Gubbins Catholic Italy Pilgrimage 11 days

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Created: 12.08.2015

Tuesday, April 5 - Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ??? Today we depart Montreal airport to connect with our overnight flight to Venice aboard a wide-bodied jet. We are served complimentary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Wednesday, April 6 - Day 2 - VENICE ??? Today, we arrival in Venice after clearing customs, our Tour Director will meet us and we transfer to our hotel in the nearby Mestre area.  The balance of the day is at our leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.   Thursday, April 7 - Day 3 - VENICE - Venice, the Queen of the Cities!  The glories that are Venice have attracted Byron, Goethe, Wagner, Shakespeare and now - you!  Following Mass in one of her beautiful churches, we start our walking tour. We begin with the splendid Piazza San Marco and the incredibly rich Byzantine Basilica of San Marco.  We marvel at the intricate network of elegant squares lined with stately Renaissance villas and palaces.  This afternoon, we are free for shopping, personal adventure or an optional romantic gondola ride through the inner canals of Venice.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Friday, April 8 - Day 4 ??? VENICE/MONTECATINI TERME - This morning, we depart Venice for our journey to Tuscany.  On our scenic drive through this beautiful countryside, we stop at Padua, we celebrate Mass and enjoy a tour of the Basilica of St. Anthony  we  view the largest bronze work of Donatello.  Afterwards we continue to Montecatini Terme a delightful nearby spa town of Florence.  After dinner at our hotel we can stroll through the streets of this charming town. Overnight at our hotel. Saturday, April 9 - Day 5 - FLORENCE - This morning, we start with Mass at a delightful local parish church here in Montecatini Terme.  Continued with a drive to Florence The Jewel of the Renaissance. Our walking tour begins with a visit to the Duomo, the heart of the city with its cupola by Brunelleschi, completed in 1240. Once outside we admire the Campanile by Giotto and view the incomparable bronze doors of the Baptistery with by Ghiberti.  Next we visit the Medici Chapel in the church of San Lorenzo, to see the tombs designed and executed by Michelangelo. Afterwards, we set out to the Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio and its embattlement crowned tower. Across from the Palace, we visit the Loggia dei Lanzi with the statues of the Perseus by Cellini; Giambologna's the ???Rape of the Sabines??? and ???Hercules???. Free time for lunch on our own, before we visit the Basilica of Santa Croce. Among the most famous interred here, lay Galileo, Rossini, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Some free time to explore on our own, before we proceed to Piazzale Michelangelo for a panoramic view of this magnificent city. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Sunday, April 10 ??? Day 6 - FLORENCE/SIENA/ ASSISI - Today we journey through the Italian countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets converging on the famous Piazza del Campo. We celebrate Mass at the Dominican Church that commemorates St. Catherine.  We next enjoy a delightful wine tasting and light lunch at a Tuscan winery.  Afterwards, we continue south through Umbria to Assisi. Our first stop is in the lower town for a visit to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, and the Portiuncula, Francis' Church of the Little Portion.  We then proceed to the hilltop village of Assisi, the home of Saint Francis for dinner and overnight. Monday, April 11 - Day 7 - ASSISI - This morning, we begin at the Basilica of St. Francesco with Mass. After our visit of the Basilica and the tomb of St. Francis, we begin our walking tour of the village. We visit the Church of St. Clare to view the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis. We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, we can enjoy this picturesque hillside village on our own. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Tuesday, April 12 - DAY 8 - ASSISI/ORVIETO/ROME - Following an early morning departure from Assisi we travel south through the Umbrian countryside. We stop at Orvieto for a visit and Mass at the breathtaking Cathedral, which is known as the jewel of Italian architecture.  Inside the Cathedral is the Chapel of the Corporal, which houses the chalice cloth, involved in the Eucharistic Miracle, which occurred in nearby Bolsena. In the 13th century a pilgrim priest named Peter of Prague was celebrating Mass at the crypt of St. Christina.  He was having a faith crisis concerning the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and while speaking the words of the consecration, blood started to drip from the consecrated Host.  Subsequently Pope Urban instituted The Feast of Corpus Christi.  Afterwards we continue to Rome for dinner and overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, April 13 - Day 9 - ROME ??? This morning, we make our way to St. Peter's for an audience with Pope Francis if he is in residence. Some free time to explore on our own, before we continue with a visit the Holy Stairs and pass through the Holy Doors of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.  We will then walk to the wonderful Fountain of Trevi before we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  MASS AT ST. JOHN LATERAN. Thursday, April 14 - Day 10 - ROME ??? This morning, we enter St. Peters through the Holy Doors and we celebrate Mass below the Basilica, we than continue with a visit to the treasures of the Vatican Museum.  We marvel at Michelangelo???s restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the wonders of St. Peter???s.  This afternoon, we continue our tour of Rome???s sites. We start by passing through the Holy Doors of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, then on to the nearby Church of St. Peter in Chains to view Michelangelo's possibly most celebrated sculpture, the "Moses." Dinner and overnight at our hotel.   Friday, April 15 - Day 11 - ROME ??? This morning we pass by Roman Fora passing the Arch of Constantine and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ending with a visit of the Coliseum.  Following lunch on our own, we continue to St. Paul Outside the Walls where we pass through the last of the Holy Doors of the Basilica???s of Rome. This huge, imposing Basilica, second only to St. Peter???s and one of the largest churches in the Christian world contains an unusual gallery of papal portraits: 265 tablets portraying the popes of the past. We conclude our day at one of the Catacombs, burial place of early Christians.  We view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings.  Finally, we celebrate Mass at CASA SANTA MARIA before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Saturday, April 16 - Day 12 - ROME FREE DAY - Following morning Mass at the hotel or at a nearby church, today is ours for shopping, personal adventure, or optional excursions to Pompeii, Sorrento, Naples or the Isle of Capri. Tonight we have the opportunity to explore the culinary delights of Rome as dinner is on our own.  Overnight at our hotel. Sunday, April 17 - Day 13 - USA ??? Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.