Shrines of Italy

Travel on an inspirational journey to some of the most fascinating religious sites and relics in the world.
Hotel Name: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter

Arrive in Rome. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a special welcome dinner at a popular local restaurant featuring regional delicacies and Italian wine.
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Hotel Cenacolo

Visit Area: Rome
Rome is the capital of modern Italy and the historical home of one of the great civilizations in history, the Roman Empire. The historical city was founded in 753 BC and has grown to a size of over 3 million inhabitants today. The city is home to major monuments like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and many more. The city was built on the seven ancient hills along the Tiber River. Today it is a collection of neighborhoods with vibrant shops, restaurants and museums just waiting to be explored.

Travel north to Assisi, where St. Francis spent most of his life. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, 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. 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.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy. The unique church dedicated to this beloved saint is located in the small town of Assisi. The Basilica of St. Francis houses the relics of the saint and a world renowned fresco cycle by Giotto. Giotto's frescos depict the life story of St Francis, including several of his miracles.

Enjoy a day at leisure to independently explore historic Assisi. Or, join a full-day optional excursion to Florence,* the “Cradle of the Renaissance.” A local expert provides a walking tour featuring views of the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo. Here stands the massive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its imposing dome and the gilded “Gates of Paradise,” the bronze doors that adorn the neighboring baptistery. Your walking tour takes you by other famous sights such as the Signoria Square before returning to your hotel in Assisi in the late evening.

Breakfast Included
Hotel Name: Hotel Parco delle Rose

Admittance: Holy House of Nazareth of Loreto
Take a sojourn to the Holy House of Nazareth, a beloved shrine in Loreto. Join fellow worshippers when you visit this monument, which is believed to be the place that the Holy Family lived.

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 St. Padre Pio.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo is a community on the east coast of Italy that is famous as a Catholic pilgrimage site because it is the home of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. A church dedicated to the saint was completed in 2004, and his remains are on display. The area is also near the important Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel at Monte Gargano. Together the two sites draw in millions of pilgrims each year.

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 St. Pio of Pietrelcina. 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 St. Pio who is credited with over 1,000 miracles.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Hotel Scapolatiello

Admittance: Tomb of Padre Pio
Padre Pio was a Capuchin friar who lived in San Giovanni Rotondo. During his life he became popular with parishioners and pilgrims for his devout piety and willingness to hear confessions and offer counsel. He also received the stigmata or wounds of Christ which he bore for fifty years. After his death he was canonized by John Paul II in 2002. His remains were put on display for the 40th anniversary of his death, but his popularity proved to be great, and his remains are now permanently displayed in the church bearing his name in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Journey through the picturesque landscapes of Apulia on your way to Campania. Visit the Cathedral of Salerno, which guards the relics of St. 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.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter

Admittance: Tomb of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Salerno
Visit the Tomb of Saint Matthew the Apostle, an awe-inspiring holy site revered by churchgoers all around the globe. Gaze upon the dazzling architecture of this sanctuary as you pay your respects to this renowned disciple.

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, St. 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 before checking into your hotel in the early evening.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Abbey of Montecassino
Tour the Abbey of Montecassino, a vast monastery located atop lush scenery. Destroyed during World War II, this illustrious Abbey stands the test of time and after renovation remains a prominent holy site for worshippers.

Attend the weekly Papal audience** in the Vatican City to receive the blessing given by the Holy Father. 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.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Catacombs
Dive into the depths of Rome when you explore the Catacombs, a collection of underground burial sites for early Christians. Wander among the numerous pathways and discover the hidden passages of this ancient relic.

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. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner celebrating the end of a memorable pilgrimage to Italy.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Admittance: Papal Audience
The Papal Audience is a weekly gathering of pilgrims held in St. Peter's Square every Wednesday when the Pope is present. Each audience consists of teachings or readings in multiple languages and greetings from the Pope and finishes with the Apostolic Blessing from the Pope. The Pope arrives in the square by Popemobile and passes around the square before taking his seat on stage. Pilgrims can bring items like rosaries to be blessed at the end.

Your tour comes to a close in Rome.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Christian Rome City Tour
Rome has been the home to the Catholic church since the beginning and been intertwined with the story of Christianity. Numerous Saints have walked the cobblestone streets and left their mark on the city. Early Christians like Emperor Constantine built the early churches that later grew into the monuments of the major Basilicas of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, St. John in Lateran and St Peter's. Other early Christian monuments like the catacombs have become important to understanding the history of the early followers. Touring these sites today should be part of any pilgrimage to the city.