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The Route

Eleven stops across Malta and Italy

Valletta, Gozo and Mdina on Malta, a flight to Rome, then Montecassino, San Giovanni Rotondo, Monte Sant’Angelo, Lanciano, Loreto, Assisi and Orvieto by motorcoach.

Itinerary · EU_MT-IT-14D-01

Our Standard Malta Pilgrimage

This is the route we most often run for groups in Malta. 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 – 5

Malta, the island of St. Paul

Yachts moored below the churches and houses of Vittoriosa on the Grand Harbor, Malta
The waterfront of Vittoriosa, one of the Three Cities on the Grand Harbor
Day 1

Depart for Malta

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Malta. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
Day 2

Arrival in Malta

We are met on arrival by our tour guide and driver and transfer to our hotel. Our guide tells the story of St. Paul the Apostle and the arrival of Christianity in the Maltese Islands nearly two thousand years ago. We gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin the pilgrimage together.Overnight in Malta.
Day 3

The Three Cities and Valletta

We visit the Three Cities of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea, where the Knights of St. John settled along the Grand Harbor in 1530, and see the Miraculous Crucifix in the Oratory of the Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady. A traditional harbor boat carries us across to Valletta, where we celebrate Mass at St. John’s Co-Cathedral and view Caravaggio’s paintings in its Oratory.Overnight in Malta.
Day 4

Gozo

We stop at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha, blessed by St. John Paul II in 1990, then cross by ferry to Gozo. We visit the Munxar Parish Church, dedicated to St. Paul, the Gozo Cathedral of the Assumption and St. George’s Basilica, where relics of St. Clement rest. We celebrate Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu, Malta’s most important pilgrimage site, before the ferry back.Overnight in Malta.
Day 5

St. Paul’s Bay, Mdina and Rabat

We view St. Paul’s Bay by boat, then continue to the walled city of Mdina for St. Paul’s Cathedral and Museum and the Bastions. At Rabat we descend into St. Paul’s Catacombs and celebrate Mass at St. Paul’s Grotto, where tradition holds the Apostle sheltered and prayed for three months after his shipwreck around A.D. 60, and where St. John Paul II prayed in 1990.Overnight in Malta.
Day 6 – 8

Rome and the Papal Audience

St. Peter's Square and the obelisk, Rome
St. Peter’s Square on the morning of the Papal Audience
Day 6

Malta to Rome

We fly from Malta to Rome, the Eternal City, and transfer to our hotel with the afternoon free to rest or explore. This evening we gather with our priest and fellow pilgrims and go together to Mass, followed by dinner.Overnight in Rome.
Day 7

Papal Audience, the Lateran and St. Mary Major

We attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on Wednesdays subject to the papal calendar. After free time and lunch around Piazza Navona we visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, and ascend the Holy Stairs on our knees in prayer. We end with Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.Overnight in Rome.
Day 8

St. Peter’s, the Vatican Museums and the Appian Way

We tour St. Peter’s Basilica, see Michelangelo’s Pieta and pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II, then continue through the Vatican Museums to the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. After lunch we follow the Appian Way to the Roman Catacombs and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, built over the Apostle’s tomb.Overnight in Rome.
Day 9 – 10

San Giovanni Rotondo and St. Padre Pio

Photograph to come · The Sanctuary of St. Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo
The Sanctuary of St. Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo
Day 9

Montecassino and San Giovanni Rotondo

We travel through the Roman countryside to Montecassino, the principal monastery of the Benedictine Order, founded by St. Benedict around the year 529, and celebrate Mass there. We continue across Italy to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of St. Padre Pio.Overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Day 10

San Giovanni Rotondo and Monte Sant’Angelo

We celebrate Mass in the Old Church and tour the Sanctuary, with the crucifix before which St. Pio received the stigmata and the confessional where he spent countless hours. We then cross the Gargano Peninsula to the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel at Monte Sant’Angelo. Between May and October we join the weekly candlelight Rosary procession at the Sanctuary after dinner.Overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Day 11 – 14

Lanciano, Loreto, Assisi and home

The Basilica of St. Francis and the town of Assisi at sunset
The Basilica of St. Francis above the Umbrian plain
Day 11

Lanciano, Loreto and Assisi

We stop at Lanciano for a private Mass at the Church of St. Francis, site of the eighth-century Eucharistic Miracle in which bread and wine became visible flesh and blood. We continue to the Marian Shrine of Loreto to visit the Holy House, which tradition holds is the home of the Holy Family, and venerate the Madonna of Loreto. We end the day in Assisi.Overnight in Assisi.
Day 12

Assisi

We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis and pray at his tomb, then pray at the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis at the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione. A walking tour takes in the saint’s birthplace and the Basilica of St. Clare. After free time we go below the walls to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, built around the Porziuncola, and the Cappella del Transito, where St. Francis died.Overnight in Assisi.
Day 13

Orvieto

We travel through the Umbrian countryside to Orvieto, a town built on a volcanic outcrop above Etruscan tunnels some 2,500 years old. We celebrate Mass at Orvieto Cathedral, built to house the linen corporal of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena of 1263, the event that led to the Feast of Corpus Christi. We return to Assisi for dinner and our final night in the town.Overnight in Assisi.
Day 14

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the intercession of St. Paul, Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu, St. Padre Pio and St. Francis of Assisi, we transfer by motorcoach to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for our 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®
RabatThe grotto where tradition holds St. Paul sheltered and prayed for three months after his shipwreck.
Photograph to come · Malta, St. Paul’s Grotto at Rabat
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
Photograph to come · St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta
St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu on Gozo, Malta
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu on Gozo
Photograph to come · St. Paul’s Grotto at Rabat
St. Paul’s Grotto at Rabat
The facade and courtyard of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome
The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome
The Basilica of the Holy House and its square at Loreto, Italy
The Basilica of the Holy House at Loreto
The carved Gothic facade of Orvieto Cathedral
Orvieto Cathedral, home of the corporal of Bolsena

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 Malta?

April through June and September through October are the most comfortable months, warm and dry without the heat and crowds of high summer. February 10, the feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, is Malta’s great Pauline celebration in Valletta. On routes that continue to Rome, Papal Audiences are held on Wednesdays and are suspended in July, when the day is spent at Castel Gandolfo instead.

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 Malta?

A US passport valid for at least three months beyond your return date is required, and we recommend six. Malta and Italy are both in the Schengen area, so no visa is needed for a stay of this length and there is no border check on the flight between them. Requirements change from time to time, so we confirm what applies with your group before you travel.

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 Malta?

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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