ITALY PILGRIMAGE

Category: Europe tours

 ITALY PILGRIMAGE

with
Father Zenek, S.D.S.
St. Theodore Catholic church, NJ
October 1 - 12, 2012

Rome - Assisi - Siena - Florence - Pisa - Venice - Padua

Mass at St. Peter's visit to Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museum - General Audience - St. Francis & St. Claire - Holy Mass in St. Ambrose Eucharistic Miracle Church - St. Catherine doctor of the Church Siena - Saint Anthony in Padua and St. Marc in Venice - Farewell dinner........perfect Catholic pilgrimage!

ITINERARY

PILGRIMAGE ON THE MAP OF ITALY

Day 1 – DEPARTURE  – Monday, Oct. 1, 2012
Your pilgrimage starts with overnight intercontinental flight to Italy, to Rome. Meals are served on board the plane.

Day 2 – ARRIVAL ROME – Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012
Arrival to Rome, meet with our guide and transfer to the city center to our hotel. On the way panoramic city tour by bus to meet with Eternal City, sites like Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emanuel II monument, passing by Coliseum, Arch of Constantine, Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, Trajan), Circus Maximus….! Before checking to hotel Holy Mass and visit of St. Mary Major Basilica. The rest of the day is free until the dinner at our hotel..

Day 3 – VATICAN –  Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012
Early morning is reserved for Vatican. Morning with Pope Benedict XVI on General Audience and later in the afternoon after lunch break visit of the basilica of St. John Lateran. This is the Cathedral of Rome, seat of the bishop of Rome (Benedict XVI) and was the Papal residence from the 5C until the papacy departed to Avignon in France in the 14th century. We will also see the nearby Holy Staircase “Scala Sancta” actual stairs that Jesus Christ walked on the day he went to Pilate, many of these relics today are preserved thanks to St. Helen, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, with both of them we will “meet” during our Rome tours many times. We visit Santa Croce to see the relics (St. Helen) of Jesus’ Passion. At the end of the day we are at our hotel for dinner.

Day 4 – ROME –  VATICAN – Thursday 
Today we will start our day with the visit to the Vatican Museums where to see art masterpieces of Michelangelo, Bernini, and more. Visit will continue with 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, history and inheritance of all civilization. Today is also our visit to the heart of Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica, and with the tomb of blessed Pope John Paul II then underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter, and at the end the Square dedicated to same Saint. After some free time in the late afternoon for shopping we end our day at the dinner in one of the typical Italian restaurants near Vatican.

Day 5 – ROME – ASSISI – Friday 
Today our Rome farewell Holy Mass will be early in the morning at St. Peter’s basilica, one of the underground chapels! Return to hotel for breakfast. We will then leave for visit to the Coliseum & Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, and Trajan). We will from here walk to the Piazza di Spagna, Trevi fountain,  Pantheon and Piazza Navona. After lunch break here we are on the way to Appian Way with the “Quo Vadis Domine” church, passing by it we will arrive to the Domitilla catacombs. Last one of the four Patriarchal basilicas is also on the schedule today, St. Paul Outside the Walls. From here we will leave to Assisi, after about 3 hours drive we are in Assisi hotel on time for dinner.

Day 6 – ASSISI – Saturday
This morning as we wake up in Umbria one of the most beautiful Italian region, region of St. Francis, St. Rita, St. Clare, St. Benedict and St. Scolastica, we will start with sightseeing of Assisi…… learning about St. Francis & St. Claire! Your 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. Group will learn more about St. Claire the founder of Poor Clair’s and see her incorrupt body. We will go down to the main square of Assisi, house of Francis and at the end of the city walls to the basilica of St. Francis. Through the St. Francis gate we are on the way to "Porziuncola" one of three restored churches of young Francis that nowadays is inside the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Later in the afternoon free time for lunch, shopping and exploring on your own the City of Peace before dinner.

Day 7– ASSISI – SIENA – FLORENCE - Sunday
Today we will leave Assisi, head towards Tuscany and its capital Florence. Today before reaching Florence we will stop for visit to Siena. We will walk through well preserved old city of Siena, the 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, her house then on to the Cathedral of Siena and our walk will end at the Piazza del Campo – where the famous horse racing “Il Palio” takes place! Some free time before we continue to Florence, arrival on time for dinner at the hotel.

Day 8 –  FLORENCE – Monday
After good morning rest and breakfast we are on walking city tour of Florence. Visit includes Franciscan church of "Santa Croce", church of huge interior is a burial place of 280 nobles, among which are notables such as Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, Rossini and others. We will pass by National museum before reaching the heart of the city - Piazza Signoria - with its most important buildings such as Old Palace or Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery and a the “Ponte Vecchio”. The stories of Michelangelo Buonarotti, the Medici, Dante Alighieri and Leonardo da Vinci will come alive. We will continue with our walk through Piazza della Republica to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Our tour of Florence will finish at “Piazza del Duomo”, visiting Giotto's Bell Tower, St. John’s Baptistery and the 13th century cathedral. At the end of visit we are in “Accademia” museum to see the “David” as finest example of the Michelangelo’s work but also many other great artworks. Free afternoon for lunch in one of the numerous restaurants and shopping in a city so popular for good quality leather goods and hand-made paper! Dinner and overnight will be in Florence.

Day 9 – FLORENCE – PISA – PADUA – Tuesday, Oct. 9. 2012
Today we will leave Florence. We will head towards the Padua via Pisa. Upon arrival to Pisa our focus here will be the “Square of Miracles” or “Piazza dei Miracoli” where we will spend quite a memorable afternoon visiting the Cathedral of the Holy Mary of the Assumption, Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist from 12th century and then the world famous Bell tower of Pisa “Leaning tower” whose construction began in 12th century. Time for lunch, shopping and afternoon cappuccino on the most interesting square we can have after our tour ends. Return to Florence on time for dinner.

Day 10 – PADUA –  Wednesday, Oct. 10,  2012
This morning we are at the basilica of St. Anthony for the Holy mass. We will start our sightseeing tour of this second oldest university in Italy at "Pratto Della Valle" one of the biggest squares in Italy. We will pass by the basilica of Santa Giustina and to the Basilica of St. Anthony. Narrow streets of old Padua will get us to the University founded in 1222, where first women ever got the university diploma. We'll walk through "Fruit" and "Vegetable" squares in between which stands "Palazzo Della Regione" or The Law Courts. University palace from the 16th century also known as Palazzo del Bo, actually got a name after an inn that stood in place, and famous cafe Pedrocchi. Here at the café our tour will end and we are on our own for the afternoon. Dinner will be on our own in one of the restaurants in Padua. Return to hotel on your own!

Day 11 – PADUA – VENICE, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012
After breakfast we are leaving for whole day excursion to Venice, bus drive and hydroplane to Venice, the city of romance, history and beauty. Our walking tour today will begin in the Piazza San Marco, world-famous marble square lined with shops, charming cafes and galleries. Our main attractions here are the Bridge of Sighs, Doge's Palace, the magnificent Basilica di San Marco with the mixtures of Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic styles which reflect the history of Venice. We will celebrate the Holy Mass in basilica and after guided tour some free time before leaving back to Padua, boat ride to the mainland. Farewell dinner and then return to our hotel for last night in Italy.  

(Optional -  farewell dinner in Venice – later evening arrival to hotel)

Day 12 – PADUA – USA, Friday, Oct. 12, 2012Transfer to Venice airport for flight back home, arrival to the USA same day!

RATES & DATES:

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October  1 - 12, 2012 (rate is based on minimum 30 people in the group):
Land only...............................................................................US$ 
Land and air from Newark.................................................US$ 
Single room supplement...................................................US$    

FOR THE PRICE OF THIS TOUR FROM YOUR CITY / AIRPORT PLEASE CONTACT US:

Fr. Zenek, S.D.S.
St. Theodore church, NJ
E-MAIL: sttheodorenj@comcast.net
PHONE: 908 689 8318 ext 4

BLUE HEART TRAVEL: info@bluehearttravel.com

Includes:

• 3 nights in Rome 4* first class hotel 
  
• 2 nights in Assisi 4* firstt class hotel  
  
• 2 nights in Florence 4* first class hotel 
  
• 3 nights in Padua 4* first class hotel
• Dinner and breakfast daily, drinks included (2 dinners out, 1 Florence & 1 Rome)
  
• Escort guide from Rome 
  
• Local guides according the itinerary, Rome, Assisi, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Venice, Padua
  
• High class tourist coach
  
• Porterage of 1 piece of luggage in/out hotels 
  
• Head sets for guided visit to Rome, Assisi and Florence city tour
  
• Entrance fees according to the itinerary, Vatican Museums, Santa Croce Florence,
  “Accademia Gallery” Florence, Catacombs in Rome
  
• Daily holy mass arrangements and General audience with Pope Benedict XVI
• Farewell dinner, drinks included

Not Included:

• Tips for guides and driver
• Travel insurance
• Dinner in Padua, free evening
• Personal expenses, visa and passports costs

►Travel free, you and your priest and travel on your own date with group of 15 or more pilgrims 
►Tour for church groups and parishes that enjoy the community 
►Fine first class hotels or very fine 3* hotels respecting your budget in both options

Please fill in the form on the upper left side of the page or give us a call:

E-mail: info@bluehearttravel.com

♦ US: +1 307 222 4856

 ♦TOLL FREE: +1 877 545 5562

♦ UK: +44  20 8144 9212

Inspiring photos by www.bluehearttravel.com from this tour