Join Fr. Michael Rodriguez on an 14 Days In the Holy Land and Rome from Dallas Fort Worth, TX (DFW) April, 13 – 26 2026

Day 1:  Departure

Depart for your overnight flight to the Holy Land.  Meals will be served onboard.

Day 2:    Arrival

Arrive, meet, assist, and transfer by coach to your hotel in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3:  Cana – Nazareth – Haifa

After breakfast, leave for Cana of Galilee: the place of the first miracle of Jesus. Continue to Nazareth and start a walking tour from Mary’s Fountain till the Basilica of the Annunciation for a visit to Mary’s House, celebrate mass, the Upper Basilica, the Museum, and the Church of the Holy Family. In the afternoon, leave for Haifa, the capital of the industry and the major port. Ascend to Mount Carmel, passing by the Persian Gardens of the Bahai sect. Visit the Church of Stella Maris, the birthplace of the Carmelite Order, which features a natural grotto dedicated to the Prophet Elijah. Back to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 4:  Sea of Galilee – Mount Tabor – River Jordan

After breakfast, leave for the Mount of Beatitudes to recall the Sermon on the Mountain. Continue to Tabgha (Heptapegon) for a visit to the Church of the Multiplication of Fish and Loaves, admiring the well-conserved Byzantine mosaic from the fifth century. Then visit the small chapel of the Primacy of St. Peter before heading to Capernaum, the Town of Jesus, for a detailed visit of its ruins: the remains of the House of Peter, the “Insula Sacra” and the White Synagogue. Then, you will experience a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. In the afternoon, ascend to Mount Tabor and visit the Basilica of the Transfiguration, where Mass is celebrated, built on the ruins of two earlier sanctuaries: a Byzantine and a Crusader one. Descend and continue to the River Jordan, where we will have the opportunity to renew your baptismal vows. Back to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Day 5:  Tiberias – Qumran – Dead Sea – Jericho – Bethlehem

After breakfast, leave Tiberias through the Jordan Valley and travel southwards to Qumran to visit the ruins of the Essenes Monastery and view the Caves of the Scrolls. Transfer then to the Dead Sea for a possible bath in its salty waters. Continue to Jericho, considered as the oldest city in the world, for a visit to Tel El-Sultan, the site of the biblical Jericho, and a view of the Mount of Temptation. In the afternoon, drive through the Judean Desert, passing by the Good Samaritan Inn to Bethlehem, the city of King David. Arrive at your selected hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 6:  Mount of Olives and Mount Zion

After breakfast, drive to Mount of Olives for a visit to the Ascension Chapel and then to Pater Noster Church. Walk down to the small Chapel of Dominus Flevit and enjoy a panoramic view of the Holy City with all its major shrines. Continue to the Garden of Gethsemane for a visit to the Church of Agony (also called the Church of All Nations) and Mary’s Tomb in the Josaphat Valley, to celebrate mass. In the afternoon, explore Mount of Zion: St. Peter in Gallicantu, David’s Tomb, the Last Supper Room (The Cenacle), and the Dormition Abbey. Then, entering Zion’s Gate, walk through the Cardo Maximum and the Jewish Quarter to the Wailing Wall. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7:  Jerusalem New City –               Ein Karem – Bethlehem

After breakfast, an orientation tour through the New City of Jerusalem, passing by the Knesset (the Parliament) and the Hebrew University to the Israel Museum for a visit the Model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple. (Possible visit to the Shrine of the Book which hosts most of the Dead Sea Scrolls and findings). Continue then to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist for a visit to the Church that recalls his birth and the one of the Visitation. In the afternoon, drive to Bethlehem for a detailed visit to the Basilica of the Nativity: the Grotto of Nativity, the Manger, St. Catherine Church, St. Joseph and St. Jerome Chapels celebrate mass. Continue to the village of Beit Sahour to visit the Shepherds’ Field with the natural grottos and the remains of the Byzantine churches and monasteries. Back to your hotel in Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.

Day 8:  OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

After breakfast, transfer to the Lions’ Gate and enter the Old City for a visit to St. Anne Church and the Pool of Bethesda. Continue walking through the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross) to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre for a detailed visit to Mount Calvary, the Holy Tomb, and St. Helen’s Chapel, where Mass is celebrated. In the afternoon, free time for rest and/or personal activities. It could be dedicated to walking one more time through the narrow streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, back to Bethlehem. Farewell dinner at a special Bedouin-style restaurant with the intervention of a traditional folkloric dance group, overnight at the hotel.

Day 9:  Bethlehem – Tel Aviv Airport – Rome

After breakfast and in due time, transfer to Tel Aviv Airport to board your flight to Rome, and assistance in the check-in procedures.

Arrive at Rome Airport, meet, and assist with transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 10:    Rome

After breakfast, we’ll be transferred to the Vatican to attend the Papal audience.  In the afternoon, we’ll have a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, where mass is celebrated. Guided tours of the necropolis below St. Peter’s Basilica, including Peter the Apostle’s own tomb.  Back to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 11:  Rome Classical and Ancient – Lanciano

After breakfast, we’ll dedicate this day to exploring the most important churches and monuments of Rome, starting with Santa Maria Maggiore, and Saint John in Lateran celebrates mass. Then we’ll visit the famous Roman Coliseum and the Forum. Next, we visit the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the largest church in Rome dedicated to our Blessed Mother.  Panoramic tour through the streets of Rome.  Passing by the monument of Vittorio Emanuele. Then continue for a walking tour to visit the Trevi Fountain, and for some free time. Continue to Lanciano ( 3 hrs. drive), visit the Eucharistic Miracle church where they celebrate Mass. Arrive, dinner, and overnight.

Day 12:  Lanciano- Assisi

This morning, visit and celebrate Mass at St. Michael’s Cave.  The cave is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, who is believed to have appeared here in the 5th century. It’s one of the most famous Marian shrines and one of the five “Michael” shrines in Europe. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight (BD)we will drive to Assisi.  We will have a guided visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, where we will visit the Tomb of St. Francis. Here we celebrate Mass. We will also enjoy a walking tour of town, including the Church of San Rufino (with St. Francis’ baptismal font), and the Basilica of St. Clare (where her incorrupt body lies in repose.)  This afternoon we meet at the Piazza near St. Clare’s Church, followed by a stop at the Sanctuary of Espoliazione to see Blessed ( hoping saint by next year) Carlo Acutis..   and take taxis up the winding road (buses cannot make these sharp turns) to the Eremo delle Carceri (Hermitage), secluded some 2 1/2 miles outside the town of Assisi. Here is where St. Francis often retired to pray. Here, in the lush green forest and the singing birds, one gets a deep sense of the spirit of St. Francis. We take some time for our private reflections here, Dinner, and overnight.

Day 13:  Assisi/Rome 

After breakfast, we travel to Rome and enjoy free time at leisure for reflection.  Check in at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 14:  Rome – USA

After breakfast and in due time, transfer to Rome Airport to board your flight back home.