SAMPLE TOUR - The best of Italy in 8 days with Miracolo Tours
Day 1: You will arrive in Rome, where our Tour Leader and his team will meet you at the airport. We have arranged private transportation to your hotel, located in the heart of downtown Rome. Your first morning is at leisure to adjust, rest, and become acquainted with the area. There will be an orientation briefing in the afternoon, followed by our Opening Celebration Dinner.
Day 2: In the morning we will visit St Peter’s Basilica and the underground excavations at St Peter’s tomb. If possible, we will participate in Holy Mass at the Basilica. In the afternoon we will visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.
Day 3: We will begin the morning by visiting the Colosseum and St John’s Lateran. The Lateran is the cathedral for the diocese of Rome and is where St. Francis persuaded Pope Innocent III to give him permission to begin the Franciscan Order. Next we will visit the Church of St. Peter in Chains, built on the site of one of the oldest churches in Rome and home to Michelangelo’s famous statue of Moses.
After lunch we will visit the Pantheon, the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, with its three stunning paintings by Caravaggio, as well as the beautiful fountains of the Piazza Navona.
Basilica of St. Francis , ASsisi, Italy.
Day 4: This morning we will leave Rome, passing first through the village of Santa Maria degli Angeli. In Santa Maria we will visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, which contains the Porziuncola, a church within a church built by St. Francis and his followers. Nearby is the site of Francis’ death. After our visit, we will continue on to Assisi, where our hotel is a stone’s throw from the St Francis Basilica. Dinner will be at the hotel. If possible, we will participate in mass at St Francis.
Day 5: We will begin the day with a comprehensive guided tour of the two levels of the Basilica of St. Francis. Though St. Francis preached and lived a simple life of poverty, abstinence, and renunciation of worldly goods, the basilica built in his honor is grand, ornate, and considered one of the world's focal points of both high art and intense spirituality. It is a truly stunning experience.
After the basilica we will continue through the hilly town of Assisi to the main square, ending our tour at St Clare. The evening’s dinner will be at Buca di San Francesco, a culinary gem located in the heart of the town.
Day 6: In the morning we leave for Florence. On the way we will stop in Siena for a guided walking tour of the town and the Basilica of San Domenico, home to the relics of St Catherine. Leaving Siena, we will enjoy amazing views of the Tuscan countryside on our way to San Gimignano, a beautiful, ancient town in the heart of the Chianti wine country. After lunch and a walk through San Gimignagno, we will continue on to Florence. Arriving in Florence, we will have dinner at one of the many quaint restaurants not far from our centrally located hotel.
Day 7: Our last day begins with a tour of Florence, which will include the Church of Santa Croce, as well as the Duomo and its Baptistery. In the afternoon we will visit the Accademia Museum, home to Michelangelo’s sculpture of David as well as numerous other priceless works of art. In the evening we will celebrate the end of our journey at IL LATINI, the oldest trattoria in Florence.
Day 8: We leave for the Florence airport and your flights home. Arrivederci!
