Italy Study Trip Itinerary

Monday, November 23: Arrive in Rome

Benvenuto in Italia! You arrive in Rome ready to taste and explore the beautiful culture of Italy, past and present. Geoff Carroll will meet you for your group transfer by bus from Rome’s FCO airport to Rome’s historic center and your first hotel. Today is open for personal exploration as you recover from your flight, rest, or explore the city on your own. A guided walk will also be offered, in addition to restaurant recommendations - or make your own reservations ahead of time for a special first night in Italy! We will stay at the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton Rome Monti for 2 nights.

Tuesday, November 24: Imperial Rome

For our first full day in Rome, we explore the heart of the ancient Roman world, taking in its wonders at the Colosseum, where thousands competed in the gladiatorial games, and the Roman Forum, where dozens of structures testify to the wealth and power of the empire. We will see the Arch of Titus, where evidence of the spoils of Jerusalem adorn its facade, and the Palatine Hill, a massive palatial complex first constructed by Emperor Augustus. We will then enter the Basilica of St Clement, which houses several fascinating ruins from Rome. After we enjoy lunch nearby, we will visit sites such as the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, one of the most intact and impressive ancient Roman structures, and the Ara Pacis Museum, where we see an altar dedicated to Augustus in the first century BC. Dinner and our final overnight at the DoubleTree Rome Monti.

Wednesday, November 25: Assisi

We’ll be back for more time in Rome, but today we continue on! After breakfast we travel north through the serene countryside of Umbria and Tuscany, to the beautiful medieval town of Assisi. Perched on a serene hilltop, Assisi was the birthplace of St. Francis and offers a physical contrast to the imperial power of Rome by highlighting a "counter-empire" built on radical humility, poverty, and peace. Visiting allows you to stand in the breathtaking and multi-layered Basilica of St. Francis (where Francis is buried) and the rugged hermitages where the medieval Church was famously called to "repair" itself by returning to the simple, servant-hearted roots of the Good News of Jesus. We will stay one night at the historic Hotel Giotto in the heart of historic Assisi, allowing time for enjoying it’s panoramic sunset views, and exploring Assisi’s winding cobblestone streets after the day tourists depart.

Thursday, November 26: A Tuscan Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Italy is one of the best places on earth to celebrate sharing food around a table and a special Tuscan Thanksgiving experience is planned for you today. We will depart Assisi and travel north to Tuscany for some cooking and feasting. No Thanksgiving is complete without a little fun working in the kitchen and we have arranged an immersive culinary cooking experience, focused on fresh ingredients and traditional Tuscan cuisine. After we have learned and “helped,” it’s time to sit back and let the professionals take over. We will enjoy a relaxing, served, multi-course meal together around the table in a beautiful Tuscan setting. After we have dined and feasted, we will continue the short drive into Florence where we will stay for two nights at Boutique Hotel Rivoli.

Friday, November 27: Florence

In the magical city of Florence we will explore the influence of the Renaissance on Christian art, history, and theology. After breakfast we will visit the Accademia Gallery, home of Michelangelo’s “David” before continuing as a group to the Duomo, easily the most recognizable structure in Florence, and the Basilica of the Baptistery of St. John, one of the oldest church buildings in Florence. After enjoying lunch together as a group (included), you can enjoy free time to explore more of the city’s incredible museums, piazzas, shops, and restaurants as you soak up the magnificent city of Florence. Dinner on your own tonight for our final night at Hotel Rivoli in Florence.

*Note: We will not visit the Uffizi Museum as a group, but if you want to do so, please notify us and we can reserve tickets for you at an extra cost ($30-$35 per person) for this afternoon. It’s an incredible museum, but some may prefer enjoying shopping, the river, or other sightseeing so we are leaving this afternoon for “free time.” We will send an email requesting confirmation from all interested soon. Uffizi Museum Website

Today we get to experience travel by train from Florence to Naples through some of Italy’s most beautiful countryside. Our hotel is ideally located an easy walk to the train station (5 min), and we will walk there together after breakfast, with our luggage. Our train will depart around 9 am, and we will enjoy the 3-hour direct journey with first class tickets on Italy’s highspeed train.  Arriving in Naples, we are met by our driver and take a short drive across town to a famous pizzeria for lunch together. Naples is known as the birthplace of pizza, and so of course our first priority is “real” pizza! After lunch we continue to the National Archaeological Museum where many artifacts from Pompeii are on display. We will then transfer to Puteoli (modern day Pozzuoli) where we get to stand at the very seaport where Paul arrived to the Italian Peninsula, on the final leg of his many journeys in the Bible. From this port we can also glimpse the nearby Macellum, an ancient meat market, before we travel to our hotel in Pompeii for our first of two nights there. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Forum in Pompei.

Sunday, November 29: Pompeii

Today we travel back in time as we enter one of the best preserved archaeological sites in the world - the ancient city of Pompeii. Covered in volcanic ash by the Mt. Vesuvius Volcano in 79 AD, this city was hauntingly preserved, providing a real experience of daily life in the first-century world. After a morning of guided tour and teaching, you will have the rest of the day free to enjoy the ancient site on your own - it’s worth exploring at your leisure! We will enjoy a group dinner in Pompei tonight (included) in the modern town of Pompei. Our final night at Hotel Forum in Pompei.

Today we return toward Rome, turning the focus of our study to Paul’s final days. On our way into Rome, we will visit Ostia Antica, the ancient port of Rome where the Tiber empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Continuing into the city, we will visit the Abbey of the Three Fountains, where later tradition says Paul was beheaded, and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, where Paul is said to be buried. After a group lunch together (included) we will head underground to the Catacombs of Saint Callisto along the Appian Way, which teaches us about the burial practices of our Christian ancestors, before concluding our study at St. Paolo Alla Regola, learning about where Paul lived while under house-arrest in Rome from approximately 60-62 AD. We will stay tonight in a different part of Rome, at the Hotel della Conciliazione on on the charming street of Borgo Pio steps from the Vatican. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight at your choice in Rome!

Tuesday, December 1: Vatican City

We begin our day walking the short distance from our hotel to Vatican City, the smallest independent country in the world. Functioning as the center of the Roman Catholic Church, the area boasts St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church building in the world, whose dome was designed by Michelangelo. After visiting the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, we will enter the interior of the church where we view Michaelangelo’s “Pieta”. We will enjoy a final group lunch together, before free-time the rest of the day, with an optional guided walk to the Christmas market in Piazza Navona, which was once a stadium built by Emperor Domitian. Dinner on your own, and our final night at Hotel della Concilazione in Rome.

Wednesday, December 2: The Journey Continues

You can enjoy a free day in Rome today until it’s time to depart for your flight or continue your travels as you wish. The recommended group flight is scheduled to depart about 8 PM. We can help you arrange transfers as needed for the flight itinerary that works best for you. In the meantime, the Christmas markets and holiday season festivities are in full swing around Rome, adding to its normal delight. This is one of the best parts of traveling at this time of year to Italy and we highly recommend enjoying them to their fullest!