[email protected] [email protected] 800-206-TOUR (8687)   mon - fri 9am - 5pm EST   YOUR TRIP INCLUDES: † Round Trip Airfare from Washington DC † All Airport Taxes & Fuel Surcharges! † 8 nights at centrally located accommodations as follows: (or similar)      ~ July 6-9 | 3 Nights Hotel Twenty-One, Rome      ~ July 9-11 | 2 Nights Hotel Savoia, San Giovanni Rotondo      ~ July 11-12 | 1 Night Monastery of Montebello, Isola del Piano      ~ July 12-14 | 2 Nights Hotel Dei Priori, Assisi † Transfers as per itinerary † Breakfast and Dinner daily † Wine and Mineral Water with dinners † Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach † Assistance of a professional local Christian guide(s) † Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary † Fr. Benetti available for Spiritual Direction, and Mass Daily † Tips to restaurant and hotel staff † Luggage handling (1 piece per person) † Flight bag & portfolio of all travel documents   Not Included: Lunches, Beverages not mentioned, Tips to Guide and Driver Optional: Travel Insurance (www.206tours.com/insurance)                Cancellation Protection Plan (www.206tours.com/cancellationprotection)

Sample Day-by-Day Itinerary:

Day 1 – Sunday – July 5 - Depart for Rome
Make your way to Dulles International Airport for your overnight flight to Rome. Meals will be served on board.

Day 2 – Monday – July 6 - Arrive Rome
Welcome to Rome, one of the most magnificent and interesting cities in the world, also known as the “Eternal City”! You will be transferred to your hotel. This afternoon our guide will introduce us to our fellow pilgrims and our priest who will be with us for the rest of the journey. We will make our way to Mass, followed by a welcome dinner with wine. This evening we will walk to St. Peter’s Square for Rosary (optional)

Day 3: Tuesday – July 7 - Rome: Vatican Museum – Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls - Catacombs
Following breakfast, we will depart to celebrate Mass in the largest Church in Christendom, St Peter's Basilica, built on the site where St Peter was martyred. Unsurpassed in beauty, a monument to the long history of the Catholic Church, to which pilgrims come from around the world, St Peter's is the grandest of the world's Churches. Marvel Pieta and Bernini's amazing bronze canopy. Following Mass, we will visit of the Vatican Museums, containing a group of the most impressive edi-fices with hundreds of galleries filled with art treasures. See awe-inspiring relics, and works of art donated throughout centuries as trib-utes of faith. We'll cover The Tapestry Gallery, The Raphael Rooms and the most overwhelming Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's Masterpiece, restored mural of the Last Judgment. The tour ends as we make our way back into St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Francis visited the tomb of St. Peter, following his elevation, for a visit of devotion that lasted 45 minutes. He is the first Pontiff to visit the necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago. We will also visit the tomb of St. John Paul II located at the Vati-can. There will be free time for lunch, and then we will continue on to visit St Paul. Outside the Walls. Continue our tour via the Appian Way -- the oldest road from Roman times--plus the famous Domino Quo Vadis Chapel; see the ancient Baths of Caracalla, Arch of Drusus; Tomb of Celilia Metella, and the catacombs of St Callixtus where the early Christians hid themselves to escape persecution. We will con-clude our day and wonderful stay in Rome with dinner at a local res-taurant in Rome.

Day 4 – Wednesday – July 8 - Rome: Papal Audience – Trevi Fountain / Piazza Novona – Basilica of St. John the Lateran and St. Mary Major – Holy Steps
Following breakfast, we will make our way to St. Peter’s Square to attend the Papal Audience, led by His Holiness, Pope Francis. (Papal Audience: Is scheduled to take place every Wednesday, pending the schedule of Pope Francis) Following the audience, we will make our way to the Trevi Fountain built in the 15th Century to mark the ending destination of the Aqua Virgo – a man-made channel erected in 19 B.C or Piazza Novona where at the center: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi “Fountain of the Four Rivers. After free time for lunch we will visit the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, the Pope’s Cathedral Church where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. It was here that Pope Francis was formally installed one year ago as Bishop of Rome. Next we cross the street to see the Holy Staircase which is be-lieved to be a staircase from Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. Time permitting we may climb the steps on our knees in memory of Christ’s Passion. Continue to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the most important and the oldest Church dedicated to Our Lady. St. Mary Major contains a relic from the manger of the infant Jesus. We will celebrate Mass, and then make our way to dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Thursday – July 9 - Rome – Monte Cassino – San Giovanni Rotondo
Following breakfast, we will head south and cross through the Roman countryside with its villas and vineyards. During your drive, your tour escort will explain the spiritual, historical, and cultural overview of Italy, which will help to orient you to this beautiful country and pre-pare you for all that you will experience in the days to follow. We stop at Montecassino, a beautiful town founded by Saint Benedict in 529. Enjoy lunch and then continue through the countryside heading east to St. Padre Pio’s town, San Giovanni Rotondo, our base for the following two nights. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Friday – July 10 - San Giovanni Rotondo - Monte Sant’ Angel (*View incorrupt body of St. Padre Pio)
After celebrating Mass at the tomb of St. Padre Pio, we tour the sanctuary, see the old Church and the crucifix from which he received the stigma-ta in 1918. You will see the confessional where St. Padre Pio spent innu-merable hours with a multitude of pilgrims, directing them on their journey toward God. (We will have the opportunity to view and pray before the incorrupt body of St. Padre Pio.) Enjoy a breathtaking view of the Gargano Peninsula and a visit to the Grotto of Michael the Archan-gel. Six different popes, St Francis and at least four other saints have knelt in prayer at this Grotto, seeking the protection of St Michael. Following lunch, take in the panoramic view of the ocean and the sur-rounding countryside awaits you at this most celebrated Shrine of early Christianity, a Shrine consecrated by St Michael himself in 490. Return to San Giovanni for devotions, reflection, and a restful overnight.

Day 7: Saturday – July 11 - San Giovanni Rotondo – Lanciano –Isola del Piano
We will have breakfast at our hotel before we make our way to Lancia-no, and visit the Church of St. Longinus where we will see the Eucha-ristic Miracle and celebrate Mass. It was here, as they celebrated the Latin Rite, a Basilian hieromonk was assigned to celebrate Mass. The monk had doubts about the real presense of Jesus Chris in the Holy Eucharist. With doubt in his voice, he said the “Words of Consecration” and the bread turned into living flesh, and the wine changed into live blood. The blood coagulated into five globules, corresponding to the wounds Christ suffered in each hand and foot on the cross, and the wound from the centurion’s spear. After free time for lunch, we will continue on to the Marche Region where we will arrive in Isola del Pi-ano. It is here that you will meet with one of Father’s friends. Check in to your accommodations in the Monastery of Montebello. Dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Sunday – July 12 – Isola del Piano – Loreto – Assisi
We will have breakfast before we make our way toward the Adriatic coast to the great Marian Shrine of Loreto to visit the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto. More than 50 popes have made a pilgrimage to the house transported by angels to this hill in central Italy in 1294. Tradition has it that this is the house in which Mary first prayed the Magnificat, in which Jesus grew to manhood, and in which the Holy Family lived. Enjoy lunch before we make our way to Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment, and the founder of the Franciscan Order. We arrive in time for dinner at our hotel.

Day 9: Monday – July 13 - Assisi (St. Francis)
Today is a very special day, as we will spend a full day touring the home of the Saint that inspired our Holy Father. Pope Francis chose his name in admiration of the Saint of Nature and Servant to the Poor. Known for being a humble man himself, Pope Francis spent most of his life denying the luxuries of life, and preferring to live in simplicity and humility. Following breakfast, we will begin a tour of Assisi. Visit the tomb of St Francis. Explore the quaint hilltop birthplace of St Francis that still retains something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s, the period when St Francis began his ministry. Contained within the huge 13th-century Basilica are many of the saint's possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. You may kneel before the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St Francis, asking him to rebuild His Church. It was in St Mary of the Angels Basilica where St Francis spent most of his life. Here we visit the Chapel, Portiuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Stroll the medieval streets of the compact little town. You will have some free time to shop or eat lunch at an outdoor cafe with a view of an ancient Roman temple, we go to the Church of St. Clare to view the relics of St. Clare. The foundress of the Order of Poor Clares followed the teachings of St Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. We will visit these two saints' tombs before dinner and retiring for the evening.

Day 10: Tuesday – July 14 - Assisi - Rome – Washington DC
Following breakfast, we will board our bus that will bring us to Rome Airport for our return flights home. We will bid farewell to our new friends and to a Pilgrimage which will be in our memories and hearts for a long time to come. We depart for Rome Airport and fondly say, Arrivederci Italia!

Options:   Single Supplement / Solo Traveler $619 Business Class Trans-Atlantic Upgrade (one-way) - pending availability $1,750 Business Class Trans-Atlantic Upgrade (round trip) - pending availability $3,500 First Class available upon request Children's discounts for children under 12 upon request              *All Upgrades & Options will be available to you after you press the Book Now button above*

Additional Information & Travel Tips:  Italy
 
Any Questions? To Book or for information, contact Yaritza or Katherine : 800-206-TOUR (8687) or [email protected] or [email protected]

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St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy
Assisi Basilica

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