the shrine. Finally, marvel at the miraculous painting of the Black Madonna and have a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. The tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel in Kraków.