“What a trip! Leading up to visiting Israel we were excited with anticipation, but boy did it exceed anything we had imagined. Our tour guide CJ was outstanding. He broke down the Jewish culture, past and modern history, biblical connections/application, and geography of Israel at every site. It was just so awesome with how many sites and artifacts we were shown and how seamlessly our trip was organized. Throughout the week we were taken well care of. We stayed in very nice hotels, ate great food, and enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned bus driven by our expert driver, Happy. Happy made sure we stayed hydrated and took extra special care of us in keeping us safe. CJ and Happy complemented each other wonderfully. With packed days of touring, we enjoyed restful evenings. We also felt safe and secure throughout our travels, allowing us to delve fully into what we were learning and what God was teaching us about Himself.
Besides enjoying CJ and Happys sense of humor, we quickly experienced camaraderie between the rest of our group, which made little things like traveling, eating, and taking pictures fun. Thank you all for loving on us; we thank God for you and this short time we were able to connect. And most importantly we thank God as we recognize all the lessons we learned along the way. He definitely used this trip to reveal new things to us as we learned more about the Bible, God, and ourselves.
Thank you and many Blessings,
Jeanne Jackson
10-Day Shrines of Italy Pilgrimage
Travel to Italy and experience their culture, heritage, and land in a 10-day pilgrimage!
What’s Included
- Airfare from group departure city
- All Transfers
- Baggage Handling
- Breakfast & Dinner Daily
- Entrance Fees to all Sites
- Gratuities
- Itinerary as per Description
- Premium Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guides
- Transportation by Deluxe Motor Coach
Schedule
Day 1 Depart the USA
Day 2 Arrive in Italy
Welcome to Rome! Arrive in Italy and transfer to the hotel.
Day 3 Basilica of St. John the Lateran
Attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square or at the Audience Hall. The Audience is celebrated each Wednesday by His Holiness, Pope Francis (pending the papal schedule). Visit the Trevi Fountain and the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome. The Archbasilica of St. John the Lateran, the cathedral church, and seat of the Bishop of Rome. Cross the street to the very steps that lead up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem which Jesus climbed on His way to trial during his Passion. Holy Mass will be celebrated by our priest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, dedicated to Our Blessed Mother.
Day 4 Vatican Museum
Tour St. Peter's Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter the Apostle was martyred. View Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture, and pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II. Next, Visit the Vatican Museum, where you can see the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, and Sistine Chapel. Continue down the Appian Way, one of the earliest roads built in ancient Rome to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the Catacombs.
Day 5 Monte Cassino
Enjoy the scenic route to the Abbey of Monte Cassino, the principal monastery of the Benedictine Order. Continue to San Giovanni Rotondo, where St. Pio of Pietrelcina (St. Padre Pio) lived for many decades and where thousands of people have flocked to be closer to this great saint and Our Lord.
Day 6 Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel
Visit the Old Church of Our Lady of Grace and see the confessional from where St. Pio spent an innumerable number of hours listening to confessions. Next, travel along the beautiful Gargano Peninsula to the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel.
Day 7 Assisi
Leave for Assisi. On the way, stop in Lanciano for private Mass at the Convent/Church of Saint Francis built on top of the antique Church of St. Longinus - the site of a Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century. Leave for the Marian shrine of Loreto to visit the Holy House of Nazareth and the beautiful Madonna of Loreto. End the day in Assisi, hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare, with dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 8 Basilica of St. Francis
Tour of the Basilica of St. Francis. Next, visit the Santuario Della Spogliazione where Blessed Carlo Acutis’ tomb is, the first millennial to be declared Blessed. Continue the tour by walking through this picturesque town, where St. Francis and St. Clare both followed God’s call to rebuild his church. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This Basilica is made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The first structure is the "Porziuncola" and the second is the "Capella del Transito" which is the place where St. Francis died.
Day 9 Gubbio
Ride through the beautiful Umbrian mountains to Gubbio. Following Mass, visit the town of Gubbio, which seems painted onto the hill, a succession of backdrops against which towers and houses stand out, surrounded by walls. Continue to La Verna, the place where St. Francis received the stigmata in 1224.
Day 10 Return to the USA
Jeanne Jackson
This was my first time to Isreal, and it was such a fantastic trip due to our guide Adam and our driver Money Mike! Adam is so knowledgeable and was really able to make each site come alive for me. We had a really large group, and I am sure that Adam felt like he was “herding cats” all week, but he kept us together and moving through the areas while sharing so much information. With Mike’s driving and sense of humor, I felt very safe even though the streets sometimes seemed way too narrow for all of the buses and cars! The team of Adam and Money Mike were fabulous, and I would highly recommend them!!
Adrienne Carter
If you’re doing the Holy Land Tour, there’s no question in which company to choose - it’s Travel With Friends! The entire trip was very well planned and wasted no time in getting us in and out of sites while beating the crowds. Ibrahim was a phenomenal guide! He was personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable in the Bible and history of the land. Will definitely do this trip again and go through Travel With Friends!
Ellie Hill