9 AM - 6 PM IST - Mon-Fri

10 AM - 1 PM IST - Sat

Spiritual Highlights of Italy – Faith-Based Travel ( 5300)

9 Day Tour from Rome to Rome

2025 Tour Details »2026 Tour Details

On this inspirational tour, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Catholic icons of Rome, such as the four major Basilicas, the Scala Sancta and the Papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo; attend the Papal Audience, learn about some of Italy’s beloved Saints, and celebrate Mass. Learn about St. Pio of Pietrelcina, a modern-day saint, visit the Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, gather in prayer at the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle in Lanciano, reflect in the Holy House of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Loreto, and admire the timeless beauty of the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare in Assisi. Italy is a must for Catholic travelers and art lovers.

To know more about the visas for this vacation, click here

 Tour Highlights

Notes:

The Papal audience in the Vatican is subject to availability
Mass services may be in local language and venues are subject to change
For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.

Departure May 21 St. Pio's feast day (25 May) - No Papal audience on this departure
Departure September 19 Anniversary of St. Pio's passing (23 September) – No Papal audience on this departure
Departure June 16 – No Papal audience on this departure

UNESCO World Heritage

World Heritage Sites are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

  • Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco
  • Assisi, the Basilica of St. Francis
  • Historic Centre of Rome – various properties Vatican City
Transportation:

Spiritual Highlights of Italy

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily, 4 dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1

ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY Welcome to Italy! Check into your hotel, with the rest of the day free to explore on your own. This afternoon, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers, and prepare for your upcoming spiritual journey. Later this evening, a welcome dinner awaits at your hotel.
Dinner Dinner

ROME-SPANISH-STEPS.jpg

Day 2

ROME This morning, attend the Papal Audience (subject to availability) for the chance to see the Pope and receive the Papal Blessing. Later, with a Local Guide, visit St. Paul Outside the Walls, burial place of St. Paul the Apostle, St John Lateran Basilica and St. Mary Major Basilica, the Rome’s four major Papal basilicas. Experience the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), transported from Jerusalem to Rome around 326 AD by St. Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mother. These 28 marble steps are traditionally ascended in a kneeling position with a prayer recital dedicated to Jesus Christ. Then, visit the impressive St. Mary Major Basilica and attend [M] Mass.*
Breakfast Breakfast

* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.

ROME-ST-PETERS-SQUARE.jpg

Day 3

ROME. EXCURSION TO CASTEL GANDOLFO A different, quite unique experience is offered today. We will take an included excursion to Castel Gandolfo, a quaint village in the hills outside Rome, to visit the Papal summer residence and its manicured gardens with a Local Guide. This is a unique chance to see the rooms that have been occupied by many Popes over the centuries. Enjoy the opportunity to reflect and meditate in the garden’s quiet and relaxing surroundings. This afternoon, enjoy time to relax in Rome or select an optional excursion, perhaps with a deeper look at Roman history by exploring the early Christian site of secret worship and burials in the underground catacombs. *
Today's Distance: 50 mi / 80 km
Breakfast Breakfast

* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.

CASTEL-GANDOLFO-VIEW.jpg

Day 4

ROME–PIETRELCINA–SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO On your way south, stop in quaint Pietrelcina, to visit the house where the beloved St. Pio was born, before heading towards San Giovanni Rotondo on the east coast, the Saint’s home from 1916 until his death in 1968.
Today's Distance: 258 mi / 415 km
Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner

PIETRELCINA.jpg

Day 5

SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO. EXCURSION TO MONTE SANT’ANGELO Attend [M] Mass this morning at Santa Maria delle Grazie (Old Church), then visit St. Pio’s friary, including his tomb, cell, confessional, and St. Pio Pilgrimage Church (New Church). Afterwards, take a short drive to the nearby Shrine of Monte Sant’Angelo, one of Christendom’s most celebrated, where St. Michael the Archangel appeared in 490, 492, and 1656. Tonight, attend the candlelight procession in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Today's Distance: 43 mi / 70 km
Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner

MONTE-SANT-ANGELO.jpg

Day 6

SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO–LANCIANO–LORETO–ASSISI AREA Visit St. Francis Church in Lanciano, home of the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle, and attend morning [M] Mass. Continue to the famous Marian Sanctuary of Loreto for a guided visit including the Holy House, where, according to tradition, angels transported the house of the blessed Virgin Mary. Arrive at the hilltop village of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis and St. Clare.
Today's Distance: 298 mi / 480 km
Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner

LORETO-MARIAN-SANCTUARY-OF-LORETO.jpg

Day 7

ASSISI Today, learn more about St. Francis, patron saint of animals and the environment. Attend early morning [M] Mass at St. Francis Basilica, famous for its 14th-century Giotto frescoes depicting the life of St. Francis. Meet your Local Guide and visit the Upper and Lower Basilicas of St. Francis and the Basilica of St. Clare, founder of the Order of Poor Clares. Next, stop at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated at the foot of Assisi’s hills and protecting the Porziuncola, where St. Francis is said to have founded the Order of Friars Minor in 1209, and the Cappella del Transito, where the saint died in 1226.
Breakfast Breakfast

ASSISI-SAINT-FRANCIS-BASILICA.jpg

Day 8

ASSISI AREA–CASCIA–ROME This morning, travel to Cascia, a scenic town located in Umbria and home of St. Rita, the “Patron Saint of Impossible Causes.” Visit the Sanctuary and see the Major Basilica, housing the chapel with St. Rita’s tomb. Stop in prayer at the Minor Basilica, site of the Eucharistic Miracle, commemorated each year with the Feast of Corpus Christi. Return to Rome for a final overnight stay.
Today's Distance: 149 mi / 240 km
Breakfast Breakfast

CASCIA-ST-RITA-STATUE.jpg

Day 9

ROME Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Breakfast Breakfast

ROME-CAFE.jpg

 Tour Director

With Cosmos, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. Averaging over a decade... we’d like you to meet a Tour Director, who is representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

GIUSEPPE MOZZONI

Escorting tours for more than 10 years

" There's sage travel advice that "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" That's my goal...to help every traveler experience Italy (and the Mediterranean) through an Italian perspective. We'll get to the heart and soul of each town-the sights, sounds, and flavors that make each place so unique. You'll definitely come away with a better understanding of why we say, "Italians do it better!""

Tour Director -  GIUSEPPE MOZZONI

JORGE LOZANO LEITAO

Escorting tours for more than 5 years

" I'm a daily pilgrim, taking each day as a new opportunity to discover & share about life, people & places. Whilst I now live in Italy, I'm originally from Galicia in Spain and have double nationality due to my Portuguese father. I'm proud to consider Catholic faith-based travelling my specialist field. As I always explain to the pilgrims I'm glad to meet on our way, these experiences transcend the simpler sense of vacation touring as we do not only travel in search of shopping, exploring, leisure, relax or entertainment, but we travel to meet what, somehow, has been part of us from the very beginning of our existence through our identity, our family or cultural heritage: that's pilgrimating, a journey that takes us to redefine our existence according to our beliefs through those sites where these have happened or been commemorated."

Tour Director -  JORGE LOZANO LEITAO

ROBERTO MASALA

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

" I have always loved traveling since I was young. It is the best way to learn about different cultures, discover new experiences, meet new people, and create amazing memories that last a lifetime. I call myself a life enthusiast and, being Italian, a proper foodie! Being a Tour Director is the perfect blend of doing what you love while working. Whenever I'm touring around Italy, my aim is always to share my passion for art, history, local traditions, and all the beauty that makes this country so fascinating to the world. Exceeding customers' expectations is the best reward I get from doing this job that I love."

Tour Director -  ROBERTO MASALA

 Accommodation

SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

PARCO DELLE ROSE

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

ASSISI AREA

CASA LEONORI

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

ROME

BV OLY HOTEL

Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
  Free Wifi

 Optional Excursions

Contact your Travel Consultant for more information.
Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).
#pf-content img.mediumImage { display: inline-block !important; width: auto !important; }