Compare Rome to Milan Adventure Tour by Discovery Nomads vs Shrines of Italy - Faith-Based Travel by Cosmos
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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4 | Great
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| Duration | 10 days | 14 days |
| Price From | $ 1,645 | $ 3,099 |
| Price Per Day | $ 165 | $ 221 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included |
7 Breakfasts |
N/A |
| Description |
Take an adventure from Rome to Milan travelling to some of Italy's most awesome cities. Explore history of Rome and Vatican, see beautiful Duomo and Ponto Vecchio in Florence, go shopping in Milan and enjoy romantic gondolas in Venice. |
On this comprehensive affordable journey through Catholic heritage in Italy, witness the most visited shrines of the country, from north to south. Discover the inspiring Catholic Italian icons of northern Italy: From Milan’s St. Ambrose to Turin’s St. John Bosco and Padua’s St. Anthony, you’ll collect unforgettable memories and inspiration. Visit the Holy Shroud Museum in Turin and the Gothic Duomo in Milan, and marvel at the unique beauty of the Carthusian Monastery of Pavia. Discover the history of musical notes at the Abbey of Pomposa and admire the early Christian artwork of the Byzantine era in Ravenna. Spend two full days in Rome, dedicating your attention to the Papal legacies. Attend the Papal Audience (subject to availability), visit the four major Basilicas of Rome, attend Mass, and collect in prayer at many inspiring places of worship instilling a sense of solemnity and serenity. Enjoy a special treat as you visit the Papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo and its gardens, the perfect spot to meditate surrounded by beauty. From here, your spiritual experience continues to the places of some of Italy’s most beloved saints, like St. Pio in Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo, and to the Marian Sanctuaries of Loreto and Lanciano. You’ll also feel the magic atmosphere of Assisi, home to St. Francis and St. Clare, immersed in the enchanting green hills of Umbria. |
Day 1: Rome
Accommodation: Mercury Rome Colosseum Centre or similar
Arrival at any time. On the 1st day we have not planned any activities.
Day 2-3: Rome
Today you will explore Vatican museums, see St.Peters Basilica and marvel at masterpieces of Michelangelo and Bernini. Later in the afternoon enjoy a walking tour to see Spanish Steps and Trevi fountain, admire beautiful Piazza Navona and exterior of the historic Pantheon.
Day 4-5: Florence
Accommodation: AC Florence by Marriott or similar
You will a walking tour around Florence, see the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, the medieval Ponte Vecchio and the Medici Chapels. Additionally you can travel to wineries located nearby or see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Day 6-7: Venice
Accommodation: Mercury Venezia or similar
You will have a romantic gondolas tour around Venice canals. Optional activities include a vaporetto ride to Murano and Burano, the Accademia Gallery, Basilica di San Marco and the Doge's Palace.
Day 8-10: Milan
Accommodation: Anderson or similar
Shop on Via Montenapoleone and visit Galleria Vittorio Emanuele or head to the outlets nearby Milan. Then head to the top of the Duomo to see the city from above. And do not forget to dress chic, you are in the fashionistas capital!
Day 1: ARRIVE IN MILAN, ITALY
Check into your hotel and spend free time exploring this busy city on your own before meeting your tour companions and Tour Director for an included welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
Day 2: MILAN
Dedicate the morning to Milan's most important Catholic churches: St. Ambrose Basilica and the Gothic Duomo. St. Ambrose is the patron saint of beekeepers, beggars, learners, and Milan. Celebrate [M] Mass and discover the treasures of the Basilica and the Duomo with a Local Guide. (Breakfast)
Day 3: MILAN–TURIN
Turin is known in the Catholic community worldwide as the home of the Holy Shroud, only available to the public on very special occasions. The city was also home to St. John Bosco, the priest who founded the Salesian religious institute to help poor children with their education during the industrial revolution. Your visit includes the Holy Shroud Museum, the Basilica of St Mary Ausiliatrice and St. John’s rooms. You’ll have time to appreciate the elegance of this city and former capital of Italy before attending [M] Mass. Today’s Distance: 90 mi / 145 km (Breakfast)
Day 4: TURIN–PAVIA–PADUA
Pavia boasts a beautiful Carthusian Monastery, built in the 1400s by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. The monastery is one of Italy’s “hidden treasures” with lavish decorations and it is inhabited and looked after by monks who still live a traditional life of seclusion and prayer. Today's Distance: 245 mi / 395 km (Breakfast,Dinner)
Day 5: PADUA–POMPOSA–RAVENNA
Attend morning [M] Mass and visit St. Anthony Basilica in Padua with a Local Guide, then enjoy a short city sightseeing tour and time on your own. In the afternoon, on the way to Ravenna, we’ll stop to see the Abbey of Pomposa, where the Benedictine monk Guido d’Arezzo invented modern musical notation in the 11th century. Today’s Distance: 85 mi / 137 km (Breakfast)
Day 6: RAVENNA–ROME
UNESCO declared the early Christian monuments of Ravenna as having “outstanding universal value.” Ravenna was the seat of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and of Byzantine Italy until the 8th century. It has a unique collection of early Christian mosaics and places of worship. All buildings—the Neonian Baptistry, the Basilica of St. Apollinare Nuovo, St. Vitale Church and the Archbishop’s Chapel of St. Andrew were constructed in the 5th and 6th centuries. They show great artistic skill, including a wonderful blend of Greek-Roman tradition, Christian iconography, and Asian and Western styles. The morning is dedicated to discovering these masterpieces and focusing on the Byzantine-style mosaics with a Local Guide. In the afternoon, travel to Rome. Today’s Distance: 221 mi / 355 km (Breakfast,Dinner)
Day 7: ROME
Today you have the unique chance to attend the Papal Audience in the Vatican (subject to availability). Afterwards, enjoy an included city tour with a Local Guide to see the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, where St. Paul was buried after his martyrdom, St. John Lateran Basilica, the Cathedral of Rome, and seat of its Bishop (the Pope) and the Holy Stairs. Said to have led Jesus to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate, the stairs were transferred to Rome by Empress St. Helena. Finally, visit St. Mary Major Basilica, where a reliquary contains wood from the Holy Crib. Attend [M] Mass here before returning to your hotel.*(Breakfast)
* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.
Day 8: ROME
A special treat today: Visit the Papal Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo. Wander through its manicured gardens, an opportunity to reflect and meditate in quiet and relaxing surroundings. Walk through the rooms where many Popes have spent the summer months in the cooler countryside on the hills outside Rome. Later, you can join one of the optional excursions available.* Today's Distance: 50 mi / 80 km (Breakfast)
* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded.
Day 9: ROME–PIETRELCINA–SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
On your way south, stop in quaint Pietrelcina to visit the house where the beloved St. Pio was born. Then, head 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,Dinner)
Day 10: 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,Dinner)
Day 11: 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,Dinner)
Day 12: 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, visit 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)
Day 13: ASSISI AREA–CASCIA–ROME
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)
Day 14: ROME
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
