EUROPEAN SPIRITUAL TOURISM
FROM JULY 25TH TO AUGUST 8TH, 2026
Below is the updated detailed itinerary: 20-Day Itinerary: France - Netherlands - Germany (Berlin) - Switzerland - Italy
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Day |
Destination |
Main activities |
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1-5 |
Retreat in Marseille (France) |
A 10-day retreat and a 1-day trip to Marseille (If you don't have much time, you should only attend for a few days).
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6 |
Paris (France) |
Fly to Paris. Visit the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and take a cruise on the Seine River.
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7 |
Paris (France) – Amsterdam (Netherlands)
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Morning: Visit the Louvre Museum (exterior view). Lunch: Take the Thalys train to Amsterdam (3 hours 15 minutes). Evening: Stroll through Amsterdam's Old Town.
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8 |
Amsterdam (Netherlands) |
In the morning, visit the Zaanse Schans windmill village. In the afternoon, stroll around Dam Square and enjoy a canal cruise.
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9 |
Amsterdam (Netherlands) – Cologne – Frankfurt (Germany)
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Travel to Germany. Visit Cologne Cathedral (a prime example of Gothic architecture). Then spend the night in Frankfurt.
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10 – 11
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Frankfurt (Germany) – Institute of the Miraculous Lotus Sutra and the Compassion, Wisdom, and Courage Dharma Center (Germany)
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We will spend two days guiding Buddhist practitioners in their practice and assisting those participating in the study course here.
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12 |
Erfurt (Germany) – Berlin (Germany) |
In the morning, take the high-speed train to Berlin (approximately 6 hours). In the afternoon, check in at the Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial.
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13 |
Berlin (Germany) |
Visit the Reichstag building (glass dome), check in at the Berlin Wall (East Side Gallery), and Museum Island.
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14 –15
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Berlin - Institute for Applied Peace
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One-day retreat at the Institute for Applied Peace
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16 |
Berlin – Lucerne (Switzerland) |
Travel by train or domestic European flight to Zurich/Lucerne. Take a stroll around Lake Lucerne and the Chapel Bridge.
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17 |
Lucerne – Mount Titlis – Milan (Italy)
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In the morning, we ascended the snow-capped Titlis mountain to admire the panoramic view of the Alps. In the afternoon, we crossed the Italian border to Milan and visited the Duomo cathedral.
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18 |
Milan – Venice (Italy) |
Morning shopping at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. At noon, take a train to Venice, stroll around St. Marco Square, and take a gondola ride.
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19 |
Venice – Rome (Italy) |
Free time in Venice in the morning. Take a high-speed train to Rome at noon. In the afternoon, visit the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.
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20 |
Rome – Vatican – About |
In the morning, we visited the Colosseum and the Vatican. In the afternoon, we went to Fiumicino Airport (Rome) to fly back to the United States.
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COST INFORMATION
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Tour price: $5000 per person (Double room). A 50% deposit is required upon booking (the remaining balance will be paid in Europe) (this price is for Buddhist devotees only).
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Includes: * All airfare (International & Domestic), Visa, Insurance.
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The package includes 11 nights in a hotel, with 3 meals a day. This excludes retreats held at temples or monasteries. Buddhist devotees only need to make a donation to the organizing committee.
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Transportation, entrance tickets, and bottled water are included throughout the tour.
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Exclusions: Personal expenses and telephone charges.
CONTACT INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
If you require further details regarding visa procedures, deposits, or specific itineraries, please contact us at the following addresses:
In Vietnam
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Teacher Thong Ly: 084 669 1556
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Teacher Giac Nhu: 093 333 2852
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Ms. Mai / Ms. Hai Sen
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Email: thonglythich@yahoo.com or hanguyen201180@yahoo.com
In the United States
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Teacher Hue Son: 615 938 1556
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Mr. Ben Jammin (Chuc Tam Dinh): 615 880 0511
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Email: phuocbinhpagoda_2009@yahoo.com or hueson19692016@gmail.com
Important notes for itineraries that include Berlin:
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Berlin to Switzerland: The distance from Berlin to Lucerne is quite far (approximately 800-900km). To save time on a 15 or 20-day itinerary, consider taking a domestic flight from Berlin to Zurich (only 1 hour 30 minutes) instead of the train (over 8 hours).
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Optimizing your time in Berlin: Major attractions like the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and the Holocaust Memorial are relatively close together, so you can walk to save time.
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Booking at the Reichstag: If you want to go up the glass dome of the German Parliament building, you must book online in advance on their official website..
To prepare for a whirlwind 15-20 day trip through 5 European countries, smart packing is key to your comfort. You'll be moving between train stations and doing a lot of walking, so the motto is: Compact - Lightweight - Versatile.
Here is a list of the most essential items:
1. Documents and Finances (Most Important)
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Passport & Schengen Visa: Always carry the original and ideally have a photocopy or image file saved on Google Drive/iCloud.
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Travel insurance: Mandatory for entry into the Schengen area.
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Flight tickets & Hotel booking confirmation: Print out paper copies in case your phone battery runs out or you lose internet connection at the border.
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Currency: * International credit/debit cards (Visa/Mastercard): Cards are very common in Europe.
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Cash (Euro): Prepare small denomination bills ($5, 10, 20$) to pay for public restrooms or buy snacks.
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Swiss Francs (CHF): It's not necessary to exchange a lot of money as they accept cards and Euros (but give back CHF as change).
2. Technology Equipment
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Universal Adapter: Europe uses 2-pin round sockets (Type C or E/F). Italy sometimes has 3-pin vertical sockets, but round plugs are still usable.
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Power Bank: You'll be using Google Maps and taking photos constantly, so your phone will run out of battery very quickly.
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4G/5G Travel SIM Card: Buy a SIM card that works throughout the Schengen area to have network access as soon as you land.
3. Clothing & Personal Care (Seasonal)
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Good walking shoes: This is the most important item. You will be walking an average of 10-15km per day. Choose comfortable, familiar walking shoes.
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Layering clothing: * The weather is very different between Germany/Netherlands (cold, windy) and Italy (sunny, warm).
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Sunglasses & Sunscreen: Essential when climbing the snow-capped Titlis mountain (Switzerland) because the intense light reflection can easily cause glare and sunburn..
4. Medications & Basic Healthcare
The pharmacy system in Europe is very strict; it's difficult to buy medicine without a doctor's prescription. Prepare yourself:
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Cold and fever medication, pain relievers, stomach ache medicine.
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Adhesive bandages (bandages): Essential for blisters that can easily form on the feet from walking a lot.
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Personalized medications (if any).
5. Other items
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Personal water bottle: Tap water in Europe (except on trains) is mostly safe to drink. This will save you around €2-3 per bottle of water.
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Small crossbody bag (Money belt): To keep your money and passport close to your body, to protect against pickpocketing in crowded tourist spots like Paris or Rome.
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Foldable umbrella: Paris and Amsterdam are prone to sudden drizzles.
Tip: You should download the Omio or Trainline app in advance to manage your train tickets and Google Translate (download offline language packs in French, German, and Italian) for communication when needed.