Board flight from Newark, New Jersey (EWR) to Rome Fiumicino Airport.

Arrive in Rome and greeted by the tour manager and bus driver. Transfer to hotel where we will check in and stay overnight for the next few days.

Today begins with an early wake-up call as we head to Vatican City to attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square with Pope Francis. Afterward, we’ll celebrate Mass at a church in the Vatican area, followed by a lunch break. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Vatican Museums, home to world-famous masterpieces, including the incomparable Sistine Chapel. Next, we’ll explore St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in Christendom. At the basilica, we’ll walk through our first Holy Door of the trip and enjoy a guided tour. Built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred, the basilica houses Michelangelo's Pietà, as well as the tombs of St. Peter and Pope St. John Paul II. We’ll then return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

This morning, we’ll begin our day with a visit to the magnificent Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four major basilicas of Rome, built over the tomb of St. Paul. We’ll have time to admire its stunning mosaics and peaceful cloister. After lunch, we’ll enjoy a walking tour of Imperial Rome, beginning with an outside visit to the Colosseum. We’ll continue to the Roman Forum, seeing the Arches of Constantine and Titus, and visit the Church of St. Francesca Romana, traditionally believed to be where Simon Magus died. Our tour continues with a visit to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral, containing beautiful artwork and wood from the Last Supper’s table. We’ll also see the Holy Stairs, said to be the steps Jesus climbed before Pontius Pilate. Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we’ll check out and visit our fourth Holy Door of the trip at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the world’s oldest and most significant shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will celebrate Mass here. If time permits, we’ll also visit the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem to see relics of the Holy Cross and a replica of the Holy Shroud. Next, we’ll head to Rome’s centro historico to view the Baroque-era Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, followed by a lunch break and some free time for shopping. In the afternoon, we’ll board our bus for a three-hour drive to Naples, where we’ll check in to our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

In the morning we’ll meet our local guide for a walking tour of Naples, focusing on sites connected to the life of St. Francesco Caracciolo. We’ll start at the beautiful Church of Santa Maria Maggiore di Pietrasanta, the first home of the Caracciolini congregation in Naples, granted by Pope Sixtus V and originally St. Francesco's burial place. Later, his remains were moved to the Church of Santa Maria di Monteverginella, where we’ll celebrate Mass. While in Naples’ historic center, we’ll pause to enjoy an authentic pizza, and don’t miss the chance to try sfogliatella, a delicious pastry filled with semolina, ricotta, eggs, candied citrus peel, and cinnamon. In the afternoon, we’ll continue our tour with a visit to the Monastery of Santa Chiara and its famous majolica-tiled cloister. We’ll also stop by the Church of Gesù Nuovo, followed by some leisure time for shopping along Via Toledo. Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Today we’ll check out and drive south for about an hour to visit the Shrine of Pompeii, “La Madonna del Rosario,” one of Italy’s most popular pilgrimage sites. Here, we’ll see the iconic image of Our Lady of the Rosary, featuring the Virgin Mary on a throne with Jesus, presenting rosaries to St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena. We’ll celebrate Mass and then break for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll meet our local guide for a tour of Pompeii, the ancient city famously preserved by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Walking through Pompei’s remarkably preserved streets offers a rare glimpse into 1st-century Roman life. We’ll then continue with a one-hour drive to Sorrento, where we’ll check in to our hotel. Enjoy leisure time exploring Limonoro, Sorrento’s main pedestrian street, known for its shops and limoncello. Dinner is on your own, followed by an overnight stay in Sorrento.

After breakfast, we’ll depart Sorrento by minibuses to Positano, known as the "Pearl of the Amalfi Coast." This charming town feels like a painting, with the green hills, pastel Mediterranean houses, silver pebbly beaches, and deep blue sea. We’ll have some time to explore before continuing by boat to Amalfi for a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Cathedral of St. Andrew to see the saint's relics and the crypt where he is buried. This region, known as the Citrus Coast, is famed for its abundance of lemon and orange trees. A short boat ride takes us to the village of Maiori, and we’ll return to Sorrento by bus for dinner and an overnight stay.

We’ll start the day with a four-hour bus ride to San Giovanni Rotondo, where we’ll check in to our hotel. This afternoon, we’ll focus on the life and work of Saint Padre Pio, visiting his tomb, cell, confessional, and the Capuchin Monastery of Our Lady of Grace, where we’ll celebrate Mass. We’ll also visit the new Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Home for the Relief of the Suffering. After some leisure time, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we’ll check out and head to Assisi, with a stop in Agnone, the city of San Francesco Caracciolo, the patron saint of Italian chefs. He came to Agnone in 1608 at the invitation of the St. Philip Neri friars and passed away there shortly after. We’ll visit the room where he died. After a lunch break, we’ll continue to Loreto to visit the Holy House of Nazareth. Tradition holds that the house was miraculously transported by angels, though some believe it was moved by human hands with divine guidance. We’ll celebrate Mass and tour the shrine before driving on to Assisi. Check-in, dinner, and overnight at the hotel.

We'll transfer to the Basilica of St. Francis to celebrate Mass at his tomb. Following Mass, a guided tour will take us through the two-level Basilica, with its 13th and 14th-century stained glass and frescoes by Giotto depicting the life of St. Francis. Next, we’ll visit the Basilica of St. Clare, where we’ll see her remains and the miraculous Crucifix. After an independent lunch and some free time, we’ll visit the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, known as the "cyber apostle of the Eucharist," to reflect on his life and legacy. Then, we’ll proceed to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which houses the Porziuncola Chapel and the spot where St. Francis passed away. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Depart the hotel for a 2.5-hour drive to Siena. We’ll visit St. Dominic Church, where we’ll see the relics of St. Catherine, the patron saint of Italy, and celebrate Mass. Enjoy free time to explore the famous Piazza del Campo, known for its horse races. If time allows, you may choose an optional visit to the Duomo of Siena, celebrated for the beauty of its richly decorated interiors. Return to the hotel in Assisi for dinner and overnight.

We depart Assisi early in the morning, driving approximately two hours to Orvieto. Here, we’ll visit the Gothic Cathedral, built to hold the holy relics of the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto—the event that led to the Feast of Corpus Christi and inspired St. Thomas Aquinas to compose the hymn “Tantum Ergo.” After lunch, we continue to Castel Gandolfo, where we will enjoy a farewell dinner at a hotel overlooking the lake.

At agreed time, a group transfer to Rome International airport to catch our flights back home.