Depart today on board our overnight transatlantic jet flight to Rome, arriving the following day. Enjoy a full meal service as well as in-flight entertainment such as movies, music, etc.

Welcome to the Eternal City! Upon arrival at the Rome International Airport (FCO), we will collect our luggage at baggage claim and continue to the arrivals hall to meet our local guide. We will then be escorted to our deluxe motorcoach for our transfer to the city. After arriving at our guesthouse, we will check in and have time to freshen up. Then we will have our welcome Mass in the guesthouse chapel followed by a brief orientation meeting. Afterwards we will have lunch on our own. Then we will make our way to the side entrance of the Vatican where the Swiss Guard will permit us to enter to participate in the “Scavi Tour,” a privately guided tour of the Necropolis underneath St. Peter’s Basilica that culminates with the veneration of the bones of our first Pope, the Blessed Apostle Peter. The tour concludes in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, affording us the prime opportunity to “skip the line” to enter the main Basilica above. Spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring this magnificent place of worship, crowned with a famous dome designed by Michelangelo. We encourage pilgrims to spend time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, pray at the tombs of St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, marvel at Bernini’s baldacchino, and contemplate the divine with Michelangelo’s Pieta. We will gather in the evening for a festive group welcome dinner, served with local wine. Overnight in Rome. (D)

After an early breakfast we will set out for St. Peter's Square to get the best possible seats for the Wednesday Papal Audience. Bring your religious objects to be blessed! This is your chance to see the Holy Father up close and to receive his Apostolic Blessing for you and your loved ones at home. Next, we make our way to central Rome for lunch on our own and a leisurely walking tour of the historic city center. During our afternoon stroll, we will visit some of the most beloved sites of Rome, including Piazza Navona, San Luigi dei Francesi (to see the Baroque master Caravaggio’s world-renowned cycle of paintings of the life of St. Matthew), the Pantheon (external view), Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, and the Chiesa Nuova. Finally, our Mass in the late afternoon will be at the Basilica of the XII Apostles (pending availability). The evening is free time for dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

After breakfast, we will board our motorcoach for a tour of Catholic Rome with stops at the major Papal Basilicas and other religious sites of the city. First we will celebrate Mass at St. Mary Major, the largest church in Rome dedicated to Our Lady. Here is kept in a special chapel, several parts of the crib from Bethlehem. Across the street we will visit Santa Prassede, where the pillar that Christ was scourged on is today kept. We will then make our way to the Basilica of Santa Croce to see the relics of the passion of Christ. After, we will ascend the Scala Santa, the very steps that Christ walked upon when he met Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. Following lunch, we will make our way to the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome. One of the major relics kept here is the “mensa” from the table used at the Last Supper. Following our visit, we will board our bus and drive to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Here we will pray before the tomb of St. Paul. After our transfer back to our accommodations, enjoy a free evening and dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

Following an early breakfast, we will make our way to St. Peter’s Basilica to participate in morning Mass. Enjoy this privilege to worship in the Basilica before dawn when it opens at 7:00 AM. After Mass, we will enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica. Following lunch, we will make our way to the Vatican Museums for a guided tour of one of the largest and most magnificent museum collections in the world. Our VIP group entrance will allow us to “skip the line.” Part of our tour will include the majestic Sistine Chapel, where some of the world’s most impressive works of visual art can be seen, including the famous ceiling and sanctuary frescoes by Michelangelo. Following the tour, we enjoy a free afternoon with dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

After an early breakfast and guesthouse check out, we will board our private motorcoach for our journey to Salerno, an enchanting port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Lunch on the way at an Autogrill. Upon our arrival, we will visit and celebrate Mass in the breathtaking Renaissance Cathedral that houses the crypt chapel with the remains of St. Matthew the Apostle. The remains of St. Matthew have been in Salerno since the year 954 AD. We will also visit the tomb of Pope St. Gregory VII, a great reforming pope who died in exile in Salerno. Standing before his tomb we will pray, admiring the wax funeral effigy that marks his place of burial. Following Mass, we will take a leisurely walking tour of downtown Salerno, admiring the beach promenade and view of the sea. Hotel check in followed by a celebratory group dinner, served with local wine. Overnight in Salerno. (B, D)

We will start our Sunday morning with breakfast and a drive to the town of Amalfi to visit the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Here we will have Sunday Mass and pray before the mortal remains of St. Andrew the Apostle, kept in the crypt of the cathedral in a sumptuously decorated chapel. After, we will have lunch on our own with a free afternoon in Amalfi, for rest and relaxation, shopping and exploring. In the afternoon we will transfer back to Salerno, with free time for dinner on our own, a chance to try local restaurants, especially for those with a taste for fresh seafood. Overnight in Salerno. (B) 

Following breakfast and hotel check out, we will board our bus for the scenic drive back to Rome. Lunch on the way at an Autogrill. Upon our arrival on the outskirts of Rome we will visit the Catacombs of San Callisto, a fascinating trip back in time to catch a glimpse of life in Rome for the early Christian communities before the legalization of Christianity in the fourth century. Here we will have Mass in a designated chapel. Sixteen popes were entombed in this catacomb, from the second to the fourth centuries along with many other thousands of Christians. Dinner on our own in the evening to explore different dining options. Overnight in Rome. (B)

Following Mass and breakfast at the guesthouse, we will set out for a fascinating tour of Ancient Rome. This will include the Colosseum, the largest of ancient amphitheatres, completed in the year 80 AD. Here Christians were martyred, including, it is believed, St. Ignatius of Antioch, who was brought to Rome to be martyred during the reign of Trajan. The last saint martyred in the Colosseum is believed to have been St. Telemachus, a monk who was stoned to death after he tried to stop the gladiatorial fights. Next, we will visit the Roman Forum, once the heart of the ancient city and today a large archeological site. Afterwards, we will have lunch on our own and visit San Clemente, a historic basilica in Rome where visitors can descend into its lower levels to see the previous churches built on the same site, dating back to the first century. In the evening, we will gather for our festive farewell dinner (included), served with local wine. Overnight in Rome. (B, D)

After an early breakfast and hotel check out, and with warm memories of our time in Italy, we will board our bus and transfer to the Rome International Airport (FCO) for our return flights home. (B)