ARRIVAL CITY: ROME/DEPARTURE CITY: ROME
DURATION OF STAY: 05 DAYS/ 4 NIGHTS
COUNTRY: ITALY CITY: ROME
Upon arrival in Rome, we will be met by our representative and transferred to the city center. En route we‘ll visit St. Paul Outside the Walls, the burial place of St. Paul the Apostle. The chapel has numerous relics, the most notable are a set chains said to be the prison chains of St. Paul, used in the last days before his execution. We will then proceed the Appian Way on our way to visit the Catacombs where early Christians held their forbidden service to escape persecution. Check-in at the hotel. Overnight in Rome.
Breakfast at the hotel. We begin the day by visiting the Vatican Museums overflowing with art treasures and admire “the Sistine Chapel,” world famous for Michelangelo’s Ceiling Paintings and “the Last Judgment.” We then visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, built over the tomb of St. Peter. This is where Peter preached, died and is buried along with 148 of his papal successors. Upon entering the Basilica, we find Michelangelo’s Pieta and many works of art from Giotto and Bernini. In the afternoon we visit the Basilica of St. John in Lateran. This is “The Cathedral of Rome.” The first great Christian Church built next to the Lateran Palace and a gift to Emperor Constantine. Next we visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, built on the spot where a 3rd century pope witnessed a miraculous midsummer snowfall. Overnight in Rome.
Breakfast at the hotel. We travel to monumental St. Peter’s Square to attend the Audience with the Pope. Time will be available to explore and shop in the Vatican area. In the afternoon we continue to the Historic City Centre of Rome and begin a walking tour from the Colosseum including the Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, the Arch of Constantine, and the Mamertine Prison where Peter baptized converts and continued to preach the gospel. We also see the Capitoline Hill, Piazza Venezia with the memorial to King Victor Emmanuel II and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Overnight in Rome.
After breakfast, we visit the Pantheon, the best preserved ancient monument, with the height of the dome equal to the diameter equal of the circular interior. We walk from the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain. Here we toss a coin or two in the world’s wishing well to ensure our return to Rome. We continue to Piazza Navona, one of the most beautiful piazzas in Rome, where we find Bernini’s “Fountain of the Four Rivers.”. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Rome.
This morning, we check out of our hotel and transfer to Rome Airport for our return flight or extend your stay in Italy.
Please note: visits, excursions, mentioned on the program might have slight changes in the time or in the program scale but without detracting any visit scheduled.