Depart for Mass in English at the Divine Mercy Church in Rome, the Basilica of Santo Spirito. Afterward, we will take a 3-minute walk to St. Peter’s Piazza to pray the Angelus with Pope Francis.  

Lunch will be at another favorite restaurant near the Vatican before we take taxis to the Trastevere section of Rome, where the early Christians lived and prayed. In Trastevere, we will visit several churches, including the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, the Basilica of St. Cecilia and the medieval-era church where St. Francis himself stayed in Rome.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Included

A 1-hour 30-minute train ride will take us to the Florence train station, which is only a 10-minute walk to the beautiful and iconic Duomo of Florence, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Our friend and one of the best guides of Florence will take us on a journey through the lovely and vibrant Florentine streets.  We will stop at several Churches along the way as we stroll through the lively Christmas markets and the lovingly crafted nativity scenes for which Florence is noted.  

For lunch, we’ll dine at a Tuscan restaurant where every item on their menu is delicious! Lunch will be delicious Tuscan food – order off the menu!  Back in Rome in time for dinner on your own.

Breakfast and Lunch Included.

Today, after a free morning and early afternoon to spend at your leisure, we attend Christmas Eve Mass in the Basilica of St. Peter with Pope Francis, when he will open the Holy Door — beginning the great Jubilee Year of Hope! Today, lunch and dinner will be on your own.

Breakfast included.

Today, we celebrate the great feast day, the Nativity of Our Lord.  We begin with Mass in English at the Divine Mercy Church in Rome, the Basilica of Santo Spirito. Afterward, we will take a 3-minute walk to St. Peter’s Piazza to listen to Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi message and blessing.  

Christmas Lunch will be at another favorite restaurant near the Vatican. In the afternoon, we taxi to the Spanish Steps to begin our stroll through Baroque Rome’s beautiful Christmas markets, stopping along the way at the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the church where Mary appeared in the 1800s. Dinner will be along our walk.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Today, we begin with Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where we will venerate the holy relic of the manger in which the infant Christ slept. In this area of Rome, there are many important churches that we will visit – the “first” Vatican where Peter lived for 7 years, the church where the holy icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is located, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and the nearby Holy Stairs, and the Church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Private Mass at the tomb of St. Peter will begin our day. From St. Peter’s we will leave to spend the day in the footsteps of St. Paul at the Basilica St. Paul Outside the Wall and Tre Fontane, the churches built over the site of Paul’s execution and imprisonment. Our Lady appeared very near these historic churches and we will experience the peace and grace of this area.  A tour of the catacombs and a walk on the Appian Way end our day.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Our private drivers will take you to the airport after breakfast and, if time permits, Mass in the Basilica of St. Peter.