Catholic Heritage Tour of D.C. and Maryland

Take in extraordinary architecture as you explore legendary places of worship and experience Catholic Heritage like never before. Your trip will include the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, Mount St. Mary’s University and Seminary, the Chapel of Immaculate Conception, the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception, and much more!

Duration
6 Days /5 Nights

Group size
35+

Customization
Available!
Tour Inclusions: 5 nights’ accommodation; 5 breakfasts; 1 lunch; 4 dinners; admissions, entrance, and guide fees as stated in the itinerary, including taxes, and gratuity, except gratuity for guide fees is not included on adult tours unless otherwise requested. Based on 35 paying passengers and one (1) comp in double occupancy.
Highlights:
  • National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Mount St. Mary’s University and Seminary
  • Chapel of Immaculate Conception
  • Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America
  • Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception
  • Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
  • Illuminated Monument Tour
  • St. Clements Island
  • Piney Point Lighthouse
  • St. Indique’s Plantation
  • St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church
  • Basilica of the Assumption
  • Ft. McHenry

Sample Itinerary:
Day 1 - National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, Mount St. Mary’s University and Seminary, & Chapel of Immaculate Conception
  • Arrive in Emmitsburg, Maryland, visit the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, and enjoy Mass.
  • Visit the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton prior to an included lunch.
  • Continue to Mount St. Mary’s University and Seminary and visit the Chapel of Immaculate Conception.
  • Depart for Washington, D.C. and check-in to your local area hotel.
  • Enjoy dinner on own and free time this evening in the nearby restaurants and shops. (Meals: L)
 
Day 2 - Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception, Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, & Illuminated Monument Tour
  • Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel this morning prior to departing with your GUIDE.
  • Visit the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America with over 40 acres of roses, azaleas, tulips, more - the monastery is a continuous flower festival.
  • Enjoy a tour of the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception.
  • Enjoy lunch on own at the shrine’s cafeteria.
  • Arrive to The Saint John Paul II National Shrine, a place of worship, religious formation, and education that welcomes pilgrims and visitors to discover the man who became Saint John Paul II and learn about the major influences on his life and the main themes & events of his papacy.
  • Visit the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, most commonly known as St. Matthew's Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
  • Drive Embassy Row. After the Civil War, the powerful and socially elite built large mansions along Massachusetts Ave. After the Great Depression, many of the families who built these homes went broke. Embassies, associations, foundations, and clubs have claimed and restored these lovely homes.
  • Drive by the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States of America, the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the USA. The Holy See has the longest tradition of diplomatic initiatives of any sovereign entity in the world today.
  • Enjoy dinner included this evening at a seafood restaurant on the waterfront in Georgetown featuring floor-to-ceiling windows & scenic river views as patrons dine on the freshest of seafood.
  • Depart on an Illuminated Monument Driving Tour. Washington’s memorials and monuments are impressive during the day, but stunning at night! Drive by the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima Statue), Air Force Memorial, the Washington Monument, the National World War II Memorial, & others as time permits.
  • Walk through the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Two months after President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, Congress designated the National Cultural Center as a "living memorial" to Kennedy, and authorized $23 million to help build what was now known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. (Meals: B, D)
 
Day 3 - St. Clements Island & Piney Point Lighthouse
  • Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel this morning prior to checking out & visiting the Museum of the Bible.
  • A boxed lunch is included while en route to Colton’s Point, Maryland.
  • Meet your GUIDE & take the ferry to St. Clements Island and enjoy Mass.
  • Return & stop for a photo opportunity at Piney Point Lighthouse.
  • Enjoy dinner included at a seafood restaurant this evening. (Meals: B, D)
 
Day 4 - St. Indique’s Plantation, St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, & Baltimore Inner Harbor
  • Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel this morning prior to departing for St. Indique’s Plantation.
  • Visit Mary’s City, Maryland, a former colonial town that was Maryland's first European settlement and capital.
  • Enjoy Mass at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church.
  • Visit St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church prior to departing for Baltimore, Maryland and checking in to your hotel.
  • Enjoy dinner on your own while exploring the Baltimore Inner Harbor offering a plethora of restaurants. Where Baltimore’s shipbuilding and steel mills once stood, is now a busy destination for fun. There are restaurants, museums, shows, water taxis, paddle boats, and cruises on the bay. (Meals: B)
 
Day 5 - City Tour of Baltimore & Basilica of the Assumption
  • Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel prior to a City Tour of Baltimore.
  • After touring, enjoy lunch on own in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
  • Visit the Basilica of the Assumption.
  • Depart for St. Mary’s Spiritual Center & Historic Site and St. Mary’s Seminary and University.
  • Attend Vespers prior to a farewell dinner included at a Spanish and Mediterranean restaurant. (Meals: B, D)
 
Day 6 - Ft. McHenry & Annapolis
  • Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel this morning prior to checking out.
  • Arrive at Ft. McHenry, a historical American coastal pentagonal bastion fort located in the Locust Point neighborhood of Baltimore. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812 when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13-14, 1814.
  • Arrive in Annapolis, Maryland and enjoy lunch on own and free time in the Harbor area prior to a tour of Annapolis.
  • Visit the William Paca House and Garden. Tour the colonial mansion of the Declaration of Independence signer, William Paca and walk through his luxurious two acres of natural beauty in the bustling center of Annapolis’ Historic District.
  • Depart for home. (Meals: B)

Click below for a Printable PDF: PDF

Contact Us Today to Reserve Your Tour

Have a question? MARS' experienced tour professionals are ready and willing to help you plan a tour program that's a perfect fit for you.

Get Started