An 11-day Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Italy

September 28, 2026 – Monday
WASHINGTON D.C. / ITALY
Today we gather at Washington’s Dulles International Airport for our connecting flight to Italy. Meals are served on board our transatlantic flight.

September 29, 2026 – Tuesday
MILAN / PADUA
Today we arrive in Milan and are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour manager who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We depart the airport and arrive for a visit to Milan’s beautiful Cathedral, or “Duomo”, where Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine. Following Mass at the Basilica of San Carlo al Corso, we depart for Padua, the home of Saint Anthony, where he centered his preaching mission. We arrive at our hotel for dinner and overnight in Padua.

September 30, 2026 – Wednesday
PADUA / FLORENCE / PISTOIA
This morning we will visit and celebrate Mass at Saint Anthony’s Basilica, where we will see the tomb of St. Anthony. Following our Mass, we depart for the Tuscany region of Italy and the center of the Renaissance. Upon our arrival and following free time for lunch, we enjoy a guided tour of Florence’s main sights, including the Cathedral with its magnificent Dome by Brunelleschi, Giotto’s elegant belfry and the Baptistery with Ghiberti’s Gate to Paradise. Dinner and overnight outside Florence in Pistoia.

October 1, 2026 – Thursday
PISTOIA / FLORENCE
Our day begins with a visit and celebration of Mass at the Basilica di Santa Croce. Here we will see the tombs of several renowned figures, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. We will next visit Florence’s famous Uffizi Gallery, housing one of the world’s most celebrated collections of art, featuring iconic works that shaped the Italian Renaissance. Following our visit to the Uffizi Gallery, the remainder of our day is free for personal exploration of Florence. We return to Pistoia for dinner and overnight.

October 2, 2026 – Friday
FLORENCE / SIENA / ASSISI
This morning we drive to Siena, the quiet hometown of St. Catherine, second only to Florence in its contribution to the Renaissance. Here we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of San Domenico, followed by a visit to the Church of the Crucifix to see the Cross where Saint Catherine received the stigmata. Following free time for lunch in Piazza del Campo, we enjoy a guided tour of the historic center of Siena, including a visit to Siena’s magnificent dark-green and white striped Cathedral. Late afternoon we continue onto Assisi, the birthplace of the gentlest of saints, Saint Francis. We arrive at our hotel in Assisi for dinner and overnight.

October 3, 2026 – Saturday
ASSISI
Today we enjoy a full day in the medieval town of Assisi. We begin our day with a visit to the Lower Basilica of St. Francis. From here, we will arrive at the Church of St. Mary Major to view the body of the Church’s newest saint; Saint Carlo Acutis, who was canonized last year. We will next pay a visit to the Basilica of Saint Clare, Francis’ friend and foundress of the Poor Clare nuns, and see the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis in San Damiano. Following free time for lunch and shopping in Assisi’s historic center, we will visit the Cathedral of San Rufino, where both St. Francis & St. Clare were baptized. From here, we journey to San Damiano to pray in the place where Francis wrote the “Canticle of the Sun”. Our day concludes with a visit and celebration of Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built to enclose the tiny Church of the Porziuncola, Saint Francis’ place of prayer and where he consecrated Clare as the Bride of Christ. Following Mass, we return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

October 4, 2026 – Sunday (Feast of Saint Francis)
ASSISI / ROME
This morning we bid farewell to Assisi and drive to the Eternal City of Rome. Upon our arrival, we will visit to the first of the four major basilicas of Rome, the wonderful Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, where the Apostle is buried. Here we will explore the basilica’s beautiful grounds before continuing onto the ancient Catacombs of St. Calixtus, passing by the ancient Appian Way, the traditional pilgrims’ route followed by Peter and Paul. Following our tour of the Catacombs, we pause for our own celebration of Mass. We will also visit Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Church of the Holy Cross), which house pieces of the True Cross. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

October 5, 2026 – Monday
ROME
Today we embark on a day’s worth of sightseeing beginning with a drive to Capitoline Hill, where we will enjoy a view of the ancient Roman Forum and see the Arch of Septimius Severus and the Arch of Titus. Next, we see the Caracalla Baths and the Circus Maximus before we stop for some free time outside the famous Colosseum and an opportunity for some picture taking. We will next visit another of Rome’s major basilicas, Saint Mary Major, the most important church in the world devoted to Our Lady. We celebrate Mass where Mass has been celebrated every day since the 5th century. Following Mass, we will visit the beautiful Church of Santa Prassede, which houses a piece of The Column of the Flagellation, where Jesus was scourged before his Crucifixion. Following dinner at our hotel, we enjoy a panoramic tour of ” Rome by night”, including a walk to see the world famous Trevi Fountain. Overnight in Rome.

October 6, 2026 – Tuesday
ROME
Our day begins with a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica for our celebration of Mass. Following Mass, we will visit the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, where in 1994 Saint John Paul II appointed the church as the Divine Mercy Spiritual Centre. We will next enjoy free time near Piazza Navona and then we will visit the world-famous Pantheon. In the afternoon we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The church houses the tombs of Saint Catherine of Siena and the great early Renaissance painter Fra Angelico. From here we arrive for a visit to the Church of the Gesu’, mother church of the Jesuit Order, which contains the remains of its founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Following free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral church where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. As we enter, we will see its impressive statues of each of the Apostles. From here we cross the street to visit the church of the Scala Santa. Here we see the Holy Staircase of 28 marble steps (now covered in wood) which is believed to be a staircase from Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by Saint Helen in the 4th century. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

October 7, 2026 – Wednesday
ROME – Papal Audience
This morning we arrive at the Vatican for an Audience with the Holy Father. Following our time with Pope Leo XIV, we enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, where we see a young Michelangelo’s wonderful Pieta followed by a visit to the Tombs of the Popes in the Vatican Grottoes. Later in the afternoon, we will visit the Vatican Museums, culminating with a visit to Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. Our day concludes in Piazza di Spagna to see the Spanish Steps and enjoy free time for shopping. This evening, we enjoy our “farewell dinner” at Ristorante La Carovana. Overnight in Rome.

October 8, 2026 – Thursday
ROME / WASHINGTON D.C.
We rise for breakfast and depart for Leonardo da Vinci Airport to board our return flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.