Faith & Flavors of Italy

Experience Italy in a way that nourishes both body and soul! From the sun-kissed Amalfi Coast to the sacred heart of Rome and the timeless beauty of Sicily, this pilgrimage brings together the very best of Catholic faith, Italian culture, breathtaking scenery, and unforgettable flavors.

Walk in the footsteps of Saints Peter, Paul, Andrew, and Rosalia as we visit some of the Church’s most treasured basilicas, shrines, and holy sites. Pray at the tombs of the Apostles in Rome, celebrate Sunday at the Vatican, visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompeii, and experience the magnificent churches and sacred traditions of Sicily.

Along the way, enjoy another side of Italy! Stroll the colorful streets of Positano, sail to the beautiful Island of Capri, visit a traditional lemon farm along the Amalfi Coast to learn how limoncello is made and enjoy a tasting, experience local Campania wines, wander through Palermo’s vibrant markets, and enjoy plenty of leisure time for authentic Italian food, cafés, shopping, and exploring.

Sacred shrines, ancient history, coastal beauty, wine, limoncello, incredible food, and the richness of our Catholic faith, this is truly Faith & Flavors of Italy!

DEPOSIT IS NON-REFUNDABLE

Depart the USA from your local airport.  Enjoy a full meal and inflight  

entertainment (music, movies, etc.) on your overnight flight to Rome, Italy. 

Arrive at Fiumicino International Airport – Leonardo da Vinci in Rome.  Proceed to Baggage Claim and to the Arrivals Hall where just outside, you will be warmly greeted by our local Trinity Tour Travels guide and driver who will accompany you throughout the pilgrimage. From here, your pilgrimage begins with an enchanting drive along southwest Italy to the beautiful city of Sorrento with lunch on your own en route (3 hours).  Facing the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is perched atop cliffs overlooking magnificent water views and the Piazza Tasso.  A Mass of Thanksgiving is celebrated at The Cathedral of Saints Philip and James (The Sorrento Cathedral).  Originally constructed in the 11th century, the cathedral underwent a transformation nearly 400 years later in Romanesque style. Although its bell tower is striking and can be seen along the Corso Italia, it does not form part of the main structure. Leisure time follows schedule permitting. 

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Sorrento. 

Following breakfast at the hotel, we drive along the world-renowned Amalfi Coast Road. With breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountainous coastline of western Italy, we stop in Positano. Known for its narrow boutique and café-lined streets, this charming town is the gem of the Amalfi Coast. Time for strolling and taking in the breathtaking sites throughout prior to continued travel to the stunning city of Amalfi (30 min).

Here, we visit the iconic and colorful Cathedral of St. Andrew (The Amalfi Cathedral) where the apostle’s relics are venerated and his remains lie at rest in a beautifully adorned crypt.

While along the Amalfi Coast, enjoy a special visit to a local lemon farm, where we walk among the lemon trees and learn about the cultivation of the region’s famous lemons. We learn about the traditional procedure used to make limoncello, from the harvesting of the lemons through the production process, followed by a limoncello tasting.

Lunch on your own and leisure time as schedule permits before continuing by boat to Maiori or Salerno (to be confirmed) for drive back to Sorrento. A full day of spectacular sights and awe-inspiring landscapes!

Dinner & overnight in Sorrento.

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a spectacular day trip with a ferry ride to the Island of Capri in the Bay of Naples!  Famed for the ruins of Imperial Roman Villas, the town of Anacapri, and the Blue Grotto, this awe-inspiring area is known for its rugged and panoramic landscape.  We see the famous Faraglioni rock formations and enjoy this leisure day on the island by strolling, site-seeing, lunch on your own and shopping in the Piazzetta and walking along the Via Camerella.  Mass this day is celebrated at The Church of St. Francis.  

Dinner & overnight in Sorrento. 

Breakfast and check-out prior to departure to Pompeii (one hour). Buried under meters of ash, rubble, and pumice from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeii remains a preserved site of what once was a thriving, sophisticated Roman city. We walk through the excavated ruins of the streets, houses and even “cafes” of this ancient city.

Visit the Pontifical Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii this day. Commissioned and co-founded by St. Bartolo Longo, the shrine was built from 1876-1901. After obtaining a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary from a convent in Naples, St. Longo, a former Satanic priest, raised the funds to have the image restored and positioned it above the altar in the church. Soon thereafter, a multitude of miracles began to be reported, and pilgrims came in droves to the church. St. Pope John Paul II later named Bartolo Longo “Apostle of the Rosary”, and he was beatified in 1980.

Enjoy a special wine tasting experience while in Pompeii, sampling local wines and experiencing the flavors and winemaking traditions of the Campania region. Lunch on your own before continued travel toward Rome (3 hours).

Upon arrival in Rome, check into our hotel and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure to rest, enjoy dinner, or begin exploring the Eternal City at your own pace.

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Rome.

Breakfast at the hotel and we begin our day at the stunning Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, built over the saint’s tomb. Time is provided for prayer and reflection at one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas.

We continue to the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major. Under the high altar of this magnificent basilica is the Crypt of the Nativity encased in a crystal reliquary. Pilgrims can view what is said to be the wood relics of the Holy Crib of the Nativity of Jesus. Also known for the Miracle of the Snow, St. Mary Major houses the relics of St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church who translated the bible into Latin. It is also the site where St. Ignatius of Loyola celebrated his first Mass as a priest in 1538 and now is the final resting place of Pope Francis.

We continue to Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. Founded in 324, it is the oldest of the papal basilicas and the oldest basilica in the western world. We cross the street to the Scala Sancta (“The Holy Stairs”), the marble staircase (encased in wooden risers) which led to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. It is on these steps that Jesus climbed to meet Pilate on his way to trial during His Passion. Pilgrims traditionally climb this staircase on their knees

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Following our morning and early afternoon touring, the remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure for lunch on your own, prayer, rest, shopping, cafés, or exploring the Eternal City at your own pace.

Overnight in Rome.

After an early breakfast, we begin the day in Vatican City with Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Known as the Messa Capitolare, or Chapter Mass, it is traditionally celebrated by a Cardinal at the Altar of the Chair. Note: The Cardinal’s Mass is subject to the Vatican’s final schedule and confirmation.

After Mass, we gather in St. Peter’s Square for the Holy Father’s traditional Sunday Angelus and Papal Blessing (where the Pope is scheduled to appear from the window of the Apostolic Palace).

We return to St. Peter’s Basilica for a walking tour to see Michelangelo’s Pietà, the tomb of St. Pope John Paul II, and magnificent treasures of art throughout.

The afternoon and evening are at leisure for lunch on your own, prayer, rest, shopping, or exploring the Eternal City!

Overnight in Rome.

Following breakfast, we return to Vatican City for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums. Within, we see the Sistine Chapel, home to some of the greatest works of sacred art in the world, along with the renowned Raphael Room and the Tapestry Gallery.

Following our visit, we continue to the historic center of Rome to visit Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain.

Lunch on your own followed by the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure for exploring the city, shopping, relaxing at one of Rome’s cafés, or returning to a favorite site at your own pace.

Overnight in Rome.

Following breakfast, we begin our final day in Rome with an outside only guided visit of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, taking us through the heart of ancient Rome.

Lunch on your own nearby and, schedule permitting, a visit to the Spanish Steps for free time and final shopping in Rome.

Later this afternoon, transfer to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our evening flight to Palermo, Sicily, where we meet our Sicilian guide for the remainder of the pilgrimage.

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Palermo.

Breakfast at the hotel prior to a full day of fascinating Sicilian faith, culture and cuisine!

We first visit the Shrine of St. Rosalia, patron saint of Palermo. The shrine is in a cave high on Monte Pellegrino overlooking the sea where pilgrims often climb or walk up as an act of devotion. The saint’s relics are said to have been carried in procession during a devastating plague in 1624 whereby the plague abruptly ended due to her intercession.

We continue to the Palermo Cathedral where the relics of St. Rosalia are housed. We enjoy Il Capo Market Walk, a lively immersion into Palermo’s culture where we stop for lunch on your own and to explore the vibrant stalls of local vendors.

This afternoon we see one of Sicily’s most breathtaking Baroque churches, the Church of the Gesu, with its marble inlays, frescoes, and overwhelming sacred beauty. We continue to The Palazzo dei Normanni and the Palatine Chapel, major highlights of Palermo. Our day ends with a walk through the Historic Old Quarter.

Dinner & overnight in Palermo.

After breakfast at the hotel, we travel a short way to Monreale to visit the Monreale Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Famous for its Byzantine mosaics, including a massive Christ Pantocrator, entering this cathedral creates an almost heavenly vision of complete gold as over 48lbs of pure gold mosaics depict scripture from Genesis to Christ.

Just outside, we visit the majestic Monreale Cloister, part of the old Benedictine Monastery attached to the 12th century cathedral.

We then travel to Cefalu, one of Sicily’s most beautiful seaside towns (1.5 hours). Lunch on your own in this picturesque old fishing port with time to see the ancient washhouse, Piazza del Duomo and the beautiful Cathedral of Cefalu.

Afternoon return to Palermo with a visit the Santa Caterina Church and Rooftop and the Capuchin Catacombs if schedule allows.

Farewell Dinner & overnight in Palermo.

Breakfast and check-out and we transfer to Palermo Airport for return flights to the US.

As our pilgrimage comes to an end, we carry with us the witness of saints who have accompanied our journey: The Apostolic courage of Saints Andrew, Peter and Paul, and the steadfast faith of Sicily's beloved Saints, Agatha and Rosalia. May their lives inspire us to return home renewed in faith, more deeply rooted in Christ, and ready to live the Gospel with greater love, courage, and joy.

A note from Trinity Tours Travels:

We are honored to have you travel with us and appreciate your trust in

Trinity Tour Travels. Though every effort will sincerely be made to follow the above itinerary, it should be considered as a template of the journey, rather than a “contract” of sites to be visited.  There are times when local religious or national holidays, weather, traffic challenges, etc., may cause us to have to make changes in our schedule.  This MAY result in a change in the sequence of sites visited or, on the rare occasion, the missing of some certain site visits entirely.

As with all in life, we encourage the acceptance of possible change with a cheerful heart…after all, it is sometimes the unexpected that often makes the most beautiful memories!  Enjoy your trip to the fullest and relish every moment!