Europe Pilgrimage

The Open Bus Hop-On Hop Off Tour in Rome is the best way to explore the city at your own leisure by hopping on and off as you please and see Rome in your own time. This is the new initiative in the Roman tourist market, a tour that offers you the opportunity to move in and around Rome from a fresh perspective and by making use of a very high-level tourist service that is operated with new buses equipped with personalized audio systems able to function in 8 different languages at the same time.

The purpose of this tour is the visit of the Vatican Museums and a large part of the Vatican City, one of the European microstates, situated on the Vatican Hill in the west-central part of Rome, Its borders closely follow the city wall constructed to protect the Pope from outside attack. Leaving the Piazza San Bernardo, adorned by Moses’ Fountain the itinerary will continue passing by Via Bissolati, Via Veneto and the Villa Borghese. After this ample panoramic view, we will visit the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Galleries (lines possible at the entrance). There you will admire the modern entrance built for the Jubilee 2000, the Galleries of the Chandeliers, of the Tapestries and of the Geographical Maps, the Sobiesky Hall and the Immaculate Conception Hall. We will then stop to admire the Sistine Chapel, seat of the Conclave, with the famous frescoes of Michelangelo.

Assisi & St. Francis Basilica from Rome – This is your chance to spend a delightful day out of Rome. Visit Umbria, one of the most picturesque regions of Italy rich in vineyards, olive trees and hill-top villages across the valley. See Assisi, the mystic town of Saint Francis. Still surrounded by its ancient walls, it is built on the green slopes of Mount Subasio with its colourful houses of pink stone. Narrow streets, flower decked balconies and noble palaces provide beautiful views for memorable pictures. An interesting visit to St. Francis Basilica with its early renaissance master-pieces of Giotto and Cimabue and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli will be made. A lunch stop in a local restaurant will also be taken here.

In the afternoon around 1:30 pm a splendid excursion through the fertile and picturesque Tuscan countryside to the historic university city of Pisa, famous for its architectural beauty. Upon arrival in Pisa, guided walking tour of Piazza dei Miracoli, with the celebrated Leaning Tower, the Baptistery and other important monuments.This is followed by a visit to the interior of the Cathedral. Back to Florence. Evening at leisure and visit to Florence on your own and shopping. Overnight stay at Hotel.

FLORENCE – SIENA & SAN GIMIGNANO TOUR from Florence

Siena & San Gimignano tour FD – A beautiful excursion through the delightful hills of the Chianti countryside, with an ever-changing scenery of vineyards and olive trees. Upon arrival in Siena, a guided tour of the old city centre: walking along the small medieval streets, admiring the splendid palaces and ending up at the Cathedral where you can visit the splendid interior including the Libreria Piccolomini and the adjacent Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana. The guided tour will conclude in the Piazza del Campo, one of the most beautiful in the world, where you will find the Palazzo del Comune

VENICE – VENICE ISLAND TOUR

Proceed to Alilaguna’s Pier at St. Mark’s waterfront, embark on a motorboat and visit the Island Murano, where one can watch the antique art of making glass. Then one proceeds to the characteristic Island of Burano, with its strong colors and light contrast, fisher island and renowned for the lace making. Last Island Torcello with its old Cathedral and its atmosphere of remote Venetian past. Return to St Mark’s Square.

VENICE – PADOVA – ST. ANTHONY CHURCH

Breakfast at the hotel. Train transfer from Venice – Padua at 10:25 am and arrival at 10:51 am. Visit the city and St. Anthony’s Church on your own. Train transfer from Padua – Venice at 15:39 and arrival at 16:09. Overnight at the hotel.

THE HOLY SHROUD in Turin & DON BOSCO

The Shroud is a linen sheet, 4.36 metres long by 1.10 metres wide. Other than the two dark parallel lines with the white triangles (burn marks from the Chambery fire in 1532), the imprint of an image (a negative) — front and back — of a man who died from crucifixion, with nails in his hands and feet, is clearly visible. The Shroud arrived in Turin in 1578 from Chambery, then the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, and it has been kept in the Turin Cathedral ever since. Reliable historical documents record the Shroud’s movements, without interruption, from the mid-fourteenth century.

Check in at the hotel and rest of the day is free to visit Paris on your own.
Overnight at the hotel.

PARIS – PARIS HIGHLIGHTS (Montmartre + Eiffel Tower + Cruise) – LOURDES

Breakfast at the hotel and check out. You can leave your luggage at the reception. Montmartre + Eiffel Tower + cruise tour (3 highlights of Paris: Itinerary by minibus + Eiffel Tower + Seine) – After an itinerary by minibus from your hotel, our driver-guide will take you to the Eiffel Tower, up to the 3rd level with its unique and marvellous panorama. Your excursion ends with a one hour Seine river cruise to admire the monuments from another point of view.

LOURDES

Breakfast at the hotel. The whole day is free to stay in the sanctuary. Overnight stay at the hotel.

PARIS – DEPARTURE

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.