Departure for your overnight flights to Spain.

Arrive Madrid. You'll be met by your tour escort who will be with you for the duration of your stay. Enjoy a tour of this beautiful city and including the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor. The sightseeing portion of your tour may be adjusted due to the arrival of your flights. Dinner and overnight in Madrid.

Depart to the medieval city of Avila. Upon arrival in Avila, you will immediately notice the perfectly preserved eleventh century walls that surround the old town. The conservation of architecture in this city, to which St. Teresa was born, deems its Shrines, convents and Churches necessary to visit on any Catholic pilgrimage. The Cathedral de Avila encompasses the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles of its time, within its artwork and architecture. La Basilica de San Vicente in Avila, stands on the site of the martyrdom of St. Vincent. Visit the Incarnation Convent, where St. Teresa became a nun. Saint Therese convinced Saint John of the Cross to reform the male Carmelite order, the reform she started when she met Saint John in Medina del Campo. After walking in the footsteps of St. Teresa, you'll continue on to Segovia. This historic city northwest of Madrid, has had centuries of settlement resulting in a rich architectural legacy, including medieval walls, Romanesque Churches, a former royal palace and a Gothic Cathedral. Its iconic ancient Roman aqueduct has more than 160 arches, most in the original mortar-less granite, and stands above Plaza Azoguejo in the heart of the city. Return to Madrid for dinner and overnight.

This morning we'll depart for Toledo which sits on a rocky mound isolated on three sides by a looping gorge of the Rio Tajo. Every available inch of this outcrop has Churches, synagogues, mosques and houses heaped upon one another in a haphazard spiral, which the cobbled lanes infiltrate as best they can. Toledo is known as the City of the Three Religions or Cultures because for many centuries the Christians, the Moors, and the Jews lived together in relative equality and peace. The city surrounded by walls hides great treasures: its awesome Cathedral, the Church of Santo Tome, the Transito Synagogue, Santa Maria La Blanca Synagogue, the superb Church of San Juan de los Reyes, Puerta de Bisagras, Puerta del Cambron, Puerta del Sol, etc. We return to Madrid for dinner and overnight.

Prepare for your departure and transfer to the airport for your flights from Madrid to Rome. Upon arrival you will be transferred to Assisi and enjoy the view of this beautiful Italian landscape. Arrive Assisi and get settled for the evening. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

As you visit the birthplace of St. Francis, you will become captivated as the atmosphere has not changed since St. Francis began his ministry, in the early 13th century. You will start your tour at the St. Francis Basilica, visit his tomb of St. Francis, and have the opportunity to view a series of frescoes depicting his life, along with a few of the saint's possessions. From there, you will continue on a walking tour through this picturesque town, including the birthplace of St. Francis, and end with a tour of the Church that honors St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare Sisters. This Saint followed the teachings of St. Francis very closely by also living a life of poverty and humility. Enjoy some free time on your own - you may take this time for additional prayer, shop in the many gift shops or enjoy a nice lunch. After lunch, you will board the bus, which will take you outside of the walls of Assisi, to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This is where St. Francis spent most of life. This Basilica is made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The first structure, is the "Porziuncola", which is where St. Francis founded his order of the Friar Minor (Franciscans). The second, is the "Capella del Transito", which is the place of St. Francis' death. During your time here, you will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St. Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the Saint retired to pray. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

We will visit the most significant places in the life of Saint Catherine in her native town of Siena. This will include the house in which this thin but great saint, patron of Italy and Europe, was born. We will visit the Basilica of San Domenico, surrounded by beautiful sixteenth century frescoes, and take the same route that Catherine followed every night to help the ill at the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala. You will hear about the most significant moments in her life, while visiting the city of Siena and its most important sights. Siena, a city in central Italy's Tuscany region, is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. The city's 17 historic "contrade" (districts) extend outward from the piazza. Visit the Basilica of San Francesco, a Basilica Church which was erected in c. 1228-1255 and later enlarged in the 14th-15th centuries, the original Romanesque edifice being turned into the current large Gothic one. Return to Assisi for diner and overnight.

Today we visit Orvieto. Its beautiful Cathedral is divided by four pillars and has been compared to a medieval altarpiece. Inside, it used to be filled with statues and fancy Chapels until 1877, when the people decided they wanted to "un-Baroque" their Church. The nave is also an optical illusion; the architect designed it to be wider at the back and narrower at the altar, making it appear longer than it is. Windows of thin sliced alabaster bathe the interior in a soft light, the Cathedral's highlight is the Chapel of San Brizio, featuring Luca Signorelli's brilliantly lit frescoes of the Day of Judgment and Life after Death. Although the frescoes refer to themes of resurrection and salvation, they also reflect the turbulent political and religious atmosphere of Italy in the late 1400s. Signorelli's ability to tell stories through human actions and gestures, rather than symbols, inspired his younger contemporary, Michelangelo, who meticulously studied Signorelli's work. Behind the Duomo, a complex of medieval palaces called Palazzi Papali shows off the city's best devotional art. Not to be missed is the marble Mary and Child, who sit beneath a bronze canopy, attended by exquisite angels. This proto-Renaissance ensemble, dating from around 1300, once filled the niche in the center of the Cathedral's facade (where a replica sits today). Continue on to Rome for dinner and overnight.

This morning, you will enjoy an early breakfast before making your way to the largest Christendom Church, St. Peter's Basilica. This Basilica was built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred. Also, it was Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who was the first Pontiff to visit the necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago. It is here that you will view Michelangelo's Pieta. This stunning marble sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding Christ after His crucifixion, death, and removal off the cross before being placed in the tomb. Continue to proceed to the Vatican Museums. At the world renowned museum, you will see the most impressive of edifices, galleries, and awe-inspiring relics. Additionally, you will observe the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, and Michelangelo's Masterpiece, the restored mural of the Last Judgment. The final stop on your Vatican tour is at the tomb of Saint John Paul II. After free time for lunch we will continue on your short journey down the Appian Way, the earliest road of Ancient Rome. This road leads to the Domino Quo Vadis Chapel, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Drusus, the of Cecilia Metella, and the catacombs of St. Callixtus. The day concludes with a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul, outside the walls. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, this Basilica is the burial places of Saint Paul the Apostle. Next, make your way to a local restaurant for dinner. Following dinner, feel free to explore the streets of Rome, or return to the hotel for an overnight.

Attend the Papal Blessing at St. Peters Square this morning. Afterward, you will visit the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome, and the home to the relics of Peter and Paul, the Basilica of St. John the Lateran. This Basilica is where Pope Francis was installed as Bishop of Rome, and where he officiates as the Bishop of Rome. Next, you will cross the street to visit the Holy Staircase. Tradition states that this staircase is from Pontius Pilate's palace of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. It is also said this Staircase was brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. If time permits, you may climb the steps on your knees, in memory of Christ's agonizing Passion. To conclude your day, you will proceed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This Basilica contains a relic from the Manger of the Infant Jesus. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

Prepare for your departure to the airport and your return flights home with memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.