25 Years of Italy

This pilgrimage is designed to loosely follow the itinerary from my very first trip to Italy, 25 years ago.

We start with two nights in Rome, spend a few nights in Florence, head to Assisi for the feast of Saint Francis, travel to the coast for a night in Loreto, stop in Lanciano and Manoppello on our way back to Rome, where we stay for three more nights.

Daily Mass. Excellent local guides. A few wine tastings. Great meals.

Is this pilgrimage trip for you?

You need to be flexible.
This pilgrimage is not for grumpy people or those unable to be joyfully flexible. This is Europe after all, and things can come up when traveling.

If you are easy-going and excited to travel, even with some uncertainties mixed in, this could be the trip for you!

If this pilgrimage doesn’t work for you, no worries, I’ve been doing this for nearly 20 years and plan to do many, many more.

You should be in good physical shape.
We will do a lot of walking, much of it outside, and much of it on uneven ground. We can walk up to 5 miles per day. Please do consider this before signing up.

You need to be able to carry your own luggage.
You are responsible for your luggage. We do not have porters. I will provide a thorough packing list to help you pack lightly and efficiently.

Itinerary

You’ll get the full itinerary closer to departure, but…

We begin with two nights in Rome, where we will visit some of the best churches, and have a few of my favorite meals.

Next we have two nights in Florence. Our hotel is centrally located, making all sightseeing, shopping, and tours easily accessible.

Then we travel into Umbria to the lovely town of Assisi. We will be here for the Feast of Saint Francis. We will be staying three nights just off the main piazza. We will have a local guide take us on tour of the shrines, including San Damiano, the Hermitage, and the Porziuncola. We will visit the nearby town of Montefalco to tour a winery and have lunch on an Umbrian family farm.

From here we head to the east coast for a night in Loreto to visit the Holy House of Nazareth.

On our way back to Rome, we will stop in Lanciano to visit the Eucharistic Miracle and to Manoppello to visit the Holy Face.

For our final three nights in Rome, we will continue visiting beautiful churches, have a few walking tours, a wine tasting, and more amazing meals.

Note: While we are not opening the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on this trip, we are going in before the they are open to the public for a private visit.

As always, we have some special surprises planned along the way.

Of course Mass will be celebrated daily in the most beautiful churches.

Price

$4,800 per person – ground only.

$1,000 deposit secures your spot.

Final payment of $3,800 is due September 1st, 2024.

The cost is per person, in double occupancy, meaning two people to a room.

Traveling alone?
I match singles with other traveling singles (of the same sex) and that always works out great. If you are uncomfortable sharing a room with a stranger, you can request a single room for an additional $800. Single rooms are limited.

Included in the price

Accommodations for 11 nights
2 nights in Rome

2 nights in Florence

3 nights in Assisi

1 night in Loreto

3 nights in Rome

Breakfast daily plus 8 additional meals in some of my favorite restaurants, never hotels!

Drinks, including unlimited wine, is included in all our lunches and dinners.

Lunch at an Umbrian winery

Wine pairing dinner in Rome

Airport transfers
Airport transfers between the Rome airport and our Rome hotel. Send me your flight info and my driver will pick you up. Easy. It also doesn’t matter if you arrive early or stay late, your transfer is included.

All group ground transportation
We’ll be traveling in a private motor coach.

Full time service of a tour director
I’ll be with you at all times.

No hidden costs
If we do it as a group, it’s included in the price! You are responsible only for the meals you have on your own, souvenirs you wish to buy, and anything you want to do in your free time.

Guaranteed price
Once I receive your deposit, your tour price will not go up!

All tips for group meals, guides, and drivers
Would you believe that many tour companies require you to tip as you go? Not only does that add to the advertised sticker price of a tour, it’s also a huge hassle to you! No need to worry about that here. Tips are already included.

Entry fees and tours
All entry fees and tours to our included group activities.

Social planning
Plan your trip with your traveling companions before you leave! I’ll set up a private Facebook group for the tour to give you a chance to meet before you meet!

You time
We have a lot planned, but time on your own is important. We take our time in churches to give you the opportunity for prayer and reflection. We also include free time for you to explore, shop, and relax on your own.

Not Included

Your flights
You should arrive in Rome no later than September 30th, we will begin at 2 PM on September 30th. If you want to arrive early, contact the hotel directly and let them know you are with The Catholic Traveler – this will ensure you don’t have to switch rooms when the trip begins.

You should depart no earlier than October 11th, our last group activity will be a dinner October 10th and you’ll have the hotel room for the night. If you want to stay longer, contact the hotel directly and let them know you are with The Catholic Traveler – this will ensure you don’t have to switch rooms when the trip end.

Most airlines are offering free changes should anything happen to the trip. Most airlines are not offering refunds, but rather a credit.

No Hassle Cancellations

No other tour or pilgrimage company offers this level of free cancellation coverage.

If you need to cancel for any reason at all, up to 60 days before the start of the trip, you will be refunded 100% of the cost of the pilgrimage.

If you need to cancel for any reason at all within 60 days of departure, you’ll get everything back minus the deposit.

If for any reason I need to cancel or postpone the trip, you will be refunded 100% of the cost of the pilgrimage.

In all cases, you are responsible for working with the airline to get credit or refunds for changed or cancelled flights.

Trip insurance is a wise investment in case something comes up while you are in Italy. If you think there is any chance you may need to cancel, I recommend you purchase travel insurance. A “Cancel for Any Reason” plan will let you, well, cancel for ‘most’ any reason. Most plans should allow for at least a 75% refund should you need to cancel at any time before departure. I have a friend who specializes in trip insurance, you can contact him directly, but you are under no obligation to use him and I don’t get any sort of kick backs, so shop around and find what is best for you.