Rome • Amalfi Coast • Sorrento • Capri • Pompeii • Palermo • Cefalù • Taormina • Catania • Syracuse • Mount Etna • Sicily
There are no trip dates scheduled at this time.
Day 1: Departure from USA.
Day 2: Arrival to Rome. 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. 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. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 3: Visit the Catacombs where 500,000 early Christians are buried. Tour of the Colosseum from the outside, a great building that has been standing since 80 A.D. Proceed to St. John Lateran, the first Basilica ever to be built in the Roman Empire and the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. Visit the Scala Santa, the stairs on which Jesus walked in the residence of Pontius Pilate on Good Friday. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 4: Tour the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (the Pope's private chapel). Proceed to St. Peter's in the Vatican, the largest Basilica in the world that hosts the remains of the Vicar of Christ, St. Peter. There will be time for private devotion, lunch and shopping for religious items that will be blessed by the Pope next day during the Audience. Long pants, capris, or skirts below the knee will be required and shoulders should be covered. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 5: We will have an early start as our private bus takes us to the Vatican to experience the Audience with the Pope. After lunch we will visit the Spanish Steps known for the area where the Romans gathered to meet followed by a walk to the Trevi Fountain. We will continue on from there to tour the Pantheon from the outside, the oldest functional building in the world. We will conclude by visiting the great artistic Piazza Navona, the elegant "living room" of Rome. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 6: On the way to Sorrento we will visit the archeological area of Pompeii and Positano in the Amalfi Coast. Dinner and overnight in Sorrento or Pompei.
Day 7: The Island of Capri is the greatest place for many people. Optional: visit the extraordinary beautiful Blue Grotto with its shining bottom, tour the Island, swim or go shopping. Casual Dress throughout the day. Dinner and overnight in Sorrento or Pompei.
Day 8: fly from Naples to Palermo. Tour of the city by bus and visit the cathedral of Palermo, the Mercato Ballarò, and the Massimo and Politeama theaters from the outside. Dinner and overnight in Palermo.
Day 9: Tour of Cefalù, one of the most beautiful city of Italy with its stunning World Heritage Norman cathedral, gorgeous beach and quaint streets. It is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Dinner and overnight in Palermo.
Day 10: Travel to Catania. Some sights to enjoy are the Piazza Duomo ~ Elephant Fountain, The Cathedral with the Chapel of Sant'Agata containing the saint's treasures. Choose to walk the famous Via Crociferi where you can see some wonderful examples of 18th century Baroque buildings: Jesuits' Church, Church of San Giuliani and the Benedictine Monastery, and walk on the Via Etnea, an elegant street lined with Baroque-style buildings and shops that crosses the city from Piazza Duomo to Piazza Stesicoro where you can see the Vincenzo Bellini Monument, the imposing Roman Amphitheater, and the Church of Sant'Agata alla Fornace. Dinner and overnight in Catania, Sicily.
Day 11: Visit the incredible city of Taormina and enjoy the famous volcano of Mount Etna. It is considered by many the most beautiful city of Italy. Dinner and overnight in Catania.
Day 12: Drive to Syracuse. We will visit the archaeological area and the famous Greek theater. We will visit the Duomo (Cathedral), the building contains influences from various cultures within its walls: Greek, Byzantine, Arabic, and the Norman Church of Santa Lucia. The church stands on the site where, so the legend goes, Syracuse's patron saint was martyred. Dinner and overnight in Catania.
Day 13: Fly back home.
Trip Includes
Proximo Travel
PO Box 561
Auburn, MA 01501
