Grand Catholic Italy (11 Days)
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Prices starting from
$2,399 Day by Day details
Enjoy 11 days in Italy—from Rome to Venice. In Rome, enjoy a welcome dinner and guided visits to the Holy Stairs, St. John Lateran Basilica, St. Paul outside the Walls, St. Mary Major Basilica, the Catacombs, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum with a Local Guide. Stop in Montecassino to visit the first of the Benedictine monasteries founded by St. Benedict before arriving in San Giovanni Rotondo, home to the beloved St. Padre Pio. Visit his Friary, the Old Church, and the New Church. Next, visit the Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, where St. Michael the Archangel appeared in the 5th and 17th centuries. Via Lanciano’s Church and the Holy House of Loreto, travel to Assisi, where guided visits to the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare are included. Via Siena with its Sanctuary of St. Catherine and the Basilica of St. Dominic, arrive in Florence, where guided sightseeing includes a visit to Michelangelo’s David. Stop in Padua to visit St. Anthony’s Basilica, and arrive in Venice. Enter by private boat to meet your Local Guide and visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica. Later, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 1 
Depart Home
Depart Home Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 Arrive Rome
Arrive Rome Transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director, then enjoy this evening’s welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)
Day 3 Rome
Rome Attend the weekly general audience of the Pope (subject to availability). This afternoon, visit ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS and the CATACOMBS. During the persecutions, the catacombs were used as places of refuge for the celebration of the Eucharist. Next, visit ST. JOHN LATERAN BASILICA, the HOLY STAIRS, which were brought from Jerusalem to Rome about the year 326 A.D. by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, and consist of 28 white marble steps. As a favorite of pilgrims every where, these steps may only be ascended on the knees. Then visit the impressive ST. MARY MAJOR BASILICA. (BB)
Day 4 Rome
Rome This morning, enjoy a guided visit of the VATICAN MUSEUMS and the SISTINE CHAPEL
Sistine Chapel, world-famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgment. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the River Tiber, and visit the COLOSSEUM, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World®, and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. (BB)
Sistine Chapel, world-famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgment. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the River Tiber, and visit the COLOSSEUM, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World®, and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman Legions marched in triumph. (BB)
Day 5 San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo Visit the ABBEY OF MONTECASSINO, the first of the Benedictine monasteries founded by St. Benedict around 529. Then journey to Italy’s eastern coast and San Giovanni Rotondo, home to the beloved St. Padre Pio. (BB,D)
Day 6 San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo Visit the FRIARY OF PADRE PIO, including his tomb, cell, confessional, and the OLD CHURCH where he received the stigmata. Also visit the NEW CHURCH. Afterwards, visit the nearby SHRINE OF MONTE SANT’ANGELO, one of Christendom’s most celebrated shrines and where St. Michael the Archangel appeared in years 490 A.D., 492 A.D., and 1656. (BB,D)
Day 7 Assisi
Assisi Visit Lanciano and the CHURCH, which is home to an 8th-century Eucharistic Miracle. Afterwards, visit the HOLY HOUSE OF LORETO where, according to tradition, angels transported the home of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Arrive at the hilltop village of Assisi, home of St. Francis and St. Clare. (BB,D)
Day 8 Florence
Florence Celebrate Mass this morning followed by a guided walking tour of Assisi. Visit the BASILICAS OF ST. FRANCIS and ST. CLARE. See the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis. Also visit the ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS BASILICA and the PORTIUNCULA. On the way to Florence, stop in Siena and visit the SANCTUARY OF ST. CATHERINE and the BASILICA OF ST. DOMINIC. (BB,D)
Day 9 Florence
Florence Guided sightseeing features a visit to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS to see Michelangelo’s David, the CATHEDRAL, and Giotto’s Bell Tower. Balance of the day is at leisure. (BB)
Day 10 Venice
Venice Depart for Padua and visit the BASILICA OF ST. ANTHONY to see the tomb and reliquaries of this miracle-working saint and patron of lost and stolen articles. Journey on to Venice, one of the world’s most romantic cities. Enter by PRIVATE BOAT and meet your Local Guide. Visit ST. MARK’S SQUARE and its BASILICA, and enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (BB,D)
Day 11 Depart Venice - Return Home
Depart Venice - Return Home Transfer to the airport for flights leaving no earlier than 10 a.m. Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)
Price per person starts at: US $2,399 based on double occupancy.
HIGHLIGHTS:
THIS TOUR INCLUDES:
NOT INCLUDED:
- ROME: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Catacombs, St. John Lateran Basilica, the Holy Stairs, St. Mary Major Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum
- MONTECASSINO: Visit the Benedictine abbey
- SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO: Visit Padre Pio’s Friary, the Old Church, and the New Church
- MONTE SANT’ANGELO: Visit the Shrine
- LANCIANO: Visit the Eucharistic Miracle Church
- LORETO: Visit the Holy House of Loreto
- ASSISI: Guided sightseeing, visit the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare; also visit the St. Mary of the Angels Basilica and the Portiuncula
- SIENA:Visit the Sanctuary of St. Catherine and the Basilica of St. Dominic
- FLORENCE: Guided sightseeing including headsets, visit Michelangelo’s David, and the cathedral
- PADUA: Visit St. Anthony’s Basilica
- VENICE: Private boat ride; guided sightseeing including headsets, visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica; farewell dinner in a local restaurant
THIS TOUR INCLUDES:
- 9 nights accommodation in superior hotels (ROME: Nova Domus, SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO: Gran Paradiso, ASSISI: San Francesco, FLORENCE: Holiday Inn, VENICE: Novotel Castellana at Mestre)
- 15 meals: 9 buffet breakfasts (BB); 6 threecourse dinners (D), including a welcome dinner in Rome and a farewell dinner in Venice
- All activities and entrance fees per itinerary
- Hotel baggage handling and gratuity
- Transportation including private deluxe motorcoach with air-conditioning and extra leg room (where coach travel is used)
- Tour Director throughout your trip
NOT INCLUDED:
- International Airfare (please ask, we can help arrange air from your departure city!)
- Arrival and Departure Transfers
- Federal Inspection Fees for the U.S. Customs and Immigration
- International Air Transportation Tax, agricultural tax, any other taxes
- Security fee and airport taxes and fees
- Passports, visas and vaccinations
- Tips to your tour director, tour host, tour driver, local city guides
- Gratuities on ferries, trains and cruise ships
- Laundry, telephone, mini bar, alcohol, beverages and food not on the regular table d'hôte menu (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel or restaurant)
- Optional excursions
- Porterage at airports
- Travel protection/insurance
- Excess baggage fees
- All other items of a personal nature
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