Overview
Itinerary
Arrive in Rome. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a special welcome dinner at a popular local restaurant featuring regional delicacies and Italian wine. (D) Stay: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter
Travel north to Assisi, where St. Francis spent most of his life. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, built on the founding site of the Franciscan Order. Pause at the Chapel of the Porziuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint prayed. Join a local expert on a tour of Assisi, highlighting the 13th-century basilica where you can see many of St. Francis' possessions and a series of frescoes. Celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. Francis this afternoon. (B/D) Stay: Hotel Cenacolo (2 Nights)
Enjoy a day at leisure to independently explore historic Assisi. Or, join a full-day optional excursion to Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance.” A local expert provides a walking tour featuring views of the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo. Here stands the massive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its imposing dome and the gilded “Gates of Paradise,” the bronze doors that adorn the neighboring baptistery. Your walking tour takes you by other famous sights such as the Signoria Square before returning to your hotel in Assisi in the late evening. (B)
Travel across the Apennine Mountains to the Marian shrine of Loreto. Discover the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto where more than 50 popes have made a pilgrimage. Celebrate Mass before continuing your journey to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of St. Padre Pio. (B/D) Stay: Hotel Parco delle Rose (2 Nights)
Visit Monte Sant'Angelo and take in stunning views of the Gargano Peninsula. Explore the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel, where popes and saints have knelt and prayed for protection. Return to San Giovanni Rotondo and celebrate Mass in the sanctuary of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Tour Padre Pio's tomb and the sanctuary, including the old church and the crucifix from which he received the stigmata in 1918. Spend time in the new church dedicated to St. Pio who is credited with over 1,000 miracles. (B/D)
Journey through the picturesque landscapes of Apulia on your way to Campania. Visit the Cathedral of Salerno, which guards the relics of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist. You will have the option of celebrating Mass here in Salerno.
This afternoon, opt to relax at your hotel or visit the historic ruins of Pompeii during an optional tour of this vast archeological site. (B/D) Stay: Hotel Scapolatiello
Travel to Montecassino and discover the renowned abbey founded by St. Benedict in the 6th century A.D., housing the relics of the saint and his sister, St. Scholastica. Montecassino also became famous during World War II, when the abbey was bombed and destroyed. You'll have the option of celebrating Mass here before continuing to Rome. Visit the Catacombs where early Christians hid and buried their dead before checking into your hotel in the early evening. (B) Stay: Cardinal Hotel St. Peter (3 Nights)
Attend the weekly Papal audience in the Vatican City to receive the blessing given by the Holy Father. Visit the Marian Basilica of St. Mary Major and Rome's Cathedral: St. John in Lateran - the former residence of the popes. Conclude your day with a visit to the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs which tradition believes are the steps that Christ climbed when he appeared before Pontius Pilate. (B)
Celebrate Mass before exploring the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and the famous Last Judgment mural. End your visit in St. Peter's Basilica, the world's largest church. Feel the grace around you as you meander along towering marble columns and stand in awe before Pietà, Michelangelo's renowned sculpture. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure.
This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner celebrating the end of a memorable pilgrimage to Italy. (B/D)
Your tour comes to a close in Rome. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Attend the weekly Papal audience in the Vatican City.
- Spend time at the renowned Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St. Benedict.
- Visit the Holy Stairs, believed to be the steps that Christ climbed when he appeared before Pontius Pilate.
- Venture underground to the catacombs of Rome, where early Christians hid and buried their dead.
- Discover the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto.
- Join a local expert for a fascinating tour of Assisi.
- Expertly crafted itineraries
- 4-star+ accommodation
- Skilled and engaging tour managers
- Expert local guides with insider knowledge
- Attraction entrance fees
- Many meals full of local flavour
- Unparalleled sightseeing
- Enriching cultural experiences
- Comfortable on-tour transportation
- Hotel-to-hotel baggage handling
- Plus, access to Wi-Fi hotspots on tour
- This tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days and more leisure time. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected.
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Itineraries designed for those who want more out of their travel on a spiritual level. Read more
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Trip Optionals These optional activities can be pre-booked & included in your trip price.
- Location: Pompeii.
- Experience the eerie pull of history as you walk through Pompeii, the excavated ruins of a Roman city at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. Discover what was buried under more than 60 feet of ash and pumice, sealing history away until it was discovered in the mid-1700s. The walking tour begins at Porta Marina, the city gate leading to the sea. Ascend to the Forum, which was once the core of daily life in the city, as well as Pompeii’s main place of citizen worship. Along the way, see the theatres, bath complex, and plaster casts while a local expert guides you through Pompeian life and history. Duration approximately 4 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 15 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. Please note, walking in Pompeii can be difficult for some. The streets are uneven, with steps up or down everywhere. Opportunities for sitting and rest could be far between. There is little to no shade available during the walking tour. Travelers need to be able to walk and stand for at least 90 minutes consecutively.
- Location: Florence.
- The beautiful city of Florence is a gem in the crown of the renowned region of Tuscany, and its capital city should not be missed. Enjoy a full day of sightseeing as a local expert highlights such treasures as the Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, and Piazza del Duomo. Here, stand before the massive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its imposing dome and the gilded “Gates of Paradise,” the bronze doors adorning the neighboring Baptistery. Before your return to Assisi, take some time at leisure to savor the local flavors of this region and shop in the wonderful boutiques and acclaimed handicraft shops that Florence offers. Duration approximately 12 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 15 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. Time for lunch will be allotted, but lunch is not included. The driving distance from Assisi to Florence is 2.5 hours. You must be prepared to walk approximately 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) to complete the sightseeing. The optional tour to Florence requires a long drive of approximately 2.5 hours each way. Due to tight limitations to motor coach circulation in the city, you must be prepared to walk approximately 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) to complete the sightseeing. The walking tour takes place over cobblestone streets with narrow sidewalks which are often crowded.
Brochure
Collette Worldwide (2025-26)
Availability
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A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Collette. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Collette. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
