PASSPORTS / VISAS
Each traveler will need a valid U.S. passport. You do not require a VISA to Europe. Passport has to be valid for 6 months from the date of departure.
KEEP YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES.
You will need it when you check-in at your home airport. Make a copy of your passport. Be prepared in the event that you lose your passport. Keep a copy of your passport in a safe location. Leave a copy of your passport at home with your emergency contact.
PACKING / LUGGAGE / CHECKING YOUR BAGS
When you check-in at your originating U.S. airport, your bag will be checked all the way to final destination. On the return, baggage will be checked only until the first US airport, you will need to go through customs again and re check your bags to your home airport.
You can check one bag of your belongings. The bag should be kept under 50 pounds to avoid additional charges by the airlines. You will be provided one luggage tag for easier identification at baggage claim.
A SMALL backpack is also recommended. It is more practical than a purse and comes in handy. The backpack will be your personal item; you are allowed one carry-on as well.
MONEY
Do not exchange money here in the United States. Take dollar bills as they will come in handy for tipping and small purchase items. American dollars are accepted everywhere, and you get more for your money when you exchange in Europe.
We highly recommend that you contact your credit card company and your bank before your departure to let them know that you will be out of the country and that you may exceed your normal spending patterns.
CLOTHING
Dress should be comfortable but appropriate for the many sacred places we will be visiting. Dress up clothing is not needed. Ideally, men and women should wear long pants-no shorts. Women may prefer to wear skirts or dresses, but it’s not necessary. Jeans, slacks, and nice jogging pants are acceptable. We recommend tops should have sleeves and should not be revealing.
The weather can be unpredictable. Dressing in layers is suggested. Typically, a short sleeved shirt or blouse is adequate during the day. But you should have long sleeved shirts and a jacket/coat for cooler days and evenings. If you tend to get cold easily, you may want to take a lightweight scarf. Wear warm clothes. Tennis shoes or walking shoes are a must. Break them in well in advance of the trip. You may want to take an inexpensive pair of flip flops for walking around your room or for use in the bath areas.
MEALS
Domestic flights typically do not serve meals. So if you need snacks please take them with you as well as your sack lunch if you are diabetic or other medical conditions. Do not get on the flight with an empty stomach.
PILGRIMAGES
First…. Remember you are on pilgrimage and you are a guest in a foreign country. Please do not expect all the amenities that you are accustomed to at home. Accept the differences in a spirit of humility and remember that you are a visitor and that this is their home and this is how they live every day.
Be gracious and offer any suffering to our Lord and know that we will never be asked to suffer as He suffered for us. We will be traveling as a large group. Please practice common courtesy and respect for fellow pilgrims. Be on time for meals, tours and departures. We will not hold a bus or delay any tours. Please plan accordingly and always be on time.
Remember, your spiritual leader is on Pilgrimage, too. We ask that you respect the priest’s privacy and allow him to enjoy his own pilgrimage.