DAY 1: DUBLIN TO NAPLES
Today you will travel to Dublin Airport for an early flight to Naples at 06:15hrs. We will be landing at approximately 10:35am and our local Joe Walsh Tours representative will meet us at arrivals to being our journey to Pietrelcina.
We will have free time for lunch followed by a short but insightful visit to the home of St Pio the church of St. Anna, where Padre Pio was baptised and received his First Holy Communion. After mass we will travel to San Giovanni Rotondo where we will stay for four nights. Check in the hotel and time to rest before meeting for dinner at the hotel.
DAY 2: SAN GIOVANNI
After breakfast we will spend a full day exploring San Giovanni. After the morning Mass we will visit the English office to hear about the extraordinary life of Padre Pio and the Capuchin Friary, the cell where Saint Pio lived and died, and the crucifix before which he received the stigmata.
Time permitting, we will also visit part of the hospital ‘Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza’. In his life, the Saint of Pietrelcina, Padre Pio, gave special welcome to those people who, like him, were sick or experiencing any kind of suffering. He founded the hospital Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza in solidarity with them. The hospital, also known as “Home for Relief of the Suffering”, now welcomes many patients.
DAY 3: MONTE SANT ANGELO AND SAN MARCO IN LAMIS
This morning we will travel to nearby Monte Sant Angelo, the cave shrine where the Archangel Michael appeared in the fifth century. A long list of Saints and Popes have visited this cave to pray to the Archangel, among them St Francis of Assisi, St Pio and St John Paul II. We will attend mass there before going back to the hotel for lunch.
In the afternoon we will be visiting the town of San Marco in Lamis with its beautiful market and visit St Matthew’s monastery.
DAY 4: SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
Today you will enjoy a morning of leisure. After breakfast, you will have time for prayers, to relax by the hotel pool or to explore the nearby and colourful market. Held every Friday in the city centre, it is the perfect occasion to discover traditional local flavours and crafts. Time for lunch back at the hotel.
In the afternoon we will be visiting the Station of the Cross also known as the Monumental Way of the Cross, a forested path through a pine forest on the hillside above Santa Maria delle Grazie. There are 16 sculptures positioned in this area. In the evening, it is time to enjoy the last day in San Giovanni with a nice dinner or pizza in the garden of the hotel (time/weather permitting).
DAY 5: LANCIANO AND ALBA ADRIATICA
After breakfast, we will check out and travel to Alba Adriatica. On our way we will be visiting the small town of Lanciano, near the Adriatic Coast. Lanciano is a wonderful place of pilgrimage, as it is the location of the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. Pilgrims have travelled to the Sanctuary in Lanciano since then to see the miracle, which is kept in a silver and glass reliquary. We will also be visiting the Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, preserved in a church part of a monastery belonging to Capuchin friars. After a long and eventful day, we will be checking in at the hotel in Alba Adriatica where we will be spending the next three.
DAY 6: ALBA ADRIATICA
On our first day in this beautiful town in the Abruzzo region we will have an orientation walking tour of the main city centre and places of interest such as the Vibrata Tower or Sant’Eufemia Parish. Plenty of opportunities to relax and have a stroll along the many beaches. Mass will be organized for the group. Dinner back at the hotel and time to enjoy the summer evening.
DAY 7: LORETO
After breakfast today we will be traveling to Loreto. Located in the Marche region of central Italy and close to the Adriatic Coast, Loreto is a special place for Catholic pilgrimage as it is home to the Shrine of the Holy House of the Virgin Mary, located in the Basilica della Casa Santa.
This Late Gothic and Renaissance-style Basilica was built between 1469 to 1587. According to research, it contains three sides of the house in Nazareth where Mary was born and lived during the time she received the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel. Free time and back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 8: BACK TO DUBLIN
This is the last day of your Italy pilgrimage and coast tour. After breakfast, the group will check out of the hotel, and get ready to travel to Rome. Before our afternoon flight, we might have the chance to briefly visit the famous St Gabriel Shrine, one of the most popular places of worship in Italy. Time to head to the airport for our 15:10 flight back to Dublin. We hope you enjoyed your time in Italy.
