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The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi at sunset

Franciscan Pilgrimage Route

In the Footsteps of St. Francis

Eleven days based in Assisi, with La Verna, Siena and Greccio, ending in Rome, and daily Mass at the shrines of St. Francis and St. Clare.

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

Five stops across Italy

By motorcoach from Rome to Assisi for six nights, with day trips out to La Verna, Siena and the hermitages above the town, then Greccio on the road down to Rome.

Itinerary · EU_IT-11D-01

The Franciscan Route Itinerary

Six nights in Assisi with day trips out, built for communities who would rather see four places properly than nine badly. 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 – 4

Arrival and Assisi

The striped marble facade of Siena Cathedral
Siena Cathedral
Day 1

Departure from the United States

Our pilgrimage to Italy begins as we depart the United States on our overnight flight to Rome. Dinner and breakfast will be served during the flight.
Day 2

Arrival in Rome & Transfer to Assisi

Upon arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, we are greeted by our local guide and board our private motorcoach for the scenic drive to Assisi through the beautiful Umbrian countryside. After checking into our hotel, we gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 3

Assisi, Basilica of St. Francis & Basilica of St. Clare

Today we explore the hilltop birthplace of St. Francis, a town that still keeps something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s. We visit the Basilica of St. Clare to venerate her incorrupt body and the San Damiano Cross, before which St. Francis received his call to conversion, and the Basilica of St. Francis to pray over his tomb. The rest of the day is free to explore Assisi.Mass is celebrated at the Chiesa Nuova, built in 1615 on the site of the saint’s birthplace. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 4

Day Trip to La Verna

Today we travel to La Verna, one of the most revered Franciscan shrines, where on September 14, 1224, St. Francis received the Stigmata, the wounds of Christ’s Passion. On the floor of the Chapel of the Stigmata, a stone marks the very spot where he received this mark. We celebrate Mass at the Franciscan Sanctuary before returning to Assisi in the afternoon.Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 5 – 7

La Verna, Siena and the hermitages

Saint Peter's Square and Bernini's colonnade in Vatican City
Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City
Day 5

Sanctuary of the Spogliazione & St. Mary of the Angels

After breakfast we return to the Basilica of St. Francis to celebrate Mass. We continue to the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione to venerate the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint. We then visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, built around the Porziuncola, the small chapel where St. Francis spent much of his life, and see the rose bush and cave where he retired for prayer. The afternoon is left at leisure.Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 6

Siena Day Trip

We travel today to Siena, a city rich in Catholic heritage. We begin at the Basilica of San Domenico, home to the relics of St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and co-patroness of Europe, where we celebrate Mass. We continue to the Siena Cathedral, a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture, and explore the Piazza del Campo, famed for the Palio horse race.Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 7

Hermitage of Carceri & San Damiano

After breakfast we travel a short distance to the Hermitage of Carceri, where in the 13th century St. Francis and other hermits before him came to pray and contemplate, and we celebrate Mass. We continue to the Church of San Damiano, where St. Francis experienced his powerful conversion upon hearing a voice from the crucifix calling him to rebuild the Church, and which later became the first monastery of St. Clare and her community. The afternoon is left at leisure.Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 8 – 9

Greccio and Rome

The facade of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome
Saint John Lateran, Rome
Day 8

Greccio & Transfer to Rome

Today we begin our journey to Rome, stopping en route in the mountaintop town of Greccio, celebrated as the birthplace of the Christmas crèche. On Christmas night in 1223, St. Francis led local shepherds to a nearby hillside stable, where tradition holds the Christ Child miraculously appeared in the manger; the Chapel of the Crib was erected on this spot in 1228, the year of St. Francis’s canonization. We celebrate Mass here before continuing to Rome.Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 9

Rome, Major Basilicas

Today we visit three of Rome’s major basilicas. We begin at St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, and the Holy Stairs, venerated as the steps Christ ascended during his trial before Pontius Pilate. We continue to St. Mary Major, one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, where we visit the tomb of Pope Francis. In the afternoon we visit St. Paul Outside the Walls to venerate the tomb of St. Paul the Apostle. We celebrate Mass at one of these sacred sites.Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 10 – 11

Return home

Frescoed vaulting and detail inside the Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
Day 10

Papal Audience, Vatican City & St. Peter’s Basilica

After breakfast we make our way to Vatican City and enter St. Peter’s Basilica, the heart of the Catholic Church. If available, we attend the Papal Audience with the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Square, followed by Mass near the Vatican. After lunch we tour the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel beneath Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling. This evening we enjoy a farewell dinner.Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 11

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the intercession of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, we transfer to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for our return flight home to the United States.

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®
Full-screen photograph
Assisi above the Umbrian valley
AssisiThe Umbrian valley, below the town that formed Saint Francis.
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
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
The carved Gothic facade of Orvieto Cathedral
Orvieto Cathedral

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 Italy?

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 cruiseSomewhere 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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