To receive a plenary indulgence for your Italy pilgrimage, each pilgrim must pass through the doors of four major basilicas in Rome:

St. Peter's Basilica
St. Mary Major
St. John Lateran
St  Paul Outside the Walls

At each Church, in Rome the pilgrim is to say the Lord’s Prayer, Rosary and Glory Be to the Father.  By completing these holy acts, each pilgrim visiting the Holy Land in the Jubilee Year will receive a plenary indulgence.

The Holy Shroud of Turin will be on display only August 26 through October 26 in 2,000.   Book now for two nights in Turin as a Pre-Tour Option for $469.  Special departure dates will be added prior to the Classic Italy Pilgrimage. 

Day 2 Milan - Verona - Padua
Early morning arrival at Milan's Malpensa Airport, where we will take a short tour of Milan. Next we are off to Padua via Verona, the setting for Romeo and Juliet.  Afternoon arrival in Padua, you will visit the home of St Anthony, patron saint of things lost. Celebrate Mass at the Basilica built in his honor. Associated with many miracles, St. Anthony was renown for his passion for preaching.  Housed in the Basiclica are his tongue and vocal cords which were discovered incorrupt, although his body disintegrated after death. See the artistry of Donatello and his magnificent bronze works.  Dinner and overnight. 

Day 3 Padua / Excursion to Venice 
After breakfast we embark on a day trip to magnificent Venice, only 25 miles from Padua.  Enjoy this charming city built atop 118 tiny islands without streets, crisscrossed by 160 canals and linked by 400 footbridges.  Your guide will show you all the sights: the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Square and the Basilica built to house the saint’s remains, Palace of the Doges, the Bridge of Sighs and the prison which held Casanova. Sip an espresso at the outdoor cafes lining Piazza San Marco.  Stroll through the most unique city in the world, or take an optional gondola ride. Return to Padua in time for dinner and overnight. 

Day 4 Padua - Pisa - Florence 
After breakfast we leave Padua, heading south through the Apennines Mountains to Pisa.  See the instantly recognizable landmark, still standing after 700 years, the Leaning Tower.  A brief drive through the scenic Tuscany countryside and we arrive in Florence.  A paradise for art lovers, Florence is home to Michelangelo’s exquisite “David”.  Dante, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelango and many others were drawn to this region, rich with inspiration and culture.  Dinner and overnight. 

Day 5 Florence
After Mass, our tour of Florence includes the Academy of Fine Arts containing manifold treasures, the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo, a magnificent dome created by Brunelleschi.  You will be awed by the celebrated bronze doors entitled “Gates of  Paradise”, at the Baptistery.  This afternoon is free to explore this extraordinary city with its unparalleled displays of artistic genius. Dinner and overnight. 

Day 6 Florence - Siena -  Assisi
Depart from Florence for Siena, Italy’s loveliest medieval city was home to St. Catherine and St. Bernardine.  Here we will stroll the Piazza del Campo, one of Italy's finest squares. Celebrate Mass at the Cathedral.  Visit the Basilica of St. Francis, containing the miraculous consecrated hosts that have remained completely intact since 1730.  View the incorrupt head of St. Catherine, the mystical bride of Christ, at St. Dominic’s Basilica.   Later we drive through the panoramic Umbria region to the pilgrimage center of Assisi, where St Francis tended the poor and sick and founded the Franciscan order.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
 
Day 7 Assisi
Breakfast, then we celebrate Mass at the tomb of St Francis.  Explore the quaint hilltop birthplace of St Francis which still retains an unspoiled quality similar to the early 1200’s when he began his ministry.  Contained within the huge 13th-century Basilica are many of his possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. You may kneel before the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St. Francis, asking him to rebuild His church.  It was St Mary of the Angels Basilica, where St Francis spent most of his life. Here we visit the Chapel, Portiuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Stroll the medieval streets of the compact little town. After stopping at an outdoor cafe with a view of an ancient Roman temple, we go to the Church of St Clare to see the saint's incorrupt body.  The foundress of the Order of Poor Clare’s followed the teachings of St. Francis and lived life in poverty and humility.  Dinner and overnight in Assisi. 

Day 8 Assisi - Rome
After breakfast we travel south to the Amalfi Coast, one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.   We arrive in the historic city of Rome.  You have the afternoon to check into your hotel, walk to the city’s center, past numerous fountains ending at the famed Spanish Steps.  You may wish to stop at an outdoor cafe for an espresso before retiring for the evening.  Dinner and overnight. 

Day 9 Rome
Breakfast, then we begin our tour of the Eternal City of Rome with Mass at St Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world.  We will tour three major Basilicas: St Mary Major, this is one of the oldest shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, after she appeared to Pope Liberius in 358 requesting a church be built in her honor.  This shrine contains a relic from the manger where the infant Jesus was laid.  The Basilica of the St John in Lateran, the former residence of all the popes prior to their return to Rome in 1377.  Five ecumenical councils were held in this cathedral housing the remains of 4 saints.  St Paul Outside the Walls, which houses the remains of St. Paul under the main altar.  Many relics are displayed, along with the chains that once bound the apostle while a prisoner in Rome. We  will also see the ancient Baths of Caracalla, Arch of Drusus, Chapel "O'Domine Quo Vadis?", the remains of imperial tombs, Tomb of Celilia Metella, and the Catacombs of St Callixtus where the early Christians hid themselves to escape persecution.  The afternoon is at your leisure to relax or stroll along the charming streets of Rome. 

Day 10 Rome (Papal Audience at the Vatican)
After breakfast we go to Vatican City and attend the weekly Papal Audience and Blessing given by His Holiness, John Paul II.  Visit St Peter’s Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter was martyred.  This largest religious temple in the world has housed 264 popes.  Unsurpassed in beauty, importance and history, pilgrims from around the world are welcome to the most grandiose, sacred church in the world.  View historical treasures such as a piece of the true cross, the lance that pierced Christ’s side and numerous papal tombs.  Michelangelo’s mural of the Last Judgment restored on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is considered one of Michelangelo's greatest masterpieces, in addition to his Pieta and 4 mighty piers supporting the magnificent dome. In the afternoon take time to visit the Vatican Garden, Library and Museum to see the awe-inspiring relics and works of art donated throughout centuries as tributes of faith. Dinner and overnight in Rome. 

Day 11 Rome - USA 
Depart Rome for our return flight to the USA.  Filled with cherished memories, we fondly say, Arrivederci Roma! 
 

Your Trip Includes: 
   Round-trip flight from New York to Italy
   9 nights hotel accommodations at 3 star hotels or similar: 
  2 nights:  Hotel Biri, Padua 
  2 nights:  Hotel Mediterraneo, Florence 
  2 nights:  Hotel Giotto, Assisi 
  3 nights:  Hotel Michelangelo, Rome 
   Breakfast and dinner daily
   Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach
   Guided tours and admission fees
   Hotel taxes and service charges
   Mass daily
   Papal Audience
   All baggage handling
   Flight bag and portfolio of travel documents

Not Included:  Lunches. Airport tax of $85. Travel insurance at $99. Tips to your guide & driver ($5 daily) .Items of personal nature. 

Post-Tour Optional Trip:  2 extra nights in Rome for $399 includes excursions to Pompei and Sorrento.

SHROUD OF TURIN WILL BE ON DISPLAY August 26 through October 26, 2000. SPECIAL DEPARTURE DATES PRE-TOUR OPTION:  2 NIGHTS IN TURIN $699 single supplement $149

Single supplement
Land only

$449
$1,799