Itinerary

Day 1   Rome

Arrival at Fiumicino airport, Rome.  Meet with an ORP assistant who will discuss particulars of the trip and answer any questions, and facilitate transfer to hotel. Guide will lead a panoramic tour of Rome. In the afternoon we take an audio-guided tour to the Carcer Tullianum (St. Peter’s Prison). Overnight at hotel.

Day 2   Rome

Guided tour with an English-speaking guide of the beautiful Vatican Museums, home to thousands of pieces of extraordinary holy art and sacred relics. Only ORP pilgrims will be able to enter the Museum quickly, bypassing the long, slow line that snakes along the Vatican wall. Later we visit St. Peter’s Basilica (scheduled mass permitting). In the afternoon, free time to explore the city, reveling in this ancient epicenter of art, culture and religion. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3   Rome

In the early part of the day, we enjoy a panoramic city tour on the Open Bus Roma Cristiana and visit the four Basilicas, experiencing in each one a different story and power. In the afternoon, we take a guided walking tour of the Roman fountains, where the glittering water arcs down from famous statues and carvings, and the historic squares of the city, where thousands of years have worn the stone down to smoothness. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4   Rieti

We depart Rome for Rieti on a private coach. Upon arrival, we visit the sanctuary of Santa Maria de La Foresta, where in 1225 St. Francis performed the miracle of grapes.  We then enter the Church and Convent of San Francesco, containing the chapel dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, particularly revered in Rieti. Free time for visiting the exquisite city. Overnight at hotel in Rieti.

Day 5   Rieti/Spoleto

We leave for Spoleto by bus. Upon arrival, we meet with a local guide who will help us discover the wonders of this enchanting Umbrian town.  We visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Church of San Salvatore and the Church of Saint Giovanni e Paolo. Overnight in Spoleto.

Day 6   Spoleto-Foligno/Assisi

We travel to Foligno to begin the most intense part of our journey: the trek on foot to Assisi. Here we will cover 13.5 miles of road, giving us time to reflect on and discuss our experiences with fellow pilgrims, as well as enjoy the hallowed places we pass through. Near Assisi the walk includes several special sites connected to St. Francis: the quaint towns of Foligno and Spello, the pristine Monte Subasio Regional Park, the Eremo della Carceri, Porta Perlici, and finally Assisi. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel for overnight stay in Assisi.

Special note: Some of the climb requires walkers to be in reasonably fit condition. But keep in mind that when the endless hilltop plain appears above, after traversing so many places of noise and silence, sunlight and shade, an idea of the Absolute can be sensed, and this brush with the divine will create one of the best memories of the journey.

Day 7    Assisi

We meet with a local guide and explore the city of Assisi, visiting the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, St. Damiano, and Santa Maria degli Angeli, remembering St. Francis’ doctrine of universal compassion and care. Overnight in Assisi.

Day 8   Orvieto/Rome

We travel by bus back to Rome, relishing the beautiful Italian countryside passing by the windows and stopping along the way at the Duomo of Orvieto. Once in Rome, the rest of the day is free for walking, shopping, visiting museums, or simply wandering the streets of the city, where each stone is infused with rich history. Overnight at hotel in Rome.

Day 9   Departure

Transfer to the airport and departure to your final destination.