Religious Tour of ITALY • Vatican – Pietralcina – S. Giovanni Rotondo – Assisi – Padua
Highlights
Featuring: ROME – VATICAN – NAPLES – PIETRALCINA – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – LORETO – ASSISI – SIENA – FLORENCE – PADUA
- Discover the religious side of Rome and Vatican City
- Visit Pietralcina, the place of birth of Saint Pio
- Enjoy Assisi where St Francis lived and prayed
- Walk across the Medieval streets of Siena
- Explore the University of Padua
Included
- Individual / FIT & Groups suggested Tour
- Accommodation at Ignas Tour’s Selected Hotels
- Transportation by Private Bus/Minibus/Car *
- Official Tour Guides during the City Tours *
- Entrance Tickets and Food & Wine Tastings *
* (according to the program – if mentioned)
from € 520
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
| Day 1: ROME Arrival, transfer from airport to hotel. Accommodation. Overnight. Meals: / |
| Day 2: ROME – VATICAN CITY – ROME Breakfast and be ready to attend the Papal Audience (only on Wednesdays) – subject to availability, to have the opportunity to see the Pope and receive the Papal Blessing. Later continue to St. Paul outside the Walls, burial place of St. Paul the Apostle and one of Rome’s four major Papal basilicas, along with St Jogn Lateran Basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century. Lunch on your own to taste local specialties. Afterwards visit the Papal sanctuary of the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), transported from Jerusalem to Rome around 326 AD by St. Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mother. These 28 marble steps are traditionally ascended in a kneeling position with a prayer recital dedicated to Jesus Christ. In the late afternoon explore the Ancient Rome with the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. * in alternative to Papal Blessing, enjoy the visit of the Vatican Museums & Sixtine Chapel ** upon request we can organise also private mass at local churches Meals: B |
| Day 3: ROME – CASTEL GANDOLFO – NAPLES Breakfast and departure to Castelgandolfo, a town which is home to numerous gems including the Pope’s summer residence and the Collegiate Church of St Thomas of Villanova. Here visit the Papal Summer Residence and the Gardens. Visit the rooms that have been occupied by many popes over the centuries and enjoy the opportunity to reflect and meditate in quiet and relaxing surroundings. Lunch on your own to taste local specialties. In the afternoon continue to Naples. Admire many famous monuments like the Maschio Angioino, the San Carlo Theater, Piazza del Plebiscito with the cathedral and the Royal Palace and Galleria Umberto. Continue to the center of Naples with San Severo’s Chapel, where a marvelous work of great charm is preserved: the Cristo Velato of Giuseppe Sanmartino. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 4: NAPLES – PIETRALCINA – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO Breakfast and departure to Pietralcina. Here you will admire the Capuchin Fathers Church, built by express wish of Padre Pio between 1926 and 1951, the parish church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where Padre Pio celebrated his first mass on August 14, 1910, and the ancient village, with the Torretta, the birthplace, the kitchen and the church of Sant’Anna. Lunch on your own to taste local specialties. In the afternoon continue to San Giovanni Rotondo. Here visit to the places where Saint Pio of Pietrelcina lived and worked: the Ancient Church and the New Church, both dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie, the crypt with the relics of Saint Pio, the Cella and the Crucifix of the Stigmata. Continue then to visit the church of San Pio, the work of the architect Renzo Piano, and the new tomb of San Pio, which since April 14, 2010 have kept the precious remains of the saint. The new crypt of the monumental mosaics by Father Rupnik adorn the new crypt. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 5: SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – LORETO – ASSISI Breakfast and departure to Loreto. Here visit the main attraction for visitors to Loreto – pilgrims or otherwise – the imposing basilica and fortress complex which also includes the museum and the Holy House of the Virgin Mary. The town attracts several million visitors each year, including four million pilgrims, because of the story that the house of Mary – the Santa Casa – was flown here from the Holy Land by a group of angels in 1293. From late spring until autumn trains packed with pilgrims, the sick and the needy arrive in Loreto to attend mass which is held both inside and outside the cathedral. The interior of the basilica is very important because it is decorated by the works and frescoes of the most renowned painters of the time. The “Holy House of Mary” is a work of immense artistic value as well as religious, being clad with white marble to a design by Bramante (1444-1514). Lunch on your own to taste local specialties. In the afternoon continue to Assisi. Welcome to this delightful medieval town, with flower-hung streets, lovely views over the Umbrian countryside and fountain-splashed piazzas, famous for a single event – the birth of Francis, the most revered saint in Italy. The Basilica, begun two years after the death of the saint in 1228, becoming one of the most beautiful shrines in the Christian world. It is composed of two churches and a crypt housing the Saint’s tomb. The lower Basilica was decorated by the greatest painters of the 13th and 14th century: Cimabue, Giotto, the Lorenzetti brothers, and Simone Martini. The upper Basilica is adorned by Giotto’s frescoes illustrating the life of St Francis. The visit continues with the Piazza del Comune, taking us back in time with its mansions dating back to the Middle Ages, and the Basilica of St Clare, the founder of the Poor Clares and buried in the church where the crucifix that spoke to St Francis is still conserved. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 6: ASSISI – SIENA – FLORENCE Breakfast and departure to Siena. Walk through the city’s history and local culture strolling the streets lined with medieval and Renaissance palaces to the Piazza del Campo, where the famous Palio horse race is held twice a year. We will visit the outstanding cathedral, a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque Gothic architecture. Built in black and white marble it boasts works by Donatello, Pinturicchio, Michelangelo and others. Explore also the Sanctuary of St. Catherine, which was home to one of the greatest female mystics who ever lived. Having had her first mystical experience at the age of 6, St. Catherine was graced with many spiritual gifts, including the stigmata. She also helped convince Pope Gregory XI to return to the papacy to Rome. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon continue to Florence. Start your visit in Piazza del Duomo in the heart of Florence. Here, the majestic Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, presides with its famous cupola or dome by Brunelleschi, but don’t forget to also admire the Baptistery with its bronze Gates of Paradise and Giotto’s very tall bell tower. Continue your walk by taking via dei Calzaiuoli (the street by the bell tower) to reach the magnificent Piazza della Signoria, center of Florence’s political power for centuries. Here is the grand Palazzo Vecchio, headquarters of the city government as well as a city museum. To the right of Palazzo Vecchio, you can admire the beautiful Loggia dei Lanzi where wonderful statues such as the Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini and the Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna are on display, and in the piazza itself admire Neptune’s Fountain by Ammannati and the equestrian statue of Cosimo I by Giambologna. On your way along Via Calzaiuoli, you can admire the square architectural structure of the church of Orsanmichele and the many statues that adorn its sides by great artists such as Donatello, Ghiberti and Verrocchio. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 7: FLORENCE – PADUA – VENICE Breakfast and departure to Padua, city with a rich historical, architectural and artistic heritage. Explore the University of Padua housed in the Palazzo Bo, one of the oldest Italian universities, Chiesa degli Eremitani with frescoes by Mantegna, Scuola del Santo with frescos by Titian, Palazzo della Regione, rebuilt to Michaelangelo’s design and with the largest suspended room of the world, the historic Café Pedrocchi, a symbol of the 19th Century Padua, and Saint Anthony Basilica with Mantegna’s works and Donatello’s magnificent reliefs. Lunch on your own to taste local specialties. In the afternoon explore Venice. Begin your tour of Venice in St. Mark’s Square. Home to the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, Bell Tower and Doge’s Palace, this is the biggest piazza (public square) in Venice. Admire then St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the most visited landmarks in Venice. You will learn why it’s called “the Church of Gold”. Just a few minutes away from St. Mark’s Square is the Rialto Bridge, as much a symbol of Venice as St. Mark’s Basilica. Initially built from old boats, the unstable bridge was rebuilt in 1500. On one side of the bridge is the Rialto Market in the Rialto neighborhood, a place that’s been satisfying appetites for seven centuries. The oldest of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge features a 24-foot tall arch. Providing access to the district, the Rialto Bridge enables Venetians to carry on their business in the area. Dinner on your own. Back to your hotel and overnight. Meals: B |
| Day 8: VENICE Breakfast and departure to Venice Aiport. Meals: B |
* The itinerary is on request and rates are subject to the availability of the hotels at the time of booking.
Prices are subject to change if travel occur during trade shows, bank holidays or special events and supplements may be applied.
Included Features
- Accommodation in Ignas Tour’s selected Hotels
- Itinerary Car, Minibus or Bus for the Itinerary (all included)
- Full Day Tour Guide in Rome (3h +3h)
- Entrance Fee – Colosseum
- Half Day Tour Guide in Castel Gandolfo (3h)
- Entrance Fee – Barberini Garden
- Half Day Tour Guide in Pietralcina (3h)
- Half Day Tour Guide San Giovanni Rotondo (3h)
- Half Day Tour Guide in Assisi (3h)
- Entrance Fee – Basilica of Saint Francis (close on Sundays)
- Half Day Tour Guide in Padua (3h)
- Entrance Fee – Scrovegni’s Chapel
Not Included
- City Taxes – to be paid on spot
- Extra Tips
- Extra Expenses
- Everything not listed under “INCLUDED”
Ignas Tour Hotel Collection
| BUDGET | STANDARD | DELUXE | PREMIUM | |||
| 3* Hotels • City Area | 3* Hotels • City Center | 4* Hotels • City Area | 4* Hotels • City Center | |||
| Day 1 | Rome | Embassy Park Hotel *** | Casa Tra Noi *** | Hotel Fleming **** | Casa San Juan de Avila **** | or Similar |
| Day 2 | Rome | Embassy Park Hotel *** | Casa Tra Noi *** | Hotel Fleming **** | Casa San Juan de Avila **** | or Similar |
| Day 3 | Naples | Hotel Green Park *** | Napoli Centrale Hotel *** | Hotel Ferdinando II **** | Ramada by Wyngham Naples **** | or Similar |
| Day 4 | S. Giovanni Rotondo | Hotel Garden *** | Hotel Pegaso *** | Malucri Resort **** | Hotel Centro di Spiritualità **** | or Similar |
| Day 5 | Assisi | Hotel Vega *** | Hotel Le Grazie *** | Ripa Relais Colle del Sole **** | Hotel Cristallo Assisi **** | or Similar |
| Day 6 | Florence | Auto Park Hotel *** | Hotel Ariele *** | Hotel Delta Florence **** | IH Firenze Business **** | or Similar |
| Day 7 | Venice | Venice Hotel Villa Dori *** | Hotel Mondial *** | Hotel Venice Palace **** | Hotel Russott **** | or Similar |
| Day 8 | / | / | / | / | / |
Prices
| Low Season: Jan – Jul – Aug – Dec | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 520,00 | € 580,00 | € 695,00 | € 1.080,00 | + € 140,00 | + € 150,00 | + € 300,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 535,00 | € 590,00 | € 705,00 | € 1.105,00 | + € 155,00 | + € 150,00 | + €300,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 550,00 | € 600,00 | € 725,00 | € 1.120,00 | + € 180,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 600,00 | € 630,00 | € 745,00 | € 1.160,00 | + € 210,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
| Mid Season: Feb – Mar – Oct – Nov | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 540,00 | € 600,00 | € 715,00 | € 1.115,00 | + € 140,00 | + € 150,00 | + € 300,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 570,00 | € 620,00 | € 730,00 | € 1.130,00 | + € 155,00 | + € 150,00 | + €300,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 590,00 | € 640,00 | € 750,00 | € 1.155,00 | + € 180,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 620,00 | € 670,00 | € 780,00 | € 1.190,00 | + € 210,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
| High Season: Apr – May – Jun – Sep | 40 pax | 30 pax | 20 pax | 10 pax | Suppl. SGL | Suppl. HB (*) | Suppl. FB (*) |
| BUDGET 3* Hotels • Area | € 560,00 | € 620,00 | € 730,00 | € 1.130,00 | + € 140,00 | + € 150,00 | + € 300,00 |
| STANDARD 3* Hotels • Center | € 575,00 | € 635,00 | € 750,00 | € 1.145,00 | + € 155,00 | + € 150,00 | + €300,00 |
| DELUXE 4* Hotels • Area | € 600,00 | € 650,00 | € 775,00 | € 1.160,00 | + € 180,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
| PREMIUM 4* Hotels • Center | € 640,00 | € 700,00 | € 805,00 | € 1.200,00 | + € 210,00 | + € 200,00 | + € 400,00 |
Rates are Commissionable to Travel Agencies & Tour Operators
Rates Per Person / Per Package in 1/2 DBL Room / BB
Upgrades & Supplements on the BASIS PACKAGE rates – Rates Per Person / Per Package
Free Of Charge 1/21 Paying Pax (1st in SGL, 2nd in ½ DBL)
(*) Suppl. HB & FB – 3-Course Menu(s) – Drinks are not included
** also available “without Transportation” option