Pope's John Paul II Route: Wadowice hometown- Kalwaria Zebrzydowska- JP II Centre - Łagiewniki

At the same time, John Paul II and his pontificate have a special place in the history of the Catholic Church in Poland and abroad. His whole life was an unceasing discovering and loving God and staying faithful to his words, with simultaneous fascination with every human being, their values and dignity. Therefore, as a blessed person he is now designated as a guiding light to the faithful. It is worth knowing him better.

During this tour you will have chance to visit Wadowice, childhood hometown of John Paul ll – where Karol Wojtyła was born, where he was baptised and went to school. Monastery in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (on UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites), the Polish Golgota, a popular pilgrimage destination Łagiewniki with new Centre of John Paul II. Finally, we will see the Archbishop’s Palace which is Wojtyla’s last residence before leaving for the Vatican in 1978. See the famous “papal window”, where thousands of people lit candles and prayed during his last days. You will see places of interest that had an effect on him during his childhood and adolescence years.

ITINERARY:

The John Paul II Route Tour begins at 9 am from the center of Krakow, or from your place of stay in the city. Along this unique route, we will discover remnants of the famous Pope and saint’s past and life’s work.

These include:

* The family home of John Paul II in Wadowice, the place of his birth and upbringing,

* 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 and, made for Franciscan monks, was modeled after Jerusalem,

* Divine Mercy Sanctuary, located in Krakow’s Lagiewniki neighborhood, was near and dear to the Pope’s heart, as the remains of Saint Faustina Kowalska rest there,

* This journey in total takes around six hours, and will be led by an experienced, informative local guide who will be sure to bring you closer to this extraordinary Pole.