Italy Tour with Susan Finnefrock - September 2025

Our journey begins as we board our overnight connecting flight to Rome. Meals served on board.

Upon arrival in Rome we meet our guide and travel southeast along the coast to Pozzuoli (Putuoli) on the Bay of Naples. Here at Putuoli Paul first entered the mainland of the Roman Empire (Acts 28:13).

We pass by the ancient Roman Amphitheater (larger than the Colosseum in Rome!) and enjoy an overview of the seaport of Pozzuoli and the ancient marketplace. Here we can imagine the apostle Paul’s arrival for his continued journey to Rome. We check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast we begin our day with a panoramic tour of Amalfi, a town known for quality paper-making since the 13th century. The Amalfi Coast, which connects Sorrento with Amalfi, is widely considered Italy’s most scenic stretch of coastline, with a landscape of towering bluffs and pastel-hued villages. The coast was awarded a coveted spot on the World Heritage list in 1997! We have time for lunch and exploring in Amalfi.

In the afternoon we visit the Bay of Naples, where we observe its seaport and a breathtaking view of Mount Vesuvius. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast we embark on an archaeological journey through the ancient city of Pompeii. Buried under a layer of ashes and pyroclastic flow by the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, the city shows Roman life frozen in the time of the apostles Peter and Paul. We walk through Pompeii’s houses, shops, temples, squares, and streets, as well as the Lupanare (a first-century brothel) and the Suburban Baths, both displaying erotic frescoes and lending insight to Paul’s outrage against the moral corruption of the Romans (Romans 1:26).

We make our way north and rejoin the ancient Appian roadway once traveled by Paul, stopping at the partially-restored ruins of the Roman village of Minturno. We continue to Foro Appio and its Mansio Hotel, a small lodging situated in the same locale as an ancient Roman “posta” where travelers would rest before continuing their journey. On the property we see (and walk on!) remnants of the original Roman road, the Appian Way, upon which the apostle Paul traveled (Acts 28:14-15). Our evening concludes with dinner and overnight at the Mansio Hotel.

Departing Foro Appio after breakfast, we make our way to the Eternal City of Rome. We begin our walking tour of Rome along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the center road in Rome running in a straight line from the Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum. We observe many magnificent centerpieces of ancient Rome, including the ruins of the Imperial Fora of Rome. We visit the Forum of Trajan, the most splendid market of its time and the forerunner of our modern malls, offering all the Roman world had to offer. We see the Capitoline Hill (the religious and political center of ancient Rome) and the Piazza del Campidoglio, designed and rebuilt in the 16th century by Michelangelo. Here we step onto a natural terrace offering a stunning view of the valley of the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Moving on, we go to the Mamertime Prison where Paul was held and wrote his “prison epistles”. We also view the 3rd-century Arch of Constantine, commemorating Constantine’s historic victory that gave rise to the legalization and later adoption of Christianity. Next we visit the Colosseum, a stage for the historical fights of the famous gladiators.

After lunch we visit the Basilica of San Clemente, where we remember the early companions of Paul; we travel to the Aventine Hill to the traditional home of Priscilla and Aquila (according to a 5th-century document), now located below the Church of Santa Prisca. We then check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today we are in for a sensory overload as we prepare to see some of Italy’s most incredible masterpieces! We start at the Vatican Museums, where we see the Apartments of Julius II, splendidly decorated by Raphael and his assistants. Within the famous Sistine Chapel we admire one of the world’s most esteemed pieces of art: The Genesis and the Last Judgment by Michelangelo. We proceed down the Royal Stairway to Saint Peter’s Basilica, featuring Michelangelo’s stunning Madonna della Pietà and a 10-story bronze canopy over the basilica’s altar. We end the morning at Saint Peter’s Square, centered on a 4,000-year-old monolithic Egyptian obelisk (measuring at 83 feet tall and weighing 326 tons!).

In the afternoon we enjoy some leisure time in Rome. We may have lunch at the Trevi Fountain (the most famous of 1,352 fountains from the 4th century), walk on Via Condotti in the fashion district by the Spanish Steps, or visit Piazza Navona or the Pantheon (which has been in continuous service for 2,000 years). After the day’s many adventures, we return to our hotel to relax before dinner and overnight.

This morning we visit some of the most significant sites related to the life of the apostle Paul in Rome. We begin with Insula di San Paolo alla Regola, believed to be the area of Paul’s first visit and house arrest in around 62 AD (Acts 24-28). We continue on to the Abbey of the Three Fountains, the location of Paul’s martyrdom. Tradition has it that three different springs gushed forth at each spot touched when Paul’s head fell to the ground. Next we visit Saint Paul Outside the Walls and the adjoining basilica, where the bones of Paul have recently been located (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

We continue to the northern end of the ancient Via Appia to visit the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla. Time allowing, we will continue to the Basilica of San John di Lateran (the oldest basilica in Rome, founded in 324 AD), which was among the most important Christian churches of Rome. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we begin our journey home, rejoicing in our unforgettable experiences in Italy. Our hearts are full; we explored ancient Christianity and brought new life to our Bible reading, and we will never be the same (Numbers 6:24–26).

This morning we will go through the Umbrian green hills covered in olive groves and vineyards to reach Assisi. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and start an unforgettable walk through the narrow streets of the ancient town which sweeps the flanks of Monte Subasio. You will visit the Church of Santa Chiara, the site where St. Francis was born and then on to see the house where he spent the first years of his life. Then, near the ancient city walls, you will visit the Basilica of St Francis, which houses the tomb of the Saint. This afternoon we continue north to Florence. Check in your hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning discover the cradle of the Renaissance, where one breathes art in the medieval streets, in the craftsmen’s workshops, and in the Renaissance Palaces. Visit the Baptistery of St. John, the religious essence of the city, the Duomo with the Medici Chapel,the Church of St. Lorenzo, Piazza della Signoria and the Basilica of Santa Croce, a masterpiece of Gothic art and the pantheon of famous Italians such as Michelangelo. Visit the Accademia Gallery, which hosts Michelangelo’s famous David.

The rest of the day is at leisure to explore additional treasures of Florence and shop on your own. The outdoor Market of San Lorenzo boasts leather products, and the Ponte Vecchio, covered since medieval times with goldsmiths’ shops, is a must for Florence’s other specialty, gold jewelry. Dinner and overnight in Florence.

Today we will depart to the country side of Tuscany. Here we will experience some of Italy’s most beautiful scenery, and of course sample some of the best wines found on the planet. Continue back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Depart Florence after breakfast and drive through the scenic Tuscan countryside to the highway where we travel towards the north and reach Venice. Upon arrival, we transfer to central Venice by private motor-boat to tour the magnificent Piazza and Basilica of St.Mark’s, its marvelous Byzantine-style architecture studded with colored marbles and glittering gold mosaics and housing the tomb of the Evangelist Mark. Visit also the elaborate Doge’s Palace, the lavish home of the former Venetian rulers with its famous Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners crossed before being led to the dungeons. Enjoy some time at leisure for an optional gondola ride or for shopping. Transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we begin a long, but wonderful day as we head to Verona. The first glimpse of the city is love at first sight. “There is no world without Verona walls” pens William Shakespeare, who has lent Verona fame and immortality with his tale of two star-crossed lovers, Romeo Montecchi (Montagu) and Juliet Capuleti (Capulet). Reboard our bus and continue to Milan, Italy’s fashion and business capital. You’ll enjoy a panoramic tour, highlighted by the enormous gothic cathedral known as “Il Duomo” and perhaps the world’s premier opera house, the Teatro alla La Scala. Board your bus to reach your hotel located on the Maggiore Lake. Dinner and overnight.

Today we enjoy a relaxing day around Lake Maggiore which stretches all the way up into Switzerland. Like all of these prealpine lakes, it’s renowned for being beautiful, and has attracted celebrity visitors from Napoleon to Ernest Hemingway, to Prince Charles and Lady Diana. We will board our private vessel as we tour around Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands. Glide by lush lakeside gardens and towns, stopping to view Borromean Palace on Isola Bella. Return to the hotel where the afternoon will be free to relax, explore the area on your own, and to get ready for our early morning departure tomorrow. Dinner at the hotel.

Early morning transfer to the airport for our flight back home. We have walked where Paul and Peter ministered to the early church and to us as well.