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Assisi on its hillside above the green Umbrian valley

Assisi and Rome

The tomb of St. Francis, the Porziuncola, the Papal Audience and the four papal basilicas

Eight days in Assisi and Rome, from the tomb of St. Francis and the San Damiano Cross to a Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square, the four papal basilicas and Mass in the catacombs.

Departures

Current Tours to Italy

Upcoming departures to Italy. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Two stops in central Italy

A night in Assisi for St. Francis and St. Clare, then five nights in Rome.

Itinerary · EU_IT-12D-03

The Assisi and Rome Itinerary

A night in Assisi at the tomb of St. Francis, then five nights in Rome with a Papal Audience. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Day 1 – 3

Assisi

The Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi
Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi
Day 1

Departure from the United States

We depart the United States on our overnight flight to Rome. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
Day 2

Arrival in Rome and on to Assisi

Our escort meets us in Rome and accompanies us north to Assisi, the hill town of St. Francis and St. Clare.Welcome dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 3

St. Francis and St. Clare

We begin at the Basilica of St. Clare, where the foundress of the Poor Clares rests and the San Damiano Cross hangs, the crucifix before which St. Francis heard the call to rebuild the Church. We continue to the Basilica of St. Francis and the tomb of the Poverello, then down to the valley and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, built around the little Porziuncola, with the Cappella del Transito where he died in 1226 and the thornless roses of its garden. We drive on to Rome in the afternoon.Mass is celebrated at the tomb of St. Francis. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 4 – 5

Ancient Rome and the Vatican

The Roman Forum and the Colosseum seen across the ruins
The Roman Forum, Rome
Day 4

Imperial Rome

We visit the Church of St. Peter in Chains, where the chains that tradition holds bound the apostle are venerated beneath Michelangelo’s Moses, then walk the Roman Forum beneath the Arch of Titus and past the Arch of Constantine, raised for the emperor whose Edict of Milan ended the persecutions in 313. We continue around the Colosseum and past Trajan’s Column and market.Mass is celebrated in Vatican City. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 5

The Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s

We enter the Vatican Museums and their collection of sacred art, ending in silence beneath Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, then cross to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in Christendom, raised over the tomb of the fisherman, where Michelangelo’s Pietà stands.Mass is celebrated in Vatican City. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 6

The basilicas of Christian Rome

The Basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome
Sant’Andrea della Valle, Rome
Day 6

The basilicas of Christian Rome

We pray at the Basilica of St. Mary Major and its venerated icon of Our Lady, then at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and mother church of the world, and climb the Scala Sancta on our knees, the stairs tradition holds Our Lord climbed before Pilate. We end at the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, built for the relics of the True Cross that St. Helena brought to Rome. The afternoon is free.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 7 – 8

The Papal Audience and home

Saint Peter's Square and Bernini's colonnade in Vatican City
Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City
Day 7

The Papal Audience and the catacombs

We attend the General Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square and receive the Holy Father’s apostolic blessing, then travel the Old Appian Way, walked by the earliest Christians and, tradition holds, by St. Peter as he fled the city, to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the tomb of the Apostle to the Gentiles.Mass is celebrated in the catacombs. Farewell dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 8

Return home

With hearts renewed by the intercession of St. Francis and the apostles Peter and Paul, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
The Basilica of St. Clare at Assisi
AssisiThe tomb of the Poverello, and the cross that told him to rebuild the Church.
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Saint Peter's Basilica lit in the evening, seen from the Via della Conciliazione
Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
Frescoed vaulting and detail inside the Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
The Roman Forum and the Colosseum seen across the ruins
The Roman Forum, Rome
The Colosseum in Rome
The Colosseum, Rome
Rooftops and domes across the centre of Rome
Rooftops and domes, Rome
The Basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome
Sant’Andrea della Valle, Rome

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to Assisi and Rome?

April through early June and mid-September through October are the most comfortable months, with warm days, mild evenings and thinner crowds at the shrines. July and August are hot, and Rome empties of Italians and fills with visitors. Winter is quiet and better priced, and Assisi in the cold is a serious pilgrimage.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for Italy?

US citizens need a valid passport and do not currently require a visa for Italy on a trip of this length. Italy is in the Schengen area, which allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. We recommend at least six months of validity beyond your return date and a couple of blank pages. Europe’s ETIAS travel authorisation is expected to begin during this period, and we will tell your group what is needed well before departure.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Italy?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseA choir pilgrimageChristmas markets and AdventWorld Youth Day Seoul 2027Somewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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