DAY 1: Monday 29th September – Arrive Rome
Depart in total comfort from Dublin Airport at 10:25am, ensuring a smooth and relaxing start to your journey. We will be arriving in Rome at approximately 14:30 with the rest of day ahead of us.
Our Joe Walsh Tours representative will meet us on arrival and upon collecting our bags from the carousel we will be transferred by private coach to Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the major Papal Basilicas, where we will have an introductory walking tour of the area and Mass before heading to the Hotel Milani which will be our base for the next 5 nights on a Half Board basis.
Time to check in, dinner and overnight.
DAY 2: Tuesday 30th September – St Peter Basilica and Square, Tomb of the Popes, Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Today after breakfast will spend the full morning visiting St Peter Basilica and Square and the tomb of the Popes. We will also have the pleasure to attend a guided visit of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (time tbc). The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV.
The Basilica is one of the holiest sites of Christianity and Catholic Tradition, it is traditionally the burial site of its titular, St. Peter, who was the head of the twelve Apostles of Jesus.
Time for lunch in one of the local Bistrot’s before heading to the second major papal Basilicas, St John in the Lateran for Mass and visit.
After our first day in the heart of Rome time to go back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3: Wednesday 01st October – Papal Audience
After breakfast today we will spend the morning participating at the Papal Audience.
Pick up from the hotel will be very early, around 7am. Pilgrims and visitors will have the chance to see the Pope and receive the Papal blessings or Apostolic blessings from the successor of the Apostle Peter during their visit. The Audience with the Pope consists of small teachings and readings mainly in Italian but also in English.
Our day will follow with lunch and the visit of another major Papal basilicas: the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. The basilica is the conventual church of the adjacent Benedictine abbey. We will also visit the Shrine of the Tre Fontane – St Paul Martyrdrom. The legend says that when his head was cut off, it hit the ground and then rolled to two other spots due to the sloping terrain, miraculously causing water to spring up in three places.
Back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4: Thursday 02nd October – Walking tour of Rome
Today after breakfast we will be picked up from the hotel and start our walking tour of Rome main sites. We will be visiting, (from the outside), and walking around the most famous attractions, from the Spanish Steps, we will visit and have Mass in S. Andrea delle Fratte (miraculous medal), followed by the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the church of the Jesuite(Gesu’church).
Time to relax and to head back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5: Friday 03rd October – Cathacombs of St Callisto
After breakfast today we will spend the morning visiting the beautiful and important Cathacombs of St Callisto or San Sebastian, with mass and guided tour.
After lunch we will have a free day. Please ask out experience tour guide for recommendations, sit in one of the many café’s or shop and stroll around the main city centre.
Back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6: Saturday 04th October – Irish College and flight back home
Today is the last day of this holy Rome’s pilgrimage. After a good breakfast and check out we will be picked up around 08.30 – 9am.
We will be transferred to the Irish College. The Pontifical Irish College is a Catholic seminary in Rome for the training and education of priests. It serves as a residence for clerical students from all over the world. After the visit of the College and mass, at 11:30hrs our last pick up to go back to the airport for our afternoon flight back to Dublin departing at 1510.
