It can be easy to get so focused on the practical aspect of preparing that we lose sight of the spiritual side. When you go on pilgrimage, you will be walking in the footsteps of the saints and early martyrs. God is going to do something amazing to your heart during this pilgrimage and the best way to experience it is to cultivate a spirit of receptivity before you go.
Tips for preparing your heart for making a pilgrimage:
Build the practice of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation on a REGULAR basis. Visiting the confessional regularly before departing will open your heart and soul to receive the graces our Lord will pour out for you during your holy pilgrimage.
Enhance your daily prayer routine. For example, if you already pray a Rosary each day, consider adding a Memorare or a Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Or choose a prayer from one of your favorite saints.
Find things to offer up in the days leading up to your trip. For example, if packing is stressing you out, turn that over to God as a prayer.
Ask your family and friends for prayer intentions to bring with you on pilgrimage. Consider bringing a few postcards with you so you can send them to those you are praying for, letting them know where and when you prayed for them on your pilgrimage.
On the flip side, ask others to pray for you as well!
Ask God for the grace to turn every travel mishap or stressful moment into an opportunity to grow and praise him.
St. Charles Pilgrimages LLC utilizes the booking platform, WeTravel. When you register for one of our pilgrimages, you automatically create an account on WeTravel. You can manage your pilgrimage registration and make payments online within your WeTravel account. To log in, go to wetravel.com, click Sign In in the upper right-hand corner, type in the email you used when you registered for your pilgrimage, and click Forgot Password at the bottom. At this point, follow the instructions to reset your password. Once you have your password, follow the steps above to log in with your email username and new password. For further instructions on how to log into WeTravel, click HERE.
After logging into WeTravel, you can revise registration details such as your phone number or address or upload a copy of your passport. You can also make a payment using a credit card or ACH (eCheck) payment. Please note, WeTravel charges processing fees when making online payments. The exact amount of the processing fees can be found on your pilgrimage website directly below the “BOOK NOW” button.
Final payments are due 90 days prior to departure. WeTravel will send you an automatic email with your balance due shortly before this 90 day due date. You can click on the link within that email to make a credit card or ACH (eCheck) payment.
St. Charles Pilgrimages LLC utilizes a communication platform called Flocknote as our primary means of communication with our pilgrims. A series of Flocknotes will be sent starting at 3 months prior to departure (PTD). You’ll receive a Flocknote at 3 months PTD, 2 months PTD, 1 month PTD, 3 weeks PTD, 2 weeks PTD, and 1 week PTD. Each Flocknote will touch on important aspects of your pilgrimage ranging from packing tips to flight and hotel details. Please keep an eye on your email inbox for these important communications. If you are not receiving our Flocknotes, please check your email spam folder. If you find it is your spam folder, please mark the email as "NOT SPAM" so that you receive these very important emails.
One week prior to departure, we will send a Flocknote highlighting all the finalized details for your pilgrimage. Your Pre-departure Packet will be attached to that email. The pre-departure packet is the document with all of the finalized details regarding your pilgrimage. You’ll find detailed information regarding your flights, hotels, included meals, tips, and the finalized itinerary within this document. Please print the pre-departure document and bring it with you on pilgrimage.
Yes, all of our pilgrimages require a valid passport. If your passport’s expiration date is within 6 months of our return date, please get a new passport. There MUST be a 6-month grace period when traveling internationally. If you do not currently own a passport, make every effort to obtain one as soon as possible; it can take up to 90 days to acquire (processing times vary depending on the USPS's current work load).
St. Charles Pilgrimages LLC MUST have a copy of every pilgrim’s passport on file. If you did not upload a copy of your passport when you registered for your pilgrimage, please email a copy of your passport to [email protected].
For general aches, pains, and colds, a visit to the local pharmacist will suffice. If there is a serious illness, our local guide will arrange a visit from the in-house hotel doctor or a visit to the local clinic. Of course, in a true emergency, we will arrange a visit to the ER/local hospital. If you are traveling alone and have a notable medical condition, be sure to notify one of your guides. If you have a prescription and foresee the possibility of needing to fill a new prescription order, please bring a copy of your prescriptions with you on pilgrimage.
Time changes can be found below for our destinations. Most people are so excited to be on pilgrimage, the time change doesn’t bother them too much. We encourage pilgrims to stay awake past 8 PM on the day of arrival and try not to nap. If you can do this, your internal clock will reset for the remainder of the pilgrimage.
5 hours ahead of New York / 8 hours ahead of the West Coast: Ireland, The United Kingdom, and Portugal
6 hours ahead of New York / 9 hours ahead of the West Coast: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Poland
7 hours ahead of New York / 10 hours ahead of the West Coast: Israel and Greece
All our hotels and religious guesthouses have WiFi. We highly suggest adding an international data plan on your cell phone in order to access Google Maps on your phone during the day. Having Google Maps in your pocket can be a life-saver when exploring a new city during free time.
Making phone calls from your hotel will be expensive. If your cell phone does not have international capabilities, or an international plan, we suggest downloading a WiFi communication app on your phone. Popular apps include WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Facebook Messenger. The best (and cheapest) way to call, text, and video call home is while connected to the hotel WiFi and using one of the apps above. When in Europe, to call home, you will need to dial 001-(area code)-(phone number). For example: 001 (866) 760-5099.
We will have a dedicated motorcoach for the duration of the pilgrimage. This will be our primary means of transportation throughout the pilgrimage. We will, however, be walking a great deal, ESPECIALLY when we are in a city center. Pilgrims should be able to walk 3-5 miles without the assistance of a cane, walker, or motor scooter. We will be walking up and down hills, cobblestone roads, steep and uneven stairs, and other ancient walking paths. Because of this, we highly encourage those with mobility issues to prayerfully consider if our pilgrimages are right for you. You by no means have to be an athlete, but we must over-communicate the physical requirement of your pilgrimage.We will be walking A LOT!
For more information on the activity level of your pilgrimage, click HERE.
The sad reality is that pickpockets are present in the busy market streets we will be visiting. However, they are only interested in those who are careless. Keep your purse, wallet and/or bag in front of you with one hand on it and you are very unlikely to lose anything. In short, simply be aware of your surroundings and you will be just fine.
When in the larger cities, you will find that most hotels, shops, and restaurants have no problem communicating in English. The smaller the town/village, the less of a chance that English will be widely spoken. It would be charitable to learn a few basic phrases in the local tongue before departing on pilgrimage. But don’t worry, our local guides (who are with you from start to finish) speak the local languages and will be able to assist where needed.
We definitely recommend buying a good guidebook. Most guidebooks can be purchased online on Amazon.com. For a logistical travel guide, Rick Steves has the best guidebooks on the market. Some destinations have fantastic faith-based pilgrimage guidebooks as well. Here are a couple of our recommendations organized by destination:
Rome – The Pilgrim’s Guide to Rome’s Principal Churches by Joseph Tylenda, SJ (purchase from the publisher's website to avoid amazon's radically inflated price).
The Holy Land - Magnificat Holy Land Companion: A Spiritual Guide for Pilgrims published by Magnificat
France – Pilgrim France: Shrines and Pilgrim Places by David Baldwin
Fatima – A Pilgrim’s Guide to Fatima and the Surrounding Area by Andrew Houseley
Camino de Santiago – A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierley
Greece – There are no books that will prepare you for your pilgrimage to Greece more than the Epistles (letters) of St. Paul found in the New Testament of the Bible.
*This list will be updated as we continue to find amazing pilgrimage guidebooks.
You will need to purchase an electrical adapter (which changes the shape of the plug) in order to power your chargers for your phone, tablet, laptop, camera, CPAP, and other small electrical appliances. Please see the exact type of electrical adapter you will need below, organized by destination. All of these electrical adapters can be purchased online at amazon.com.
Type C electrical adpater: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal, and Greece
Type G electrical adpater: Ireland and the United Kingdom
Type H electrical adpater: Israel
Type A & B electrical adpater: USA, Canada, and Mexico *(no electrical adapter required if your electronics are from either of these countries)
Please note, you cannot plug hair dryers, flat irons, or curling irons into an electrical adapter. These items require a voltage converter. We recommend you purchase a flat iron or curling iron upon your arrival instead of purchasing an expensive and heavy voltage converter. Remember, hair dryers are already provided at all of our hotels.
Credit cards are widely accepted at most of our destinations. Make sure to call your credit card companies to put a travel notice on your account or else your card might be declined or flagged by the fraud department. Bring only your Visa and/or MasterCard. Avoid bringing your American Express and Discover cards as they are accepted less often. There are ATMs everywhere and can be used to withdraw cash in the local currency using your debit card the same way you would withdraw cash at an ATM at home. Additionally, most banks at home will allow you to “order” the local currency ahead of departure. We would discourage you from converting your USD into local currency at the airport currency conversion booths as they will charge a large fee and exchange rate.
We suggest bringing $200-$300 cash (converted into the local currency) to start out with. If you run out of cash, you can always visit the ATM. Generally, only bring and use cash in the local currency, not US dollars. The only exception to this rule is the Holy Land (Israel). All places we go to on our Holy Land pilgrimages accept US dollars so there is no need to bring the local currency to the Holy Land.
Tips and gratuities may or may not be included in your pilgrimage fee. Please reference your pilgrimage website/brochure to identify if tips are included or not. If tips are not included, plan to budget roughly $10 cash (converted into the local currency) per person, per day. Your pre-departure packet (emailed to you 1 week prior to departure) will have a detailed TIPS section highlighting the exact amount you will need to budget and bring with you (in cash) for tips.
Currency Information by Country:
Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, and Ireland - all use the Euro and tip 5-10% at restaurants.
Israel (the Holy Land) - while the local currency is the New Israeli Shekel, only bring and use US dollars which are widely accepted in Israel. Plan to tip around 10-15% at restaurants.
Mexico - The local currency is theMexican Peso. Plan to tip around 10-15% at restaurants.
Canada - The local currency is the Canadian Dollar. Plan to tip around 15-20% at restaurants.
Our pilgrimages typically stay in religious guesthouses run by religious sisters and four-star hotels. All our accommodations are tested and chosen based on their high degree of comfort, cleanliness, quality of breakfasts, and general hospitality by the hotel/guesthouse staff. Religious guesthouses are generally simpler in design but just as comfortable as the four-star hotels. Most religious guesthouses also have a chapel onsite with the Blessed Sacrament reserved for prayer. All our accommodations have WiFi. Hair dryers, fresh linen, and towels are provided but not washcloths (a rarity in Europe).
Special note regarding the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO: Pilgrims on the Camino stay in what are known as albergues. These are best described as what we know as hostels. To stay in an albergue, you will need your credencial (Camino passport). The front desk will stamp your credencial and direct you to your room, typically a dormitory full of bunk beds. Some of the dorms are segregated by sex, most of them aren’t, and they can have a few beds or several dozen. Privacy is at a premium, so your best bet is to try to arrive on the early side, choose a bed you’ll like, spread out your sleeping bag or put your pack on it to “claim” it, and go take a shower. Remember that these are shared facilities, so hot water can be limited.
There is a lot of freedom on our pilgrimages, which is different than a guided tour. Everything we do is optional. If you want to skip out on a day’s activities and do your own thing, it is no problem at all. Just let us know before we leave that morning, so we know not to expect you. As well, if you are separating from the group to go back to the guesthouse/ hotel or do your own sight seeing, be sure to let us know. Most of our itineraries do have dedicated free time built in.
Since we are all part of a large group, all of us will have to make sure we are especially courteous. That means, when we are supposed to be somewhere at a certain time, everyone is on time. If told we will leave at a certain point, please be ready to depart at that time. As we walk from place to place, endeavor as much as possible to keep pace with the rest of the pilgrims.
Breakfast is included every morning and is provided at the hotel or guesthouse, typically in buffet style. The menu varies depending on the country you are visiting. For example, our pilgrimages to Italy often enjoy a light Italian breakfast including hearty rolls, jams, yogurts, cereals, and fruit. On the other side, pilgrimages to Ireland or the UK include a large, filling “Irish”/“English” breakfast of sausage, bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, breads, etc. Pilgrimages to our other European destinations resemble a standard continental breakfast with items such as pastries and breads, eggs, fruit, and local dishes unique to the country you are visiting (i.e., pain au chocolat in France). All destinations have a large variety of coffees, teas, and juices to complement your breakfast.
Lunches and dinners may or may not be included. Please reference your pilgrimage brochure to identify which meals are included. For included lunches, you can expect a pre-set menu in a local restaurant. If lunches are not included, budget to spend anywhere from $10-20 per person (converted into the local currency), depending on destination. Included dinners will range from buffet style to pre-set, multi-course meals. Some included dinners are hosted at the hotel restaurant while others may be at local restaurants. If dinners are not included, budget to spend anywhere from $15-30 per person (converted into the local currency), depending on destination.
Alcoholic beverages may or may not be included (please reference your pilgrimage brochure). If beverages are not included, they are always available for purchase.
Most restaurants at our destinations accept credit card payments. However, while you can generally pay for your meal with a credit card, tips are ALWAYS paid in cash. Please see the question above regarding money for general tipping guidelines.
There is a dress code for most churches. Short shorts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed, and in the interest of modesty, it is preferred that dresses go down past the knee. If ladies want to wear a sleeveless shirt during the day, simply bring a wrap to place around your shoulders when entering a church. A good rule of thumb: cover your shoulders and knees. If you think, “can I wear these shorts in this church?” Simply ask yourself, “Does it cover my knees?” This goes for both men and women.
Basics: On most flights, you can have one large 50 lb. checked bag, one carry-on, and one personal item (such as a backpack) for the plane. You are responsible for lugging your bags through the airport and from the bus to the hotels, so make sure you don’t bring more than what you are able to transport yourself. If your checked bag is more than 50 pounds you will have to pay extra at the airport. If you check a second bag you will not only have to pay at least $100 to the airline, but also carry it around yourself. Thus, we don’t suggest you do this. If you are able, pack a foldable carry-on to use for gifts or extras for the plane trip home.
Addresses: If you plan to send postcards or letters to friends and loved ones back home, we suggest that you don’t bring your address book. Rather, type or write those that you want onto a sheet of paper and bring that with you.
Backpack: A practical and handy bag to have with you on pilgrimage.
Camera: In most cases, your phone’s camera will suffice, as most of today’s phones have cameras equivalent or superior to the quality of a separate camera. As a reminder, churches do not typically allow a flash in order to preserve the artwork.
Earplugs: If night noises bother you, bring these. They are good for the plane too.
Extra eyeglasses/contacts: If you have an extra pair, bring them.
First Aid: A small baggie with Band-Aids, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, aspirin/Tylenol, cold/diarrhea remedies, blister packs, etc.
Jacket: Something light but warm and water resistant.
Plastic grocery sack or garbage bag: Good for keeping dirty laundry in until you can wash it.
Poncho or travel umbrella: These are available while abroad or at home. At the very least, carrying one with you is a good idea.
Prescriptions: You might want to bring new prescriptions to be filled while abroad in the event of an emergency.
Shoes: One or two very comfortable pairs for walking around. Consider that it may rain, so something that will keep your feet dry when needed. Make sure you have worn your shoes a lot so you know how your feet respond to them — we do not recommend bringing brand new unworn shoes.
Mass clothes: Something nice for Sunday.
Toiletries: Small soap/bottle of body wash, small bottle of shampoo/conditioner; small tube of toothpaste; toothbrush; razor; small travel size shaving cream; dental floss; Put anything that can leak inside a zip-lock. For women remember to bring makeup and feminine toiletries.
Washcloth: Towels are provided, but washcloths are a rarity in Europe.
Carry-on luggage: Remember, liquids must be in limited amounts. Liquids and gels must be in individual containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and placed inside one clear, quart-size, plastic, zip-top bag. The TSA emphasizes that containers should fit comfortably into your bag, and that only one bag is permitted per passenger. If you need to bring more than 3.4 ounces of any liquid or gel substance, it should go into your checked luggage or be shipped ahead. Typically, you are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item. Medical equipment such as a CPAP machine is additionally allowed. We suggest packing a day’s worth of extra clothing in your carry-on in the event that luggage is lost.
Laundry: While some of our hotels provide a laundry service (at a fee), we suggest bringing a travel size packet of laundry soap to wash needed items in your sink. Travel laundry soap can be found at most grocery/drugstores.
FINALLY ... anything that you forget can be purchased while on pilgrimage!