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

Welcome to Rome, also known as “The Eternal City.” Upon landing at Rome airport, claim your baggage and proceed to the Arrivals Hall, where your tour guide and/or driver will greet you. Following check-in at the hotel, you may have some free time to unpack, relax or explore Rome on your own. Later this afternoon, the group will meet for a Welcome Mass and dinner. Overnight.

This morning, we visit the Pantheon, an ancient Roman building, that is renowned for its large concrete dome and stop at the Trevi Fountain. After we go to St. Peter’s Square for the Papal Blessing which is an indispensable tradition dating back more than half a century. After lunch, 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. We will continue to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. Dinner and overnight.

Today we tour St. Peter’s Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter the Apostle was martyred. Here, you’ll view Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture and pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II. 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. This evening, you will enjoy a VIP, after-hours private guided tour of the Vatican Museum. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to explore the incredible art and see the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, and Sistine Chapel quietly and in peace after all visitors have left. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

This morning, we will 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 busy and 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. Continue to do service with Shalom. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we leave for Assisi. Stop on the way at Orvieto, a city situated on a cliff in the Umbria region. Orvieto is a city known for its Cathedral, considered one of the most architecturally important in Europe, for its Etruscan roots, and for the museums where one finds collections and displays that range over 2,500 years of history. The relic of one of the most famous Eucharistic Miracles is housed in the Cathedral. Pilgrims may venerate the corporal that is stained with blood from the consecrated Host which began to bleed during a Mass in Bolsena in 1263. Your tour will be a very memorable experience and concludes with lunch. After this prayerful and inspiring day, end your journey in Assisi, hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare, with dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Wake up in Assisi, home of St. Francis and St. Clare. You’ll be captivated by how the atmosphere has not changed much since St. Francis first began his ministry, in the early 13th century. You will visit 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 a walking tour through this picturesque town, to 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 prayers, shopping, or relaxation. Dinner and overnight.

Today we dedicate to St. Francis, as we follow in his footsteps. You will start your tour at the Basilica of St. Francis, where we visit his tomb, view a series of frescoes depicting his life, and see a few of the saint’s possessions. 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 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 Friar 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. Eremo delle Carceri is a hermitage located in Assisi. It was founded in the 12th century by Saint Francis of Assisi and his followers. The hermitage is made up of a series of caves and cells that were built into the side of a mountain. The hermitage is also a beautiful place to hike and enjoy the natural scenery. Return to the hotel for dinner and an 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. St. Francis had freed the town 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.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, you will be transferred to the Rome Fiumicino airport for return flights home.

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