Join
Fr. Jim McDougall
September 21 – October 4, 2008

Rome, Florence & Assisi
Special stops include Siena, San Gimignano & Pompeii

$4699.00 *
* Per person plus airport departure taxes and fuel surcharges,

Day 1, Sunday - September 21: Detroit / Florence

Leave from Detroit Metro Airport for your overnight flight to Florence. Enjoy meals and movies in-flight.
 

Day 2, Monday – September 22:Florence

Arrive in Florence; transfer to hotel. This afternoon enjoy walking tour of the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio. (Time permitting)

Day 3, Tuesday – September 23:Florence

Meet your local guide for a tour of San Marco and the Academy Gallery to see the famous David by Michelangelo. Lunch is on your own. The remainder of the afternoon is free. Dinner at a local restaurant

Day 4, Wednesday – September 24:Florence

This morning meet your guide and take a lovely walk into the old city center where you will visit the church of Santa Croce to see the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. Then, move on to Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery with paintings by Rafael and Leonardo. Travel just outside the city for tonight’s dinner with entertainment at an outdoor restaurant.

Day 5, Thursday - September 25: Siena & San Gimignano

Enjoy a panoramic excursion through the countryside of the Chianti area. Upon arrival in Siena you will have a guided visit of the medieval city starting with the Cathedral. Then, the tour takes you to Piazza del Campo, One of the most beautiful squares in Europe. After lunch on your own, depart for San Gimignano. This gem of the Middle Ages is called the Manhattan of Tuscany because it preserves 11 of it’s noble towers, giving it a "skyscraper" skyline. Return to Florence for dinner at a local restaurant

Day 6, Friday – September 26:Florence to Assisi

Depart for Assisi traveling thru Tuscany and into the Region of Umbria. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Santa Chiara Church and San Rufino Cathedral. Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 7, Saturday – September 27:Assisi

By Taxi, tour the Hermitage, a place of peace and silence, where the impact of the Franciscan spirituality is still fresh. Also tour the San Damiano Church, which is the church St. Francis restored, as a result of hearing the voice of the crucifix of San Damiano. Lunch is on your own. In the afternoon, you will have Mass and then a guided tour of the St. Francis Basilica. Enjoy dinner at the hotel

Day 8, Sunday – September 28:Assisi to Rome

Enjoy a scenic drive along the Tiber Valley on the way to Orvieto. Orvieto is perched high atop volcanic rock. Ride a modern funicular through the forbidden ramparts. Lunch on your own. Browse through tempting shops in the lanes off Piazza del Duomo, and find the right angle for a picture of the fabulous gothic façade of Orvieto Cathedral. It was here that the Holy Father, Pope Urban IV was living at the time the Eucharistic Miracle took place in 1263. In the late Afternoon arrive in Rome and check into the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Optional walking tour with Fr. Jim.

Day 9, Monday – September 29:Rome

Depart for your morning guided tour to St. Clements, the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Stop

at the top of the Aventine Hill, crowned by the magnificent basilica of St. Sabina. There are exceptional views across the Tiber River to Trastevere and St. Peters. Return to the hotel, where lunch is on your own. After lunch meet your Escort and guide for the remainder of the tour. On to St. John Lateran, this is the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. The pope comes here to celebrate mass on certain holidays. You will then see St. Paul’s Basilica outside the walls, Rome’s fourth church, believed to have been erected over the tomb of St. Paul, burned in 1823 but was subsequently rebuilt. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 10, Tuesday – September 30:Pompeii

Guided tour of the excavations, as the city was buried by ashes nineteen centuries ago when Mount Vesuvius erupted in the summer of 79 A.D. Return to Rome for dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 11, Wednesday – October 1:Rome

In the morning attend Papal Audience. This afternoon visit St. Domitilla Catacombs, where the early Christians buried their dead and during the worst times of persecution held church services discreetly out of the public eye. The catacombs of St. Domitilla are the oldest of the ancient catacombs. Travel via the Appian Way to the Fosse Ardeatine, a memorial to the political prisoners and civilians who were executed by the Nazi’s in an abandoned quarry south of Rome. We will be returning to the hotel before having dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 12, Thursday – October 2:Rome

Attend Mass at St. Peters. Included in the tour of St. Peters, you will find the "Pieta" by Michelangelo. Visit the Vatican Museum, which boasts one of the world’s greatest art collections. It is a gigantic repository of treasures from antiquity and the Renaissance, all housed in a labyrinth of lavishly adorned palaces, apartments, and galleries leading to the real gem the Sistine Chapel. Lunch is on your own with free time this afternoon. After Dinner at a local restaurant, optional walking tour with Fr. Jim to Trastevere

Day 13, Friday – October 3:Rome

Visit St. Lawrence outside the walls on the way to Tivoli, Have your camera ready as you enter the most famous of all renaissance residences in Europe. Villa D’Este, with its incredible fountains and terraced gardens. Enjoy a bountiful farewell banquet in Montecelio. Return to Rome for dinner on your own, at your leisure. Join Fr. Jim for an optional evening walk to the Trevi Fountain

Day 14, Saturday – October 4:Rome / USA

Leave for your flight home. Meals and movies in-flight
 

Hotel Accommodations – European hotels based on sharing twin bedded rooms with private bath. Single supplement $1075.00

Meals & Sightseeing – Per the itinerary, including entrance fees where required. Local transportation will be aboard deluxe European motor coaches.

Guides – Experienced, licensed, bilingual guides.

Responsibility & Liability – Drolett Travel and participating tour operators operate the land tours as agents of hotel and sightseeing contractors and are not liable for any act, delay, omission, injury, loss or damage or non performance occurring in connection with these arrangements. The passage contract in use by these companies shall constitute the sole contract between the companies and the purchaser of these tours or passage.

Cancellation & Refunds – In the event of cancellation, refund in full will be made up to 90 days prior to departure, less a $150.00 per person processing fee. If cancellation is not received at this time, refund will be subject to 25% cancellation fee or the amount equal to the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the tour operator, whichever is greater. No refund for unused portions.

NOT INCLUDED – * Airport departure taxes and fuel surcharge approximately $318.00, excess baggage charges and forwarding of luggage, passports, items of a personal nature, beverages with meals, travel protection.

Download complete brochure, including reservation form which should be returned with your deposit.