Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Welcome to Italy! Upon arrival at Rome airport, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and continue to the Arrivals Hall, where you will be greeted by a tour escort and/or driver. You will make your way to the bus and transfer to Assisi. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon and visit Rocca Maggiore, which offers incredible views of the city below and surrounding Umbria. The group will celebrate Mass at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, then the group will enjoy a delicious Italian dinner and restful overnight.

As you visit the birthplace of St. Francis, you will become captivated as the atmosphere has not changed since St. Francis began his ministry, in the early 13th century. You will start your tour at the St. Francis Basilica, visit the tomb of St. Francis, and have the opportunity to view a series of frescoes depicting his life, along with a few of the saint’s possessions. Followed by a visit to the Santuario Della Spogliazione where Blessed Carlo Acutis’ tomb is placed. Carlo is the first millennial to be declared Blessed who loved the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. From there, you will continue on a walking tour through this picturesque town, including the birthplace of St. Francis, and end with a tour of the Church that honors St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare Sisters. This Saint followed the teachings of St. Francis very closely by also living a life of poverty and humility. Enjoy some free time on your own – you may take this time for additional prayer, shop in the many gift shops, or enjoy a nice lunch. After lunch, you will board the bus, which will take you outside of the walls of Assisi, to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This is where St. Francis spent most of his life. This Basilica is made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The first structure is the “Porziuncola”, which is where St. Francis founded his order of the Friars Minor (Franciscans). The second is the “Capella del Transito”, which is the place of St. Francis’ death. During your time here, you will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St. Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the Saint retired to pray. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

After breakfast, travel to Bevagna, a charming town in the heart of Umbria. Bevagna is not only a treasure of historical and artistic gems, but also a place of profound religious significance. Its rich Catholic heritage is evident in its numerous churches, monasteries, and religious institutions, each bearing witness to the town’s deep-rooted faith and devotion. Visit the Church of San Francesco which is located in Bevagna’s historic center. The Church of San Francesco is a haven for Franciscan spirituality. Its simple yet elegant architecture reflects the Franciscan Order’s values of humility and simplicity. Inside, the church houses a beautiful fresco depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. Continue to the Monastery of San Silvestro, on a hilltop overlooking Bevagna. The Monastery of San Silvestro offers a tranquil retreat for those seeking spiritual solace. Founded in the 13th century, the monastery has been a center of religious life for centuries. Its serene atmosphere and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside provide an ideal setting for contemplation and prayer. After lunch visit the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie. This is a beloved pilgrimage site for Catholics in the region. The sanctuary, dating back to the 15th century, is home to a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to possess miraculous powers. Visitors come from far and wide to seek blessings and pray for intercession. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, you will drive through the beautiful Umbrian mountains to Gubbio. Enjoy this medieval town with a visit to St. Francis Church, where you will be celebrating Mass. After Mass, visit a town that seems painted onto the hill, a succession of backdrops against which towers and houses stand out, all embraced by walls. The town had been freed by St. Francis from a terrible and fierce wolf who afflicted it. After lunch on your own, continue to La Verna, the place where St. Francis, over the years, had been seven times, the last time in 1224 where he received the stigmata. Here you will be able to pray in the Chapel of the Stigmata, the Basilica, and the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. You will also be able to admire the beautiful artwork of Andrea della Robbia. Return to Assisi for dinner and your last overnight.

This morning, you will ride through the beautiful Umbrian mountains to Orvieto. This incredible town sits on a volcanic high rock formation. Here we visit one of the most beautiful and renowned Cathedrals in Italy. Because of its strategic location, its Christian history officially started in 1004, but Orvieto was built over preexisting Etruscan-era cave tunnels dating back 2,500 years, which some historians believe Christians used to celebrate Mass when Christianity was forbidden. Continue to “The Eternal City”. Upon arrival at Rome check-in at your Hotel. You will have free time to unpack and relax or explore Rome on your own. Your tour escort may suggest places to visit. Later in the afternoon, your group will meet in the hotel lobby and depart for Mass. Following Mass, you will attend a welcome dinner. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to walk to St. Peter’s Square as a group, for the Rosary (optional).

Today we tour St. Peter’s Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter the Apostle was martyred. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to view Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture, and pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II. Next, you will visit the Vatican Museum, where you can see the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, and Sistine Chapel. After lunch, continue down the Appian Way, one of the earliest roads built in ancient Rome to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the Catacombs. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

This morning we attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square or at the Audience Hall. The Audience is celebrated each Wednesday by His Holiness, Pope Francis (pending the papal schedule). Next Trevi Fountain area for some free time and lunch (on your own). This afternoon, visit the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome, the Archbasilica of St. John the Lateran, the cathedral church, and the seat of the Bishop of Rome. Cross the street to the very steps that lead up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem which Jesus climbed on His way to trial during his Passion. Holy Mass will be celebrated by our priest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. Dinner and overnight.

This morning after breakfast we will celebrate Mass. Following Mass, we will visit the Pantheon, an ancient Roman building, that is renowned for its large concrete dome. After lunch, visit the Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, which was built in the first century AD and was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Christians were often persecuted in the Roman Empire, and many of them were martyred in the Colosseum. Some of the most famous Christian martyrs who died in the Colosseum include Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Polycarp, Saint Perpetua, and Saint Felicitas. The Colosseum is a reminder of the persecution that early Christians faced, and it is also a symbol of their faith and courage. The Roman Forum was the heart of ancient Rome, and it was the site of many important government buildings, temples, and shops. It was also the place where public meetings were held and where the laws were debated and passed. The Roman Forum was a bustling place. It was home to a wide variety of people, from wealthy aristocrats to poor laborers, and it was a place where people from all walks of life came together. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach and transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport for return flights home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.