DAY 1 - USA - Italy, Rome

Your Christian journey starts as you depart on transatlantic flight to Italy, Rome. – Oct. 15th

DAY 2 - Rome

We will arrive at the Rome airport to start of our Christian Tour of Rome this afternoon. First on our schedule today is Holy Mass at St. Mary Major Basilica. Then we will visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This is the Cathedral of Rome and was the Papal residence from the 5th Century until the papacy departed to Avignon in France. Across the street we will visit the Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta) actual stairs that Jesus Christ walked on the day he went to Pilate. We will end our day at our hotel for dinner and overnight. – Oct. 16th

DAY 3 - Vatican with Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's

Today we have an early breakfast to be on time for the General Audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Peter's Square. Following will be a visit to the Vatican Museums where we will see art masterpieces of Michelangelo, Bernini and more. We will walk through Geographical maps Gallery, Sistine Chapel with the magnificent fresco of The Last Judgement and many more halls and rooms filled with Christian art, history and inheritance of all civilization. Today is also our visit to the heart of Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica and underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter and Square dedicated to same saint. After some free time in the late afternoon for shopping we end our day at our hotel with dinner. – Oct. 17th

DAY 4 - Christian tour of Rome

Early this morning we will celebrate Holy Mass in one of the chapels of the Basilica of St. Peter. We then continue our tour of Rome and its sites like Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emanuel II monument, Piazza di Spagna, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, Trajan). Our entire day will be inspirational and educational. As the second part of our today's tour we will go to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and our tour in Rome finishes with visit to the Domitilla Catacombs. We will return to our hotel for third dinner and overnight in Rome. – Oct. 18th

DAY 5 - Rome - Montecassino - San Giovanni Rotondo St. Padre Pio

After breakfast we leave Rome. After about a 3 hour drive we arrive at Montecassino, the spectacular Benedictine Abbey on the top of the mountain. This monastery was founded and built by St. Benedict (patron Saint of Europe) around 529 on the remains of a Roman fortification. After Mass at Montecassino we continue to San Giovanni Rotondo, to the church of Our Lady of Grace with the tomb of the St. Pio. Dinner and overnight is in San Giovanni Rotondo. – Oct. 19th

DAY 6 - San Giovanni Rotondo - Monte San't Angelo
                 Lanciano - Loreto

 After Mass and sightseeing at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio we are on our way to Monte Sant´ Angelo to visit the Grotto where Michael the Archangel had being appearing from the 5th to 17th century. After a short stop we are on to Lanciano, the place of one of the greatest Eucharistic Miracles. In the 8th century during Holy Mass the wine turned into blood and the host into flesh. We will spend some time in the church where the relic is exposed and then continue to Loreto. Tonight we have a late dinner and overnight stay in hotel in Loreto. – Oct. 20th

DAY 7 - Loreto - Assisi

 According to tradition, the beautiful Italian town of Loreto is where the House of the Holy Family was miraculously transferred from Nazareth. "The Angel of the lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived of the Holy Spirit". In the ruins of the house one can see the actual place of the event. After a visit and Holy Mass in the Basilica of Loreto, sometime after lunch break we will drive to Assisi to the city of Peace, to encounter St. Francis and St. Claire. Group will have free time to visit the crypt with the tomb of St. Francis, see the reliquary, frescoes made by Giotto and Cimbaue. The early part of the evening is free until the dinner at your hotel.– Oct. 21st

DAY 8 - Assisi

This morning we will continue exploring and learning about St. Francis and his life. Our guided tour will start from church of Santa Chiara to see The Cross that spoke to St. Francis and pray his prayer before same Crucifix. We will learn more about St. Claire the founder of Poor Claires and see her incorrupt body. We will go down to the "Porziuncola" one of three restored churches of young Francis that nowadays is inside the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Today Holy Mass for our group is in basilica of St. Francis. Dinner and overnight are at our hotel in Assisi. – Oct. 22nd

DAY 9 -Assisi - Florence - Padua

Today we leave Assisi for Padua via Florence for 3 hour city tour. Sightseeing will include church of The Holy Cross or "Santa Croce" with the beautiful facade. This church has a huge interior and is a burial place of 280 nobles, among which the most important ones are Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, and Machiavelli. We will walk through the heart of the city, Piazza Signoria, with such buildings as the Old Palace or Palazzo Vecchio, Museum Uffizi and a site on the Ponte Vecchio, to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Our tour of Florence will finish here at Piazza Duomo with a view of Giotto's Bell Tower, the St. John's Baptistery and the13th century Cathedral. After the city tour our group will have some free time in the center of old Florence, lunch and shopping time. Late afternoon group will depart for Padua. Tonight we are in Padua for dinner and overnight. – Oct. 23rd

DAY 10 - Padua - Venice - Padua

Today is an entire day excursion to Venice. We have a short boat taxi ride to the city and we start with the Holy Mass in the Cathedral of St. Marc. Sightseeing will include St. Marc Square, Bridge of Sighs, and a walk to the Grand Canal. After about a two hour tour free time for shopping by Rialto Bridge with hundreds of souvenir shops, restaurants and the everlasting beauty of Venice is yours for the entire afternoon. In the early evening we will return to Padua for dinner and overnight stay. – Oct. 24th

DAY 11 - Padua - Milan

After morning Holy Mass in the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua and city tour of about 2 hours, we will go for a three hour bus ride to Milan, the city of St. Ambrose. Here we will visit Sforza palace seat of Dukes of Milan. Then it is on to Il Duomo or Cathedral of Milan, 357 foot high church with 3600 statues of different dimensions, Cathedral that began construction in 1386. On our walk through the centre we will see the famous Opera House "La Scala". In the late afternoon there will be some free time for shopping. Our farewell dinner is in one of the typical Italian restaurants near Il Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. – Oct. 25th

DAY 12 - Milan - USA

Transfer to the airport for flight back home to the US - same day arrival home. - October 26th

RATES:
- departure from Minneapolis -2955 .00 US$
- departure from New York - 2835.00 US$
- departure from San Francisco - 3145 .00 US$
- departure from Miami and Houston - 2975.00 US$

- single room supplement 395.00 US$

Services included:
- round trip air fares USA - Rome Milan - USA
- first class hotels 4* and superior tourist class hotels 3*
- accommodations in double rooms
- breakfast and dinner daily
- English speaking tour escort from Rome to Milan
- local guides in Rome, Assisi, Montecassino, Florence, Venice, Padua and Milan
- porterage of one piece of luggage per person in/out the hotel
- entrance fees to Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel, Catacombs in Rome, Scala Opera House
- headsets for visit to basilica of St. Peter's, Assisi and Florence city tour
- high class air-conditioned tourist coach
- daily Holy Mass

Not included:
- airport tax of at about $ 220,00 - 260,00 SUBJECT TO CHANGE
- tips for driver and guides
- personal items
- travel insurance available upon request to JeriCo Christian Journeys

Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Poland, Germany, Russia, Portugal, Croatia...
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