Day 2 • Rome
Day 4 • Basilica of St. John
Day 6 • Florence
Day 9 • Passion Play
Day 1 • Departure from the USA
We start our journey to Europe with an overnight flight to Rome, Italy.
Day 2 • Rome
After arrival in the Eternal City of Rome, we are met by our friendly Signature Tours International Manager who assists us in transferring to our hotel. En route, we enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour. There is time for lunch on our own and an afternoon at leisure for exploration. We have dinner and stay the night in Rome.
Day 3 • Sistine Chapel
Day 3 • Rome
This morning we will celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Constantine, the first Christian Emperor, decided in 324 AD to build a basilica on the site where St. Peter was buried after he had been martyred in Nero’s circus. We continue with a sightseeing tour of Vatican City. We see one of the greatest collections of art in the world – the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with the work of Michelangelo. We also visit There is time for lunch on our own before an afternoon at leisure under the guidance of our Tour Manager. Dinnerand the night are in Rome.
Day 4 • Rome
Today we see “Christian Rome”, and celebrate Mass. We visit the Catacombs, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the major basilicas of Rome. We also visit the Basilica of St. John in Lateran, the oldest and cathedral of Rome among the four major basilicas of Rome, and holds the title of Ecumenical Mother Church among Roman Catholics. We will celebrate MassDinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 5 •Saint Mary of the Angels Basilica
Day 5 • Rome/Assisi/Florence
We depart Rome this morning for Florence, stopping in Assisi, which represents an ensemble of masterpieces of human creative genius. Our sightseeing include the Santa Chiara Church, a 13th century church which is dedicated to and contains the remains of Saint Clare of Assisi. We also visit Saint Mary of the Angels Basilica situated in the plain at the foot of the hill of Assisi. It was here that Francis of Assisi understood his vocation and renounced the world in order to live in poverty among the poor and thus started the Franciscan movement. We also visit the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrate Mass before we continue on to Florence, where we have dinner and spend the night.
Day 6 • Assisi/Florence
We leave Assisi today and travel to Florence, home of the Renaissance. During the Renaissance, inventors and men of science were encouraged to base their research on the reinterpretation of the achievements of the Classic civilization and on the expansion of the new scientific horizons. Florence was home to many, including Dante, Giotto, Lorenzo the Magnificent and Michelangelo. We tour the amazing Accademia of Fine Arts, where we see their fine collection of Michelangelo sculptures, including the original David. Our next stop is the Florence Cathedral. We will have time this afternoon to explore Florence on our own, under the guidance of our Tour manager. We will celebrate Mass and have dinner and overnight in Florence.
Day 8 • Venice
Day 7 • Florence/Venice
Leaving behind the amazing city of Florence, we travel to Venice, Italy, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Upon arrival, we will visit St. Mark’s Cathedral, the most famous of the city's churches and one
of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies on St Mark's Square and is connected to the Doge's Palace, which is the biggest civic building in Venice built between the fourteen and sixteen century. Here we will celebrate Mass. Dinner and overnight are in Venice-Mestre.
Day 8 • Venice/Oberammergau
Today we depart Venice and travel to Oberammergau. En route we stop in Innsbruck for Mass and lunch. We continue to Oberammergau for dinner and the night.
Day 9 • Oberammergau/PASSION PLAY
We celebrate Mass this morning at the Catholic Parish Church of Oberammergau. This afternoon we attend the passion Play! This small town of peasants and craftsmen, encircled by the wooded foothills of the Ammergau, owes its fame to the internationally renowned Passion Play. Performed only once every ten years and involving 1,100 amateur actors from the local population, this play, re- enacting the final days of Christ, lasts an entire summer’s day. This is sure to be a day we will never forget. Dinner and overnight are in Oberammergau.
Day 10 • Oberammergau/Munich/Hometown, U.S.A.
After a day we won’t soon forget, we transfer to the Munich airport for our return flight to the U.S.A. with many memorable experiences to share!!