Best of Italy Christian
8 Day Inspirational Tour

Dates	Land Only No Transfers	Early Reservation Discount (6 Mo. Adv.)
2024
October 26-November 2	$2,899	$2,799
2025
October 25-November 1	$3,299	$3,199
Single Supplement: Year-round 2024: $550 Year-round 2025: $895

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Price Includes: Moderate first class accommodations, breakfast daily, 3 dinners, luggage handling in most hotels (1 piece per person), expert guide throughout, entrances and transportation as appear on itinerary, modern transportation.

Please Note: Italy gratuities will be paid in advance ($85 per person will be added to your final invoice for gratuities to be paid to driver, guide, and hotel staff while in Italy).

Not Included: Gratuities, airfare, transfers (not included unless airfare is purchased from Pilgrim Tours), meals not listed, optional travel insurance.

Deposit Required: A $300 per person US Dollar deposit (which includes a $100 non-refundable service fee) is required to secure a reservation.

Day 1: Depart USA

Overnight flight to Italy.

Day 2: Arrival, Charming Naples

We arrive in Naples and transfer to our hotel for the next three evenings.  A welcome introductory dinner is included this evening. (D)

Day 3: Sorrento, Amalfi Coast Tour

Departing our hotel after breakfast, we will tour through the piazzas and old Roman streets in the elegant town of Sorrento, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast.  This afternoon we take in the breathtaking coastal views on a drive to the colorful villages of Positano and picturesque Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea.  We return to Naples for the evening.  You are free to have dinner is on your own. (B)

Day 4: Bella Capri, Pompeii

We begin the day with a relaxing ferry ride on the Gulf of Naples to the beautiful Isle of Capri.  Enjoy free to relax, shop, explore through the narrow streets and have lunch before we return.  This afternoon a special guide will lead you in a walking tour of Pompeii, the 1st-century community captured in time when buried in ash by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.  We enjoy dinner and our last evening in Naples. (B,D)

Day 5: Rome. Catacombs

Sleep in or take a walk on your own this morning before we turn toward the north and travel to Rome, our home for the next three nights. This afternoon we will take an afternoon tour of the Catacombs where thousands of Christians were buried in a remarkable tiered series of galleries. (D)

Day 6: Forum, Mamertine, Coliseum, Ostia Antica

We begin our walking tour at the ancient Roman Forum, where our guide will divulge its secrets. We will visit the Arch of Titus which commemorated the sack of Jerusalem by Titus in AD 70. We will view the Mamertine Prison exterior, where tradition says the Apostle Paul was imprisoned. The Roman church would say that Peter was imprisoned here as well, but there is no imperial evidence that Peter was ever in Rome. Next, we visit the Coliseum, where thousands of people and animals perished during gladiatorial games. The Coliseum first opened in AD 80 and within 100 days of its opening, 5000 wild beasts perished here. The slaughter of both humans and animals continued for three more centuries. Historians believe the Coliseum could hold between 40,000 and 80,000 people depending on how close the seating was. The floor has recently had a plank placed over the middle making it accessible for people to walk over the labyrinth of brick cells, ramps, and elevators used to transport animals and gladiators into the arena. Hear the stories of the games that have fascinated people for hundreds of years. We conclude our day at the ruins of Ostia Antica, which provides an excellent example of city life in classical times and the Ostian Gate, today called the Gate of St. Paul. (B)

Day 7: Vatican Museums, St. Peter's, Scala Santa, Abbey of Three Fountains, St. Paul Outside the Wall

After breakfast you will begin a full day of sightseeing. First visit Vatican City where you will see the Basilica at St. Peter, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums with stunning works of art at every turn. After some free time for lunch, you will stop at The Abbey of the Three Fountains, the traditional site of Paul's martyrdom and the ancient street that he walked on. Next, visit the 4th century Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the site of Paul’s tomb, and the Scala Santa, where Martin Luther made his stand against the practice of indulgences. This fascinating museum houses the Steps from Pilot's Judgment Hall in Jerusalem brought to Rome by Helena, the mother of Constantine. Additional sights include the Arches of Constantine and Titus, Circus Maximus and the beautiful marble monument called the Wedding Cake.(B)

Day 8: Home

This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight home. (B)