Monte Cassino, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant'Angel, Lanciano, Loreto, Assisi, Siena, Rome, Florence, Padua, & Venice
YOUR TRIP INCLUDES: Round-trip air from New York to Italy (special Add-on Airfares from all US gateways) ALL AIRPORT TAXES & FUEL SURCHARGES! 12 nights at centrally located first class hotels as follows: (or similar) ~ 1 nights: Hotel Mariott, Rome, Italy
~ 2 nights: Hotel Mediteraneo, Florence, Italy
~ 2 nights: Hotel Biri, Padua, Italy Transfers as per itinerary Breakfast and Dinner daily Wine with dinners Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach Assistance of a professional local Catholic guide(s) Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary Catholic Priest available for Spiritual Direction Mass daily & Spiritual activities Luggage handling (1 piece per person) Flight bag & portfolio of all travel documents
Sample Day-by-Day Itinerary:
Day 1 - USA - Italy
Make your way to your hometown airport where you will board your overnight flight(s) to Rome. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board.
Day 2 - Arrive Rome
Upon arrival in Rome Airport you will find your luggage and exit the baggage claim into the arrivals hall where you will be greeted by your tour escort and/or driver. After a warm welcome to Italy, you will be escorted to your transportation to your hotel. Enjoy a free afternoon for rest, relaxation, or exploration. Your tour escort can suggest sights or walks for you to enjoy. Tonight we will enjoy a delicious Italian dinner!
Day 3 - Rome - Monte Cassino - San Giovanni Rotondo
After breakfast, we head south, cross through the Roman countryside with its villas and vineyards. During the drive, your tour escort will explain the spiritual, historical, and cultural overview of Italy, which will help to orient you to this beautiful country and prepare you for all that you will experience in the days that follow. We stop at the Abbey of Montecassino, a beautiful town founded by St. Benedict in 529. Continue through the countryside heading east to Padre Pios town of San Giovanni Rotondo, our base for the following two nights. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Day 4 - San Giovanni Rotondo - Monte Sant'Angel
After celebrating Mass at the tomb of Padre Pio, we tour the sanctuary, see the old church and the crucifix from which he received the stigmata in 1918. You will see the confessional where Padre Pio spent innumerable hours with a multitude of pilgrims, directing them on their journey toward God. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the Cargano Peninsula and a visit to the Grotto of Michael the Archangel. Six different popes, St. Francis, and at least four other saints have knelt in prayer at this grotto, seeking the protection of St. Michael. A panoramic view of the ocean and the surrounding countryside awaits you at this most celebrated shrine of early Christianity, a shrine consecrated by St. Michael himself in 490. Return to San Giovanni for devotions, reflection, and a restful overnight.
Day 5 - San Giovanni Rotondo - Lanciano - Loreto - Assisi
After breakfast, we depart up the Adriatic coast to Lanciano where we will see the Eucharistic Miracle and celebrate Mass. We continue on to the great Marian shrine of Loreto where we will visit the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto. More than 50 popes have made a pilgrimage to the holy house which was transported by angels in 1294 to this hill in central Italy. Tradition has it that this is the very house in which Mary first prayed the Magnificat, where Jesus grew to manhood, and in which the Holy Family lived. We make our way to Assisi the hometown of St. Francis the patron saint of animals and the environment, and the founder of the Franciscan Order. We arrive in time for dinner at our hotel.
Day 6 - Assisi
We awake well-rested and, after a filling breakfast, we begin our guided exploration of the quaint hilltop city which still retains much of the atmosphere of the early 1200's, the period when St. Francis began his ministry. We visit the huge 13th-century Basilica where we will see the tomb of St. Francis as well as many of the saint's possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. You may kneel before the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St. Francis, asking him to rebuild His church. We continue our with a visit to St. Mary of the Angels Basilica in which St. Francis spent most of his life. Here we see the Chapel, Portiuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. As we continue we see an ancient Roman temple on our way to the Church of St. Clare. St. Clare was the foundress of the Order of Poor Clare's and followed the teachings of St. Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. We will see the to see her incorrupt body and visit her tomb before concluding our day. After a scrumptious dinner you may stroll the medieval streets of the compact little town before retiring for the evening.
Day 7 - Assisi - Siena - Rome
After breakfast, we are off to the beautiful town of Siena, the birthplace of Saints Catherine and Bernardine, and one of Italy's loveliest medieval cities. As we begin our tour we stroll the Piazza Del Campo, one of Italy's finest squares in Italy. We visit the Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Francis which contains the miraculous consecrated hosts that have remained intact since 1730. We continue our tour with a visit to St. Dominc's where we will view the incorrupt head of St. Catherine. After free time for lunch we travel south by deluxe motorcoach to the capital of Italy, Rome. We arrive in time for dinner and a restful overnight.
Day 8 - Rome
This morning we awake in the Eternal City, one of the centers of Western civilization! After a filling breakfast we depart on our sightseeing tour which will offer insight into the most significant Catholic sites in Rome. We will have an opportunity to see the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the oldest shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, which contains a relic from the manger of the infant Jesus. We will see the Holy Stairs and visit the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, which was the residence of the popes prior to returning to Rome in 1377. We also explore St. Paul Outside the Walls, which houses the remains of St. Paul under its main altar. We will see the Appian Way, the oldest road from Roman times, as well as the famous Domino Quo Vadis Chapel, the ancient Baths of Caracalla, Arch of Drusus and the Tomb of Celilia Metella. Our day ends with a special visit to one of the catacombs, such as St. Callixtus, where the early Christians hid themselves to escape persecution for their devout faith. Time permitting we will also visit the Trevi Fountain to take part in the tradition of throwing 3 coins into the fountain in hopes of returning to Rome. After a day filled with faith and beauty we enjoy a tasty dinner before retiring for the night.
Day 9 - Rome (Papal Audience and Vatican Museum Tour)
After an early breakfast we depart for Vatican City, the spiritual capital for all Catholics around the world. Vatican City is it's own city-state nestle within Rome, and it even has it's own currency and postage! Today is truly a day which will live in our hearts for many years to come. We make our way to St. Peter's Basilica where we will attend the Papal Audience given by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI (pending papal schedule). Following the audience we will visit the Vatican Museums, an astonishing series of galleries which contain the most impressive spiritual and art treasures. You will see awe-inspiring relics and works of art do-nated throughout centuries as tributes of faith. We will visit the Tapestry Gallery, the Raphael Rooms and the breathtaking Sistine Chapel where we will see Michelangelo's masterpiece the Last Judgment. We continue our exploration of the Vatican as we enter the largest church in Christendom - St. Peter's Basilica. Built on the site where St. Peter was martyred. St. Peter's is unsurpassed in beauty; a monument to the long history of the Catholic Church, to which pilgrims from around the world flock. You will have time to marvel at the Pieta and Bernini's amazing bronze canopy. We will also visit the tomb of Pope John Paul II located in the Vatican. After a day exploring the home of our Catholic faith, we gather together to dine and reminisce about our day with our fellow pilgrims. We return to our hotel to settle in for a restful sleep on our last night in Rome.
Day 10 - Rome - Florence
We feast on a fulfilling breakfast before we depart for Florence. A true paradise for culture and art lovers, Florence drew to itself the greatest artists of the Renaissance: Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Donatello and many others. You will have a free afternoon to stroll the streets of this beautiful city. Enjoy some of the best shopping in Italy, visit a museum, or just relax in a café in the Piazza della Signoria. We gather for dinner to share stories of our day.
Day 11 - Florence
After enjoying breakfast and a delicious cappuccino, we depart on our guided tour of Florence. We begin with the magnificent Franciscan church of Santa Croce with it's intricate façade, the church is a burial place of nobles, among which is Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. As we walk through Piazza Signoria, we pass by Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Repubblica. We arrive at the Santa Maria del Fiore, a 13th-century cathedral, and the site of Brunelleschi's Duomo, as well as Giotto's Bell Tower. After lunch we will visit L'Accadamia where we will view Michelangelo's "David" as well as other works of art. You will have free time to explore the museum and city before dinner.
Day 12 - Florence - Padua
After breakfast, we depart for Padua, where St. Anthony, patron saint of lost things is honored. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica built in his honor. Following Mass, begin our sightseeing tour including one of the oldest universities in Italy, the Tomb of St. Anthony and we have an opportunity to see several of his relics. We will pass by Pratto Della Valle, and see the Basilica of Santa Giustina. We arrive at our hotel in time for dinner and a restful overnight.
Day 13 - Padua: Full day excursion to Venice
After breakfast depart for nearby Venice, the iconic city where the streets are paved with water! We will enjoy a tour and visit of some of the greatest sights you will ever see: St. Mark's Square, The Golden Basilica of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs, and we will even have an extraordinary visit of Dodges' Palace. After the tour you will have free time to explore Venice on own, shop and perhaps take an gondola ride. Don't forget to enjoy a cappuccino and gelato at one of the cafes in St. Mark's Square, a must do for any visit to Venice. We return to Padua in time for our dinner and our final night in Italy!
Day 14 - Venice - USA
We bid farewell to our new friends and to a pilgrimage which will be in our memories and heart for a long time to come. After breakfast depart from the hotel to Venice Airport for our return flight to the USA.
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Travel Dates
Land Only (no airfare)
*Air & Land
# of Pilgrims
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Monastery
Madonna of Loreto
333 Marcus Blvd 