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"Grand Catholic Italy"
 

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Vacation Overview

Enjoy 11 days in Italy, from Rome to Venice! In Rome, enjoy a welcome dinner, attend the weekly general audience of the Pope (subject to availability), and guided visits to St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Catacombs, St. John Lateran Basilica, the Holy Stairs, St. Mary Major Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. Continue to St. Rita’s Cascia and visit Major Basilica, which houses her tomb, and Minor Basilica, home of the Eucharistic Miracle. Arrive in Assisi, where guided visits to the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare are included. Also included are visits to St. Mary of the Angels Basilica, and the Portiuncola, where St. Francis founded the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor in 1209, as well as the Carceri Hermitage and the Monastery of St. Damian. An optional excursion to magnificent Spello is available. Enjoy a full day at leisure in Assisi, then enter Tuscany and stop in Siena to visit the Basilica of St. Dominic and the Sanctuary of St. Catherine. Walk through the ancient narrow lanes of Siena to Piazza del Campo, theater of the biannual Palio, before continuing to Florence. Here, guided sightseeing includes a visit to Michelangelo’s David, the cathedral, and Signoria Square. Stop in Padua to visit St. Anthony’s Basilica, and arrive in Venice. Enter by private boat to meet your Local Guide and visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica. A farewell dinner marks the conclusion of your vacation.

Day by Day Itinerary:

DAY 1 Arrive in Rome, Italy

Time to rest or to start exploring the “Eternal City.” At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director, then enjoy this evening’s welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant. (Dinner)

DAY 2Rome

Attend the weekly general audience of the Pope (subject to availability). This afternoon, visit ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS and the CATACOMBS. During the persecutions, the catacombs were used as places of refuge for the celebration of the Eucharist. Next, visit ST. JOHN LATERAN BASILICA, the HOLY STAIRS, which were brought from Jerusalem to Rome around 326 AD by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. As a favorite of pilgrims everywhere, these 28 white marble steps may only be ascended on the knees. Then, visit the impressive ST. MARY MAJOR BASILICA. (Breakfast)

DAY 3 Rome

This morning, enjoy a guided visit of the VATICAN MUSEUMS and the SISTINE CHAPEL, world famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling paintings and The Last Judgment. Continue to monumental ST. PETER’S SQUARE and BASILICA. Cross the Tiber River and visit the COLOSSEUM, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World®, and the ROMAN FORUM, where Roman legions marched in triumph. (Breakfast)

DAY 4 Rome–Cascia–Assisi

Enter Umbria and stop in the town of Cascia to explore the life of St. Rita, known as the “Saint of the Impossible.” Visit the MAJOR BASILICA, the chapel that houses the tomb of St. Rita, and the MINOR BASILICA, home of the Eucharistic Miracle, which is commemorated each year with the Feast of Corpus Christi. Arrive at the hilltop village of Assisi, home of St. Francis and St. Clare. Here, visit ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS BASILICA, where St. Francis consecrated St. Clare as the “Bride of Christ,” and the PORTIUNCOLA, where he founded the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor in 1209. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 5 Assisi

Celebrate Mass this morning followed by a guided walking tour of Assisi. Visit the BASILICAS OF ST. FRANCIS and ST. CLARE, and see the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis. A short trip by minibus will take you to the CARCERI HERMITAGE, where St. Francis came to meditate and pray, an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the midst of the woods of Mount Subasio. Finally, visit the MONASTERY OF ST. DAMIAN, a Franciscan shrine built on the spot where St. Francis heard the voice of Christ, and where he wrote the Canticle of the Creatures. The convent founded by St. Clare is still intact; here she died in 1253. This afternoon you may wish to join an optional excursion to magnificent Spello. (Breakfast)

DAY 6 At Leisure in Assisi

Attend Mass this morning and enjoy a full day at leisure to relax or to further explore the city. Optional excursions are available. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 7 Assisi–Siena–Florence

Leave Assisi and enter Tuscany. Stop in Siena and visit the BASILICA OF ST. DOMINIC and the SANCTUARY OF ST. CATHERINE. Enjoy a walk with a local expert through the ancient narrow lanes to beautiful PIAZZA DEL CAMPO, theater of the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race. In the afternoon, continue to Florence, “Cradle of the Renaissance.” (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 8 Florence

Follow your Local Guide to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo’s celebrated David and the magnificent CATHEDRAL. Admire Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gate of Paradise,” and sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. End your walking tour in SANTA CROCE SQUARE and admire its splendid basilica. (Breakfast)

DAY 9 Florence–Padua–Venice

Depart for Padua and meet your Local Guide. Visit the BASILICA OF ST. ANTHONY to see the tomb and reliquaries of this miracle-working saint and patron of lost and stolen articles, and enjoy Mass. Journey on to Venice, one of the world’s most romantic cities. Tonight is your chance to sample one of Venice’s fine restaurants. (Breakfast)

DAY 10 Venice

This morning, enter in style by PRIVATE BOAT and start sightseeing with your Local Guide. Visit ST. MARK’S SQUARE and its BASILICA, lavish DOGES’ PALACE and the BRIDGE OF SIGHS. Also watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects in an age-old traditional manner. The afternoon is at leisure. You may wish to join an optional gondola serenade or attend Mass at the Basilica. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with wine. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 11 Venice

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

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