11 Days
Specific Tour
35 people
English
DAY 1 Monday, Depart the USA
Depart the USA on an overnight flight to Italy. Meals will be served on board.
DAY 2: Tuesday, Arrival – Rome:– Basilica of St. John the Lateran and St. Mary Major – Holy Steps
We arrive in Rome in the morning. After free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral church, where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. It was here that Pope Leo XIV was formally installed a few months ago as Bishop of Rome. Next, we cross the street to see the Holy Staircase, which is believed to be a staircase from Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. We will continue to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the most important and the oldest church dedicated to Our Lady. St. Mary Major contains a relic from the Manger of the infant Jesus. We will celebrate Mass, then we will check in at our hotel. Early evening dinner, and overnight.
Day 3: Wednesday, Rome: Papal Audience – Vatican Scavi (TBC) Trevi Fountain / Piazza Navona
After breakfast, we will make our way to St. Peter’s Square to attend the Papal Audience, led by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. (Papal Audience: Is scheduled to take place every Wednesday, pending the schedule of Pope Francis) Following the audience, we will visit the Vatican Scavi (TBC). Pope Leo XIV visited the tomb of St. Peter, following his elevation, for a visit of devotion that lasted 45 minutes. He is the first Pontiff to visit the necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago. In the afternoon, we will walk towards Castel Sant’Angelo and cross the river Tiber to continue to Piazza Navona, where at the center: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi “Fountain of the Four Rivers.- Then we make our way to the Trevi Fountain, built in the 15th Century, to mark the ending destination of the Aqua Virgo – a man-made channel erected in 19 B.C, – Balance of the afternoon is at our leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant at the Spanish Steps. Overnight in Rome
Day 4: Thursday, Rome: Catacombs – Saint Paul Outside the walls and Vatican Museums
Depart the hotel after breakfast We will drive along a portion of the Ancient Appian Way. We will see the famous Domino Quo Vadis Chapel; see the ancient Baths of Caracalla, Arch of Drusus; Tomb of Celilia Metella, and the catacombs of St Callixtus where the early Christians hid themselves to escape persecution. Next, we stop at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. In 313, the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which marked the end of the Christian persecutions and conferred on them freedom of worship, encouraging the construction of places of prayer. In virtue of this, the site of St Paul’s martyrdom, which had been a place of unceasing pilgrimage since the first century, was enhanced by the creation of a modest basilica of which only the side of the apse remains. It was most likely a small building with three naves, which were housed, close to the apse, the tomb of Paul, decorated with a golden cross. Paul’s death is not the end of the story: on the contrary, it is the beginning of the development of Christianity and the Good News. We will learn how important it was for Paul to preach in Rome, from where the most significant witness of the Risen Christ spread far and wide. Celebrate Mass. Break for lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit of the Vatican Museums, containing a group of the most impressive edifices with hundreds of galleries filled with art treasures. See awe-inspiring relics and works of art donated throughout the centuries as tributes of faith. We’ll cover The Tapestry Gallery, The Raphael Rooms, and the most overwhelming Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, a restored mural of the Last Judgment. The tour ends as we make our way into St. Peter’s Basilica. The largest church in Christendom, St Peter’s Basilica, was built on the site where St Peter was martyred. Unsurpassed in beauty, a monument to the long history of the Catholic Church, to which pilgrims come from around the world, St Peter’s is the grandest of the world’s churches: Marvel Pieta and Bernini’s amazing bronze canopy. We will also visit the tomb of St. John Paul II located at the Vatican, dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 5: Friday, Rome – Monte Cassino – San Giovanni Rotondo
Today we will head south and cross through the Roman countryside with its villas and vineyards. During your drive, your tour guide 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 to follow. We stop at Montecassino, a beautiful town founded by Saint Benedict in 529. Enjoy lunch and then continue through the countryside heading east to Padre Pio’s town, San Giovanni Rotondo, our base for the following two nights. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Saturday, San Giovanni Rotondo – Monte Sant’ Sant’Angelo
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. (We will have the opportunity to view and pray before the incorrupt body of Padre Pio.) Enjoy a breathtaking view of the Gargano 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. Following lunch, take in the 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, Dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Sunday, San Giovanni Rotondo – Lanciano – Loreto – Assisi
After breakfast, we make our way to Lanciano and visit the Church of St. Longinus, where we will see the Eucharistic Miracle and celebrate Mass. It was here, as they celebrated the Latin Rite, a Basilian hieromonk was assigned to celebrate Mass. The monk had doubts about the real presence of Jesus Chris in the Holy Eucharist. With doubt in his voice, he said the “Words of Consecration,” and the bread turned into living flesh, and the wine changed into living blood. The blood coagulated into five globules, corresponding to the wounds Christ suffered in each hand and foot on the cross, and the wound from the centurion’s spear. After free time for lunch, we will 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, dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Monday, Assisi
Today we will spend a full day touring the home of Saint Francis the Saint of Nature and Servant to the Poor. Following breakfast, we will begin a tour of Assisi. Visit the tomb of St Francis. Explore the quaint hilltop birthplace of St Francis that still retains something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s, the period when St Francis began his ministry. Contained within the huge 13th-century Basilica are 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. It was in St Mary of the Angels Basilica where St Francis spent most of his life. Here we visit the Chapel, Portiuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Walk the medieval streets of the compact little town. You will have some free time to shop or eat lunch at an outdoor cafe with a view of an ancient Roman temple; we go to the Church of St. Clare to view the relics of St. Clare. The foundress of the Order of Poor Clares followed the teachings of St Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. We will visit these two saints’ tombs before dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Tuesday, Assisi – Siena – Florence
After breakfast we will head south to Siena, the birthplace of Saints Catherine (Doctor of the Church, and one of the two patron Saints of Italy, with St. Francis of Assisi) and Bernardine (known as the “Apostle of Italy” for his efforts to revive the Catholic faith in the 15th century). Siena is also one of Italy’s loveliest medieval cities. Here we will stroll the Piazza Del Campo, one of Italy’s finest squares, and visit the Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Francis, containing the miraculous consecrated hosts that remained intact since 1730. After lunch, we will continue to view the incorrupt head of St. Catherine at the Basilica of St. Dominic (Her body is preserved in Rome in the Basilica of St. Maria sopra Minerva). Continuing to Florence, check in at the hotel, dinner, and overnight.
DAY 10: Wednesday, Florence, The Cadre of Renaissance
After breakfast in the hotel this morning, we meet our local guide, and we will soon discover why Florence is the undisputed cradle of the Renaissance era. Here, one almost breathes art and culture in its charming medieval streets, in craftsmen’s workshops, Renaissance palaces, and the world-renowned museums, all found within the downtown area of Florence. The memories of the Medici family are united with the splendor of the works of illustrious artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli the day’s peace de resistance is unquestionably the pinnacle of our bus tour: we’ll enter The Academia Gallery, the location of Michelangelo’s incredible marble statue of David! We’ll visit the busy San Lorenzo Market in the heart of the city! The swarm of colors and delicious smells is truly a kitchen gourmet’s muse with its plethora of artisan breads in all shapes and sizes, tables overflowing with fruits and vegetables fresh from the farms, and surrounded by an immense variety of cheeses and cured meats. Gourmands and wine connoisseurs like lap up the morning inside this fabulous market, followed by a Florentine wine & cheese tasting extravaganza. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to explore Florence on your own. A site not to be missed is the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge covered since medieval times with goldsmiths’ shops featuring a Florentine specialty—handcrafted gold jewelry, with other unique creations. We met up again at an authentic Florentine wine bar. This exclusive food-lovers’ excursion allows you to be guided by a distinguished sommelier as he matches four traditional wines with a luscious tasting of an assortment of locally sourced artisan cheeses accompanied by the many other authentic Italian food pairings that are traditionally served with wines—such as fresh figs, truffle honey, aromatic strawberry preserves, aged balsamic vinegars from Modena, and fresh breads. In the afternoon continue with the walking tour, to see Baptistry of St. John, (Outside) the religious historic jewel of the city with Michelangelo’s Gates of Paradise, so called because of their exquisite beauty; it is believed that the creation of these art pieces marked the beginning of the period to be known as the Renaissance. We see the Piazza Della Signoria, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower And then return towards Rome – We will spend the last night in Castel Gandolfo, enjoy a farewell dinner and overnight.
DAY 11Thursday, Departure
In the morning, celebrate mass and transfer to Rome’s airport for your departure flight home.
