2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage
with David Schmidt

Welcome to our Pilgrimage Tour! Guests will arrive and be greeted by their tour guide at the Venice airport, and they will be given a private transfer to their hotel in Treviso. After their flights, they will have time to relax and unwind on their first day in Italy. Time permitting, we will tour a small local winery that produces prosecco. Your first dinner in Treviso will be at the hotel, including celebratory welcome cheers with our local wines!

Today, we begin our day with a memorable walking tour of Venice, including a detailed description of the city's centerpiece, Saint Mark’s Square. This important cathedral in Italy’s history is dedicated to Saint Mark the Evangelist, the town's patron saint. Throughout the rest of the day, our local expert guide will share insights into the unique history and culture of Venice, including the prized Basilica of Saint Mark’s, a visit to a local glass factory, and lots of time to traverse the streets of the city to engage in shopping for Venetian treasures or indulge in some gelato and people-watching from one of the many cafes. As an option, you may take a ride on the world-famous gondolas down the Grand Canal.
After a refreshing day of exploration, this evening, we will enjoy dinner together featuring regional dishes and wines in the hotel.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we will travel by bus to Padua to visit the Basilica of Saint Anthony. This basilica and the nearby Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Mary of Padua are some of the most visited holy spaces for those on pilgrimages. On our visit to Padua, we will experience the majesty of Giotto’s frescoes of the Cappella degli Scrovegni or Scrovegni Chapel. Later, be prepared to explore the ancient neighborhoods of Bassano del Grappa, including the main cathedral, Duomo, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, and the Upper Castle, Castello Superiore.

On the fourth day of our pilgrimage, we will eat breakfast at the hotel and then begin our travels south along Via Romea, a route created for pilgrimages leading to Rome. Along our journey down the Via Romea, we will visit Pomposa Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in classic Romanesque tradition. In this unique region of Italy, we will stop and relax along the Po River for a drink and some typical regional snacks. In the afternoon, expect to continue our adventure to Ravenna. On the way to Ravenna, your tour director will bring you to the Basilica of San Francesco, where the poet's Tomb, Dante Alighieri, was erected in 1781. Our next stop will be at Sant’Apollinare in Classe. This church is an essential monument to Byzantine art and is counted on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a perfect example of early Christian architecture. In this setting, you may attend mass or explore the beautiful cityscape before we head to Ravenna to visit the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo.
After today’s full schedule, we will check into our Ravenna hotel for an overnight stay and enjoy a specially designed dinner with local wine and traditional music.

Today, onto Lanciano! After a lovely breakfast at our hotel, our group will leave Ravenna for Lanciano, the site of a Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century and was recognized by the Catholic Church as an authentic miracle. On the way to Lanciano, we will stop at Campli to visit the famous historic center and La Scala Santa (The Sacred Step). The Scala Santa, attributed to Pope Clement! V is said to bring absolution to those who climb the 28 wooden steps on their knees. We will then venture down the coast to Loreto to visit the exquisite Basilica of the Holy House. This sanctuary enshrines the house where the Blessed Virgin Mary was believed to have dwelled. Our group will reconvene for a joyous, celebratory dinner after we check into the hotel in Lanciano.

Lanciano is a treasured city of art, history, fairs, and miracles! We will take a guided tour of the historic city center, which retains its medieval splendor. During our tour, we will take in important religious and cultural monuments such as the Madonna del Ponte Cathedral, Diocletian Bridge, and the Church of Santo Agostino. With your tour guide, we are proud to include a visit to the Church of Saint Francis, the guardian of the Eucharistic Miracle.

On day 6, there is an additional excursion to the Fossacescia and a stop at the Belvedere of San Giovanni in Venere, where you can experience the open Adriatic coast view of the Costa dei Trabocchi. Finally, our day tour will end with a visit to the adjacent Benedictine Abbey, considered one of the most beautiful in the region. Historic lore tells us that this Abbey was built on the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to Venus.
Our long day of touring will conclude with a traditional, regional seafood dinner from the unique coastline we have just visited.

On our seventh day together, we will leave the hotel in the morning and travel to San Giovanni Rotondo. On the way, we will visit Monte Sant’Angelo and the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel. You might remember that this is the site where Saint Michael interceded to defeat the pagans in the 5th century. Our travels take us next to the San Giovanni Rotondo and the Church of Saint Pio of Pietralcina (Padre Pio). You will see the cell in which Saint Pio lived, prayed, and ultimately died in 1968. You will have some time to rest and contemplate the day’s visit, and dinner will be served at our hotel this evening.

Today’s journey will take us from the hotel to an exciting excursion to Castiglione and then to Casauria for a short visit to the Cistercian Abbey of Saint Clemente of Casauria. This spectacular Abbey dates back to the 12th century and is a perfect example of medieval architecture in Abruzzo. On the route, a stop in Bominaco, a tour of the Oratory of Saint Pellegrino, often considered the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo and a stop at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.
At dinner, we will sample the local delicacies and wine found in this region of the world!

After a group breakfast, we will start our drive to the Umbria region and visit the pristine town of Saint Francis of Assisi. Our tour begins with a visit to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels. This magnificent church is built over the Chiesetta of Porziuncola (called Saint Francis’ little church), and this area contains the Cappella del Transito, where Francis died in 1226. Here, we intend to celebrate Mass. After Mass, we will stretch our legs on a guided walking tour of the Papal Basilica of Saint Francis and have some free time to shop and explore the small streets and cafes.
This evening, we have prepared an unforgettable dinner event back in Rieti that includes nods to traditional cuisine, music, and entertainment.

For the next leg of our tour, our group will depart by bus to the San Francesco Valley. Depending on our arrival time, we plan a late morning arrival in Greccio and a first visit to the Sanctuary. According to historical tradition, the Sanctuary is the site at which Saint Francis chose to celebrate Christmas in 1223, as it reminded him of the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Our visit to the Chapel of the Nativity Scene will reveal a gorgeous 1228 fresco from the Giotto School of Art.
An exceptional dinner will be served at our hotel so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep before tomorrow's full day of adventure.

On our last full day together, expect to experience Rome's beauty and magic!
You will have a full breakfast at the hotel, and then we will proceed to Rome's city center and Vatican City. A professional tour guide will take our group through the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and finally to Saint Peter’s Basilica. After the tour, you might want to find some typical Roman lunch, shop for gifts for home, or sit in a café and enjoy a glass of wine.
After lunch, we will take a guided bus tour of the Eternal City to best view some of the most iconic locations in Rome and the world, for that matter! Our tour guide will provide expert historical and cultural knowledge of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, and other must-see sites. As our tour concludes, there will be time to explore many of the significant Roman churches and cathedrals that grace this holy city. Because of traffic restrictions, most of this free time will be spent walking, but many of the sites are within a few blocks of each other. A local guide will be at your service to provide suggestions and directions for your exploration.
Our final dinner will be held in the hotel before you exchange contact information, say goodbyes, and pack for your journey back to the United States.

Departure day will take the group by transfer to the Rome airport for your return flight home.