Miller Italy Pilgrimage 10 days
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Armenia
Austria
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Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
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Estonia
Faroer
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
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Ireland
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Latvia
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Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
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Created: 08.08.2015
Monday, April 4 ??? Annunciation - Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ??? Today we depart Newark???s International airport on our overnight flight to Rome aboard a wide-bodied jet. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Tuesday, April 5 - Day 2 - ROME/TUSCANY /MONTECATINI TERME ??? This morning we arrive in Rome where we are met and board our motor coach for our ride to Tuscany. Following lunch on our own we arrive in the delightful spa town of Montecatini Terme. The balance of the day is at leisure to stroll through the inviting streets of this charming town. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, April 6 - Day 3 - FLORENCE - This morning we drive to Florence where our first stop will be a visit to the Academia Gallery, here we view Michelangelo???s famous ???David???. (OR MEDICI). We continue for Mass and a visit of the Duomo, the heart of the city, here we admire the cupola by Brunelleschi, completed in 1240, its campanile by Giotto. Once outside we view the Baptistery???s with its incomparable bronze doors by Ghiberti. 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, lie Galileo, Rossini, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Some time for shopping or personal adventure, before we drive to the ???Piazzale Michelangelo??? for a panoramic view of this spectacular city. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight. Thursday, April 7 - Day 4 - LUCCA/PISA - Today we travel to Lucca. We???ll visit St. Gemma???s Sanctuary, the Passionist Monastery dedicated to St. Gemma, and see the Saint Gemma Galgani tomb under the alter in a bronze sepulcher. You???ll visit the Giannini family home, where St Gemma lived her last four years. The house now belongs to the St Gemma's Sisters, a congregation founded by Eufemia Giannini, who became a nun and changed her name to Gemma Giannini. See the Duomo di San Martino, Cathedral, where you???ll find the Volto Santo or ???Holy Face??? image of Christ which was miraculously carved by Nicodemus and has been a historic place of pilgrimage for more than 1,000 years. St. Gemma herself visited this shrine often during her life. Next, we drive to nearby Pisa where we celebrate Mass at the Pisa Cathedral, near the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of the most famous towers in the world. Return to Montecatini for dinner and overnight. Friday, April 8 - Day 5 ??? SIENA/SAN GIMIGNANO ??? This morning, we journey through the Italian countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets. After we celebrate Mass at the Dominican Church commemorating St. Catherine, we continue to the famous Piazza del Campo. This shell shaped square is the dramatic setting for the annual Palio bareback horserace. The piazza's focal point is the Palazzo Pubblico, the public palace, which dates back to 1250. We continue uphill to visit the monumental Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Following lunch on our own we continue to San Gimignano the nearby medieval town famous for its tower houses built as a as symbols of the resident???s wealth and power. The town is so precious that UNESCO has declared it a ???World Heritage Site.??? Walking through the Old City means plunging into the Middle Ages and getting a taste of what the city must have been like more than seven hundred years ago. On return to Montecatini Terme, we will enjoy a wine tasting at the famous Dievole Winery. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Saturday, April 9 - Day 6 ??? ASSISI/ROME - This morning we drive south to Assisi, the hilltop home of St. Francis. We begin our walking tour of the village at the Basilica of St. Francesco. We visit the Church of St. Clare to view the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis and celebrate Mass here. We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, following some free time, we continue our journey to Rome for dinner and overnight at our hotel. Sunday, April 10 - DAY 7 - ROME ??? This morning we tour Rome???s sites, we pass by the Roman Fora, the Arch of Constantine and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We enjoy an interior visit of the Coliseum Following free time for lunch we visit the Church of the Holy Stairs and pass through the Holy Doors of the first of our four major Basilicas as we enter the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome. First built in the fourth century. The Basilica was the site of five ecumenical councils between the 12th and 16th centuries. The Popes resided in the Palace from the time of Constantine until 1304 when they moved to Avignon. We enjoy a tour of her treasures before we celebrate Mass here and return to our hotel for overnight. We will be free to enjoy the culinary delights of Rome tonight as dinner is on our own. Monday, April 11 - Day 8 ??? ROME - This morning, we drive to St. Paul Outside the Walls where we pass through our second set of Holy Doors. 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 will celebrate Mass here. We conclude our day at one of the Catacombs, burial place of early Christians. We view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings. This afternoon, we will be free for personal adventure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Tuesday, April 12 - Day 9 ??? ROME - This morning, we begin our day passing through the Holy Doors of St. Peters opened for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. We will celebrate Mass in a chapel beneath the Basilica. Afterwards, we see the treasures of the Vatican Museum. We marvel at Michelangelo's recently restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the wonders of St. Peter's. This afternoon will be free for shopping and personal adventure. Dinner will once again be on our own. Overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, April 13 - Day 10 ??? ROME - This morning, we make our way to St. Peter's for the Audience of Pope Francis if he is in residence. This afternoon we make our way to St. Mary Major, our final patriarchal Basilica of Rome and where we pass through her Holy Doors. This is the first church dedicated to the Blessed Mother first built in the fifth century following the Council of Ephesus. We will celebrate Mass here. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at a local Roman restaurant. Overnight at our hotel. Thursday, April 14 - Day 11 - USA ??? Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.
Monday, April 4 ??? Annunciation - Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ??? Today we depart Newark???s International airport on our overnight flight to Rome aboard a wide-bodied jet. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Tuesday, April 5 - Day 2 - ROME/TUSCANY /MONTECATINI TERME ??? This morning we arrive in Rome where we are met and board our motor coach for our ride to Tuscany. Following lunch on our own we arrive in the delightful spa town of Montecatini Terme. The balance of the day is at leisure to stroll through the inviting streets of this charming town. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, April 6 - Day 3 - FLORENCE - This morning we drive to Florence where our first stop will be a visit to the Academia Gallery, here we view Michelangelo???s famous ???David???. (OR MEDICI). We continue for Mass and a visit of the Duomo, the heart of the city, here we admire the cupola by Brunelleschi, completed in 1240, its campanile by Giotto. Once outside we view the Baptistery???s with its incomparable bronze doors by Ghiberti. 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, lie Galileo, Rossini, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Some time for shopping or personal adventure, before we drive to the ???Piazzale Michelangelo??? for a panoramic view of this spectacular city. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight. Thursday, April 7 - Day 4 - LUCCA/PISA - Today we travel to Lucca. We???ll visit St. Gemma???s Sanctuary, the Passionist Monastery dedicated to St. Gemma, and see the Saint Gemma Galgani tomb under the alter in a bronze sepulcher. You???ll visit the Giannini family home, where St Gemma lived her last four years. The house now belongs to the St Gemma's Sisters, a congregation founded by Eufemia Giannini, who became a nun and changed her name to Gemma Giannini. See the Duomo di San Martino, Cathedral, where you???ll find the Volto Santo or ???Holy Face??? image of Christ which was miraculously carved by Nicodemus and has been a historic place of pilgrimage for more than 1,000 years. St. Gemma herself visited this shrine often during her life. Next, we drive to nearby Pisa where we celebrate Mass at the Pisa Cathedral, near the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of the most famous towers in the world. Return to Montecatini for dinner and overnight. Friday, April 8 - Day 5 ??? SIENA/SAN GIMIGNANO ??? This morning, we journey through the Italian countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets. After we celebrate Mass at the Dominican Church commemorating St. Catherine, we continue to the famous Piazza del Campo. This shell shaped square is the dramatic setting for the annual Palio bareback horserace. The piazza's focal point is the Palazzo Pubblico, the public palace, which dates back to 1250. We continue uphill to visit the monumental Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Following lunch on our own we continue to San Gimignano the nearby medieval town famous for its tower houses built as a as symbols of the resident???s wealth and power. The town is so precious that UNESCO has declared it a ???World Heritage Site.??? Walking through the Old City means plunging into the Middle Ages and getting a taste of what the city must have been like more than seven hundred years ago. On return to Montecatini Terme, we will enjoy a wine tasting at the famous Dievole Winery. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Saturday, April 9 - Day 6 ??? ASSISI/ROME - This morning we drive south to Assisi, the hilltop home of St. Francis. We begin our walking tour of the village at the Basilica of St. Francesco. We visit the Church of St. Clare to view the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis and celebrate Mass here. We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, following some free time, we continue our journey to Rome for dinner and overnight at our hotel. Sunday, April 10 - DAY 7 - ROME ??? This morning we tour Rome???s sites, we pass by the Roman Fora, the Arch of Constantine and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We enjoy an interior visit of the Coliseum Following free time for lunch we visit the Church of the Holy Stairs and pass through the Holy Doors of the first of our four major Basilicas as we enter the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome. First built in the fourth century. The Basilica was the site of five ecumenical councils between the 12th and 16th centuries. The Popes resided in the Palace from the time of Constantine until 1304 when they moved to Avignon. We enjoy a tour of her treasures before we celebrate Mass here and return to our hotel for overnight. We will be free to enjoy the culinary delights of Rome tonight as dinner is on our own. Monday, April 11 - Day 8 ??? ROME - This morning, we drive to St. Paul Outside the Walls where we pass through our second set of Holy Doors. 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 will celebrate Mass here. We conclude our day at one of the Catacombs, burial place of early Christians. We view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings. This afternoon, we will be free for personal adventure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Tuesday, April 12 - Day 9 ??? ROME - This morning, we begin our day passing through the Holy Doors of St. Peters opened for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. We will celebrate Mass in a chapel beneath the Basilica. Afterwards, we see the treasures of the Vatican Museum. We marvel at Michelangelo's recently restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the wonders of St. Peter's. This afternoon will be free for shopping and personal adventure. Dinner will once again be on our own. Overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, April 13 - Day 10 ??? ROME - This morning, we make our way to St. Peter's for the Audience of Pope Francis if he is in residence. This afternoon we make our way to St. Mary Major, our final patriarchal Basilica of Rome and where we pass through her Holy Doors. This is the first church dedicated to the Blessed Mother first built in the fifth century following the Council of Ephesus. We will celebrate Mass here. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at a local Roman restaurant. Overnight at our hotel. Thursday, April 14 - Day 11 - USA ??? Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.
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