Shrines of Italy

From the hallowed Basilica of St. Francis to the glorious Sistine Chapel, discover why Italy is a bastion of Catholicism. Spend time at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the beloved saint’s hometown. Stay two nights in San Giovanni Rotondo. Reflect at the Grotto of Michael the Archangel. Discover the cathedral of Salerno and the abbey of Montecassino. Explore the burial sites of the Catacombs where the early Christians hid and venerated their dead. Attend the weekly Papal audience and receive the blessing given by the Pope. Discover Michelangelo’s Last Judgment mural and explore St. Peter’s Basilica. See the world’s most inspirational sites and relics on a journey through the rolling hills and lively cities of Italy.

MUST-SEE INCLUSIONS

Venture underground to the catacombs of Rome, where early Christians hid and buried their dead.
Discover the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto.
Join a local expert for a fascinating tour of Assisi.

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

Attend the weekly Papal audience in the Vatican City.
Spend time at the renowned Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St. Benedict.
Visit the Holy Stairs, believed to be the steps that Christ climbed when he appeared before Pontius Pilate.

HOTELS

INCLUDED

Stay:

11 Days
10 Nights

Meals:

9 Breakfasts
Lunches
6 Dinners

Terms, conditions and restrictions apply; pricing, availability, and other details subject to change and/ or apply to US or Canadian residents. Please confirm details and booking information with your travel advisor.

Itinerary

Overnight Flight

Travel on an inspirational journey to some of the most fascinating religious sites and relics in the world.

Accommodation: Hotel Cenacolo
Rome, Italy - Tour Begins

Your tour opens in Rome. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a special welcome dinner at a popular local restaurant featuring regional delicacies and Italian wine.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Cenacolo
Rome - Assisi

Travel north to Assisi, where St. Francis spent most of his life. Visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica, built on the founding site of the Franciscan Order. Pause at the Chapel of the Porziuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint prayed. Spend time at the Church of St. Clare before reflecting at the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St. Francis. Join a local expert on a tour of Assisi, highlighting the 13th-century basilica where you can see many of St. Francis’ possessions and a series of frescoes. Celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. Francis this afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Parco delle Rose
Assisi - Optional Florence Excursion

Enjoy a full day at leisure to independently explore historic Assisi. Or, join a full-day optional excursion to Florence, the “Renaissance City,” where a local expert provides a walking tour featuring the Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Ponte Vecchio.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Parco delle Rose
Assisi - Loreto - San Giovanni Rotondo

Travel across the Apennine Mountains to the Marian shrine of Loreto. Discover the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto where more than 50 popes have made a pilgrimage. Celebrate Mass before continuing your journey to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of Padre Pio.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Scapolatiello
San Giovanni Rotondo - Monte Sant’ Angelo - San Giovanni Rotondo

Visit Monte Sant’ Angelo and take in stunning views of the Gargano Peninsula. Explore the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel, where popes and saints have knelt and prayed for protection. Return to San Giovanni Rotondo and celebrate Mass in the sanctuary of Padre Pio. Tour Padre Pio’s tomb and the sanctuary, including the old church and the crucifix from which he received the stigmata in 1918. Spend time in the new church dedicated to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter
San Giovanni Rotondo-Tomb of Matthew the Apostle in Salerno-Campania

Journey through the picturesque landscapes of Apulia on your way to Campania. Visit the Cathedral of Salerno, which guards the relics of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist. You will have the option of celebrating Mass here in Salerno. This afternoon opt to relax at your hotel or visit the Historic Ruins of Pompeii during an optional tour of this vast archeological site.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter
Campania - Abbey of Montecassino - The Catacombs - Rome

Travel to Montecassino and discover the renowned abbey founded by St. Benedict in the 6th century A.D., housing the relics of the saint and his sister, Saint Scholastica. Montecassino also became famous during World War II, when the abbey was bombed and destroyed. You’ll have the option of celebrating Mass here before continuing to Rome. Visit the Catacombs where early Christians hid and buried their dead.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter
Rome - Papal Audience - Christian Rome City Tour

Attend the weekly Papal audience* at Vatican City to receive the blessing given by His Holiness Pope Francis. Visit the Marian Basilica of St. Mary Major and Rome’s Cathedral: St. John in Lateran - the former residence of the popes. Conclude your day with a visit to the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs which tradition believes are the steps that Christ climbed when he appeared before Pontius Pilate.

Meals: Breakfast
Rome - Vatican Museum - St. Peter’s Basilica

Celebrate Mass before exploring the Vatican Museums,** including the Sistine Chapel and the famous Last Judgment mural. End your visit in St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest church. Feel the grace around you as you meander along towering marble columns and stand in awe before Pietà, Michelangelo’s renowned sculpture. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure. Perhaps you’ll go on an optional tour of Rome with visits to the Roman Forum and Colosseum, where the Pope begins the Good Friday Procession. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner celebrating the end of a memorable pilgrimage to Italy.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Rome - Tour Ends

Your tour comes to a close in Rome.

Meals: Breakfast