CATHOLIC SHRINES OF ITALY
Rome, Montecassino, San Giovanni Rotondo, Lanciano, Monte San't Angelo, Loreto, Assisi, Florence, Venice, Padua, Milan
-------------------------------------
ITINERARY
Day 1 DEPARTURE
Depart from the US, your gateway city, intercontinental flight to Europe, your final destination is Rome, Italy.
---------------------
Day 2 ARRIVAL TO ROME
We will arrive to the Rome airport; you will meet with our Blue Heart Travel tour escort and start of your Christian tour of Rome. First to have on our schedule today is Holy Mass at St. Mary Major basilica and visit of St. John Lateran. This is the Cathedral of Rome and was Papal residence from the 5C until the papacy departed to Avignon in France. Today we will also see the nearby Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta) actual stairs that Jesus Christ walked on the day he went to Pilate. We will end our day in hotel for dinner and overnight.
---------------------------
Day 3 AUDIENCE AT ST. PETER'S & VATICAN MUSEUMS
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 is visit to the Vatican Museums where we will see art masterpieces of Michelangelo, Bernini… We will walk through Geographical maps Gallery, Sistine Chapel with the magnificent fresco of The Last Judgment and many more halls and rooms filled with Christian art. 
Same day is our visit to the heart of Vatican State, St. Peter's basilica, and underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter, and Pope John paul II and Square. After some free time in the late afternoon for shopping we end our day in our hotel with dinner.
---------------------------
Day 4 ROME HISTORICAL
Today we will tour Rome and will first go to the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and then to celebrate Holy Mass at the Domitilla Catacombs. As the second part of our today's tour we will be seightseeing Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emanuel II monument, Piazza di Spagna, Trevi fountain, Pantheon, Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, and Trajan). Our entire day will for sure be inspirational and educational. Return to our hotel for third overnight in Rome.
----------------------------
Day 5 ROME - MONTECASSINO - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
After the breakfast we leave Rome. After about 3 hours of drive we are at Montecassino, 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 Roman fortification. After visit 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.
Holy Mary of Grace - San Giovanni Rotondo
----------------------------
Day 6 SAINT PADRE PIO - MONTE SAN'T ANGELO
After the breakfast we will spend morning at the sanctuary of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, walk to the church of Our Lady of Grace, celebrate the mass, visit the tomb of the St. Pio. After a sightseeing of the Shrine of St. Padre Pio we are on the way to Monte Sant´ Angelo to visit the Grotto where Michael Archangel had being appearing from 5th to 17th century. Return to our hotel, dinner and overnight is in San Giovanni Rotondo.
----------------------------
Day 7 SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - LANCIANO - LORETO
This morning we will leave Saint Pio, head northwest, to Lanciano, to the great Eucharistic Shrine from the 8th century. Time for prayer in the church before relic which is exposed above the main 
altar. Lunch break and we will continue to Loreto.
Loreto is a beautiful little town where church dedicated to Saint Mary was built already in 14th century.
Legend says that the House of the Holy Family was miraculously transferred from Nazareth,
while probably some parts of it where brought here by crusaders.
"The Angel of the lord declared unto Mary, and She Conceived of the Holy Spirit" - words that in Loreto
in the House of the Holy Family touches us even deeper. On the ruins of the house one can see the actual
place of the event. Tonight we will stay in Loreto for dinner and overnight.
----------------------------
Day 8 LORETO - ASSISI, ST. FRANCIS AND ST. CLARE
After the visit and Holy Mass in the Basilica of Loreto sometime after lunch break we will drive to the Assisi to the Town of Peace, to encounter with St. Francis and St. Claire. Group will have free time for to visit the crypt with the St. Francis tomb, see the reliquary, frescoes made by Giotto and Cimabue, early part of the evening is free until the dinner in our hotel.
----------------------------
Day 9 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 Cricifix. We will learn more about St. Claire the founder of Poor Claire’s and see her incorrupt body. We will go down to the "Porziuncola" one of three restored churches by young Francis that nowadays is embraced by basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Today private Holy Mass for group is in basilica of St. Francis. Dinner and overnight is at our hotel in Assisi.
----------------------------
Day 10 ASSISI - SIENA, ST. CATHERINE - PADUA/MESTRE
Today we are leaving Assisi for Padua via Siena. We will walk through well preserved city of Siena, birthplace of St. Catherine Virgin and Doctor of the Church; we will stroll through the streets from the church hosting the relics of St. Catherine to the Piazza del Campo! In the Padua we will arrive in the late afternoon and time permitting visit the St. Anthony's basilica. Tonight we are in Padua/Mestre for dinner and overnight.
----------------------------
Day 11 VENICE
Today is entire day excursion to Venice. Short water 
taxi ride to the city and we start
with the Holy Mass in the Cathedral of St. Marc. Sightseeing will include
St. Marc Square with basilica, Bridge of Sighs and a walk to the Grand Canal.
After about two hours tour there will be optional visit to famous murano glass factory.
Shopping by Rialto Bridge with hundreds of souvenir shops, restaurants and all the beauty of
Venice is ours for the entire afternoon. In the early evening we will return to
Padua/Mestre for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
----------------------------
Day 12 PADUA/MESTRE - MILANO
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 hours bus ride to Milan, city of St. Ambrose. Here we will visit Sforza palace seat of Dukes of Milan, Il Duomo or Cathedral of Milan, 357 feet high church with 3600 statues of different dimensions, Cathedral that had being built from 1386. On our walk through the centre we see the famous Opera House "Scala". In the late afternoon some free time for shopping. Our farewell dinner is in one of the typical Italian restaurants near Il Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
----------------------------
Day 13 MILANO - USA, FLIGHT HOME
After breakfast transfer to Milan International airport, flight back home to the US – arrival same day.
----------------------------
----------------------------
INCLUDES
+ 11 nights in 3* superior tourist class hotel and 4* first class hotels
+ Dinner and breakfast daily, drinks included
+ Escort guide from Rome to Milan
+ Local English speaking guides in Rome, Assisi, Siena, Padua, Venice, Milan
+ High class tourist coach from Rome to Milan
+ Porterage of one piece of luggage
+ Water taxi for excursion to Venice
+ Entrance fees to Vatican Museums, Catacombs, Opera House Scala
+ Headsets, whispers for visits to Vatican, St. Paul basilica, Assisi St. Francis's
+ Farewell dinner or lunch in Milan
+ Daily Holy Mass - if priest with the group
+ Tickets for the General Audience with Pope Benedict XVI
NOT INCLUDED
+ Airline tickets and airport taxes
+ Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff
+ Items of a personal nature, visa, passport...
+ Travel insurance
-------
PILGRIMAGE WITH YOUR OWN GROUP: - One more free ticket for group leader - Customized Italy itinerary - Daily holy mass - Have your pilgrimage when you want it YOUR PILGRIMAGE OUR CARE
|
|---|
TOUR CONDITIONS
SEE SOME MORE TOURS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITALY PILGRIMAGES - HOLY LAND CATHOLIC TOURS -
- LOURDES PILGRIMAGES - FATIMA SANTIAGO LOURDES PARIS -
-
CATHOLIC SHRINES OF ITALY TOUR - MEDJUGORJE ITALY TOUR -
-
IRELAND TOURS - HOLY LAND PETRA PILGRIMAGE-
- SAINTS OF ITALY - ST. FRANCIS PILGRIMAGE - SCOTLAND TOUR -
-
FATIMA - MEDJUGORJE CROATIA ISLANDS - CHRISTIAN TOURS RUSSIA -
-
HOLY LAND EGYPT CHRISTIAN TOURS - BIBLICAL LANDS PILGRIMAGE -
CATHOLIC TOURS GREECE & ST. PAUL - TURKEY CHRISTIAN TOURS -
- MEDJUGORJE ROME ASSISI - FATIMA LOURDES TOUR -
-
CATHOLIC TOURS CROATIA - CROATIA TOURS - CZECH POLAND AUSTRIA -
CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE HOLY LAND -
MEDJUGORJE PILGRIMAGES - PASSION PLAY 2010 -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEB RESOURCES//WEB RESOURCES//WEB RESOURCES//WEB RESOURCES
CATHOLIC WEB RESOURCES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2009 Blue Heart Travel LLC. All rights reserved.