Rome • Assisi • Florence • Tuscany • Venice • Thessaloniki • Phillipi • Kavala • Kalambaka • Meteora • Delphi • Corinth • Athens • Piraeus • Mykonos • Kusadasi • Ephesus (Turkey) • Patmos • Santorini

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  • 17 Days - Our prices include airfare from your hometown and exclusively 4 or 5 star hotels everywhere

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Trip Includes

  • A Catholic priest will be with the group to celebrate Mass. Daily Mass is available.
  • Round-trip airfare from your hometown connecting to a gateway city to fly overseas is included.
  • Airport Taxes, Security Fees, and Fuel Surcharges!
  • Exclusively 4 or 5 star hotels in downtown areas.
  • All breakfasts and all dinners. Wine is included with all dinners.
  • Transportation with luxury bus.
  • All entrance fees to all the sites.
  • All tips to everyone involved in the tour.
  • The tour fees for our guides. Our tour guides are well educated, caring, and professional. Most of them have their PhD's in Church history, archeology, philosophy, languages, or Theology.
  • Luggage handling. Please pack light, one piece of luggage and one carry-on.
  • If you are traveling alone and you allow us to find you a roommate, you don't have to pay the $900 single supplement. If you wish to have your own room and you are not open to the idea of rooming with another passenger, then $900 is what you pay for single supplement fee.
  • Dress casually all throughout the trip. Shoulders and knees should be covered when visiting Basilicas or churches.
  • At the time of registration, as a part of the total balance, a non-refundable $500 (hotel and airfare deposit) is due in the form of a check. For example, if your trip costs $3,700, when you sign up and you pay the $500 deposit, your balance would be $3,200 and is due 4 months before departure date. If you sign up after the final payment due date or at the last minute, you must overnight the entire cost of the trip immediately.

Trip Does Not Include

  • Lunch
  • Insurance ~ The total trip cost is non-refundable, so we recommend trip insurance to protect your investment.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Departure from USA.

Day 2: Arrival. Depending upon your arrival time, we may visit the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Wall where the body of St. Paul is buried. It is the 2nd largest basilica in Rome and the 5th in the world. Check in the hotel and rest for a few hours if time permits. In the afternoon, we will be visiting St. Mary Major, the main Basilica dedicated to Mary in Rome. We will see the remains of Jesus' manger, the tomb of Bernini, the remains of St. Matthew the Evangelist, the tomb of St. Jerome, and the oldest icon in the world of the Virgin Mary painted by St. Luke: the famous Salus Populi Romani. We may immerse ourselves in the local culture by attending an Italian mass at St. Mary Major as well. Casual dress. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 3: Start around 9:00am. Visit the Colosseum, the symbol of the city of Rome; a great building that has been standing since 80 A.D. Then visit St. John Lateran, the first Basilica ever to be built in the Roman Empire. In the afternoon, go to the breathtaking Catacombs where 500,000 people were buried. After the Catacombs our private bus will take us to dinner and free time around the area of the hotel. Overnight in Rome.

Day 4: Start the day around 9:30 am, by visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, the Pope's Private chapel. Tour of St. Peter's in the Vatican, the largest Basilica in the world. Long pants, capris, or skirts below the knee, shoulders covered. Time to rest before dinner in the area of the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 5: We will have an early start as our private bus leaves around 7:00 am to the Vatican to experience the 10:00 am Audience with the Pope. We will see the Pope very closely; sometimes we even shake his hand. There will be time for lunch in the area of the Vatican, before we visit the Spanish Steps. This is the place where the Romans hung out. From there we will walk to Trevi Fountain, and have time for shopping. Followed by a walk to the Pantheon, the oldest functional building in the world, and then to the great artistic place of Piazza Navona around 4:30 pm. Dinner at Piazza Navona. Red and white wine included. Casual Dress throughout the day. Overnight in Rome.

Day 6: En route to Florence stop in Assisi. See the tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare; enjoy a peaceful walk on the streets of Assisi. Dinner in Tuscany. Overnight in Florence.

Day 7: Tour of Florence in the region of Tuscany. Tour of the Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizzi, Michelangelo's masterpiece, The David, Flea Market, Duomo (Cathedral), and the Baptistery. Tour Guide will show to those interested the location of the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel (where the Medici family was buried), and Basilica della Santa Croce (where Michelangelo and 15 other glorious Italian artists and thinkers were buried). Dinner in Florence. Red and white wine included. Casual dress throughout the day. Overnight in Florence.

Day 8: Tour of Venice: an amazing city built on water. Leave for Venice in the morning on our private bus. Estimated time of arrival is 12:00 noon. Visit St. Mark's plaza. Optional: Gondola ride and shopping. Long pants if you intend to go inside St. Mark's. Casual dress if you intend to go on a Gondola ride or spend time shopping and visiting the beautiful streets and bridges of Venice. Dinner and overnight in Venice.

Day 9: Our private bus brings us to the airport in Venice to fly to Thessaloniki, Greece, where you will be met by the tour guide and transferred to your hotel. Time to relax before dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 10: Philippi, Kavala, Thessaloniki ~ Visit Philippi where Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe, sowing the seeds of Christianity. "And from there (He went) to Philippi" Acts 16:12-18 Here Paul baptized a certain woman named Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. Among the ruins, located on the rocky ledge above the town's main road is the prison where Paul and Silas were thrown. Continue into the modern port city of Kavala, ancient Neapolis, where Paul accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 11: Thessaloniki, Meteora: Thessaloniki city-tour ~ Paul preached in Thessaloniki during the winters of 49-50 AD and wrote two epistles to the ancient Thessalonians. See the ramparts of the city, the triumphal Arch of Galerius starting at the Via Egnatia, once a strategic artery of the Roman Empire. Depart for Kalambaka, visit Meteora Monasteries. Among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks, that seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. Women must wear a skirt, or have a scarf that can be wrapped like a skirt, when visiting the Monasteries. Men will need to wear long pants and have their shoulders covered. If women wear slacks, they need to bring a scarf that will cover their pants so that it looks like a skirt. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.

Day 12: Delphi - Athens ~ Visit Delphi, the center of the ancient world (navel) of the earth, whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. Continue to Athens which is one of the most glorious cities in the world and the cradle of western civilization as we know it today. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 13: Athens - Excursion to Corinth ~ we will visit the Acropolis to see the ruins of the Parthenon, Erechtheum and Propylae. For twenty five centuries, the panorama of this city is dominated by the rock of the Acropolis; we see the ruins of the Parthenon, the Erechtheum and the Propylae. Afterwards, we will ascend Mars Hill where Paul spoke to the ancient Athenians about the one and only God. From here we have an excellent view of the ancient agora; former center of the Athenian public life. We then drive through the city to see the House of Parliament on Syntagma Square, the Evzones in their picturesque uniforms guarding the Presidential Palace and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also see the Library, the University, the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympics of the modern era were held, the temple of the Olympian Zeus and Adrian's Arch. Continue our tour to Ancient Corinth where, under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, St. Paul preached and lived for two years. The vigorous and mostly Gentile Church he founded here in 50 AD caused him much grief and prompted him to write, at least, four letters to them. Visit the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. See the remains of the first century shops, the agora where Paul's trial by Gallio took place, the Fountain of Peirene, Temple of Apollo and the Bema. Return to Athens for dinner and overnight.

Day 14: Athens ~ Start 3-day Cruise (Luis Hellenic Cruise Lines) Mykonos Our first port-of-call is Mykonos. It is the most cosmopolitan of all Greek islands and attracts many visitors from all over the globe, including large numbers of artists and intellectuals. Your coaches will take you to Hora the island's capital where you'll enjoy a walking tour in the narrow cobbled streets of the town, passing by chic boutiques, elegant nightclubs and white washed houses till reaching Alefkandra. Alefkandra is a charming corner of Hora, known also as the "Venice" of Mykonos. At one of the famous restaurants of Alefkandra you'll enjoy the sunset on Mykonos Island while drinking your refreshment accompanied by Greek meze. You'll return then to Mykonos Town (Hora) from where you'll take the ship's shuttle service back to the port to meet your ship!

Day 15: Kusadasi and Ephesus (Turkey) and Patmos ~ we begin our day arriving at Kusadasi which is a lively Turkish port. Drive through the colorful town of Kusadasi to reach Mt. Koressos. Situated in a small valley, it is here where you will visit the humble chapel which lies on the site of the little house where The Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last days. This site has been sanctioned by the Vatican for pilgrimage. Continue on to Ancient Ephesus and accompanied by your guide, walk through the Magnesian Gate which is the entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus. See the Odeon (concert hall), the Fountain of Trajan, the steam-heated Baths of Scolastika, the Temple of Hadrian and the Latrians, the Library of Celsus and The Great Theatre, where St. Paul preached, which is the largest theatre in antiquity having a capacity of 24,000 people. Walk back to your motor coach along the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. While driving back to Kusadasi and just outside Ephesus, view the Basilica of St. John, which was erected over his grave in the 6th Century AD by the Emperor Justinian. Before returning to the ship, enjoy free time in Kusadasi. Continue our journey, Patmos, where we will enjoy a short journey to the village of Chora, where the monastery of St. John is built within the walls of a strong fortification. As you walk uphill towards the entrance of the monastery marvel at this magnificent structure, which was build 900 years ago, exceptional in its architecture. View the courtyard, the monk's dining room and the old bakery before you visit the main church noting its outstanding frescoes and interior decoration. Next, see the priceless ecclesiastical treasures housed in the beautiful but small museum: books and manuscripts, mosaics, Icons, splendid medieval textiles and vestments as well as jewelry. Return to your motor coach to continue on to the nearby Grotto of the Apocalypse, where above stands the Monastery of the Apocalypse, a sub-unit of the main monastery. Walk down the steps to visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Here you will see the silver niches in the wall that mark the pillow and ledge used as a desk by the author of the Book of the Revelation as well as the three-fold crack made by the voice of God emphasizing the honor of the Holy Trinity. Afterwards, drive back to the port of Scala and enjoy some free time in this quaint and picturesque harbor.

Day 16: Heraklion and Santorini ~ in the morning we will visit Heraklion. Heraklion is just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. It is in Heraklion where Paul met the owner and captain of the ship who warned him of continuing his journey to Rome. In the afternoon we will cruise on to the idyllic island of Santorini. Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. In the town of Thira white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques cling to steep cliffs, accessible by cable-car or mule. Return back to the ship.

Day 17: Piraeus - Athens ~ today marks the end of our cruise. After disembarkation you will be transferred to Athens airport where you will depart for the USA.

General Trip Information