8 Day All Inclusive Italy Tour

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).

Leaving Rome, we travel through the green Umbrian hills, covered in olive groves and vineyards, on our way to Assisi. Here we take an unforgettable walk through the narrow streets of the ancient town of Assisi. We visit the Church of Santa Chiara, the location of Saint Francis’s birth in 1181 AD, then on to the house where he spent the first years of his life. Near the ancient city walls, we visit the 12th-century Basilica of Saint Francis, which houses the saint’s tomb.

This afternoon we travel north through the Italian countryside until we reach Florence, where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we explore the cradle of the Renaissance (14-15th century AD), where we breathe in the art of the medieval streets, the craftsmen’s workshops, and the Renaissance Palaces. We visit the Baptistery of Saint John, the Duomo with the Medici Chapel, the Church of Saint Lorenzo, Piazza della Signoria, and the Basilica of Santa Croce (a masterpiece of Gothic art). Next we enjoy the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s famous David. Carved in 1504 AD from a single piece of white marble, this masterpiece stands 17 feet tall and weighs 12,500 pounds!

The rest of the day is ours to explore, eat, and shop in Florence. The outdoor Market of San Lorenzo boasts leather products, and the Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”) is a famous enclosed shopping center dating back to the 16th century and featuring countless specialty shops. We dine and overnight in Florence.

We depart Florence after breakfast and drive north through the scenic Tuscan countryside to Venice, where we are taken to central Venice by private motorboat. There are no cars in Venice; instead the city uses over 400 gondola boats. We see the famed Rialto Market (nearly 1,000 years old) and tour the magnificent Piazza and Basilica of Saint Mark with its beautiful gold mosaics. The basilica is a marvelous example of Byzantine-style architecture, and also houses the tomb of the Evangelist Mark.

Next we visit the elaborate Doge’s Palace, the lavish home of former Venetian rulers with its famous Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners once crossed before being led to the dungeons. We then enjoy some time at leisure for an optional gondola ride or for additional shopping and eating. Afterwards we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast we make our way to the 2,000-year-old city of Verona. “There is no world without Verona walls,” penned William Shakespeare, who immortalized Verona in the famous tale of Romeo and Juliet. In Verona we also see Italy’s third largest amphitheater with a capacity of 30,000.

Moving on from Verona we travel to Milan, Italy’s fashion and business capital. We enjoy a tour highlighted by the enormous Gothic cathedral Il Duomo, as well as perhaps the world’s premier opera house, the Teatro alla La Scala. We then travel to our hotel on Lake Maggiore for dinner and overnight.

Today we enjoy a relaxing day around Lake Maggiore, one of Napoleon’s favorite destinations and a site visited by such celebrities as Ernest Hemingway. At 2 to 3 miles wide and 40 miles long, the lake stretches all the way to Switzerland. It’s surrounded by museums, and we have the special opportunity to tour the lake’s gardens and towns as well as the Borromean Palace by way of private watercraft.

In the afternoon we have free time to return to the hotel to relax, or we can shop or walk the area to enjoy our final day in Italy. We enjoy dinner together at our hotel and prepare for our early morning departure.

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).