Paul Parietti worked at Gray Line of Seattle followed by Holland America Line/Westours in the 1980’s. He took his first trip to Europe in 1984 visiting much of Western Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Monaco, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) traveling on trains, boats and buses over 80 days. He was able to visit his Italian cousins for the first time.
His longest trip to Europe was in 1989 when he spent 20 days driving 3 friends around seven Western Europe countries, then spent an additional 90 days traveling throughout Europe on trains, boats and buses including visiting countries he hadn’t been to previously (England, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and five of the seven Yugoslavia republics).
The largest group Paul organized and escorted to Europe was 76 people (45 High School students, 23 college students and 8 chaperones) on a 16 day/14 night trip to World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany. The group made stops in Italy and Switzerland before arriving in Cologne and then ending in Paris.
Paul has visited many Christian shrines and churches – some multiple times as he has escorted many people around Europe – including the Shroud of Turin, five Eucharistic miracles, 10 shrines of Our Lady (Czestochowa, Mary’s house near Ephesus, Fatima, La Salette, Loreto, Lourdes, Medjugorje, Miraculous Medal in Paris, Zaragoza and Guadalupe in Mexico City), the tombs of: eight Apostles, the four Evangelists, 12 incorrupt saints and numerous other saints.
In 2019, he started his tour operator business, Parietti Tours, with its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Paul organizes and escorts groups mostly to Europe and also does consulting for those who want to travel Europe on their own, but would like advice on what they can see in the places they are interested in visiting, especially the Christian sites to visit.
Paul is also committed to his hometown. He’s an active member at his local Catholic Church where he had been the Head Usher for nearly 30 years, and for 20 years helped out with the weekly youth group and has been a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Mission Statement
Give more people an opportunity to strengthen their Christian faith by making a European pilgrimage affordable. We cut out the middleman (European Tour Operators), which the vast majority of U.S. Catholic travel companies hire to make their itineraries and book everything in Europe.
Offer Catholic/Christian customized tours visiting shrines/churches which many tour companies do not visit.
Give the pilgrims more time at many of the religious sites so he/she has time to pray to God (not just check a site off the “list”), to honor His Blessed Mother and His Saints.
Offer tours for those who are not interested in solely a pilgrimage tour, but includes historical, cultural and scenic sites. Our hope is this may encourage some to come along whom otherwise would not go on a solely pilgrimage tour, giving them an opportunity to strengthen their faith.
