8-Nights Spiritual Highlights Of Italy - Faith-Based Travel from $1,899
Cosmos
OFFER ID 1475373
On this inspirational tour, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Catholic icons of Rome, such as the four major Basilicas, the Scala Sancta and the Papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo; attend the Papal Audience, learn about some of Italy’s beloved Saints, and celebrate Mass. Learn about St. Pio of Pietrelcina, a modern-day saint, visit the Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, gather in prayer at the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle in Lanciano, reflect in the Holy House of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Loreto, and admire the timeless beauty of the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare in Assisi. Italy is a must for Catholic travelers and art lovers.
8 nights from $1,899 per person
Itinerary Details
Spiritual Highlights Of Italy - Faith-Based Travel
Day 1 ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY Welcome to Italy! Check into your hotel, with rest of the day free to explore on your own. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers, and prepare for your upcoming spiritual journey. Later this evening, a welcome dinner awaits at your hotel. (D)
Day 2 ROME This morning, attend the Papal Audience (subject to availability) for the chance to see the Pope and receive the Papal Blessing. Later, with a Local Guide, visit St. Paul Outside the Walls, burial place of St. Paul the Apostle, St John Lateran Basilica and St. Mary Major Basilica, the Rome’s four major Papal basilicas. Experience the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), transported from Jerusalem to Rome around 326 AD by St. Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mother. These 28 marble steps are traditionally ascended in a kneeling position with a prayer recital dedicated to Jesus Christ. Then, visit the impressive St. Mary Major Basilica and attend [M] Mass.* (B)
* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.
Day 3 ROME. EXCURSION TO CASTEL GANDOLFO A different, quite unique experience is offered today. We will take an included excursion to Castel Gandolfo, a quaint village in the hills outside Rome, to visit the Papal summer residence and its manicured gardens with a Local Guide. This is a unique chance to see the rooms that have been occupied by many Popes over the centuries. Enjoy the opportunity to reflect and meditate in the garden’s quiet and relaxing surroundings. In the afternoon, take advantage of time at leisure in Rome or join one of the optional excursions available.*
Today's Distance: 50 mi / 80 km (B)
* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.
Day 4 ROME–PIETRELCINA–SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO On your way south, stop in quaint Pietrelcina, to visit the house where the beloved St. Pio was born, before heading towards San Giovanni Rotondo on the east coast, the Saint’s home from 1916 until his death in 1968.
Today's Distance: 258 mi / 415 km (B,D)
Day 5 SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO. EXCURSION TO MONTE SANT’ANGELO Attend [M] Mass this morning at Santa Maria delle Grazie (Old Church), then visit St. Pio’s friary, including his tomb, cell, confessional, and the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church (New Church). Afterwards, take a short drive to the nearby Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, one of Christendom’s most celebrated, where St. Michael the Archangel appeared in 490, 492, and 1656. Tonight, attend the candlelight procession in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Today's Distance: 43 mi / 70 km (B,D)
Day 6 SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO–LANCIANO–LORETO–ASSISI AREA Visit St. Francis Church in Lanciano, home of the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle, and attend morning [M] Mass. Continue to the famous Marian Sanctuary of Loreto for a guided visit including the Holy House, where, according to tradition, angels transported the house of the blessed Virgin Mary. Arrive at the hilltop village of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis and St. Clare.
Today's Distance: 298 mi / 480 km (B,D)
Day 7 ASSISI Today, learn more about St. Francis, patron saint of animals and the environment. Attend early morning [M] Mass at St. Francis Basilica, famous for its 14th-century Giotto frescoes depicting the life of St. Francis. Meet your Local Guide and visit the Upper and Lower Basilicas of St. Francis and the Basilica of St. Clare, founder of the Order of Poor Clares. Next, stop at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated at the foot of Assisi’s hills and protecting the Porziuncola, where St. Francis is said to have founded the Order of Friars Minor in 1209, and the Cappella del Transito, where the saint died in 1226. (B)
Day 8 ASSISI AREA–CASCIA–ROME Travel to Cascia this morning, a scenic town located in Umbria and home of St. Rita, the “Patron Saint of Impossible Causes.” Visit the Sanctuary and see the Major Basilica, housing the chapel with St. Rita’s tomb. Stop in prayer at the Minor Basilica, site of the Eucharistic Miracle, commemorated each year with the Feast of Corpus Christi. Return to Rome for a final overnight stay.
Today's Distance: 149 mi / 240 km (B)
Day 9 ROME Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Assisi is a well-preserved medieval town that's, after the Vatican, Italy's
second most-popular religious-pilgrimage destination. Located high on a hilltop,
it has an air of mystical serenity in keeping with its history. Assisi was the
home of St. Francis (the founder of the Franciscan order of friars), and the
churches and crypt that bear his name draw a steady stream of pilgrims and sightseers
every year. Although the town was rocked by an earthquake in 1997, much of the
damage has been repaired. One of the most severely damaged buildings, however,
was the treasured Basilica of San Francesco, known for its vivid frescoes by
Giotto that depict the life of the saint. The upper basilica has recently reopened
and, though restoration continues, many of the beloved frescoes can be admired
again. The lower basilica and St. Francis' tomb are also open to the public.
Other places of interest include the Church of Santa Chiara, a medieval fortress
(La Rocca Maggiore), the Piazza del Comune (the old town center) and St. Peter's
church. Or just stroll the narrow, picturesque streets and listen to the musicians
practicing nearby (though they may be drowned out by construction noises --
many buildings are still under renovation).
You may want to visit during one of Assisi's numerous celebrations: the Feast
of Calendimaggio, a five-day coming-of-spring festival with medieval costumes,
dances and songs (around the first week of May); a month of folklore and musical
events in August; or the Feast of St. Francis (4 October), which celebrates
the saint's transition from this life into the next. During this two-day festival,
the entire town is illuminated by oil lamps. If you are going to Assisi at one
of these times, reserve accommodations well ahead of time -- the city will be
filled with pilgrims.
Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.
Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.
Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.
Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.
Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.
Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.
Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.
Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.
Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:
Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.
The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.
Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.
Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.
St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.
St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.
Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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