About Rome: Rome has been one of history's most powerful and important cities, along with home to the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, and the site of the Vatican City. First built in 337, St. Peter's Basilica lies over the tomb of St. Peter. Contained within is a vast array of the most beautiful artwork ever assembled, reflecting the immensity, beauty, vastness, majesty, glory and awesomeness of God.
YOUR TRIP INCLUDES: Round-trip air from New York to Italy (special Add-on Airfares from all US gateways) ALL AIRPORT TAXES & FUEL SURCHARGES! 8 nights at centrally located first class hotels as follows: (or similar) ~ 1 nights: Hotel Mariott, Rome, Italy
~ 2 nights: Hotel Giotto, Assisi, Italy
~ 2 nights: Hotel Mediteraneo, Florence 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 - Assisi
After breakfast, we depart Rome heading north through the Italian countryside enjoying the beautiful scenery. 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 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. Upon arrival you will enjoy a free afternoon to rest, relax and explore before we enjoy dinner at our hotel.
Day 4 -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 visitto 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 5 - 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 6 - Christian 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 oppor-tunity 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 7 - 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 donated 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 8 - 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 the stories of our afternoon.
Day 9 - 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. Enjoy free time before dinner to explore Santa Maria del Fiore.
Day 10 - Florence - USA We bid farewell to our new pilgrimage family as we depart for Florence Airport. As you board your flights back home, you can fondly say, Arrivederci Italia!
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Travel Dates
Land Only (no airfare)
*Air & Land
# of Pilgrims
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